New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-12
MIR. ERWIN OAnIgs PAINTINGS

The collection of Mr. Erwin Davis was placed upon
exhibition yesterday at the Fifth Avenue Galleries.
to remain until the beginning Of the sale March 10.
We regret that 1t has been deemed impossible 70
tinne the exhibition for longer time. Mr.. Davis
has never been reluctant to share the enjoyment Of
his paintings with amateurs and artists, and INDEED,
all who caro- for good art, but fhere arc many who
have never seen the collection, and It should b
studied by all II is pleasure TO meet With COM
pany OF paintings which can be praised with so few
exceptions. Tho rare harmony of the collection
1t appeared in tho owners city home has been marred
In certain by paintings usually kept elsewhere,
and few pictures Hike the examples Of the impress
sionistsr have been omitted. But there no
changes In essentials. The collection at the Fifth
Avenue Galleries VIII be found to Illustrate sensitive
to fine color, feeling for quality and remarkable
appreciation Of @paInters paintings OF purely
academic art there Is very little. Underneath the
" Joan Of Arcs Is little sketch for Q
statue of Bastien Lepage, who Is represented
leaning forward, raising palette and brush, ns
shield and sword the attitude OF warrior abous
10 charge foe. The statue might be taken 10 TYP
ify the attitude not merely Of Basen Lpage, but also
of other artists represented in this collection Moss
of the number were rebels against academic conven-
tIonality and constraint, men who fought againss
tradition and Journalism, and made their own way
In art although the struggle cost them dear Here
are paintings by Delscrox and Guecsut, the chiefs
of the revolutionary romantcisis, paintings by the
landscape artists 1880, by llet and other natural-
ists examples of Name: and Courbet excommuM-
Gated but most persistent rebels and at the end OF
the gallery is the painting which has been IN urn
the talk Of Paris, New-York and Boston, Bastien
Lepags's Joan of Arc.' Not long since collection
was exhibited which illustrated the profound science
of French academic painters trained under system
older, more comprehensive and thorough than IN
any other country. Mr.. Davis's collection shows
wiat French artists have done outside OF the acade-
mics and yet the obvious deduction would be false
for IL would take no account of the personal force
OF these masters nor Of any Indebtedness to the dis
ciplne Of the academy which cannot DO ignored.
1t Is unnecessary to renew the discussion over the
Joan of Arcs After nine years this picture Is
attn rrcornizad rs one of tho most independent and
IN many ways most powerful, PRODUCTIONS Of tho
younger school In France The painters practice OF
the pein theory, the absence OF values and ths
diffusion Of Hight have troubled many critics, and
others have found cause for ndicule In the ghostly
shapes bearing the sword toward the ecstatc peasant
girl There have been few more daring
attempts TO combine imaginative and realistic design.
The painters success as painter and colorist not
complete, and yet his picture IS great work. great
not merely in technical ability, bat rather account
of the Intensity Of feeling, quality too rare In
French art This peasant girl rapt IN her vision 10
a figure which few can unmoved. There
many reasons for interest In this picture that
need hardly emphasize the desFaby. OF its purchase
for the Metropolitan Museum. Moreover Il should
be accompanied by that marvellously animated figure,
Manet's g Boy with Sword and by Courbess In
spired musician. There other pictures which the
Museum should own, but experience has taught the
danger Of asking too much. There is ID nch little
painting of copper and earhenwaro vessels and vege-
tables which is assigned to the eighteenth century
master of sim life Chsrdln OF It's history we know
nothing, but every passerby see for himself that
it was painted by master. We remember no other
example Of Chardn in our public sales, ana IL would
be well worth while to secure this picture for tho
benefit Of students Of art.
We have already outlined the character OF thls
most interesting collection, and at another time We
may say OF special examples Of men who painted
because they loved paint 1t is hard to single out
Important works In exhibition where the ms
jorty Of pictures have some abiding charm. but men,
ton should be made Of ono OF Deiacrox's Lion
Huntss painted in 1858. his early Milton, and two
studios, fne examples OF color. which are accom-
panied by six Corots including the beautiful In the
woods The Ford.' g The Woodland Path,s and a
moonlight harbor scene; by Mlleps charming land
scspe, woman bathing, haymaker. and sketch val
uabe for color and By Toyon's large landscape with
cattle sheep and figures, his rich little painting OF
fowls, and other examples. Dauhigny's on tho
Marne.s sketchy yet In its way complete is as 70
markable for freshness and deleacy is the study
for French Village" for depth of coloring and force
az execution There are rich wood interiors and
Fontalnelleau moors painted by Rousseau and Dias.
stillfo studies by vollon at which the artists never
ooose Wondering pceas's Ballet Giiis,r tour do
Joces in IFS way, Bafye's bear and tiger with truth
q, ,ctiop a, absolute as that which Mlet realized.
and examples of other of the modern masters %
France and Holland whose names we have cited %
other times American art finds excellent repre-
sentatlon In the landscapes Of Mr. inness' ue syn
nhonies of Mr. Bunce the flowers OF Mr.; Weir; .ne
P,oaniS can,posed strong landscape Of M. Mnppt,
erg njcres BY Messrs. Palmer, Ryder ana i"wwns
S. P tSnt for the present must leave q conSe
tIn vhch Is to be cordially commended 10 tose ~no
1--we panterlIke work, and fine qualify, wm"a
attsinsd In the sketches and studies OF the oono'a