New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-30
PAINTINGS AT THE MUSEUM
THE WOLFE AND sENEY COLLECTIONS.
INTERESTING EXAMPLES OF OLD MASTERS AND
OF MODERN ARTIsTS-A eooDLf
yoAN rxuIRrTION.

INTERESTING EXAMPLES VI oLD A"N~S> -
OF MODERN ARTIsTs-A eooDLT
LOAN EXHIBITION.
Tho rcopening of the Museum is foloweo oy 'ne
familiar tale Of popular reference ior n'ooen p.
inrs We have not had the equal OF tue gallery VI
q ola masters at the Museum, but the crowd passes
IN to the Wolfe or seney collections, where names anu
themes are recognized by all corners. be,Weop
oortrait by Rembrandt and an example Oh 'ioo'' :
r.odotagr the latter would be chosen by many OF
the Museums visitors II we may judge nom 'heir ul
,nopenced expression Of preference. This is more or
,oss the story of nearly all exhibitions, ana inc
Museum experience simply demonstrates again inc a'i
ference between education in art and the eratncauo
of CURIOSITY There has been disposition 10 iucnis
Tho two but the distinction not difficult OF compie
bens.on "The trustees had no idea OF MAKING inns
chow. Mace or a mere place of amusement,' SAID MI
Henry @. Msreuand, in his admirable ADDRESS d. uio
openlnr of the Museum. Their prime OBJECT eneir
grand aim was TO provide here collection OF OBJECTS
that would be mainly, may say strictly useiui IN
the improvement of the arts in bringing up the 'as,c
=, N. neonIe Of the United to the highest stand
.dss OF Mr. Marquands specific illusions we neeu
not speak but II is within our province 10 enpnaSIo
the presence Of standard pictorial art IN inc ga0rS
old masters" This gallery offers nttie III INC ""'
of anecdotage but the expressions OF lholNiou'' no.
aosr aud experience in Rembrandts portraits nave
more essential interest than trifing compos'uonS
designed to provoke passing smile inns may ~
said without entering upon questions OF 'eChhiq". w
discussing frmness of modelling, Strength Oh ioii,'
charm and truth of colorng and transparency OF shaE
ows From the Van Beresteyn portraits anu inc
I.,sdoxne Rembrandt we may pass I" the examples
., velasouez the delightful little Don Balthasar a
picture admirable in the refined harmony oi 'o 'oo
ing and the portrait of the Infanta WORK lnoio pO
tive vet hardly s sympathetic. IL VIII DC seen ."a'
N. snansb colorist a true painters palhier' Is
less nobly represented than the palner Vi senu0
men y Van Dyck whose fulllength portrait OF me
voung puke of Richmond and LennoX Is lea'oic
Of this notable collection. The picture sno"s 'no
h,d os the master in its truth of design and beauty
of color and an unframed eye may taAe ueHsn t
IN the mellow harmony and adroit rheis
Of the colorng Here. as in inc case
=, tba yelasouez and the Reynolds, something might
Ne sajd OF the effects of time, but this has haa
nothing to do with the graceful dignity Oh the con
,osition nor the distinction OF the ud"lns' n
does IL lessen the inherent skill In the mandse"oi.
