Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-11
AMONG THE LOAN PAINTINGS.

in Pittsburg. One visit is far from sufficient
to see and appreciate them all. Besides be-
ing delightful in itself this exhibition Is
most useful in living a just idea of the ten
dency of modern art, and to many, 1t may
| be, true conception of the meaning OF the
term "realism," as applied to painting. or
course one misses many distinguished names
among the great artists of the century, but
still there are fine examples of the French
school, as well as work by Russian, German
and Belgian masters. Courbet, the apostle
! of realism, is at his best in landscape paint
ing. in which his wonderful vigor, nerve and
| truth to nature have free scope. The two
canvases which hang in this collection are
executed entirely by the palette knife,
and are superb in their richness of color.
| The finer, perhaps, belongs to Mr.
| Lockhart; it presents nature in so
strong and severe an aspect that
one turns almost with relief to the sunshine
| of the Van Marcke beside it, This is indeed
| delightful picture 1t recalls the sunny
| fields of Normandy, and the luminous at
| mosphere of a warm day, the thirst of cattle,
| and the restful abandonment of the girls at
ttude are all rendered by most skillful
hand. Van Marcke proved himself worthy
OF his master, Troyon, and his work will be
more and more appreciated as time goes by.
| 'Cows in PASTURE is small picture,
| but treasure in its warm glow of colors, its
| simplicity and truth.
x%*
There are four Geromes in the col
| lection, but it would be difficult to justly ap-
preciate the master from any of these, as
they scarcely suggest his masterpieces,
| tsThe Cock Fight and 'Napoleon Before the
| Sphinx" Indeed, one must see many
Geromes and must study them well before
| being able to enter into the spirit of the
work. The best example in this collection
| Is t'The Vapor Bath" the nude figure Of q
| woman, in which the drawing and the fine
gray tones are remarkable. 1.-THE Two
MaJesties" is also strong picture, striking
in effect and carefully executed. The lions
head is nobly drawn, and the conception is
Characteristic and original.
Of all the French painters Henner seems
to be one of the most popular and widely
known in the United States, and yet not
all sincerely admire his cadaverous flesh
tints, his red drsperies, and the frouzy
auburn hair which hangs into the eyes Of
every head he has ever painted. Neverthe-
less, he has charm of his own, which Is
easier to feel than to express; his individ-
uality is great he is no imitator, no follower
of any school, but Is always Henner. Some
of his work is most important to art, for ex-
ample, the "Creole" in the Luxembourg,
which serves as an admirable study in color
to young painters. Four of his heads may
be seen here all of them CHARACTERISTIC,
Among the most interesting works in
the exhibition are the three paintings by
able exponent of the modern French school,
and is a poet as well as realist. His land
scapeS are honest impressions OF nature,
done with marvellous facility and force;
every touch of the brush tells, and there Is
nothing labored or studied in this free, spon-
taneous and vigorous execution. Gather
ing Clouds" is notable for its truth and
beauty. "a Village Street. represents the
one long, dragging street of Barbizon, the
home of Millet and Rousseau, and the spot
dearest to all French landscape painters.
Another Cazin,a "a Landscape" "unfortqnately
full and simple effect of field under low
and cloudy skies.
Lerolle should be mentioned in connec-
ton with Cain, as his style is somewhat
similar. His "Haystacks" isa fine early morn
ing effect: dawn is just breaking over the
level field, and the GOODNESS of the atmos-
phere is admirably rendered in transparent
grays. The woman's advancing figure is
well handled. "The Sisters and GA Har-
vest Field" are also fine specimens from his
brush.
There is but one Munkacsy in the col
lection and that is the almost perfect work of
master hand. 1t is "a Villa' nearly hid
den among trees, the sunlight Pickering on
the roadway and the stone wall, and SO SIM
pie, true and natural does it seem that one
fingers before it, almost expecting to see the
leaves culver and the shadows change.
Near it is a scarcely adequate represen tation
of Rosa Bonheur, which does not recall
the superb "Labourage Niveruais'' Of this
artist. Schreyer is represented by four fine
canvases. "Noonday Rest is magnificent
in its richness of color, and the "Arab Cav
airy is a superbly dramatic piece of work.
Dawn" and the "Wallachian Team
sters'' are also excellent: in the
latter the effect of snow in the air is wonder
full, and icy blasts seem to blow from the
picture.
A landscape by Diaz takes us into the very
heart of the Forest of Fontainebleau. Per
vaded by q poetic atmosphere, admirably
rich in color and absolutely true to nature,
these woodland scenes are unrivaled. "The
Bohemians' and "Three Girls" are fine ex-
amples of his glowing color; otherwise they
are not so satisfactory. Everyone is famil-
lar with Jacque, and he is always fayorite
He is not at his best in "Life in q Barn."
which seems rather cold, but the picture In
Colonel Schoonmakers group is admirable in
all respects, the landscape and the woman
leaning on a staff being as finely done as the
sheep.
The two Haquettes are remarkable,
especially ''The Departure which is full of
movement and force. The transparent
water, the boat riding over the dashing
waves, the strong men strafning every
sinew as they bend to the oar are all exc
cuted with truth and vigor. In this same
group hangs Sunlight and Shadows" an
exquisite work by George Michel, in its SEN
timent and simplicity one of the best things |
in the gallery. There is q fine "Still Life" |
by Vollons
Leon Perrault, Bouguereau's most distin-
guished pupil, followed closely in the steps |
of his master, unfortunately reproducing |
even his faults and mannerisms. But his |
work is always pleasing, and "Hide and |
Seek is q lovely picture, correct and care
full in composition and delicate in coloring. |
The background is conventional: and on the |
whole this canvas ts superior to "The Queen
of the Meadows" by the same artist. |
Bouguereau is represented by "Augustina," |
a beautifully and carefully painted head,
lacking, however, in color and effect.
The Landscape" by Corot, is a fine can
vas by this great artist; his atmosphere is |
always unequalled, and this picture is soft, |
dreamy and poetic. A most graceful and I
coquettish figure shows the hand of Madra- |
zo "The Flower Girl" is finely painted, |
with all the artists "chio" and facility, and |
his skill in reproducing fabrics is here fully |
shown. Near this is very pretty Yer |
boeckhoven.
"The Greeting" by Kaemmerer. is exqui- |
site in coloring; Corcos' "Will He Conner" |
has fine, gray tones and is excellent in style, |
and Casanova's "Monk" is very cleverly |
handled, the execution "serree" and the de- |
tail remarkable. |
Three beautiful pictures hang side by |
side in the small room. "a Harvest Field" |
by Julien Dupre; can Evening Reverie," by |
Ridgeway Knight, and "a Soup Party by |
Adrian Moreau. Dupres work is nature |
itself, and there fore is the most important |
from the artists standpoint, though per-
haps not so beautiful a picture as knights |
can Evening Reverie' is soft and golden in
tone, the girls face is thoughtful and /
dreamy in expression, and the whole is
full of sentiment and charm. Robie pain is
roses as they have never been painted be-
fore, and therefore very wisely confines