New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-12
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
NOTES OF EXHIBITIONS AND sALxs-NEw PIcTUR

The first fortnight Of the waterColor Exhibition has
proved Unexpectedly successful There has doom
less picture buying than usual this season. ana IL was
feared that the water-Color Exhibition might DO TN
,,vor,bJv afeeted nv the dulness of the time. But
this exhibition Is probably less dependent upon Wall
Street than the oil exhibitions Of the spring At all
events It Is necessary to record largo attendance
and sales already approaching 100000, little less
than the total amount realized last year
1t doubtful whether there much stronger rea
sons for giving prizes the two pictures selected at
tho water-Color Exhibition. than for honoring half
dozen others in the way, but the prize pict-
uIes" represent good work by good men, and the
choice is probably satisfactory could have been
expected The choice illustrates the increasing care
for tone and agreeable quality Of color which we
have noted as of the characteristics OF this ex
hlbition. Mr. weirs Preparing for Christmas Is
admirable in tone The picture holds together per
fectly and II IS triumphant Illustration OF tho at
tainment OF harmony and balance in the management
of a restricted color scale But this feeling for color
Is accompanied by evidences Of an Indifference 10
form which is strange in artist who Is so well
educated draughtsman. The left side OF the mothers
face IS wholly formess in the shadow, and for any
modelling he esDs are Of aSs same g IS an eSso
nary piece of work, and the chd's figure shows Slm
painting for effect, and to say that picture falls
together at the proper distance, and II the large forms
Wer,s pct,Ire cannot be always looked at from dis
tance equal to half or twothrds the length Of the
lived with and no one could live with It without feel
Ing It's crudity of form, despite the harmony oil
cooring
As regards the other prlze picture Mr.. Horatio
Walkers landscape with swine of the most llfavored
ldnd 1t may be unjust TO make too much of In
huenco, and yet 1t Is impossible not to count tho
artist a follower of the modern Dutchmen. OF course
there IS tho usual answer that every painter must
have teachers, and that every has been In
1uenced less by somebody else, but there ere
degrees At present Mr.. Walker seems to have frank
ly adopted the Dutch manner, and he employs II In
paint er like way. This picture Is good In color, but
the low toned harmony OF grays. draoS, subdueu
greens and the rest, seems very familiar. Not only
The cOoring but the figure suggests mauve, and, al
though the picture is pleasant enough, its individuality
Is not striking CHARACTERISTIC. Nevertheless, Mr;
his ability to do good work, and the way In which
this picture IS handled, with the exception Of some
and promises we'll for ripper performances
The Spencer sale at tho Fifth Avenue Art Cal
laries which was first announced by THE TRIBUNE
two weeks since, will be followed by an exhibition
and sale o, tho pictures OF Mr. Jervs McEniee, an
artist familiar to our public whose landscapes have
always been penetrated with sincere feeling rather
than objective records Of facts This exhibition viii
be opened on March l. There are many announce
monts OF sales but most OF them are OF minor I'M
pOrtance. The collection OF Christian Wolf, OF
ChambcrSburg, Penn. which contains 115 pictures, is
to be sold al the American Art Galleries, and the
kearny and Mott pictures are presently to DC sofa
at tho Fifth Avenue Art Galleries.
Mcantlme "The Art Amateur contributes to the
literature of art auctions of the stuiing'
Of recent brc-abrac sale with articles not belong
ing the collection, and with articles not genuine.
letter received by THE TRIBUNE tells OF a wafer
color assigned to David Cox In recent sale col
lection, which found to have been an exact
copy OF plato in J. u. IIardns's Elementary Art"
yal.a I,fc Tong N
pctuIcs 10 protected and altogether the art
business seems likely to afford plenty of entertain
mcnt and Instruction
Tho pictures sold at the watercolor exhibition for
co. and over Iurz." L. a. Francis, $40: Win
ter, Carleton Virgins, 800; " The Coqucr'o,-
Turner S75: "A Perfect Day." J. c. Nicon, 800:
Landscape, r. f. Bunner. s35 "Sardno Boats
c. A. Plat, $3.50; Bygone Days. F. H. Green, Soc'
"WatorsI rltc,- Dora Wheeler, So "1ndolcnce'' +.
