The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-24
WORKS OF MODERN ARTISTS.
A Celebrated Collection Temporarily
on Exhibition in Indianapolis.
An Artists Opinion of the Art Status of
the COuntry-High-Priced Bits
of Canvass.

4estelCay afternoon a journal reporter looked
through the collection of Braun's autotypes now
being shown for few days by Mr. Stornay at
Fl. Lieber & Co.'S These autotypes are, as is
well known, perfect reproductions of the most
famous works of art The entire collection now
comprises over thirty thousand different copies
and Mr.. Stornay brings with him 1000 of these
and they are the latest Seven eighths of the
Braun autotypes are copies of the works of the
old masters, and the remainder are fac SMILES of
the works of modern artists. In the collection
are reproductions of artists sketches and car
toons of all the old masters and so faithfully
done that they cannot be distinguished from the
originals, These autotypes take an important
place in galleries and libraries in this country,
Yale College having nearly 1000 copies, Cooper
Institute 600, Philadelphia Art Academy 800,
Vassar College 600, Washington University, st.
Louis, 1,500, etc.
A great number of people visited Mr.. Stornay's
collection, yesterday, and, while these visitors
are for the greater part the citys most cult
waited people, his patrons are not exclusively
connoisseurs in art. Many are simply lovers of
the beautiful By observing the pictures which
attract the widest attention and command the
readiest sale, Mr. Stornay is able to gauge very
nearly the art status of the country. He believes
that in this country there is substantial growth
of appreciation in the best things of art and a
eorrespondingly decreasing desire for the mere
tricious or what might be called transitory forms
of art He holds that the intrinsic artistic value
of the masterpieces of the world, the works of
the old masters are coming to be more valued,
while the prize pictures of the Paris salon are
favo hao 81 ho
holds, but only for the time, and not as those Of
the old masters for all time, and that twenty five
years from now they will have lost large per
centage of their artistic value.
Among the sutotypes in Mr.. Stonay's collect
ion that attracts most attention is the Madonna
COnnestabileStaffa Madonnas are usually
designated by names given them by the great
galleries or families to which they belong The
| original painting Of the Madonna Connestabile
Statfa, by Raphael Sanzio is only 5 1-2x7 IL
inches. 1t was bought by the late Gar of Rus
STA two or three years before his assassination,
for 500: 600, who gave it to his queen as birth
day present Paintings of the famous Leonardo
da Vinci are rare, not more than dozen or ff
teen being known to be in existence. One of
these is the Madonna Litta, now in the Hermit
age at st. Petersburg, which is faithfully copied
in Braun autotype. The Madonna del Pesce
the Madonna of the FISH, also one of Raphael's,
and considered by some equal to the Sistine Ma
DONNA is in the collection. This represents the
Madonna holding, the child, her hand touching
the book held by St. Jerome, while the angel is
leading the boy Toby, who has fish in his hand,
toward the young Savior. The original is in the
Museum of the Prado, Madrid.
'The Little Man at the Window" is an auto
type of Meissonier's masterpiece. The size of
the original painting is IL inches by IL
inches, and it was exhibited last summer in Pet
tit Gallery, Rue de Seize, Paris The original
is valued at more than $4,000, though Mes-
sonier will not sell it at any price. This is the
highest price ever put upon a modern picture.
Farewell IL inches by IL inches, another
of Meissoniers was sold last May to Mr. Pope,
of Chicago, for $4,000 Meissoniers portrait,
painted by himself, is also reproduced in auto
type. The great French painter looks like
hermit, with his struggling hair and long, forked
beard. There are several of Meissonier's pic
lures, all of original size, and number of those
of his most famous pupils. Among these
several of Detaille's, his greatest student. De
taille, it will be remembered, was commissioned
by the English government, some time since, to
go to Egypt and paint the battle scene of Tel el
Kebr. There are also several of Fortunyis,
among them "The Butterfly" which is as deli
cate fairy dream. Neuville, another scholar
of Messoniers, is represented in several auto
types among which is most spirited picture,
1.-THE General at the Maneuver."
''The Shepherd" by j. F. MiIlet one of the
greatest living painters, is shown. The original
could not be bought for $50, 900. There is also
portrait of Millet, painted by himself, and
marine sketch-the only one he ever did-and
which was great surprise to his friends land
his enemies, tool, by reason of its pronounced
excellence.
Courbet, who distinguished himself by pulling
down the column Vendome, which he was or
dered to. put up again, is represented by 1.-THE
Return from the Wedding" "a cavacade of
tipsy priests. Charlotte Corday" by Merle, is
a vigorous sketch. The original was bought in
Boston for 5000 "Cosette" as the slave Of
Thenardiers latter Victor Hugo's Les Mis-
erable) is a striking thing. 1.-THE Widows
Prayer" is by Henner, one of the best French
artists. He has come into prominence within
the past five years, and pictures that three years
ago he glad to sell at 5000 OF $500 each, he
now reluctantly parts with at $4,000 and s., 900.
Regnault's Marshal PTim" is fine equestrian
picture, the original of which is in the Museum
of the Luxembourg. "The Lemonade Vender'
is by Vibert, prominent French artist. Hector
Leroux, one of the best of living French artists,
is represented by number of pictures, among
them The Destruction of Herculaneum." The
artist has given to each of the three women in
the foreground, who, even in their terror as
they gaze upon awful Vesuvius, are as grace
full as Hebe different expressions of fear
'"The Witch is weird sketch from Falero.
1t is a nude female figure clutching a huTrying
broom-stick and riding moonwards over the
housetops. This was in the Paris salon in 1883.
Falero's pictures never sell under five or six
thousand dollars. Ned Stokes, Jim Fisk slayer,
has two of them in his drinking room in the
Hoffman House. TRUTH" who, by common re-
port resides at the bottom of the well, is repre-
scented by Moreau-V authier (salon 1889 as hav-
ing been drawn up by monk who is bending
over windlass. Truth is naked, and the monk
who has had all the labor, as his back is turned
toward her. does not see her. She carries in her
hand a mirror, which reflects so brilliant a light
that second monk who attempts to gaze upon
her is almost blinded. One of the prettiest and
best things is Scalbert's "At Bougivel" Bougivel
is noted place on the Seine, near Paris. The
picture was in the last salon, beautiful pic
ture is Aublet's Bathing Scene at Treport,"
famous French bathing place. Might" by
Chaplin, an old subject but cleVerly treated, is
well worth looking at. Madame Enaults "In
the Conservatory" which was in the salon of
1888, is worthy to be in the collection.
Troyon and VcnMark, two of the greatest liv-
ing cattle painters are represented by autotypes.
Rosa Bonheurs works are also in the collection