New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-04
NOTES ON CURRENT ART.
TIE vERESTCHAGIN EXHIBITION - NEW
PAINTINGS AND PRINTS.

The Tribune has announced the appointment of MI
Rush C. Hawkins as the commissioner in charge OK
the American department OF fine arts at the fass
Exposition of 1850. This appointment may Dc IT,
led upon to the beginning Of active efforts Tor
an adequate representation Of American art a. PARIS
Various failures in the past render It of the mora
consequence that the coming International espjsition
should present to the world the best Work when
American artists have done of recent years SUCH
an exhibition would help American art Al home and
abroad and It IS to be hoped that the artists fully
appreciate the importance of the opportunity Cir
culars are soon to be issued by the commissioner,
furnishing detailed information
The paintings of vassiI verestchagin Will be placsd
upon exhibition this week the American Art Cal
Icries There will be private view on IhufS-
day next. Various rugs, hanSfngs and examples
of jewery and arms will be shown together with tho
paintings these mementoes of travel will probably
increase popular interest in the exhibition. AT NJ
vercstchap,ns last exhibition in London the star
case, and doorways were hung with Eastern rugs
and Carpets, AID there were groups OF weapons
mounted on shields, glazed tiles from the Mosque
of Omar prayer-wheels from Tibet, pipes made oil
human bones, arms used in the Turco Russian war,
Eastern images and cups from Buddhist temples. In
addition to the curios at the Lcndon exhibition there
was shown collection of book5 filed with newspaper
cuttings and pamphlets, portraits and carcatnre'
setting forth the claims Of the EXHIBITOR as painter
and author No example Of NJ. Verestchaen's work
has been in this country but Whatever opinion
NAV be formed concerning his art, IL may be saiey
predicted that his exhibition Will prove a popular
success.
yerestchagn literature is likely to be as plentiful
as was Munkacsy literature two years since but IL
may be useful to recapulatc the chief incidents u
an adventurous and productive career. NJ Neiest
cbagn was born in the Province OF Novgorol IN
1s4o and was educated for the navy. But he studied
art while attending the naval school, and al the aga
OF seventeen devoted himself entirely TO painting.
He had already visited London and Paris and year
later he made a journey TO the Caucasus, PUBLISHING
an account of his travels, illustrated by himself In
tho "Tour du SIonde7 In 1864 he entered GeremeS
atcler in Paris and for the next two or three years
he worked at the BeauX Arts. In 1o61 Russia
sent an army into Central Asia TO punish The
marauding Tuicomans, and General Kaufman invlted
yerestchagin to accompany him. The army pene
tated TO Samarcand, which was bcseged and captuie
In the course of desperate attempt to recapture tho
city Vcrestchagn gained the cross OF ST. George pY
his bravery In rallying the Russian garrison after
the officers had been disabled Tho material gathered
I'm this eypedton was worked up I'm the next TWO
years I'm Munich, where the artist pan'ei MS iomo
of Tameranc,s The Dervlshcs' and Emlr Inspecting
| the Heads of tho sain' Ills next journey was ="
india where he found variety OF maenA
| for pictorlal treatment, ranging from tne
tcmpc of India and caves OF Ellora TO the entrance
of the Prince of Wales JcypOrc In the course Oh
this tourney he visited the liimalsyas and ihlDo"
Soon after HIS return camc the breaking OUT VI mo
Turco Russian Vereschagin was wounded "hi'o
on torpedo boat the Danube, but he recCvcrea N
time TO witness the Plevna and the shlphA
Pass Upon the experiences of that terrible cam
pagn he has based series Of paintings probably the
best known OF his pictures OF this war Anerwasd
vercstchagn settled himself in homo at Ma!sons
Lalltte, near Paris, where he built studio of most
imposing dimensions. His pictures have been ex-
hibltcd from time to time IN variOus European
capitals Tho artist visited Palestine and undertook
the realistic painting Of religious svSlec,s an
some Of our readers may remember. IL Is understood
that the paintings of scenes In the life OF Christ are
not to be shown In the coming exhlDtoh
A collection of paintings by Mr.. George Henry Hall
has been placed exhibition at the Fifth Avenue
Art Galleries. The collection Includes several paint
ngs OF the Roman peasantry the results OF recent
visit to Italy, and many examples OF the fruit ana
flower paintings to which The artist has given es-
pecial attention. In addition to various landscapes
and compositions with figures Mr. Han eNhohs
several OF his copies Of paintings by the Old masters
and sixteenth century copy OF the Danae OF TITAN,
in the museum OF Naples Among the copies by Mr..
Hall is one of Rubens's Education OF the Virgin
In the Antwerp Museum Those who attend the ex-
s%ar With II 'a the WoTR Of MT Hail. and the
opportunity will doubtless be improved The ssis
/, VIII be held on Thursday evening next
Tho schools of the National Academy of Design
have been fortunate IN obtaining the services Of Mir
DIN L. warner who will take charge of the class IN
sculpture.
Although new paintings for the most part held
back by the dealers. there seems TO be no lack OK
things Of interest In the paint rooms. II Is doubtful
whether there win 10 any reprod ctve etching equal!
IN consequence 20 waltnePs Company OF banning
Cock. or Koeppngs "syndics OF the Han OF Cloths
but Messrs Knoedcr & Co, show trial proofs OF two
important etchngs Of single figures Ono is koep,,
pings etching after Rembrandt's Head OF an Old
Man In the Dresden Gallery. Laguiierme has
Cuzance Duchess OF Lorraine picture
which Is at windsor Palace. MeSsrs Wundcrleh y
Co. show set OF Meryun's Paris ctchngs which m
cludes several early impressions of remarkably rich
quality. The set obtained nom a collector wh3
was a friend Of Merysn, and the margin Of the HAL
Of the Lost Footsteps" bears several lines written oy
the artist At the same gallery, among the oia
English merzotints Is an admirable early impression
from a plato done by william Pcthor after me
"Jewish Rabbi ascrbed to Rembrandt, which Is ID
the Dresden Gallery