Day 1925 The Lghtcncd Load W. sattoriec' Sioo'
Sardne Fleet W. Sattcrlee, $500; Drifwood''
f. Moran 5000: " Dorothea,' r. Lumey, s25; " In
the Gloamng,' F. Moran, $3.50; "Maric,' r Lum-
ley. e25: Snow bound" c. W. Eaton, 1928; Close
of Day. II. Farer, $1,000: "Chrstmas Greens''
p p RYDER, $3.50 " Meadows" X. Van Eltcn $50
Late Afternoon" Bruce Crane. 1928; The Hermit
X. Van Elen. S4oc: "The Lighthouse" c, T. Chap,
Winter Promenadn., B. Irwin $50: Venice Canal
Z. Bouche, So: AN Expermrnt'' n A. Wells,
1925; "Ticns River" G. II. smilllo 500 hen
we were boys r. ". Wood, Fl $50; " Clondy Day.
J. d smile $40; @Lcaless Trees" C. ". Eaton.
$40; 0d Roat House H. W. Rice $50 W Wnrr,y
$50; a Ncr'hcr," winsl Nv Homer, $50; sun
shine and shadows" W H. Drake $50; 3 osgen
$3.50 Sketch j. D. Darldn $50; Christmas
Keller $50 G%5eS' c g. cITraI naS S5Sc
5. Lawrence, $40; and SKETCH G. II. smle' $40.
Several new pictures Of considerable intcrcs. NAV
be found by those who make the round OF the dealers
galleries. At the rooms Of Relchard Co., Mr. Oliver
lay exhibits his largo full length portrait OF Edwin
Booth, as Hamlet, a picture upon which Mr. Lay has
worked from time to time for several years Messrs
Blakcslee & Co. exhibit George Fullcr's Turkey
This work 1t IL said has not been publicly exhibited
before NIessrs. Knocdler & Co., have lust received
explain the artists popularity at home This picture
painted few years since and II Is pro6aby not
fair example II IS objective. dry full OF detail
hard aud devoid Of color as tho extreme examples OF
the Hudson River school, which enjoyed popular
favor here a generation ago.
Lanrcns's picture OF Tho Separation OF Bertha and
Robert tho Piuns,7 which IS shown at the knoedler
Gallery illustrates the artists constant preference
for tho gloomer side OF history. Laurens has been
called tho painter of the dead" and his pictures of
executions like tho Macmillan" OF death beds Ike
the "Marceau,- and his hints OF murdcrous ntrlgucs
as in tho Fredcgonde" show good for his title
Like the Fredcgonde this is subject taken from the
carly history of France. Robert, who succeeded his
father. Hugh Capet "a King in o96 married Bertha'
hls distant cousin. The Papacy which had failed 10
subdue his father seized upon this marriage as means
OF trying conclusions with the son, and after long
struggle forced the King TO put away his Wife As
Laurens explains his picture, he has painted the part
Ing whom Pope Gregory accommodated the King
The scene Is the interior Of tho palace with massive
gray stone walls, and low, rounded arches OF dull
red In tho first archway Bertha fingers half clingng
to tho heavy curtain, and beyond her In the inner
room surrounded by embloms OF royalty Is the King
bowed with grief his face hidden In his hands. The
close Etns robe of Bertha severe in IT'S lines. IS dark
in color bc the curtain and although the artist has
INDUCED his iOndncSs for reds TO some extent the
picture IS less pronounced in its colorng than other
examples. As in all his work, the subject has been
carefully studied and the historical details mastered
faurons IS an intellectual artist, but he also has CON
cenfton az dramatic effect. This picture explains IT.
self al once as lricvOcable parting and It has
An m OH hav cbo