The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-24

The Art or the Eighteenth Century.
The American art collectors depend so
largely upon France that no apology is needed
for calling attention to tho completion OF an
important work which interests tho amateurs
of pictures. OF drawings. and OF certain Illus
trated books OF the last century. The work is
LArt du IVIIIeme Steele. by +. and J. DE CON
COURT the publication OF which has Just been
finished in Paris in two forms. an edition de
lure. in quarto. with 20 plates. and n cheap
edition. containing simply the text. the notes.
and the catalogue rasonns Of the works Of
each artist mentioned. The publisher OF the
edition de lure is Quantin; that OF the cheap
edition is Charpentier.
1t Is interesting to note that thirty-nve years
ago when NM de uoncourt began modestly
their now Incompatible collection OF draw
invs and studies by tho French artists Of
the eighteenth century. guided simply by
euro taste whose judgments have ut length
been unanimously ratified by public opinion.
they were almost alone in their admiration.
The portfolios on the quays. the rubbish cor
ners OF the print shops. were full Of sanguincs.
water colors. and drawings of the masters OF
tho past century Nobody bought them. No.
body thought Of buying them bid OF rs
francs ut an auction was greeted by obs and
abs and sniffings Of pity and contempt from
the dcspiscrs OF that French school whose mas
tcrpieccs are now sold for their weight in bank
notes. In La Maison dm Artjsta NJ. de Con-
court says: Nothing was easier and cheaper
in those days than to make a fine collection
OF drawings of the eighteenth century;
only there was in the atmosphere such
an enormous disdain for that school,
your painter friends pi'ied you with such
sad looks. you passed for a man so
utterly deprived of taste. that you needed to
have n great contempt for the opinions OF
others in order to form such a collection"
Happily the brothers De Goncourt had the
necessary contempt. Not only did they form
unique collection of eighteenth century draw
ings but they also conceived the idea of sup
plementing their historical work on the
eighteenth century by history Of the art Of
the century. Between the years $3.50 and 1870
they published eleven preliminary monographs.
illustrated with etchings by Jules do Goncourt.
two hundred copies Of which only were printed.
The collection has now become Of extreme
rarity. In the monograph on Chardin the au-
thors declare that they enter upon their study
of the art of the eighteenth century with
mixed sentiment of melancholy and Of anger.
In presence Of the oblivion into which the
memory of the artist had fallen. in presence of
the excess of ingratitude and insolent con-
tempt OF posterity for tho great artistic
epoch OF Louis XIV. thoy doubted whether
there was such a thing as justice in
France. They asked whether French taste
had no other guide but fashion. Had France. so
jealous of her other glories. neglected to such a
degree for fifty years glorics that had sprung
living from her very temperament her very
character. her very cntrails. formed. too after
the very image of her every feature? Yes. 1t
was true. At the beginning OF the century the
school of David had trumphed the nation had
amended its taste and renounccd the masters
of tho eighteenth century. both great and
small Their works were left TO rot the
,."ays suld to the foreigner for paltry prices.
The museums -old the masterpieces Of
Boucher. or hid them away in rlouldy garrets.
La Tour. the exquisite portraitist. the most
perfect draughtsman Of the French school.
does not escape the general disgrace David is
victorious. and La Tours portraits of Crebillon
and of Nine. de Mondonvilc are sold for 30 and
2j francs his portrait of Rousseau seated is
Withdrawn. as nobody offered more than 3
francs! Those two splendid Charjins. now In
the Louvre. the portrait of the artist and OF
his wife, brought 81 francs and no. sou morel
No more striking ratification OF the sureness
of NJ de Goncourt's taste and at the same time
OF the influence of his example on the collect
ing public han comparison o. the modest
paid at the present day for drawings by tho
masters Of the eiEhteenth century At the
Pncee GQreans by Moreau lie jeune sold for
1920; a drawing. 1lN9 inches Yes or No"
by Moreau, $2,4O0: drawings by Boucher sl20
70 5000; drawings by Frngonard $1,000 to
$500; sixteen drawings by tirayeIot to illus
trate Boccaccio. 81 500. &c. The prices of the
other masters show the same colossal advance
Indeed, the amateurs of the present dav seem
constantly to be celebrating the apotheosis Of
the art of the last century in all its forms-the
art Of its drHughtsmon. Of it's cabnctmakers
OF its printers. of its bookbinders, and even of
its milIhcrs and drcssmnkers. The art Of tho
eighteenth century still remains almost the
unique source Of inspiration of the cle.ancics
and amenities of the Nineteenth.