New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-01
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
SALES AT THE AcADEMY-NEw PICTURES IN
TIE GALLERIEs-THE VAN PRAET COLLEC

heard OF the perennial arguments for and against tbe
OF glass and shadow boxes In the smoky al
mosphere Of London It Is necessary 10 put pictures
under glass to preserve them from soot No such
necessity exists In tails city The main reason TOT
permitting the use OF glass at tho Academy Is based
upon the dangerous argument OF expedency. IL is
urged that pictures shown under glass at the
American Art Galleries. al the rooms OF tho dealers
and IN the galleries Of many private collectors Ins
Is done, because glass IS necessary, Out because
II Is thought TO bring together" pictures TO tone
them and improve the appearance OF good quality IL
Is an attempt enhance the effect OF picture by ad'
venttious means. OF IN less degree the same
might be said OF Frame and there are severe judges
who will Insist upon seeing paintings without frames
But after all frame Is necessary. shadow-ooxes ana
glass are not Their use must be decided upon oy
the artists, but the purpose OF their use can be readily
Illus rated The wise man, when buying picture,
demands to see 1t without glass or shadow-box. The
shrcwd seller OF pictures both glass and box TO
set off his
After the efforts Of several years the Academy was
persuaded to let the first "vIew' begin two hours
earlier The present hour, noon, Is gain upon the
former time, and immense advance upon the days
when an evening view thought sufficient But
the first view should be In the morning, and under
proper regulations properly Carried out this Is per
fecuy practicable. Moreover this View should DO
for those whose business is the discussion OF the ex
hlbon In the public prints, ami for no one else The
reform element In the Academy will do we'll to con-
itself with the question of views which shall DO
early and really private"
Al the Prize Fund exhibition which will be opened
at the American Art Galleries the last Of this meath
there Will be ore prize plcture1 The selection will
be made by q committee OF the sui scrbers as before
ard the picture will 60 to the Metropolitan Museum
Of Art.
The result OF the recent meeting OF the Water Color
Society recalls the familiar saying concerning a noun
tain and mouse. The members assembled to con-
seer the important proposition that they should
have house OF their own. The result OF their de-
liberatlUns was a house. but dinner. But there
IS abundant precedent for their action, rather IN
action, furnished In Knickerbocker's History OF
New-York" wherein Irving records that 1t was the
habit of all NewYorhers of the Knickerbocker days
TO proceed with deliberatiOn, and eat much, smoke
much and sleep much before deciding any question or
embarkng upon any new enterprise.
Messrs. Knoedler & Co. showed last week group
Of paintings which important and likely to
arouse much interest among amateurs. MllePs
Normandy Mllkmald' is picture Of unusual size,
painted In the artists la period, and showing COM
paraively detailed treatment and pronounced color
ing. The woman who is IN the foreground bears on
her shoulder a large vessel filed with milk and
covered with grass. This Is kept in place by thongs
attached 1t, which pass the head TO the raised
right hand in front In the next field In the back
ground an explanatory looks the fence The
sky is flushed with color warm and luminous Millets
frequent exaggcraIon OF the effect Of the upon
IT, faces Of MS peasants Is conspicuous here and 1t
question tho exactness of this degree of
redness. But the picture throughout IS a frank at
tempt at strong effect of color, and It presents much
which Is beautiful, notably the sky and landscape,
although the figure would not be chosen as one of
Mets best Josef Israels large King of the
Chickens" Is one of the genres Of child life OF which
he has painted many, and never without some
charm of sentiment, although his execution is too
often open to objections. Here ne has painted a
young child in high chair, looking down upon the
chickens which are profting by its bounty The sub
ject not the spread OF canvas, much OF
which Is but bituminous waste The ckness OF the
picture and opacity Of the shadows tell against It,
Bretons Across the Fields from the last Salon 10
chiefly remarkable for effort to render "strfk
lngr effect Of light. There two pleasant women
In the right foreground crossing COLA field, with
others on the left further removed. The middle OF
the canvas is filed with burst of light from thee
setting sun There chance for subtle treat
ment Of the sunlight effect, and OF the COLA flowers
seen In the yellow glow But Bretons light is arti-
fetal and its effect upon natural objects is Indicated
neither subtly nor truthfuy. The figures are well
drawn ard Characteristic OF the artists later work
Mcssrs Knoeder Il Co. also exhibit large Corot and
a Mesdag of much interest
1t appears to be entirely unlikely that the remark
able collection of the late Belgian Minister OF state,
NJ Van Praet, can be obtained for this country and
there can be harm In saying that an effort was
made to secure 1t for the Metropolitan Museum. About
year ago certain New-York amateurs conceived the
idea of raising fund of 10000 for the purchase OF
the collection bloc. 1t then to be presented to
the Museum. But NJ. Van Praet during his lifetime
was unwilling to fix final price upon his collection
and It has been impossible negotiate with his heirs
II may be sad however, that the price named was too
small Other Americans have endeavored TO OBTAIN
a refusal of the collection and 1t is probable that
$500 900 would have been paid If the sum would have
secured the seventy eighty pictures. For some
time past the disposition Of this collection has been
matter OF deep interest various American amateurs
and dealers, while others in Paris have been ready 10
embrace any opportunity. The Baron Aphonse dc
Rothschld of Paris offered 100000 for four pictures,
but the offer was declined. One Of the four was
Mets Woman Spinning the landscape with SIN
gle figure in the left middle distance. picture three
feet four inches long and feet eight inches hgh
This superb work the late NJ Van Praet preferred 10
the Angelus' of which he was at one time the owner
Rut II seems reasonably certain that the collection
will not leave Belgium A recent number Of Figaro"
contains letter from Brussels written by the expert
NJ stevens who has had great deal to do with the an
Pract collection and may be assumed TO speak WIN
authority He says: Since the d-ath oil the iaheh'eu
NJ Van Prae, every morning one or "o JoulhsA'
give US positive news regarding the disposition
of his gallery of pictures. The truth Is that nothing
IS decided nor foreseen In regard to It, There 10
mention Of the disposition Of his pictures In his WILL
by which NJ. Van Praet left all his property 10 MS
nephew and his niece. In tho last days OF his lie
NJ Van Prset received numbeess propositions for his
gallery For three years before his death he vas
blind and amateurs speculate on this situation which
ought to make less precious to the owner gallery
which he could no longer enjoy. But NJ. Van Praet
has always rejected offers which have been made TO
him. however advantageous they might be- The
Government has made oVertures 10 him, win
the view OF an eventual purchase Of his gallery for
State museum. 1T Is probable, NJ. Van Praet has re-
nlled that tho Government would wish to- seize the
OppOrtunlty TO offer exaggerated price by way
OF showing gratitude for such services as have been
able 10 render my country. On these conditions
would be impossible TO treat. My heirs Will do with
my gallery what they WILL"
NJ. stevens then makes an inspired announcement
believe that know that tho heirs VIII never turn
the collection over to public sale. If il is sold u VIII
- 1. form NC I'm