New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-17
SOME MODERN PAINTINGS.
THE ABNER HARPER COLLECTION.

while his taste has been discriminating, 1t has not
ranged far outside the beaten track The names in the
catalogue. like those in the catalogue OF 1seO,
are. with scarcely an exception, popular. Mont-
ceN,s picmental mysteries seem TO have at
tracted Mr. Harper for time and in this
hbition there are four Of which one, No 81, Garden
scene" is very fair Illustration OF the eccentric
Frcnchans art art that owed more To the
palete knife than 10 the brush, and to the
trsodnary Orentasm Of the painters color than
10 his command over either Of those instruments. II
IL not surprising that Monticello isolate cd that In
spite OF his boundleS originality he founded school
lie was colost whose method IT would be absolutely
impossible 10 transmit from generation to generation
for the reason that strictly speaking, is method
at all. but the unloosing upon canvas OF mad
carnival Of paints which Is to lie relied upon to pro
duce a beautiful effect exactly as much as a carnival
OF mssQueraders is To be relied upon TO do the
the harmony II harmony there is. being governed by
chance and not by foresight. If Monticello exercised
any control over his coorS 1t must have been obtained
bv a gradual process and only graSped with full
torty when the painting had been carried well TO
completion, by innumerabe experiments and correc
lions Monticello could practise this kind Of art be
cause ne had genius for II, but the majority Of
painters have been content TO recognize certain
laws and the principles underlying their works.
however subversvc OF conservatism and cOnven-
t0naty they may be, generally lie formulated
on analysis 1t is among these latter artists that
among the men of Barbizon and the French land
scapsts and figure painters of recent years. among
contemporary Italians Bavarans and Americans OF not
too adventurous proclivties. OF our own school
there is very imposing representation but at least
four OF the American artists who have each
picture in the exhibition hold their own alongside the
wertranled foreigners. Mr.. Chase's pearly marine
study No. ST. "On the sound" invites the not
very iattering reflection that II would never have
existed had Mr.. Whstler's lIarm0nics' furnished
the inspiration for just that kind of performance, but
Mr. Chase has any rate learned his lesson WELL and
his picture * right in workmanship il Is charm
Dc I'm temper. No. l45. Autumn" Mr.. Abbey's
water color of graceful feminine figure which made
itl first appearance in back-and-white guise IN
"Harper's' six seven years ago brings upon tho
scene again an excellent drawing. save for the hands
and wrists which ineXcuSably awkward, ana
much better Bit color than the engraving suggested
Dr. than Mr. Abbeys work colorst prior t. the past
vear or two would have led to expect. Mr. Harper
has not been particularly happy in his choice Of
American LANDSCAPES He found the right men
usually and twice when ne bought Mr. Pickncll =
brilliant roadside picture. No. ia. The ola PUMP
and Mr. Blakelocks richly cOlorcd little panei NO. :.
Indian Encampment.r he found them almost though
not quite at their best: but in the cases OF Mr..
Twachtman Mr. Inness and Mr. Davis, the pictures
he secured are distinctly below the average. From
ore Of our most noted figure painters In Europe Mn
George ii. BoughtOn he has a. carefully cNe'u'''
O picture as any that painstaklng artist ever d1' III
No. l2s "First Spring Flowers" bur Mr.. Bough,on'
figures are never very refreshing, and when they
are sweetly sentimental, n this o-2 Is they ar7
positively tresome.
There Is nothing actually tre-one IN MI i'IP''
parbzon contingent vet there Is not much that AFFORDS
keen pleasure that requires to be slGh'hzei 10y
more than line Among the fine pictures
bv Diaz there /, one capital SKETCH No.
