Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-23
A LAND OF ARTISTS.
A. Bryan Wall. Fresh From Europe,
Talks About Foreign Painters.
MAGNIFICENT STUDIOS THE RULE.
How the American Knight Lives aud Works
on the Continent.
THE PICTURES AT THE EXPOSITION

A. Bryan Wall, the distinguished Pitts
burg artist, has just returned home after
prolonged tour OF European countries. His
visits to the various capitals were for the
purpose of inspecting the works of art of
ancient, mediaval and modern painters.
he speaks in glowing terms of the grand
galleries, noble in architecture and nobler
in the gems they contain. To describe
them, he says, defes speech. In the many
places he visited he was able to see all the
styles of painting executed in every decade
of modern civilization. While absent he
was privileged to meet and converse with
some of the most celebrated French painters
in their studios. In an interview with a
DISPATCH reporter last night he said:
81 called on a painter who now makes
his home in Paris but is an American by
birth, D. Ridgeway Knight, man of whom
we feel proud. His house is five miles out
of Paris, at Poissy, and adjolns the home Of
Meissonier, one Of the greatest living
painters. The domain is inclosed by high
wall. As you enter grand scene of ex-
quisite landscape gardening unfolds itself
before your eye. No matter which way the
eye turns. thrill of delight runs through
one at the variety of the beautiful arranged
artificial scenery.
KNIGHTS GLASS STUDIO.
cat right angles with the house, Knight
has built an elegant glass studio. Its ap-
pointments are quite lavish. The floor is
covered with the finest carpets, the tables
are loaded with choice china, the shelves
full of bric-a-brac which he has picked up,
first making sketches of them, afterward
using them for the adornment of his studio.
Behind the mansion is an old French court
yard, which was necessary part of the old
nobleman's castle. Inside the house, which
is a marvel of luxurious furniture, Knight
has a studio on the third floor, which Is
similar in its arrangement to the outside
one. From the windows stretch of scenery
unrivaled in the vicinity of Paris is pre-
sented to the view. The blue Seine flows
beneath in its winding course to the sea.
"Madrazo is French painter met. He
lives in the heart of Paris. His salon is
very grand one, from the hall magnifcently
painted, to the studio, situated at the top of
the house. This studio is one door through
over by glass. Here you will see old armor,
costly drapery, antique furniture and
Gobelin tapestry. A popularity of the
match. Hanging on the wall is picture
painted by Fourtney, a brother-in-law of
Madrazo, called Soldiers on Parade, which
is highly priced by the owner.
PAINTING C A QUEENS FACE.
"Upon the easel, the painter hada portrait
of the Queen OF Spain, which was almost
finished. Madrazo has number of pupils,
their studio being on the second floor. The
private studio OF this artist is, like himself,
elegant and refined. Madrazo is very neat.
His clothes are as artistic as his paintings.
"After visiting Madrazo l went to see
Henner, q very clever portrait painter.
Before you can get into his studio you
are obliged to 60 through back entrance
into kitchen, where yop invariably meet
a decrepit old woman, and then you pass
through a narrow passage which terminates
in a handsome octagonal studio. The fur
niture and collections in the studio are odd,
but they are arranged with such evident
taste and skill as to make it one of the most
priced in Paris. Henner is a strange man,
a bachelor, whose life is absorbed in his
work. Pelouse, another artist saw, has
suite of square rooms at the top of his house
rooted by glass, and crowded with costly
gems, porcelain and drapery, odd chairs
and china. In every studio 1 visited the
character of the man was ascertained by
the arrangement of his studio.
"Thc art collection in the Paris Exposi-
ton is the finest of modern paintings that
has ever been gathered under one roof. The
lower part of the gallery contains the best
pictures that nave been exhibited in the
salon for the last five years. All the prize
pictures are there and rival one another for
first place. Indeed, it would be invidious
to single them out. Some of them, however
are worth special mention. The upper part
of the gallery contains the works of dead
artists.
DIVIDED INTO SECTIONS.
'The space is cut into compartments, each
containing the complete works of an artist.
Compartments are devoted to the works of
Corot, D. D'Aubigny, Millet, Rousseau, Travon,
Diaz, Mauve and Breton. In the corridors
Bastien lie Page, French peasant, exhibits
a remarkable picture OF his grandfather.
The flesh color is perfect, the general
tone excellent, the texture fine and the
character brought out in the face is truly
wonderful. Quite handy to this picture is a
fine cabunel, reposing female figure, which
is unequaled in this special branch of art.
Lefebre exhibits all of his best female fig
ures. Munkacsy's 'Crucifxlon' and Christ
before Plate hang side by side.
''There has been some disappointment
felt over the American collection. 1 think
this is wrong. Our artists show up well.
c. S. Reinhart, Pittsburger, exhibits a
splendid picture called 'Un Pave The
subject is washed ashore. A man is lying
On the beach dead, and another is
kneeling beside him. At the left
stand a group around French
officer, telling him the circumstances of
the wreck, while he takes notes. This is
one of the best of our collection, another
picture of his, also water subject, called
lie Maree Montante.' Dan R. Knights
exhibits, Calling the Fairy Charles S.
Pearce's Misty Morning Sheep, II. Bolton
Jones' Autumn w. Jones' two small
pictures of Brooklyn Park, Dannot's Ser
enade, and the original sketches by Abbey,
are the best in the American collection. %
Mr.. Wall finds that young European
artists are straining to secure odd subjects
and make large pictures for the purpose of
attra citing attention and securinu nuink