The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-04-13

Dy benJamin WeSJs
Mr. de Mendonqa, the special Brazilian envoy
has a rich collection of paintings by the artists
OF the modern schools. He has half dozen by
George Michel, the finest specimen being land
scape Of great beauty and richness of coloring
"L'abreuvoirn It's a pastoral, and the lazy COW
in the stream of water in the foreground, with
the SOFT yellow brooding tone of light over all is
very charming. All Michels pictures in the col
lection represent poetcal landscapes; one
a highway and passing teams, another "a Moor
land' another hills with trees in the foreground
we'll brought out, and still another landscape
and company of travellers.
A. G.. Decamps is also recognized as master
in the study of light. Mr.. de Menaonsa no doubt
has larger number of his paintings than any
other collector in the country. He has seven good
pictures painted in this artists best manner. In
the front drawing-room is the most striking of
this masters art. 1t represents a view In an
oriental city, the white-walled houses, mnaret
and tower of the Mosque, the yelled woman in
the street with the slender water jar on her head,
the stately palms towering aloft above the
houses, and above all the deep, solid blue of the
fathomless sky which is peculiar to the Orient,
are all finely portrayed On smaller canvas
pans; he is the ''Cousner du Convent" In the
upper hall there is a picture of Decamps that
just to look at recalls all the fun Of "Don
Quxote'' The Don is represented as mounted on
his Rosinante, with spear in hand, serene and
ready to move on fornew adventures, but Sancho
PanZa is aweary. He looks fat and lazy as he
sits on the end of log and argues with his
master, his donkey standing idly by and look
ing as il he wanted to rest too. "The Scent"
(La piste) is a marvel of light the figures
are as good as Millet's. There sew
eral Corots, one with an interesting history. 1t
was painted for the Paris Salon of 1S47, to an
swer the criticism that he could not draw. 1t
is faithfully outlined and coored in every detail.
1t is a woodland scene. half-nude shepherd
boy leans against tree in the foreground, with
q eve ard lamb at his feet. The light shines
through the opening under the trees, with
grand sweep Of perspective that proved most
conclusively that Corot understood perfectly
drawing, perspective, and all the rules Of art,
without them, and he did it from choice or
kind of artistic Incidence. OF DiaZ's there are
several pieces the finest as to colorng and effect
on the Imagination, perhaps, being "La Source,
Foret de Fontainebeau.h
There is close by copy of ssFete Cham
pGtre Of Vatican that is fine figure piece on
medallion intended for Sevres china painting.
Above it is portrait of Lord Byron on ivory
JQaJ mas q literary pculSTCe. AllTeu SualOu
painted it for Walter Scott. On the death of
Scott some of his effects were exposed for
sale, and Mr.. Ticknor, of Boston, bought it and
presented it to Washington Irving. After Irv
inG's death it fell into the hands of Fitz Green
Halleck, and at sale of his art curios it was
bought by Mr.. de Mendonsa. 1t is above price in
his estimation, as it was painted from life, and,
though not so ideally handsome as that senti-
mental poet is usually represented, it no doubt
ismuch more lifelike than any other known. Mr..
de Mendonca's collection includes Bonning
ton, representing "Paris in 1S22-Looking from
the Seine towards the Tuileries;' Troyon,
Daubigny, Jules Dupre, Courbet, Fro
mentin. The school of BarbiZon is fully repre-
sented: among its later painters he has works
by Harpignies, Leon Richet, and others. There
are also good examples of Isabey, Couture, and
Goya. There are four Domingos, two lannon's,
a brilliant Henner, and an excellent Hans
Makart.
In the upper hall there is probably one of the
finest works known OF our own father OF Ameri-
can art Benjamin West. 1t is needless to say
that It was painted after his residence abroad
The conception and coloring are all much finer
than HIS earlier works, to be seen in Philadel-
pha. 1t Is entitled The Promised Land" and
represents Moses seated, giving instructions to
Aaron, while men and women of the Hebrew
type are clustered around him listening. There
are soldiers in the foreground. The figures of
Aaron and Moses are full of dignity and as a
study Of figures and coloring IT is one OF the
finest. There will soon be added to the collec-
tion a "DTyad" from Aime Morot, which Is now
on the way over from Paris. There is fine and
spirited piece by this artist that is very charac-
teristic as tocoloring. An Arab Oh q coal-black
steed is fying by an English outpost in Egypt
and firing as he gallops by. Other Arabs follow
in circle after him. The light metallic tnts Of
an Egyptian sunlit sky are well brought out and
the horse is the embodiment of spirited action
There are two small water colors by Perlberg, of
Munich, the German Meissonnier, that deserve
special mention as figure and color studies
Kate and Eleanor Greatorex are represented by
two charming pieces, "Sun1owers" and 'Roses y
Besides the two GreatoreI, other American
painters are represented in Senior de Mendon-
ga'scollection by excellent landscapes. Among
them are George Inness, D. b. Bristol, Bruce
Crane, William Bliss Baker, William Hart, 8.
Colman, Bolton Jones, and Rudel.
The Brazilian painters are represented by very
good works, +. Aureio de Figuelredo's land
scspes about Rio vigorous and brilliant as
the paintings OF DiaZ. Castagnettos marines
are full Of light and transparence. Fran9a, Jr.,
has bit OF color very much in the Daubigny
style, senior Mario de Mendonea, son of the
Minister and his secretary, as painter is pupil
Of Sartan, Clifford, and SatsTlee. An interior of
the Castle OF Chillon and some outdoor work
done in New England are very commendable.
Il. l.. S.
Revolutionary Prices.