New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-13
SOME FRENCH ARTISTS.


WAS to-day allowed, between o''o'A an"
noon 70 glance over the salon In 'hc course
Of my stroll ! met divers members OF the Jury
o,.,nno the number Bouguereau. They talked good
deal 70 me about the new fiscal measure IA the
rated States which viii keep Americans who are
M, mognatcs aud miilionnaires from adoruing their
bo,ccs with French DCtuIeS Bin is one OF the
oentleSt and kindest in existence. lie Is Mayor
of Montnlartrc, where be has a studio ana directs
private art schools A large number Of his pupils
have been Americans and swiss. and he owns TO
weakness for republics and republicans. He "aS
therefore deeply gricycd at the embargo which
is 10 I've laid on European art IN the
United States France was the country
above al. others in which Americans sought
for oil paintings wheTcwlth 20 decorate
their lomes. aud Paris is the European cityin winch
there is tie greatest number OF American art
students OF both sexes.
Boupucreau who has been IN a peculiar degree
favori,e of the American public, looked really sad
as he talked on this subject lie told ne that he
has not only esteem but sympathy for the American
people Wealth does not, across the Atlantic as IN
England 90 hand in hand with cold pride lie
uch American has not the antI-sOcal wee OF
hauphtincss which lie 50 often observed III the
wealthy Englishman. All round there IS III
Bouguereau's opinion, higher level of intelligence
In American society than IN European; and tho IN
tellectual curiosity of Americans of all ages and
botn sexes has struck him as very remarkable.
Whenever he observed IT, he could not help,
as Freedman, being delighted to think
that LAFAYETTE aided George Washington
in his hberating work His distress was therefore,
greater than he could express at measure which
be SAID could no, fail to strike the majority of Pa
rsian art lists as emanating from narrow and selfish
feeling Bouguereau had had much trouble IN pre-
venting his colleagues from expressing then rrita-
ton IN way which might have nettIed American
painters here But he was afraid that he would not
be able TO do so next year if high duty continued
TO lie levied in the United States on European PIE
lures He spoke of the large spirit in which foreign
articles are trca ed N France. and took me around
TO show me "a number of their works which were
placed Oh the line. OF tins generous implrtiahty
he was very proud. He had seen how foreigners
were treated al the London Ro ,al Academy, which
was simply "a mutual admiration society" and
hostile to outsiders.
One OF the foreign artists so favored was BogGs
He contributes to the Salon very remarkable PIC
ture of the little Norman port of lslGny. AnotherlH
Sargent His living and vigorously painted emil
dren are simply admirable and the jury was unanl-
nous in giving them place where they would
catch the eve of the public. Anne Avrton pant
ING of a dessert was also on the line. 1t is line
stilI-hfe picture and shows artistic perception and
works lust as good by French artists which are
place. higher up She more favored than they
because lady and foreigner. Bouguereau told
me that Americans had rushed in ShOa s 10 blm 10
this CITY to buy up pictures rapidly and send them
to the United states before the fiscal measure he
had been speaking of should take effect. large
number of artists. who had disposed of works
which are to be exhibited in tins Salon had
impOred the jury to let them be taken away early.
Nothing on this yet decided, hut the
probability was that majority of the jurors would
stand out against compliance. 10 comply would D.
TO decapitate the Exhibition.
1t was more interesting to talk with the artists
than to look at the pictures. In sauntering around
made the acquaintance of NJ. Yon. bad BEEN
previously expressing to common friend my adj
miration of a picture which ne sends this year ana
which is hung on the line. The subject Is One
Rafale" a hurricane. Two horses are grazing in a
salt marsh OH coarse grass which has been parched
by prolonged drouth. The sea before
them is still calm, though dark. Blind
ing rain that hides the land as If
behind a bluish-gray curtain, Is advancing
towards them. The wind is taking effect on the
horses names and tails One of the AM nals--a
white horse-s in profile and looks toward the SEA
The other-a brown horse with light name and tail
shows his Launches 10 The spectators. Inc bodY
slightly in profile and fore-shOrened ana the head
is visible The poor brute appears excited 10y the
tempest HIS white comTade is more patient and
has got into a position in which he VIII offer The
least possible resistance to the storm ana violent
ram | never saw anything more powerful NJ |
Yon is the very antithesIs of his style He is rather
blond, has silky lar, a calm phySlognomy re
sembling somew bat that of the late Prince Albert
of England, and speaks gentle tone OF
voice Bouguereau IS short and thick-set without |
being corpuent. HIS face expresses quiet |
energy and working power. The nOse-rreguarly |
auuilne thick and dipping slightly at The ends !
firmly modelled, and so are the other features lie
has blue eve which seems TO note well every o.
ject ON which looks should say that he IS over
fifty. HIS articulation. III speaking, is distinct and
his voice Is sweet and round.
Basren-Icpage was not able to finish in time his
painting OF Gamb-tta's death-bcd. He sends a
village subject. Love in Hamlet" A suuburnt
youth a ltte shy but intensely earnest, is counting
on his fingers the weeks which must elapse before
he can 90 before the Mayor and cure with the no less
n-bronzed lass who Is standing on the other side
of a rough paling close TO hun. She Is picking |
the petals Of a daisy and no doubt saying to
herself he loves me, he loves me not
The girl is flint and enjoys the know edge that she
has utterly ca. quercd the young man He has been
working in a hop field and Is in his shirt sleeves
The two figures are rendered with extra ordinary !
ylgor. but the general tone Is not pleasing Both |
the peasants and The village near them express SoI-
did conditions OF existence. The greens OF the land
scape are disagrecably metallic, having the vivid
color OF picked gerklns
jules Basten-Icrage is rather young artist
He is from DanyIllerS in the Mcusc. HIS father
who died some years ago. a landlord there in a
email way, and was a jewish blocking person OF a
sandy complexion. The mother is the daughter of
a tax collector who Is still alive at eighty our
years of are. lie aud She are snub-nosed
snd honesty aud modest intelligence are
expressed IN their homcly faces. They adore
Basticn-Lepage, and he returns their admiration
with idOatry better son and brother never
lived. Family affection is with him pivotal in |