New-York tribune., 1886-01-18
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
NOTES OF THE ExHIDiTIoNs-ART NEWS HERE AND

with moderate degree of favor In tile matter attend
ance, but as the sales not announced little be
said regarding the financial prOsr the exhibition.
1t is improbable, however, that any considerable
amount Will be realized from the sales Mr.. Rehn's
interesting group OF tlors furnishes pleasant
relief from tile array OF black and white work,
and HIS exhibition shows occasional evidences OF sales
As to .ho architectural drawings tho exhib on may be
ravng the way for future commissions for the exhib-
iors but to this there is yet competent to
testify.
The next important exhibition will be OF Charles
MeryOns etchlngs to be shortly opened by Mr. Fred
erick Keppe NJ Burtys catalogue names ninety seven
plates etched by MeryOn, AMI impression from nc
least state OF nearly all these plates is included in
Mr.. Keepers collection. Amateurs WILL Of course, be
principally Interested IN the Paris set which may he
studied to advantage In the inpres contained
Mr.. Kepres portfolio, and Others which are to be lent
from the choice private collection OF Mr.. $. p. Avery
OF the very first etching done by Meryou reproduction
OF old miniature, there exists, according to N.
Burty, only impression With this exception, the
first but less important division OF MeryOns work, his
etching after paintings is fully represented in
this collection It while Meryon engaged in
this reproductive worS 1885, that he obtained
some etched views OF Paris hy Dutch master, Renier
zeemann, which published it 1850. These he
copied and the influence OF Zeemann is to no in his
earlier work. His copy of Zccmanns The Pavilion OF
MademOisee and part Of the Louvre" is in this coec
tion has peculiar interest from tie fact that the
original first suggested Meryon the idea OF etching
series Of views OF Paris. This famous SERIES will be
seen dedicated to Zeemann in set OF verses etched
upon one OF plates. After the Paris SET which has
given Mcryon high rank in the history OF etching,
come isolated views in Paris and BOurges OF which
almost equal his masterpieces in their subtlety aud
beauty. These followed by his Soucenirs du
Voyage" etchngs after sketches made 10 New Zealand
and elsewhere. and by several portraits With these
ItpilI alo favvO draW Iv
and portraits of tho artist by Bracquemond and
Flameng.
Comment upon Meryon's work must be deferred until
these etchngs are placed upon exhibition something
may be said concerning his unhappy life. Ho born
In Paris In 1921 the illegltimate child OF London
physician AMI French dancer. The reI roach OF his
birth exercised a baneiul influence upon bis sensitive
broodng temperament, but nevertheless he was pre-
pared for active life OF tho naval profession and
made voyages 10 NewZelland and elsewhere as an
officer in tho French Marine Corps During this time lie
drew and painted little in studio at Toulon aud on
shlpboard but it was until 1916, when he left the
Marine Corps that he began to follow art as profession
He wished be a painter aud establishing himself in
Paris he laborlousy copied drawings by early masters
But he prevented from carrying out his purpose by
color blindness aboat 1850 he entered the studio OF
NJ Bery, sn engraver His life was lonely one. aud
his tendency toward strange fancles and persistent
melancholy intensified By his isolation. and also his
disappointment IN love affair which came to him at
about the time that doa suggested to him Of
etching the Paris set Leaving VI. Blerys studio he
buried himself in garrett OF the Rue ST. EtIenne du
Mont ia lost quarter OF Paris, and there between
6s SS s6 hc St @terSbe % MsTyon Celebrated srst It
WAS the old Paris then vanishing under the restor aons
and sympathlznc with its quaint phases, which seemed
alive TO him. be sought to preserve them After choos
ing subject he every day az the same time ami
drew sudies OF various pars wonderfully exact In tGer
details although as he stood IL the street he was
~ half
constantly interrupted by police officers and curious
III: accurate @ n a H. seems s more more
pointed ponci Ike burn, and made al his strokes up
returning TO mis- garrett or another Grawin made
from them His plates were strongly bitten; indeed, NJ
be ates there have been from two to six states aud
the choicest Impressions old tea-coloed or Sreensn
paper. very difficult OF acquisition the plates OF
ths Paris set we're touched up with the burin and
thereby rendered heavier aud coarser and atterward
they destroyed by Meryon during ut OF insanity
As carly 1854 he sho we'd Alarming signs OF mental
disorder, aud In ls5S he was taken TO- the aGygG
suffering trom melancholy madness accompanied with
delusons." Aiterward ne restored to liberty for
there his tragic lite history ended IN 1868. The exhib
lion will contain impressions from some plates upon
which Meryon etched balloons ana strange monsters ~
bis insane moments but there is very pathetic as well
a. merely curious side 70 such work as this Compare
owned here, the best and LARGEST number being IN Mr.
