Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-03
THE FRENCH ART SALE.
American Collectors Not Pleased With
the Way ''L'Angelus" Was Sold.

Paris Special to the Philadelphia Press
The English and American art collectors and
dealers who are attending the Secretan sale
here do not hesitate to-day now that they have
had an opportunity to think over the proceed
| ings Of yesterday, to charge the management
of the auction with unfair dealing in the matter
Of knocking down ''L'Angelus" to the Louvre
at SOB 600 francs in spite of the bid of the agent
| OF the Corcoran art gallery of $4,000 francs
| although they were forced to put it up again
| and pay 81 600 francs additional
The result is that the prices have fallen of
| in to-day's sales. Several of the bidders OF
yesterday refused to attend. Among these was
j. +. Sutton, who came to Paris purposely to
bid for the "Angelus" and for the American
art association, and who was represented yes
terday by Montaignac. Sutton charges the
auctioneer directly with fraud, and declares
that if it had not been for the knock-down at
sos, 900 francs Millets masterpiece would now
be on its way to New York. Sutton was pre-
pared to bid even more than the painting was
hnally sold for, but he realized that in the ex-
allied condition of the Frenchmen at the sale
after their premature victory, it would be use
less to bid against them while they were SUBJ
scribing francs by the tens of thousands under
the auctioneer's eyes.
The Figaro this morning says that Anton Am
brust, who represented the Louvre at the sale,
was authorized to bid 100000 francs for the pic
ture, but this statement is not generally be-
ieved Auctioneer Chevallier declares parole
dhonneur." that he did not hear the American
art associations bid when he declared the pic
ture sold, and this too, the Americans and
English decline to believe
An English dealer said to the Press CORE
spondent: sit was fight between the French
and the Americans, and so am an entirely I'M
prejudiced man, but never in my life wit
messed such fragrant piece of chicanery at a
pubic sale. 1t will be a Wholesale warning to
foreign dealers when an art sale is advertised
in France again"
DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTURE
Millets L'Angelus Evening Prayer is 214
by 2519 inches. In the catalogue of the Secre-
tan collection it is thus described: 1.-The sun
has already sunk below the horizon but still
Eliminates, with a warm, golden light the
lower part OF the sky and the vast expanse of
fields.
There is perceptible that blessed twilight
calm which comes to the field laborer between
all toll and sleep. In the foreground young
couple has been busily harvesting the potato
crop. They have been interrupted in their
work and stand there quietly, vigorously set
of against the luminous sky. The young man
expresses, in his inclined attitude a sweet SEN
timent of rustic piety. He has taken off his
cap and holds it against his breast. The young
woman likewise bowling, is holding her joined
hands near her face. Both said. in silence a
tervant prayer, 20 their Maker, whilst the bells
are ringing the AngeluS
The picture was painted thirty years ago and
was sold to dealer by the artist for $780,
When the dealer afterward resold it for $4,000
Mlllet modestly spoke of the price as a sensa-
tional one and disclaimed all responsibility for
the transaction And now, while his widow is
unable to keep over her head the roof of the
Barbizon cottage that was his, the government
OF his country buys his most famous work, after
spirited competition with Americans for far
more than he ever earned i'll his sad lifetime