GO Forest Of Fontainebleau." most delicaiey
handled In its details and the diffusion Of light ana
there is another. No. -. " In the Forest when Is
inferior to II IN pictorial value. bu equal I" II III eA
ecuton. Neither Of these. however. j. an hhPoIl'"
example or one Of very exceptional beauty me
same judgment may be passed upon the Tour oo,o'''
oniv one OF them, No. -. A spring Morning. nav
,,g his customary penetrating charm In decldeu
arrrrr. upc,. the good bat nnre"ashabi" h"u'-ea"'
upon the Daubigny. which i, indeed, fa'her INN
sketch: upon the three pictures by pupre OF "m'n
No A. Landscape and Cattle" thy panel. Is alone
worthy of this master OF sky color; and upon one u
the Troyons. No 1872. Landscape and Cattle Inc
combining ,rrovon No. 50. " Marine" Is uncommohiy
Interesting because its subject Is one "iloh "' =
rarely found 20 have treated. IL Is Il s"n"ii p''..'
arautnr The treatment of the sea Is veraclous
enough but not specially individual. and the SA''cn
shows that TrOyOn right IN seeking ei'e"Hoio i'
bi. metler There IS pleasing color Ia both sea ana
skv however. and thi- with the rarity OF the rehc'
will help to give II standing at the sale Siil"ilS u"
pictures bv Michel IN this collection gam III Asnih %
because thcy are departures from his eNeiS-uaN ''
Michel is most often painter OF plains Ou' he'c III
No. 80 Landscape-ROcky HIS coast view wv
entire composition and scheme Of color dlner Ho'h
,.osc which are familiar In his works. and. though
M 81 The Hil Road and 40. :. " Landscape
Witdnil are back in his old Key OF bIo"n' an"
yellows IA them, too the scenery II novel NV O''o
o. the three it must he added does him ample I"'"
rs IA broad vigorous painter, any more IMAM "' aug
but TWO OF the seven pictures by Jacque. NO "''
- mail UuUp Df
Va 1aa "Sheep-Noonlight. work OF tender Icehht'
represent that fine artist at high ptch. lheIc -
n third Jacquc no -, Bringing Horses ID'"''
tint is boldly handled aud might have been ueNc"P'"
into "a foIciblc picture had it not been lel' WIN Wv
marks of haste and of Indifference 10 perspective upon
H. Nearly every one Of the SIX landscapes DS 'dN'
is good example, and two Of th"in' No 49,
Lonely Road and No. 1876. sand Dunes are hiSI
rate There are admirable paintings by one or '"o
French landscapsts who are not a. "tn G PAD
peln,Se and Inrrignies: a beautiful view OF me
Mediterranean. No -, ON the COnlcne h"a"' -
Elem who l. seldom unaffected ana ire, d. ~ H.,
ON I6is occasion; a lovely little early Landscape ~
Plsnl, In every way "a hnc ~ 'h1 D"IT ,.orLiing
lang, under it; and one Of Martin iaco' Sp"'"''""
II We omit 80 30 shrimp Girl pctgirc'4" u;
portrait of "a robust. handsome type by Leioncu ."o
vet Of Mr. Iiarpe, figure Peoeai are te as
mere painting than DOmneos little panel ~" "ior 'of
@S1ySe t ,lHds od O msh '"i 1 comiorInh
in a., chair. the incarnation OF Grass oOsha't - 10
snv oretence t. dignity or 10 dramatic power Even
Mcissonier who its high priest God NOT igi' :,
much eeriousuc,> and when lie wished to mar vi
impression H. In his SapoeOnlc sere,. lie was ILL.,,
TO enlarge MS scale within the limits OF cbihcl picI
Ms wisest practitioners are satisfied u thcN o' ,,
vance Technique toward perfection. The maui tm NM
in this pic ture OF D0mingos f. the tocinlca aD,aE
revealed In the clean, sharp drawing, the sure no' H.
The minute brlshwOrk, and the delicate mod'lll- a.,
the face which brings every nuance OF ciiffctc,
Inc old mask 10 light. The expression III The pNt
might seem at first 10 put Domingo among , irit
nqnIcrs Of psyChca portraits. but the uuth j. ,,
,her, is no depth OF feeling IN the work, II Doin-o
nos maAo Nj, sitter ,trlrgy human 1t Is by virtue :"
IN ;qrrnphlc reproduction OF superficial asPcc -,
r. rsrn1it,cd the mans secret 10 escape, IN Slhc ~
himself and probably without the artists reAlls ,n
There Is less executive skill but nc biiia' ari
and 81 tiae NOR. snltcty IN No 100 Algerian ru'iu
BY Aime Moro picture IN which S' INV iGr"ri,s
hand stretched ont To- him through II hoc III Wv
prlsoner's door at his elbow. Thefe are 'o a.,