New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-26
DELACROIX AND BRETON.

EXHIBITING SOME OF THEIR PAINTfNGs
Messrs. Knoeder & Co. have done good services
to our public by placing upon exhibition az their
gallery two paintings by Delacrox and five by Jules
Breton. The examples Of the great French colorst
may fairly be said 10 possess especial consequence,
since, II there other reason, opportunities
for the study Of Deacroix this country have been
comparatively limited His dramatic "Crucifxion'
and Contest Of Mounted Arabs are In the alters
collection. Mr. Erwin Davis owns one painting of
the "Lion Hunt and another was recently in this
city Tho "Clorlnda' was seen al the time OF the
Probasco sale and an Entombment,' and Tiger
Quenching his Thirst, were in the Spencer collection
Nessrs. Sehaus and Avery have shown paintings OF
tigers, and in addition 10 minor works which have
passed through various sales were enabled BY
the Durand Ruel exhibition OF 1887 to see the
"Amende Honorable and the " Sardanapalus,' the
latter painting of peculiar interest to students Of tho
early development of romanficsm. But when We
have cited these few examples, the number OF others
in this country becomes very small Delacroix,
unfortunately has never fully shared the popularity
of the Fontainebleau and vile d'Avray painters in
this country, and there is the more reason for
proftng by the present opportunity.
The earlier OF the two examples Of Delacroix and
the more famous is Les ConvulsIonnares de Tanger'
painted in 1886. Here the composition
has not justified the massng Of strong
colors as in the Rebecca.' but
here as always. Delacroix has expressed himself in
color cndeavorlng by his opposition and his grahaon
Of colors render the spirit of HIS theme mus Va
see an artist expressing himself In the terms q
art instead of invading the province Of Literature
The subject which he has treated. the frenzy and self
torture Of the dervshcs, is one not unfamiliar bus
we may quote the description Of Theophlle GauieL
III we had not ourselves seen the Assaouas abandon
themselves to their strange exercises ron on mo
ground, eat serpcns, bite glass, deyour fire. muuiae
their bodies, and throwing themselves on
tho ground, tremble in intermittent spasms
like galvanized frogs, We should, perhaps, cnarse
les Convulsionnaires de Tanger' with eXsggeraiion.
There is in this picture An incredible turou-
lcnce OF movement ferceness' of brush-work which
no one has surpassed and especially cooring trans
parent and light whose charm ten'pers that winch
the subject has Of the horrible and repusive' IN
his last sentence Gautier makes point which OBJ
servers of the picture Will appreciate IL "ou"
have been easy to set forth all the horrors OF inc
scene with the details beloved of the ealists Del
acrolx has been forced TO depict tho horrible ou'
his dc,lneation Is that Of great coorist In mo
foreground a black haired drvish Groyeis on no
ground, tearing his arm with his TEEN. AhotEeF'
in commissions Is supported between two companions
but these figures and the distorted faces forh d''e
all but all incident in the color scheme. There are
women and children in rich robes on the leii
group of spectators the right, nearly opposite Tho
green banner of the prophet which advances IN me
strange procession. woman, decked with jewels,
leans from housetop in the right foreground ano
across the street which IS filed with tumui'uous
crowd are the white walls of houses, varied by
light and shade. IN the central group the COS
tunes show some intense reds, ana more o suu
ducd reds. with yellow blue and green are np.eana "a
throughout me pe'ue ~ D nc one centre and II is
apparent that what might be called me sl%oa"
movement Of the color n3e. ,hsr @GSn sA rBc &
buencc Of the scene some one has spoken OF lhs
yawlig' OF the colors but the phrase Is exagse,,
aed, for although there is self-assertlo' there Is no
offensive discor Perhaps time has helped ne
picture to greater general harmony In any case me
picture is TO be accepted as beautiful ana mporas
Illustration OF DeacrOiX's manner OF expression us
favore arran gemens of color as has been oen saa'
were inheritance from the great Fenetlans; say
ing which might find some continuation in the Re-
becca,' If the Implication IS not pushed 100 iar eio
composition and coloring centralized, and the IN
tense group OF slaves, falntng maiden. ana rearing
horse form an admirable example OF eran'ao
coorists expression. The dark gray horse forms ~
II were a comparatively neutral minor centre ana
round about blood-rcd sadde-coth, SHADES AZ re.
and green IN the costumes, the blue and brown OK
Rebecca's robes and the glitter of her jewels The ac
ton is Of equal force The flying dlaperes, ioslhs
name and swift gestures all express the central Mea,
even az the cost OF eXaggeraiiOn The slave standhs
beside the horse has his head turned directly psch.
ward I'm al impossible fashion. and YET VIC know INA.
this head, and correctness was within his power bue
we know, too. that Dclacrcix, like many masters be-
fore him. often sacrificed accuracy OF drawing 10 ehec
that is the strengthening If the central idea Thus ths
exaggerated action strengthens the impression of naa
and moreover the direction of the gaze carries Us -
the horseman squirting up the hill. just the gestus
of the latter. another instance Of form eNagger@,oa
for effect, directs To the burning castle ana is
significance in the drama DelacroiA has been caIoa
the last of the line Of great cooriss. The untlheD
death of Henri Regnaut removed possible successor
bur as vet the mantle Of Delacr0iX Is worn by no on
1t Is more than unfortunate that Americans have neea
so slow TO appreciate his genius, but the compariuye
scarcity of his works In our galleries renders tA'
present opportunity one of special Usefulness
After these paintings the student OF painting ~
an art will turn To the pictures by Breton with some
thing approaching reluctance. The pale yellows and
grays OF lis pastoral scenes aud the blues and drabs
Of The costumes seem wOiully thin and cold after
a very different personality and very different aim,
and the ner!st OF these examples OF Breton's later
spnres will be abundanly recognized. The largest
~ these Dcturcs, 1.-The Lunch" has been so often
desc ribed that we need not dwell upon the group
of peasant longing about their little fire In
but few slight breaks This is a pleasant, we'll
painted picture, but nobody viii imagine that tho
artist has had any special message, to deliver.
His paintings of single figures, Evening and Morn
ingS two peasant girls passing through the fields.
are painted with the accuracy of we'll practiscd hand
and with certain personal force, often wanting IN ths
compositions of Breton's late years. The Morning
has oifcreJ the artist better opportunity for fresh
ness and purity of color but both figures haso
something OF the statucsQueneSs the physical dig-
nitvr OF rrtOns earlier figures There IS study OF
head painted with much hrmness and minor picture
OF nsherwoman mending nets beside the sea. ono
OF the inconsequential essays OF period when the
artist at his best, doing some Of his mos en-
during work. This growp of pictures will remain upon
public exhibition until the middle OF pecember and
most of our amateurs will hardly need advice to I'M
tie opporunity.