The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-15
rH1 SENEY COLLECTION

Mr.. q. !. Seney's pictures are to bs sold ct
auction early next month. and they have been
placed upon exhibition In the galleries OF the
American Art Association in East Twenty
third street. They completely All the four gal
leries and the adjoining corridors. and form .
very Interesting, and from different points Of
Wow. very instructive collection. Yesterday
an immense throng OF people endeavorcd to
participate In the usual private view. and 1t 10
quito evident that an uncommon degree OF
public interest will attach to tho ultimate dis
pension Of the pictures by the auctioneer.
The sale has been brought about By the pri-
vate vicissitudes OF Mr.. Seney. all the croum-
stances OF which have long since boon known.
1t therefore resembles other great picture
sales which have not yet passed out Of mind
ard which have served to show now various Of
our railroads have contributed to the promo
ton Of tasto for tho nne arts by building up
flne collections from foreign sources. and then
scattering them broadcast.
1t Ii reported apparently with authority. that
Mr.. Beney spent something like $500. 900 for
his pictures They are not all included In tho
collection at the American Art Galleries. Some
he gave away being 40 generous In respect to
pictures as he WAS In other matters. and some
are withheld. Considering tho collection as
whole. It 10 not easy to see how 1t could have
cost 40 much money; but when 1t is examined
In detail and IN tho light OF the handsome
prices which we're oxaoted by the polished and
intelligent gentlemen who made up MIR. Senoy's
collection for him. 1t does not seem incredible.
1t Is undoubtedly a worry extravagant aggregate
Of pictures. and 1t contains large number OF
canvases. which. aeon separately. cannot fail
to have much greater interest and i'm portance
and largely enhance the value OF any minor
collection to which they may DO added.
Too great n diversity of tasto and intention
has been manifested in the selection OF MIR.
Seney's works Of art. They do not harmonize
and thcre Is no Intelligent purpose manifested
In their acquisition. Th-re can. for instance.
be no good reason shown why any ono having
such and such conspicuous examples OF this
or that wellknown artist should proceed to add
such and such others. Take tho Housseaus
"a an example, only dealer. or several dcal-
ora could adequately explain or excuse the
possession OF such Il heterogeneous assortment.
The Same objection will apply to the works OF
other artists whose regulations appear to have
Indicated the need OF having them represented
by quantity rather than by quality.
The collection. therefore. so far as Mr. Seney
Is concerned. should bo regarded only as a be-
ginning. He would have inevitably weeded 1t
out as he progressed. and as the unavoidable
education which the pictures themselves would
have impaired enabled him to see in what
directions he had boen led into error by the bust
ness obligations OF the gentlemen who assisted
his early stops. As 1t was. he acquired collec-
ton Of such magnitude. quality. and price that
one cannot refrain from commiseration rs one
reflects upon what he must have gone through.
The sale will be the most notable that has
taken place in some years. Much OF the recent
prevailing dulness in the picture trade is at
tributed by dealers to the fact that 1t has been
SO long hanging over the market. and that
people have preferred to wait for 1t rather
than purchase rs occasion offered. The I'M
preston prevails that good prices will
obtain. and 1t he's been generally current that
Mr.. Corcoran and tho Board OF Trustees Of tho
Corcoran Art Gallery at Washington had de-
cided to apply $50. 900 to the securing OF GER
tain noted works for that institution. Mr.. Cor
ooran could not do better. because there are
several pictures which would be Of the greatest
value to such collection as 1t is alleged that
the Washington collection is intended to be- 1t
should be borne in mind, too. that the entire
Seney collection has undergone since its pur-
chase q commercial appreciation of about
twenty per cent. owing to the increase in the
duties upon works OF art. a consideration which
forms an important factor In determining its