Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-18
Mr.. ROSES PAINTINGS
Fly G. F. sLoANE.l

large numbers of visitors ever since.
The gallery is too small to allow the
largest canvases to be seen under at all
favorable circumstances, yet the general
effect is very satisfactory, and one soon
forpets the contracted space in the en-
ioyment of the pictures themselves, OF
which there are eleven all told, ranging
in size from three good-sized works,
whose frames bear the numbers OF the
Salon, down to several quite small sub
jects.
Perhaps the most important picture OF
the group hangs at the left on entering
and shows a French peasant and a
young girl of the same class returning
from labor in the field at the close of the
dav. The composition is unusual and
therefor interesting; the scene is OF the
long, narrow shape, such as one might
expect to see through one OF the long,
horizontal windows SO much in vogue in
modern houses. 1t is called, LIE Fin de
la Journee, and bears the nu nber 1929
of the Salon of this year. The figures
are in the extreme foreground, 80 much
80 that only the upper half is visible,
and are ploddipg along with the stolid,
resigned expression that seems to be-
long to the peasantry of France, if we
may Judge them by the host Of artists,
from Millet down, who have painted
them. The hour is twilight, the moon
has risen full and round and glowing.
The sun has set, but enough of its light
still illumines the landscape to success
fully offset the growing light of the
moon, producing that peculiar effect
which all students of nature have
noticed, in which the light seems to
come from nowhere, and there are no
shadows. There is feeling of extreme
quietness in the picture which is height
ened by the perfectly stolid features OF
the peasants, no word being spoken
between them and their only desire
evidently being to get to their home as
quickly as possible. The background
and distance show a stretch of green
stubble in which stand two hay cocks,
and beyond a stone wall. Some red
roofs peeping from surrounding shrub
berry meet low range of hills in the
distance. The color OF the picture is
very low in tone, the drawing excellent,
and the whole character and feeling Of
the work indicative of good, hard, con-
scientious study.
On the opposite wall hang two other
large subjects, one of which, Les
"reminiscences des Pommes de Terre, was
also in the Salon of '91 under the num-
Der 1880. 1t shows an inclosed vege-
table garden in which an old woman and
q young girl are gathering potatoes.
Nothing in the way of subject could be
simpler or more commonplace. Yet
under Mr.. Roses treatment it becomes
full of interest and dignity, which are
difficult to put into words, but
which can readily be felt in
the presence of the picture
itself. To show the importance of little
things, it is curious to notice that the
wedding ring upon the hand of the
younger woman, who is kneeling and
bearing her weight upon it, at
tracts the attention of almost every
body who looks at the picture with any
an almost imperceptible thing in the
large composition, but perhaps it is that
which gives the picture the human
interest that certainly attaches to it.
Those who have seen Bastien LIE Pages
famous picture, Joan of Arc, will be
struck with the similarity of color and
accessories, showing that both artists
were faithful students of nature and
painted with earnestness whatever they
saw. There is some very strong draw
ing in the kneeling figures in the fore
ground, and the artists proficiency in
still life subjects shows itself here in
the most excellent painting OF the pota-
toes with which the ground is strewn.
The strong green of the growing cab
bages and the foliage of the trees may
seem too vivid for those who do not stop
to consider that nature exists differently
as to light and color in different places.
The greatest of the French painters
who have done similar things seem to
agree as to this tone of green, and
where all the other and more familiar
colors in the picture seem so true 1T Is
only just to the artist to presume that
this is also, unless ones own personal
experience with nature in the same To-
cality and under the same conditions
has enabled one to form positive opin-
ion in the matter of local color. The
picture needs to be seen at surely double
the distance at which one is obliged to
study it in its present position; and
could this be done, there is no question
but that it would make even stronger
impression than it does as it is, for the
reason that the perspective, which is
now crowded by lack of distance, could
assert itself and occupy the relation it
ought to the complete composition.
The third of the large canvases is
called La Managere, and bears the num-
Der 2O79, of the Salon of go. 1t
is the interior of pleasant cottage
showing an old woman peeling onions
before huge and smoky fireplace, in
which pan is set to stew over the fire,
and which the woman watches as she
works. At her side on the floor is
brass basin with a few red-skinned
onions in it, that is wonderfully well
painted. The play of the freight on
this and the woman's hands and face,
are excellently managed in connection
with the daylight in the .picture, which
seems to come from behind the observer.
The picture itself is strongly modelled
and well painted, but in point OF accura-
ey and confidence of treatment not up
to the standard of the figures in the
Potato Gasherers, but as the last-named
picture was painted year after the one
in question, this is not to be wondered
at. There is solidity about the figure,
the pose is very easy, and the feeling Of
dexterity in the action Of the hands is
unusually we'll expressed.
OF the smaller subjects The First
Communion is one of the most impor-
tant and interesting. The scene is in
country church in Normandy, the ex-