Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-25
CONTEMPORARY .pr go .u....
Notes on Art and Artists-The German
Masfcrs-Thc Antwerp Exhibition-
Amcrleams 1t the Salon.

Notes on Art and Artists-The G,eru.u
Masfcrs-Thc Antwerp Exhibition
Americans 1t the Salon.
from private letter from Washington artist nov
in Europe to gentleman connected with this mar
the following extracts are made:l
PARIS. July 6, 1885,
We had an uneventful and pleas.
ant ocean voyage, arriving in Bremen June 9Th
and in Berlin June Sth. Many Of my old friends
and acquaintance in the latter place were alb.
SENT but fortunately the inimitable Kpaus was
at home. Every picture one sees by this great
est Of genre painters one thinks must be his
best and that he will never equal It. and We,
each new one again seems in one or +, or
another to surpass the last. He had on his ease,
when we were there low ely picture of a lady
artist painting Cupids-the model stout little
chap Of six or sever, with the wings tied on with
string. looking critically Mt the picture during
the rest" Sold to Lepeke. Another called the
"Dorf Hexe'' (vfllage Witch) shows an Old
woman chasing u band of teasing children. The
figures about the size of those in MIR. Walters
picture OF Mud Pies" but more oil them II
was bought by Avery. Another very large COM
position, merely In charcoal, u row and fight in
Il Village beer house, Is verltable Knaus of
former times. The picture is composed like
Jan Steen and Brouwer, and will be painted
like Teniers. Knaus' prices are enormous. OF
course.
OfCarl Beeker's costume pictures good a. they
his prices are not those Of fifteen Years s aso ana
OF GussOw, "GuS>Ow, the brilliant, one of the
best head painters saw but little. He con-
fines himself entirely to portraits But some OF
them were marvellous in clearness and bril-
liancy. This portrait painting OF his is to be
regretted by us, Us We in America ought to be
able to see more of such work.
Paul Truman, who draws as well a. Sir F.
Leighton, and paints far better, Is the leader of
the present Berlin school. The picture of the
"Ronlan Lovers" which you know by photo, is
marvel Of all the qualities that go to make up
o great picture, and many OF his study heads
are knowa ny photos d y and are
also one OF the best professors and teachers in
Europe, and his class in the academy is the best
the teachers influence and ability to draw out
the especial characteristics OF pull Ills where they
happcn to hare Gny. for you must know that
are full of people who can never learn should
say that as man thoroughly cOgnizant of the
principles Of art, competent to teach and to
practice them' ne Is one OF the strongest in
Old Prof. Mcneil is still as original, as daring.
as independent of all so-called admitted acade-
mical rules in his last works as in his first; al
ways German subjects, but construed and or.
ganzed as far from German methods as when
he was II student.
pnrs) the greatest picture of the lamented Hans
Makart, hangs in the national gallery OF Berlin.
sa as hat Of Idr
speak of the Cornelia Cornaro that we had at
our centennial exhibition. 1t is splendidly
placed, and resembles In all except its exceed
Ing brilliancy (the result OF painting many
things on gold grOund), Paul Veronese.
AT Dusseldorf saw but little to attract, be-
yond the two great Achenbachs. The galleries
there are UGH more cOlor1 than formerly, but
still far behind Berlin. Munich and Vienna.
The above mentioned are really giants in their
day The eldest, Andreas, is now seventy-one,
and paints as we'll, if not better, than ever.
Should he drop Off suddenly his pictures would
command very high prices
At Antwerp the picture exhibition was in
compete no German pictures as yet on the
ton, industrial and artistic, was the most
decorative / have ever seen. The building,
which was not small was completely covered
as tn walls and ceiling, Ii for q permanent
affair. Each nation had not been compelled to
cover the rafters and constructive parts of the
building with the conventional vista of flags,
banners rugs, &c, &C., but found beautifully
furnished salon in which to hang and place
what they chose. We spent two days there one
of which we devoted to the industrial depart
ment and the other to the pictures. In the lat
Belgians and Austrians: The French depart
ment, which was the largest and contained
many names Of repute, did not hold its own.
Without going oyer the catalogue and rcciting
names, arm compelled to say that in portraits
and landscape the Austrians took the lead: in
genre and composition figure pieces the Bel
gians. In art and manufacture these Belgians
exhibit the same enterprise, intelligence and
progress that they did under Charles v. ana
Phiiipl II. They are wonderful race Of artisans
and artists.
letter beyond what fear your patience and en-.
DURANGO can bear, and will defer my notes on
the Salon and current French art until my ne t,
or until can give them you in person, us you
prefer. We left Brussels on the Goth of June,
and came directly here on the same day, and
spent every day until Tuesday 3Oth in the
Salon. or the % Americans who exhibited.
four or five were worthy of note. AS good an
other nation