The Washington critic., 1888-04-06
MIR. wAGGAMAN's GALLERY.
A Notable Accession to the Art Col
lcctions of the CapitRl.

D. y
lcctions of the Capitnl.
Mr.. Thomas e. Waggaman has set at
rest, in the most eiicotual manner, the
complaint often made that Washington is
without q private gallery of paintings
worthy Of the city and commensurate
with its progress in other forms of
culture.
This complaint has never been true so
far as IL was meant to convey the idea
that the private parlors of Washington
are without meritorious or even rare and
valuable works Of art. 1t has, however,
been in great measure justified by the
fact that the magnificent dwellings upon
which wealth has been lavished have in
but few instances been adorned with such
collections of paintings as would be found
IN houses Of similar .pretention in New
York, Philadelphia, Boston, and many
other cities.
To Mr.. Waggaman has been reserved
the distinction of opening TO public view
private gallery, complete and beautiful
in its appointments, well filed with pic
lures of merit and value, and comparing
tayorably with the private collections
which, have become established as inn
portant institutions in other cities, crate
fully appreciated by the public, and the
medium Of popular cultivation of artistic
taste.
The Gallery
communicating with the spacious parlors
of Mr.. Waggamans residence was
thronged yesterday by invited guests,
among whom local and visiting artists
mingled in large numbers.
The gallery is in itself exceedingly
artistic. The graceful tracery OF n Persian
pattern on background of rich ma
room runs through the carpeting and
furniture coverings as well as the walls.
The management of light is admirable,
and the effect is heightened by the cherry
woodwork and cabinets, while all sense
| of confinement is removed by the open
ing into conservatory, beautifully ar
ranged with ferns, palms and towering
| plants.
The Paintings,
cighty-three in number, and the collec-
ton of Chinese, Japanese and Korean
ceramics, covering period of nearly ten
centuries, combine 10 make the gallery
| inviting alike TO the antiquary, the artist
and to the lover of the beautiful in many
forms. The collection of paintings repre-.
sent France, England Belgium, italy
| Spain, Germany, Russia and Amer
lea. The thirty or more canvases
bearing world-lamous names add greatly
to the art treasures of Washington.
Corot, Troyon, DeNeuville, Danbigny
and Detaille are each represented by two
| pictures, and small Turner, entitled
"The New Weir on the Wye" Is q feature
of the collection. Unfortunately, the last
| mentioned is so hung as to render salts
factory view impossible, but the small
| canvas isa embodiment of the mysteries
of light and shadow and the unique ef.
fects which gave its great painter such
rank as wonder-worker in color.
No picture in the collection is of greater
interest than the DeNcuvillc "Flag OF
Truce" from which he was painting his
! historic picture at the time of his DEATH
but which has about it no suggestion oil
the incompleteness of a sketch.
The Corots. and Troyons, in connection
with the paintings at the Corcoran Gal
lery, give Washingtoniansa an opportunity
| for the study of the methods of those art
| lists not exceeded in any-city in this coun.
| try.
The two pictures by Detaille are inter
esting for their dissimilarity to his other
works, with which the public is ia.
| miliar.
jacques painting of shepherd and
flock "Honeward Bound" in early
moonlight is the most pleasing and ex.
| quisitely poetic picture in the gallery,
| while the merits of Galofre's Near Ma
| ples," DeNeuvlle's Bridge Dement'S
''Guards Home,'' Moreaus Anne
Boleyn," and the paintings of Daubigny,
| Dupre, DeHaas, Stevens, Rico, Schreyer
and others are of high order, and the
subjects and treatment most pleasing.
The Ceramics and Bric. a. Brac
collections include several hundred speci
mems of historic and artistic interest so
arranged under the practiced eye of Mr.
! Edward Greey, the author and orentalist
as to afford the best opportunity for study
of the work of succeeding centuries.