NJ the coiors black. while, blue and SHADE Oh
velow which have been combined Win snch SENSITIVE
macs and adroitpess 1t is more than fortunate tha'
opr public has the opportunity TO see so thorough
and sound piece Of painting by an artist 100 oi'o
perfunctory and even Constituencies Ahoso an"
the REYNOLDS which is faded, perhaps puV SUN ~
fined and charming in its cooring arc the principal
porraits of the gallery. There Is minor picture
,uaven IN merit but of considerable worth. which
we may accept as a Van Dyck, portrait OIL TWO
men assigned Halls, painted Win irlnoSS' o'
wtbou. the breadth of of Halss later WORK, po!-
trait by ovens. cleanly modelled ana soH"S P"i''"'
nor,rait rich I'm color which does disciedit 10
the memory OF a master so pr0nhc as huOens' anu
portrait of Hoosstraten, one OF the more N'soiou'
NJ Rem brandts followers Whether the GainsDoroush
is TO be accepted a fancfuny treated porral, Ut
genre there be no doubt concerning me l'on-
ness and force of the colorlng. Inc suo]ec' -
simply rosy checked, brghteyed boy accompanied
by cat and placed against a background VI CON
ventionalized foliage, with glimpse oil Olue III "o
distance on the righ. From this beautiful example
We may turn paintings by another Ehghsh arus'
who lett his impress upon the art OF france d wei
as England. Consta tables valley Farm anu ino
Locke are severely sober in color. almost mono
chromatic In the prevalence OF gray tones uuV inc
largeness OF the designs, the sweep oil Inc hhee anu
tho exprssion of space will be readily approached
For subtle charm of color we may looA 10 ioInoi
"saLash,7 beautiful, and as MI KusAih ihsAs'S, d
wholly truthful translation OF subject ID WYNN
apo her painter might have found only the Po'ui-
esoue The painting of Pyramus ana Ibisoe, as
signed to Rubenss early visl' to ltaly' anu inc
Adorations GAINED for Rembrandt. are companions
OF the Turner. one work remains uphoteu upon
this wall the faded dstemper painting Oh ChriIV
before Piate." which Is believed 10 DC ny Lu'ae '"'
Le,den There is AMY no American expert whose
dictum would be generally regarded as conclusive
when the authentclty of an odd master Is
in question ana the two Van LeydeDs and tho Van
Fyck must be left subject to ind vidual opinion Inc
accomplished detail painting Of sog ana Netscher inc
RoninrtOn the Zurburan, the paintings assigned 10
Icrburg and ers and the example of ltaiian art
ascribed TO Massaccio and study by PrudbOmne
close the list of paintings in most instructive coe
ton.
From Rembrandt and Van Dyck the visitor may
pass 10 the examples of modern art which occupy
tho second eastern gallery. Most OF these pictures,
we believe have been lent by Mr.. George !. Scney,
but Delaerox's Expulsion from the Garden OF Eden
comes to the Museum from Mr.. Ii. o. Havemeyer
The picture might be said br dge the space between
the two collections, for Delacrox, although MODERN
was IN line of descent from Rubens and NelasQuez
We have already noted his other essays IN the treat
nent Of this subject and the hexagonal painting OF
tie theme will doubtless be familiar TO some visitors
The present picture appears to be study
although 1t has been claimed as an III
SS.Pes sho ncompee repeat Is csny appareni
and yet neither design nor Work Go shaH a the srn
of first Intention, carried ont In the glow OF intense
feeling The Gs%s ac rs sSeaTsc ant 100
late to reopen discussion OF the drawing OF master
pressed himself most Of all in color but purst
must be moved by the splendid sweep OF me lines
aesc r the composon the angel sweeping down
toward tho noble figure Of Adam who stands win head
whose HAND Is outsletchcd in appeal but 1t is not
easy to describe effect of the cooring the blaze OF
tones of Adams statuesque form, o and
the clearer flesh tones of The crouchlng nguT ~,
The colorng alone might be held TO tell tae OF al.
vine wrath human despair and aDpeal for pity, Dut
without pressing the question OF significance we can
congratulate ourselves upon possessing, II only ior
time. vigorous and direct an example OF great
cOlCnst -,
The other paintings in this gallery represent with
SUFFICIENT cahocy the present tastes of our co lectors
There is cne Interesting Rousseau, II,
Illustrating the artists shiliu rendering OF
Ter pactiVe which might be taken early example
Influenced by study Of the old Dutch masters, ana
there is wood inferior from the Probasco COLLECTION
which represents the period OF decline IN lis com
paatively feeble brushwOrk and uncertain coionng
OF Corof Daubigny and Diaz we can learn nothing
new from this collection and we fear that the paint
ing of a fagot- gatherer assigned to Decamps VIII
awaken doubts.
But II there Is little be said for the Decamps
or The Fromen'in near by, the large painting by
Ieys dated 1863 may be accepted as an eAceIcnt
example OF the Tccrcator Of mediaevalsm ms
picture with sober colOrng and formal design may
Be clssscd among the more signihcsn. WORKS OF the
collection The Cain. which follows. Is an APT
Illustration Of the artists seeking for harmonious
md IL NAL he a