New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-17
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES!
A WHISTLER ExHIBITIoN-NoTEs ON PAINT
INGs AND PRINTS.

uatercolors and pastel is soon to be opened III 'no
| gallery of Messrs. Wunderlich e. Co. The pictures
have actually arrived and the exhibition is certainty
something which can be rarely affirmed of anything con-
| nected with Mr. Whistler. Nothing more is said re-
oardng personal visit TO this country. Perhaps MI
WHISTLER feels that the continent was not suicienuy
| disappointed at his refusal to come two years ago.
| perhaus the failure of his published "Ten oClOck
has Increased his dstaste for his native land But
bs pictures are hero and the public will soon have
an opportunity of studying his notes" and memo
randas Most Of the pictures present impressions Of
shore scenes at various watering places on the coasts
| Of England Holland and France There VIII DO
about sixy-ve pictures in all, and there are SAID 10
| be many excellent examples of swift selection and
q srtistics effect. At all events the exhibition viii
attract amateurs and artists, and 1t is the first OF the
kind which has been held here, at least for several
years whstlers later etchngs have disappointed tho
admirers of his best work. 1t IS to be hoped that
| his paintings may be more satisfactory
| Print lovers as we'll as amateurs of paintings find
much of interest In tho galleries The exhibition OF
van Gravesande's ctchings, dry points and drawings
continues at the gallery OF MesSrs. Keppel & Co inc
nriht room of Knoedler Co. contains collection OF
Tssots work, which is described nearly complete
The Etching Club exhibition sets forth the later phases
~ American original and reproductive etching. Tho
| few examples of Whistler shown In this cohecHoh
may be supplemented by reference TO some uhusuany
rare impressions of certain plates which are eAhiD'eo
| nv Messrs Wunderllch & Co. Various examples OF
the later work Of English and French reproductive
etchers are shown at the Schaus gallery
There arc eighty-three numbers in the catalogue
of the Tissot exhibition at the hnoeder 1aefy' pu'
tbe saies as we'll as plates numbered separately.
mis- ,ns,sanco upon states is an inevitable accom-
pauiment of commerce In prints, but 1t undoubtedly
leads 10 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. The idea is conveyed that
there is some peculiar virtue, necessary superiority
Inherent in first state, whereas the true amateur
knows that third state may have finer artsuc quar-
lies The slightest possible change In plate Is heu
10 be suicen: for the establishment OF new state,
even though tho change may be practically meehan-
Ical or at least without influence upon the merit
OF the etching. al this Is familiar story, Ou'
the emphasis which NJ Yriarte places upon s'a"s
In the Tssot catalogue calls for some comment upon
the practice although this is old as print con-
noisseurship" NJ. Yriare has much to say regarding
| the commercial rating Of Tissots work. He adds
| various eulogies upon the artists originality
| I'm the choice and treatment OF subjects anu
| upon NJ. T1ssot's cleverness in manipulating ms
| plates and his caro- in printing. one misn' loioi
also tho nature OF the subjects printed, the MOURN
| types the characters Of our day. the FASHIONS tle
modes of life seized at a glance, the rehecuoh VI
contemporary matters which TO the value OF the worA
| of art adds the value of document And one can
say further that II painter OF the last cehuuy'
alert spirit, having taste for life ana S"ep.
along its current had left us series hhe Una,
which NJ I1ssot offers to-day, tho work OF such an
artist would be considered precious relic Iners
by those who know such publications as ~ ouillag-
NETS etchings of costumes Of the time OF me fehSn
victoren saou In that particular case h3%syer
costumes alone were oherea ana Iondoo life The
painter Jean Bcreaud has essayed similar task task
oT Paris Is Oh 81 PsnisS.s better parallel to sso
etchings II comparison is not pushed TOO t lar: ~
S SGuI is IS oIerably certain that in the future the
atter's drawings VIII be preferred as S thaf
o. on MarerS mannerismsD are as pronounced as
those OF Tissot but the superiority Of the ioImef
knowledge and wit In Interpretation VIII hsruiy DO
| questioned.
Rrt value as "recotds OF contemporary history" IS
not the only claim to DO put forth for Tissors WORK
n Il were Il might be pointed out that this value Is
Iessened by the artists striving for the picturesque
even when accuracy is endangered for example, IN the
use made Of hats which have borrowed tho name oil
Gainsborough and Rubens But whether or not inc
etchlngs OF special value as faithful rhecohs Oh
contemporary fashions, there can be no doubt as 10
the f,,ouen. cIoyerncss OF the artists work lie Is
not to be taken too seriously and his attempts at the
tragic or dramatic viii rarely succeed IN convincing
any save the creduous. His "Foyer of the Coincide
Francsise during the sege' is interesting In way
and yet II leaves the observer cold; ana inc Same
might be said of the attempted suggestion Of The
| first man saw killed." But Tssots moro familiar
work IS seen In etchings like The Ambitious woman
The Mysterious Woman and others where an eX-
| planatOry title Is much needed, and In variety OF
London scenes and studies of life at the wharves ana
| upon steamships. The Trafalgar Tavern ana Ooh'-
ing from the National Gallery" may be cited among
the popular plates together with the modern version
Of tho Prodga Son, and The Emigrants,' Plate
which might have been improved by more care for
Capitalization The Prodigal Son series shows some
curious efforts at storytelling under dlhcult cohd-
TONS for example, the Juggling in OF the SWINE "neh
the modern prodlgal returns 10 England after sowing
|
| ance upon tho frcehand etchers, line is shoM W.
Tbrea Tho psncamgmen% and the artis has Sl '
liking for the softer effect of dry point and hs efforts
led him on 10 essay man nezson Possibly japanese
ar rnsnee may be seen IN the sy certain that
| NJ. Tissot has yielded 10 the English love Of anec-
dotage Nevertheless, Of his plates snow s, an
which 60 far toward iastyins This popularity u
must be difficult matter to combine treneh rodnceg
several designs bf genuine human interest anu 5nc
present exhibition Of his work VIII doubtless receive
| lnuch attention from tho pubic.
In their gallery Of paintings Messrs. Knoedler d Co.
show three landscapes by Mr.. Inncss The earliest
dated 1863. is a carefully worked out view Oh uees
and slopng pastures with the details as wen as inc
larger phases expressed with much truth ana soano
charm Of color. Another picture painted IN iooa'
shows fields green in the cold clear moonlight ana
fire on the right with negroes engaged In virginia
! hogdllDg.S The third painting dated 1882 Is
| view Of brown and gray field where red co" y
grazing, while in the distance gray barn is reheVeu
against the bright sky. Messrs Refchard q 20. also
exhibit an example of Mr.. Inness, painted IN 1eo'
This admirable picture. which shows much care Ior
form details ana distance presents green and yellow
fields with sheep and poplar trees In TIE foTeSroude,
group OF houses among the trees IN me m Iht and
tance, and broad level valley varied by Ignt anu
shade beyond. with a range of hills on The horizon
The sales at the water-coor exhibition amount 70
nearly $4,000 up to the present time The pictures
sold during the past week for $50 ana over are no
Daafo
aThe Last Anchoraces walter satterlec Sl25
Among the Wild Flowers ". s sgsIln co slSs
I. n. Wiles' s7s The Lame Duck II. q. Plumb,
ss5 Morning IN Bermuda H rIam s%' fioweTs
II II. Nichols, s1OO Soft Winds, NJ 9n hs eSn
$75 August Afternoon" 10 LanS WIR,d g1osess a g.