Avery's private colectioh NE heppels nISlOltlon |
country.
Me,.rs. Reichari & Co. exhibit Mr.. J. l.. stewards
Ball, painting OF the class or inc Hrtlsts
" Five o'clock Tea"
Now that the business OF picture iorgng has increased
To affect seriously the picture trade
IN Paris call forth puhc protests from French artists
and 10 ncceSsate the framing OF law to supp
the evil II Is necessary for American picture buyers
exercise the utmost care regarding me authenticity ot
foreign paintings The TRIBUNE has often called atten
ton to nis matter but It Is Probable that the extent OF
the trade IN forged pictures Ia not yet generally under
stood Tho leading dealers in this city express them
as S hs coar S @ to n c single
example, the majority OF the auction sales In New York
for several years past have contained between one and
half dozen paintings attributed to Dldz In nearly
every private collection OF any consequence DaE Is
lived and painted IN France and large number OF his
pictures are owned In Paris. As every ono knows. |
D Ton Tsf ba RHe were to sSn
OF pictures attributed to him which are owned in the
reflection on Inc par % & Ine Corn an H.
the existence Ot considerable trade IN more tAan
doubtful water colors Is generay w, r1coS9lIet Tue
tOn NJ the time seems TO be approaching when buyers
o co foreign pictures at , eaIT a. auction @ s@Hs %
sending the p1ture or pictures to Paris for the best
matter in Paris is shown by the Courier de Rirfor
January, which contains the first part OF NJ BaEdouxs
report in behalf OF Senatorial Commission charged with
the suggestion OF legal remedies for frauds Ia works OF
art. After general reference to the multitude or
foreeries OF paintings sculptures. drawings, etc. NJ
bardoux SAYS: AT our doors In Belgium manu-
factories OF COrOt COurbe Met and many Others now
Gourishing. The paintings there manufactured are
sent to Paris which great market Of works OF AIT,
and they put ON sale with false signatures: -.
The most respected artists have complained or these
fOrccres letter signed by NM. MesSonier, GerOme,
Delaunay. Cabanel, Detaille Francais, A. Stevens;
Duoz Brac uemoud. Chaplin, etc, has been addressed
TO your comml,son to emphasize the urgent need Of
solution OF this question on the part OF the pubhc
authorities"
MF Morris Moore. whose death recently occurred at
Rome, well known abroad as an earnest student OF
Raphael while In this country his name Is perhaps best
known in connection with controversy over Raphaels
polio and Marsyas," tho authenticity Of which was
for n time disputed THIS picture. which Mr.. Moore |
aud owned for more than thirty years, was
sold him tho Louvre In 1888 for 100000 francs,
md hung tho Salon carre. which would seem TO be
sufficient answer its detraotOrs. Another painting
discovered by Mr. Moore was The Virgin OF tho |
Iecteru" called the Menconi Michel Angelo. an en-
is7g This is In the collection OF the Prince OF LEIGH
tonsten In Vienna. Mr.. Moore also discovered or
identified the Virgin enthroned aud Saints now In tho
National Gallery in London, aud portrait OF Dante.
49, .,nl IL. Q IL,