New-York tribune., 1888-04-12
TIE CHAPMAN COLLECTION


Two hundred and paintings collected BY Mr.
Henry I. Chapman Of Brooklyn, are exhibited I'm the
American Art Galleries. Mr. Chapman Is understood
to have had considerable practical experience with
pictures Of the modern Schools and the results of this
experience OF interest to all Of us who care for
art. One marked Characteristic Of the collection IS
the preference OF color and tonality mere truth
OF fact or anecdotage. Another is the number Of
sketches and studies often valuable as suggestions
but sometimes to be accepted with many reservations
In respects the exhibition recalls the collections
exhibited by the late Thomas Robinson, but Mr.
Chapman has secured more important pictures and
he has covered a much broader field His catalogue
enumerates examples Of French art nom Prud'hon
down TO Lerolle slight examples OF English masters
Of portraiture genre and watercoor painting, few
OF tho old Dutch genre painters and several examples
Of American art Experience has shown that our
picture buyers have the Of their convictions
and ready TO settle questions of authenticity for
themselves. But the general quality Of Mr. Chapmans
collection indicates TASTE natural good taste, and
iddlclous education.
In the first gallery IS Lerollc's End Of the Day."
two weary peasants lighted homeward by the rising
moon a picture painted by a wclltrained artist who
has deemed 1t necessary TO make large exhibition
work7 out of material inadequate and anything but
fresh. 1t would be easy 10 take exception TO the
want of texture, the nsucency OF the action and the
agressveness OF the what not, but the
tion Is Of less consequence It to us, than the
fact that the artist IS simply repeating wornout for
mua, In the hope that II may be taken for the ex-
preston of genuine spontaneous sen ment. Oppo-
site this example Of Lerolles executive ability is
large picture of Mr. Carleton Virgins of ten. In
the same gallery We find a clever figure by Tlssot, a
well lighted, sldlfllly- treated wood interior by
Pelouse, an excellent example of LeIine's selfre-
pressed manner, OF the serious Of Mr.. Blake
locks symphonies, a landscape by DamOye, the
clever pupil Of Daubigny, small Van Marcke,
marine by the late Arthur Quartley landscape by
Mr.. Whittredge, and credtable work by Messrs.
BOgert Bunce and Rudel together with portrait by
suly which deserves consideration. II would have
been worth while to arrange the other pictures I'm the
chronological order Of their painters, but possibly the
result of grouping the MonticelliS I'm the second
gallery proved dscouraging One example, the church
I'm the middle OF the group, gives some idea OF
the richness of Montlccls color but other pictures
show the growth Of the trOwel and mortar manner
and the meaningless use Of chalky whites become
feature Of the sad stuff produced by the artist In his
miserable later years. The experiment of grouping
has had better results In the large gallery, where we
find panel filed With pictures by Michel, the
painter of Montmartre, painter of the old school,
but painter whose mellow tones set young artists to
hunting up his neglected pictures and painting over
them. These landscapes well illustrate Mlchers
simplicity in composition, and his feeling for per
spective as well as for tonality. Some Of them we
have noted within year two at the gallery OF NJ
Durand Ruel, who exhibited the beautiful Land
Il is rare to come upon a collection Of French art
which goes further back than Delacrolx but mere We
find slight drawing assigned to Prud hon, head Win
something OF GrcuGcs charm of color, and two pam.
ings OF heads done with severely academic preIerenc
of line and form to color. which IS not unworthy OF
Delaroche IL Will be as well TO pass over tHe SINAI
picture which stands for the work Of the c6iet
both seceders from the academic schoOl Wno 'uou h
fulfilling all their premise, anu Inc littef ohe " o
oar ritar Olianfallgts whom DeCanDS
although the studies which bear his name In this coz
Scene In Cairo" One who cares to seek OUT me
coast by isabey flowers ana fgare by Ribot sketch
by Roybet, whose later arr has yielded to commeLca @
study of peaches me al glass and white napery, Is
picture OF great brancy but there is an absence OF
rich tones, and OF decided express n OF textures
The other, which is less of show piece Is smaller
and mellower study Turning 10 another her group rc oi
by the quantity. least Of the pcturs which bear
their names. 1t is embarrassment OF riches 10 hn9
thirteen pictures signed or stamped WIN the name & VI
DIaz, and must content ourselves with noting TWO
large Sketches representing only the begnnln&gs &M OF OF
pictures, but Interesting as showing the arst seehls
for color rather than form even al the outset. NO
l12 Is curiousy conventional for Diaz, and No. lob
surprising even as pot boiler, Dut mere arg ooIoI
studies which Characteristic. The large landscape
/" Sunshine through Clouds ASSIGNED to kousseau
shows exactly expressed distance out II would 10
hard TO say when Rousseau could have panied thls IN
picture, unless # Is one of his eaIlest preceding ,ne
Influence OF Constable. Another OF the Rousseaus' o
an excellent little painting # pool ana trees al on
tanebeau. Is slightly suggestive OF Daz IN the coioi
scheme, and elsewhere we may hnd DlaL leacteu upon
by Rousseau one of the Cprots, an early sketch OF
roadway with village beyond, has considerable IN
tere and the other like two at least OF the Daubgnys
Will afford material for speculation. One small fresh
sketch of a landscape in spring happily illustrates
Daubigny's spirit and manner one, at least OF me
Troyons the larger tidy of cattle, shows the eolors
The three Dupres are of less consequence tnan the
Mets The small study Of the nude, sketchy ana
slight as IL is has charm Of It's own, and the Woman
Sewing shows good painting and feeling lor color
of Mile neither IS the deta with which the face Is
panted The picture might be taken for one by Fran
co.'s Bonvln, but 1t IS puzzlIng TO nna aa.e LOT ~ 10
the list Of Milles works After this excehent ntie
nicture with its quiet and charming color come four
pictures signed by COurbet figures ana landscape VOTE
Including landscape Of some consequence WIN sae
is binted at I'm the clever little sketch OF head by
Fortuny1 and the crude ebauche by Regnault which
contains the promise OF splenld cOl0nnS other
nhases of modern French art are touched upon In
drawino by Nanet In the essentially decorative pur-
pose OF Ghapln's work, In the Or,en,al scenes OF
iugue and Benass the PICTURES OF Melin Despeutin
English art Is so slightly represented ln our country
that the few imperfect illustrations IN ths COLLECTION
should have at least " success OF CURIOSITY. Inc
tIe head assigned TO GalnsbOrough Indicates feeling
Tor line and form rather than for color and although
This is good in a sober way color was an end IN cams
borouchs painting Of the figure and even landscape.
Norla1ds panting OF lOutsh boy tending swine has
meIlowness Of tone which possibly mas been adeu oy
time but the picture may be accepteu as an
example of an artist who found beauty lke me le"sI
IN tho toads head, amid the ugllness ana squslOr IA
,rhich his miserable life passed. Armheld
Nasmyth W. Reynolds, and Stanned are otner E,s sn
artists who represented by examples ususli. ui
portent although II Is worm "n.ie u % no oido school
of English watercOOr painters. Ihere arr Iwo vi
three old Dutch genres. few German psihhss, an Nv
among the American pictures Is hea & ~lcn uIyrs ay w
Dorert Whlttrpdge Edward and Thomas Morgan 0Ol
man. Rudell, and Ochtman This interesting colec.