New-York tribune., 1890-01-17
REMBRANDTS NAN IN ARMOR.n

Tie memory Of the Secretan sale will be kept alive m
this country by the examples OF Millet. Dclacroix
Messoncr. Pietcr DE IoogI, Rcmlr randi and Teniers
which are in the possession Of Americans A. vet
thcr; has occn no public exhibition Of Mei,sonicr's
Players # Bowls at Anibes,7 important example
OF the artist, later period, Of Rcmbandts Man
IN Armor,7 bofh the property of the American Art
Association The former recently discussed in The
Tribune. The latter has been catalogued simply
Man in Armor,' but, according 10 Dutut. thi, may
bc regarded a a portrait of Rembrandt without a
mustachc. like the portrait Of Rembrandt in armor at
the Pti Palace In this picture the figure is a
little more than half length. The head, which IS bare
IS framed i'm q profuson Of dark brown hair and tho
face with its shadowcd eyes, IS nearly full 'front.'
Below the cleaning brcaStpate, which IS conspic
feature the hands are busted In drawing up ne
belt The left hand rests against the body rather
weakly. the thumb extended toward the buckle. whilo
the right hand pulls vigorously on the belt. Tho
left sleeve shows tine sheen Of gold tn,e embroidery
upon a black ground. Just above, scroll /, pinned
to the wall, and on the other side Of the figure a
dagger and helmet lie upon the table. The helmet
has peculiar plume. Thi, plume, which i, not seen
in any Of the reproductions. appeared. are told
after the picture was cleaned and the Old yarn-h
moved, which ha- been done in Par, since the SALE
As regard, the Colornc. the picture i, mellow and
comparatively rich. without hraucy or especial
distinction. u j., devoid Of strong contrasts and. so
lar q, lnc lpiff ana d-f tne purity OF tle cpoflng
are concerned it is difficult 10 find justification for l.
Albert VOLTS dcscp ption Of this work simply
marvellous But " Wolf when writing for tho
Sccrctau catalogue became a special pleadcr. I.la
hands painted freely and vigorously If summarily
and they are noticeable features Of the picture
although far inferior to the hands IN the Van Beresyn
portraits. The painting II the sleeve is effective
and the armor Will attract attention. although
there certain lack Of life in the quality and Gleam
"a. T..a
factory that forced to admit the existence Of
reasonable doubt as TO the extent of Rembrandvs
work.
This picture IS assigned TO Rembrandts first period,
probably the year 1881 year after the portraits
Of the Tulips. which now in this city, and three
years after Mr.. Ellsworths portrait OF a man ana
the Van Beresteyn portraits. which belong TO tho
work Of 1892. Thus we have at hand some pertfnens
Illustrations O, the firm. solid execution the dis
tincuishcd modelling, the brush work, finished az
compared with the artists broader second manner
the exact for textures, the usually temperate
color scheme and the realization OF atmosphere ana
Of transparent shadows. which, rule characterized
painting Of this period But in this picture we rnd
the head impcrfectly in relief, the modelling vague
and ndecislve. the flesh crumbling, painty and
textureess and the shadows. noticeably around tho
eyes. comparatively Opaque and certainly forced. A
close examination shows the face painted with heavy
impasto. fairly overlaid IL were, and exhibiting
Of an artist sure Of himself and certain Of the effect
of every touch. The high color the cheek, which
seems out Of KEY and out Of place, suggests slight
and not very old retouching We may repeat that
there no expert in this country whose opinion OF
old masters is conclusive, but we think that ANA
teurs who study this picture carefully Will share
our inability % ccl Rembrandts hand In the rendering
Il the face and even the hair. 1t may be inferred
that part Of the picture rcpainted at some ume
but this must be matter of Inference not Of positive
assertion The picture as it stands exhibits much
force Of design and considerable charm OF color, and
whenever IL is exhibited it will be found 10 be
very interesting and on many accounts admirable
work Bat il is uuquestonably inferior IN execution
10 the other examples Of Rembrandt which We have
named. and I'm respects It's difference IS one oi
Kind rather than de-Ice.
II should be added that have not found a sus.
rioOu II authenticity o. of rcpantnS expressed IN he
tufhoritlr, upon Rembrandt which We have consulted.
smith, who calls ha picture tie portrait % warrior
dec ar,7 u painted n h"mandt> broad ara 'itorot'
manner I}ut thi, b. obviously misleading like much
else ina This venerable Woin, for the broad manner II
Is commonly understood. not developed until after
IaratNcy free. summary painting noticeable IN parts
oi this picture different from The broad brushworN of
probably painted about l'35. Among the five Is tho
we'll hnowu Rembrandt with SASHA on his Knee IN
the Dresden Gallery. DGiuN OILERS no comment upon
the picture. Its recent history /, well known 10
was sold from the Eobt collection i'm l-Ol for $500
and from the hilbert collection AZ thri>tie's. IN
,alc. II appeared a. the exhibition ~ the hundred
masterpieces" In Paris in 1--3. ant 1t has been
-laVcd by Lccuhot. TWO other picture, assigned 10
-. Anthony and portrait. appear IN
the catalogue of the >ccctan collection, but We believe
they were not offered at the sale