New-York tribune., 1890-04-03
,1p BRIDGMAN'S PAINTINGS.
,rcoRDs OF TRAVEL IN THE ORIENT

~ interval of nine years, Mr. freocrioh a.
NJ Ai'o offers us a second opportunity OF 'uus,ns
b''r.~s -arress hy his collected work. AZ 'no i'''"
Dis Galleries the artist exhibits 3oo Pa,"u"s''
A.., .nos and studies and score oi piaoA anu
s"'' these pictures and Others representa- "
deSisN III form a record of remarkable apphcauoh'
pho",l he unaattcrng to select industry as MI
~ w." n,s chief merit but his industry deserves
D~I,,on At the exhibition OF 1901 VIC io"""
~, ,he artists range of vision hau i"'iu''" ~
,s Of Brittany peasants, inc pascd""S o' "''
n. and the glitter OF Algerian bazars' no '"or>
7sof an accurate observer and pefseVc'ihs ''O"'
"nor the picturesque, and proved MS ao"iN ~ 0
,.r,.ations in pictures thOughtiahy composer w"
r and often OF no little force OF Color III u'o
ars of the artists professional career previous
,o:, we had seen fugitive examples OF MS af'
,a tno,cn Of his successes. hut that eXihoi'ioh
noued rs the full range of the artist Po"o'9' ~
r.s nrobably the most serious eNIlpi''o" wv
ner. bv one of the Franco American Pdiii,VI'' anu
,.souch we learned then that Mr.. Bildsi"" was "V'
ra,nters painter that he was not master Vi o'","
dr color and quality, also learned 10 appreciate
ovcc,lent qualities of his art and to recognize
' oa,ncstoess AT present the artist EXHIBITS an
.o ,arrcr collection of his work. II Is lmposSioie
10, N compare the exhibitions, and II must De IT.
.,r.ant,r ACKNOWLEDGED that the years nave hol pro
.uced the harvest which was looked ior Ill lool'
rhls exhibition is record Of the artists VISITS
IN Northern Africa. with the auui'ion Va iV' P'i"
low paintincs and studies of scenes in Brittany ana
Smondv sketch Of tie deatIlbed of Victor Hugo
md a handful OF other studies. The pof'ral's VI
NJ, T. , and Of gentleman seated at writing
.he show truthful drawing. firm modelling ana SOUND
,onstruction Tho hands in the latter portra' leave
uch 10 be desired and tho former Is easily the bet'er
cork But neither picture is elective III coloi' ana
IN both the artists efforts for pose" are APP
r,en and disturbing. In his Brittany picture, Walt
<ho Mi.
serve the high key and strong color of the orient
nbich arc certainly justified in the three excellent
s,raies AZ Cannes and Dinard. Nos 1O3. 90 and 30
There are various reminders Of the Egyptian SudieS
which were turned TO good an account III loIhcr
vears but for the most part this Is an eAlDhoh ol
Nrer;an life customs and architecture since INC
rvnt,an campaigns of the first Napoleon when Nernet
tunded the line OF OrentalstS. Northern Africa has
fascinated Continental artists by its brilliant at
r,osphere and vivid coorinc and perhaps the painters
RI today forget that they have been preceded by
Delacroix. Fromentin, Decamps, Marillat. tor'uhE
and a host OF others. Mr.. BridSman has faNuuiN
psiated the dark eyes, brown skins ana VoIup'uouS
forms of the women of the towns the swar'hN
features OF tho men. the white terraces the court
wards illuminated with brilliant costumes ana INC
ouant streets These things are rendered with much
edeutv Int they are not new, and even If they
were their value in art would still depend upon the
artists ability 10 realize true pictorial Qual'N. "heI
we have looked for this have found ourselves arrest
cd ofener bv the studies than by the more elaborate
compositions, and we have found that many, perhaps
most. of these studies were executed more
than ten years ago. Among tie minor
works there are admirable paintings Of
Arab horses. like Nos 1873 and les. which show an
understanding OF moods and character as we'll a. oI
simple FORM and often a cOlOring which Is mellow
and harmonious. \ sketch Of child in white and
yellow. No. 1O1: A Hot Day at Nustapha' NO.
