Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-12
AMONG THE PAINTINGS


Reopcuine Of the Corcoran Gallery
Changes Made During the Summer.
Monday morning the Corcoran Art Gallery
will be reopenedto the public after two months
Of locked doors II will be in better condition
than ever before, with all Of the woodwork
cleaned and revarnished and repainted, and
all OF the paintings busted and cleaned. This
process Of renovation has occupied all Of the
time Of DR.. Barbarin, the curator Of the gal
lery, who has worked from early morning until
the last ray of light disappeared in the even
ing in order that the gallery might be opened
on time without the trace Of workman about
it He escorted STAR reporter through the
halls yesterday and explained the work that
had been done.
REARRAserSe THE PAINTINGS
In the main gallery, on the second floor.
there has been considerable Encouragement Of
the paintings on the south wall in order to
produce better symmetry and develop some
hitherto undeveloped beauties. The vestal
Tuecia IL hung higher than before. so that il
can be seen from almost any point in the gal
lery, and that jolly bit of old Dutch life in
early New York, the "Edict Of William the
Testy. has been brought from the compare
tive obscurity OF the east gallery and hung in
the same panel on the south side. An exquisite
bit of landscape work has been brought down
from high corner to q point on the lower
line where its fine details and effects can be
appreciated. The general system OF hanging
has been changed. the maze Of long wires
being abolished in favor OF shorter ones that
depend from two parallel strips Of wood placed
at different heights, running entirely around
the gallery.
THE NAPOLEON STATUE.
The main changein this gallery 10 the intro
duction Of single bit Of sculpture. the famous
Last Days Of Napoleon" by vela. which
formerly stood in the darkness Of the lower
floor amid the relics Of an antique art 1t has
the entrance and the portrait Of MIR. Corcoran,
| surrounded by neat brass rail
In the rearrangement of the paintings many
little gems were brought down to more favor
able positions, while others that could better
bear distance we're hoisted in their places
None of the paintings, however, have been
''skyed," (skied). In the east gallery there
has been a wedding out Of most of the land
| scapes, and q concentration of the portraits. SO
that this portion Of the floor is becoming mere
distinctively portrait gallery. There are
several paintings now on exhibition, and space
is left for Others that are to come later. Among
| these is the production of +. d. Millet, an
American artist. called 1.-THE Trumpeter, -
| which has attracted good deal OF attention in
New York, where il has been on exhibition for
| senting a huge trumpeter spread IN a chair
surrounded by admiring females whose parents
| and possibly sisters, are seemingly of a Puri-
tanical disposition, for they sit at distance in
| a reprovingly demure manner. 1t is consid-
cred o tine piece OF character work.
RESovATISs THE PAINTINGS.
The paintings were all removed from their
| frames, cleaned, oiled, and in some cases var
nished. While the retouching artist, dill
III
on the celebrated Schreyer canvas, THE
Watering Place." he accidentally discovered
that the sky, a dirty, dsagreeable yellow.
which was regarded as the paintings only
| fault. was merely an accident, having evil
IDENTIFY been painted on to cover a defect in
| the way of a bruise of the original coat. He
| carefully removed this overlap of paint,
particle by particle. until the artists own
| sky appeared, q delightful combination of
! gray cloud and blue ether. which, now that
| it has been brought out and vanished. adds
fully twenty-five per cent to the qualities OF
the canvas.
THE sTATUARY HALL.
Down stairs there is about the same Lady,
rinth of ancient marbles in their disfgured
| state, but DIR. Barbarin has introduced yalua-
| BILE new element in the form Of a reproduction
| OF the Elgin marbles as they were found He
already had part OF them, but had to send to
England for copies Of the others. His idea has
| been to present the Parthenon pediment it
| was found and has accurately initiated in wood
| so much of the architecture is necessary to
| show the marbles as they occupied positions on
| the base. As all of them were not found the
central figures being missing altogether, the
| entire pedment is not shown. The casts are
placed with accuracy and the arrangement will
be of great value to both historical and art stu
dents. new style OF numbering the casts
paintings and other pieces on exhibition has
| been adopted.
change has been made in the catalogue,
| which now appears for the first time in pic
| torial edition. The illustrations, which are
clever representations by Moser OF bits and
| corners around the gallery, are we'll repro
duced, the type is largo and we'll printed. and
! the Who'll, pamphlet presents an artistic ap-
pearancc under its tasteful covers. The fronts
piece is process engraving of Mr.. Corcoran,
an excellent likeness, and on another page is a
beautiful picture Of the gallery.
THE NIGHT EXHIBITIONS.
The night exhibitions by the electric light
will not be begun Immediately, the date of the
opening to be determined by the board of
trustees at their next meeting. There are no
new painting in view at present, and il is prob
able that no purchases will be made this year,
although, of course, this will be a matter for
the judgment of the trustees.