New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-08
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
EXHIBITIONS At THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB
INTEREST IN OLD MASTERs-ART

INTEREST IN OLD MAsTERs-ART
NEWS ABROAD.
The December exhibition of the Union League Club
will be opened Thursday evening. The usual col
lection OF paintings will be accompanied by small
exhibition Of Asiauc Greek fguItnes, and possibly
othAr objects. There Is certain fitness In tins form
of transition from the Oriental exhibitions of the
past since the early Greek art of Asia Minor repre-
scnts an Indebtedness TO Assyria and many OF us
Oriental phases are strongly marked. At later day
there may be exhibitions OF Greek vases ard OF
Tanagra fgIrines which will illustrate certain spcc'
Of Occidental classic art insructvey as inc past
exhibitions have forth the art of china ana japan
There have been many admirable eNhbitioe oil psAhI
ings at the Union League Club in former years, but
the exhibitions Of 1889 have had especial value De
cause the paintings have been accompanied by per
feet examples of less familiar forms of artistic express
sion. There have been exhibitions OF singe-coi0r
Chinese porceaiDs, of blue and white ami dscor%ei
pieces, Of Japanese lacquers swords worries ana
metal work, and of closonne and chsmpleve enameis'
The value of these exhibitions have been impaired
only by the limits of and of the gallery IL Is
hardly to be expected that private club can sur
render the Of a portion of its house for longer
time than that now given 10 the eXhlohlohs anu II
would be impossible TO admit the general pubic under
present conditions. Nevertheless Is mucb 10 DC
desired that exhibitions of the consequence Of these
held at the Union League Club should be
lery which small and poorly lighted. it Is probable
that members of the club would agree regarding
It's nadequacy Yet it entirely within bounds to say
that there regular club exhibitions In this coun
Try which equal those of the Union League In In
structyeness and importanc
After many bitter experiences. American amateurs
seem to be developing intelligent interest In old
masters" The forlorn results OF the old master
craze of forty fifty years ago frequently rappear
ring
" old masters at present are usually more cautious
than their predecessors Moreover, result of the
modern school Of study and criticism has been the sub
sutution Of exact knowledge for vaguely derived
assumptions These results, which have greatly reduced
the number of painting assigned tn various preenln mt
masters. have been rendered possible by the increased
facilities for travel and closer cOnpal alive study. by
the discovery Of facts relating the life ard work
of the artists, and by the general employment Of pho
Biography, which has enabled the student 20 surround
himself with photographs not only of the paintings by
any given master. but also Of that masters studies
and drawings There are obvious limits TO the supply
Of genuine old for this country, although in
a preceding age cf unquestOning faith The
supply seemed ineXhaustible But the mel
anchoy fate of the Durcal collection, wherein fully
two-thirs of the pictures devoid of consequence,
indicated that American amateurs had gained In wis
DOM even II some wOuld-be amateurs made extra0r-
binary records OF misplaced enthusiasm over names
Most OF the pictures In the Marquand collection at
the Metropolitan Museum, with The Glider and Van
Beesteyn portraits, represent Of the most sue
cessful recent collecting Of old masters" The Rem
brandts which have TO this country within six
years would Of themselves form a group which might
be coveted by any foreign museum The Lansdowne
Rembrandt in the Marquand collection was followed
by The Glider" Next the two Van Beresteyn
portraits, and at nearly the same time a head OF
Rabbi was exhibited, which came from "altner, the
RPmDlandtS
Dr. Tulip and his wife were received In this city Mt
J. W. Ellsworth permitted the Union League club TO
exhibit his Portrait Of Man." by Rembrandt and II
Is understood that the American Art Association has
brought over head by Rembrandt. purchased last
summer I'm Paris.
II is said that a painting by TntorettO has been re-
ceved recently by generous amateur of this city who
Is now making a second collection OF old masters
after having presented the first to the public But
present preference of collectors seems TO be Tor
Dutch art. At the last Union League exhibition the
group of paintings by Teniers, DE Hoogh, Mas and
Van ostade might be taken as illustrating an APP
parent tendency. The interest in De Hoogh Is a
noticeable fact since there are now In this city Inc
Advocate and His Family" lent for the Union League
exhibition by Cottier & Co., Dutch Interior winch
is exhibited by NJ. Durand Ruel and painting Of
courtyard scene in Delft recently brought over by
another owner which in coloraton is the most beauti
fnl of ALL A more famous example Of De Hoogh the
Dutch Interior from the sale, will soon ar
rive in this country. This picture was bought oy VI
Durand-Rue presumably in behalf Of private col
lector for 275 600 francs. or $4,000 price when
would have been equally bewidering 10 Dc llcogh him
self and 10 his contemporaries For in his time he was
held TO be painter Of small ability. and it was NOT
until the middle Of the eighteenth century That
this admirable pupil of the school OIL Rembrandt was
appreciated in holland. Nevertheless, English ap-
pNcatiOn began earlier and of The MY or slN'y eA-
isting works of De HOogh a considerable proportion
are owned in England. There are but three IN me
National Gallery and three at BnckingIam Ia1'
against eight at the 81. Petersburg Museum alone
but there several examples OF d. Hoo3h III English
paid $4,000 for DE HOOgh al the schneider SAFE
The remarkable price paid for the DE Hoogh al me
secretan sale probably explains the appearance of
the renewed interest In this delightful master may
result in an agreement "a the spelling Of his name.
The registry Of Peter dor IIooges death llaarlcm
in 1881 IS believed TO refer 10 ms sr1t, n' ns
name usually appears "a DE HOOSn or lie HIoshc, ana
sometimes as DE HoOch
The example shown by NJ. Durand-Ruel exhibits a
favorite contrast OF shadowy interior with sunny
vista There are two naive figures and dog in II, and
beyond on the right the sunlight falls a"roSS the
tagged floor; there is "a doorway and red curtain
and a glimpse of the gaIden outside, all rendered
with delightful harmOnizing of colors and singu-
larly sympathetc blending and opposition of light and
shade The same gallery offers DeacrOiX's Column
bus at the Convent OF ST. Marie de RobdaT a paint
ing Of great interest which illustrates manner
ally precise and polished. and an exceptional re-
straint in the use Of color The is room
with white walls and floor. and blue green doors and
shutters The background is comparatively cold,
and there Is little color in the simple dresses OF
the monks who are looking from the window
regarding Columbus with gestures of plying wonder.
Columbus. a sturdy figure with strong. intent. sad
face. stands with look Of un>atsiicd yearning before
a MAJ which represents the contemporary ignorance
regarding the New World. one hand upon
the knee OF boy who sits before him. His right hand
holding a red cap, the only bit OF vivid warm color.
rests upon his hip. The figure IS superb piece Of
characterization. and the thOughtfness and Solf-rc-
strani Of the work illustrate less familiar phase Of
DelacrOIXS art
in the exhibition Of Barye's works and the
Hundred Masterpieces is indicated by the attend
ance which j. large. although il should be larger.
This exhibition will close January 10, and IL Will
be impossible to extend the time beyond THAI week.
Tho amount Of the sales at the Academy Exhibition