1856: A Rest in the Shade NO. 1"A'
and No. Isl shades Of Evening in
the Desert may bo counted among the studies
which, for one reason or another. have an especial
claim upon our interest In the pictures of this class
the artist has painted NOR freely. and he has oc-
oasionally generalized little, something which nc
rarely ventures to do in his important works
Moreover his studies less frequently lead us 10 suspect
the influence of the theory that pictures must be keyed
up 10 salon pitch But many of the better studies
we're shown in the exhibition Of 1851.
several Of the more ambitious paintings in this col
lection have been seen the salon and at the Uni
versal Exposition. TO the latter Mr.. Bridgman con
tsbutcd his large trfp.yciB:.A Pirate or Love- whch
lie has placed at the head Of the larger gallery We
think that judcious amaters VIII not share the implied
approval of this tale Of lu1 and blood. Perhaps 1t
represents the influence Of the supposed demand for
"hirhly seasoned" art which brings many horrors
and vulcarities 10 the salon every year. &C. Tho
Bath Cairo painting OF mother Laughing
over the plump, brown child in its little
BATH one Of the best OF the largcr works lis merit
lies not in any sentimental quality, but in the har-
mony Of the colors, the excellent tonaD,y, and in
the sympathetic feeling. The best figure in the
sFee Of the Prophet Is the little child one falling
Of the larger pictures is their lack Of spontaneiiy
is impossible 10 avoid the suspicion that some OF the'e
paintings have been produced by foImuia-'o many
brown faces and dark eyes. 50 many yards OF "I"'c
;ls and white walls and - much seasoning OF -Ice"
red and Yellow But the ingredients have oiteh laiieu
Of assimilation. ION the Terraces unprepos
sessng stretch Of white relieved by the bright yco"
Of costume and pale yellow tones in the distant sea-
Is performance OF a familiar kind. and the lntercs'
Of the picture is entirely on the surface me ou.
sernc lightly vcilcd is AN admirable illustration Of
Intelligent fgUIewoik Nevcftheless the m'efeso . u
House Of tie Governor Of Algeria group OF grave
Arab sheks and ladies in evening dress Is s GeNer
contrast of types. But If we compare I.e pall1Ilns
with the phOtOgravurc in the BOOK OF the Saiyii'
shall Sec that very little which IS essential las
been lost in the reproduction, and there has even Dce
some gain. There would have been a great loss il
The case of cooTst pr sang but lhe ms,rsuC ,is 81
IS hardly necessary 10 show that generous & Ene oi
positive color does not make c0i9rsl. inc cchlIdl
hsure of the "Fete Nisrc Hledal where o heto ras
Standing in the centre OF the crowd trasts INe % non
Into his mouth. j. another Illustration VI strong ara"
ing and modelling Moreover there ERE some ne
studies Of facial expression, but dihcult 10 ai,Dn
tue artists zeal ior all accent "lhch mas ieu iIin
Of gaudy and discordant color II Wsnald WOsnld
be profitable TO compare the treatment OF whites
positive color and action here with DeiacIoH >
teies,inc in itself and il iS not Away the star3n:
Chalky white which Nr. Bridgman usually presents =.
In a Country Villa at FL iar. Alsicr. painting Of
women seated about a frame. for weaving or EN-
Aroiderv. Is Illustration OF tendency toward the
arbitrary OF color which seems to have grown upon
the artist. That IS each color j. Sct down by II
self and emphasized a. distinct feature without re
gard to Others. It + true that the clear atmosphere
causes sharp definitions. but The atmosphere docs
exert certain influence. and light and shade and
the choice Of coOrs always at the artists com
inand.
Iaere are many good things in this exhibition which
We are unable T. discuss. confident that I
VIII prove OF interest To public. ii is pleasant
10 recognize the ability and Industry Of American
arlSt who has won many h0nOrs in the close
petition of the Paris exhibition But We haze been
unable to avoid feeling that many Of these pictures
lc "peri0rmances.7 The artist has certain
facts' be has felt ii his dty 10 record them. and
presently he has expanded his notes into cxhih-
Ton pictures which are devoid OF freshness, origl-
nalty and any trace Of impulsivc feeling lis
Pictures are purely objective lie reports his facts with
very little sentiment. and the Disappointing fea Of