The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-17
SOME QUESTIONS or ARR.
As Decided by NIombcrs or the Cestury CHI

For fcw days recently the friends Of the
Century Club were admitted to its picture gal
lery They camo in throngs. begged for moro
tickets. camo again. and brought all their ac-
Quaintances. And no wonder. for 1t was q
very funny show 1t may DO we'll to explain.
however. that It was Intentionally very funny.
We have had 30 many comic exhibitions In
New York which did not know they were
comic. that the public would hardly have
flocked in such numbers had this been an
other. Twelfth Night had been celebrated ut
the club with festivities upon which. OF COURSE
outsiders are not qualified to report. But II
all their features were as provocative OF
hilarity as the picture collection. many out
siders must wish TINT thoy had been insiders
Perhaps we can divine their general charac-
ter from tho ASPECT Of the lady who sat en-
throned in one corner Of the gallery. labelled
as Patroness Of the Club. She was as large as
llfe she held q bottle in her hand. and her feet
rcposed In q bath tub nlled with bottles. Her
name was the Neuve CliQuot. and she had
fine. rosy countenance. and. OF course. cork
screw curls. Opposite her was another lady.
whose entirely satisfactory aspect decided
once and for all ono Of the most interesting
and insoluble OF artistic questions. We had
known her long rs the Venus de Milo. but we
never knew before what she really did with
both were covered with long suede gloves. and
that the right ono grasped the handle Of a lace
umbrella. while tho left one was spreading its
top There can be no discussion as to the
truth OF this restoration when ono examines
copy Of the mutlated figure. Not even d.
rector Of New York art museum ever grnsped
q reconstructive idea ut once 50 bold and so
instantly convincing.
As this statue threw light upon tho past 30
one Of the pictures threw light upon the future.
Diana Of the Tower is tho most popular per-
son in New York to-day: but before she was
put up, some croakcrs thought that perhaps
certain prudish souls might object to her. And.
30 says the Century prophet. such will be the
pitiahle case at some future time. Under
the title OF Tho Chased Diana" he showed
US the big golden figure fleeing at night
through Madison square pursued by o hooting
crowd OF indignant citizens.
Other familiar names and forms appeared
on every wall Here. In q clever little drawing.
We had Mr.. Bellamy mounted. with his face to
the tail. on a spirited hobby horse and looking
at the world through an inverted spyglass.
Here we had sort OF pictorial rcbus which
greatly perp!exed observers unfamiliar with
current artistic Quarrels. showing what Mr..
Verestchagin thinks Of American dealers and
amateurs. Here We had tho thrice-popuar
secretary OF the club painted by Rembrandt rs
the Mayor Of Hoboken in 1863. with real
gold chain around his neck and q beautifully
stuffed hand with a marvellous diamond ring
projecting from the canvas. in order that
petition to secure the beer rights Of his town
might be more insistently presented. And
there was Jeanne Dare. as Bastian
imagined her. only with difference.
Still she was Listening to the Spir-
it's" but tho spirits had Incorporated
themselves in winged bottles. and her
countenance showed the sad change that
had been wrought in her by this change
in them. Uncle Remus was exhibited. too.
He was shown down in the cellar on dark
night. without o candle. getting coal: and We
saw Just what We should have seen under the
circumstances. One Of the highest artistic
merits that picture can have distinguished
this canvas: complete unity in tone. compost
ton. and effect. But it cannot have cost
its author much trouble after he had
evolved his great idea and got his tube OF
black paint. Mr.. Frank Milct. by report. ac-
complished this deed OF darkness. And one
presumed that Mr.. Nicholl had painted the
uniform cxpanse OF gray canvas which was
called Lost in the Fog" a flve-cent piece
was stuck in the corner by way OF signature.
Every ono had heard Of the big outdoor
school Of painting which was in session all
last summer among the shinnecock Hills: ev-
cry ono mad seen Its muitiiarlous results attic
autumn Academy exhibition: and SO no one
was FAR out OF sympathy With the nend who. in
ono OF these pictures. was slowly creeping up
with bottle OF dynamite to the crowd OF blue
and white umbrellas, or was greatly distressed
by the result rs depicted on nelghborng
canvas. Every one, too. had heard OF tho Yale
Fence and was Glad to see how 1t really looks
with row OF gqminS on top and row OF little
dogs beneath. Not every one knows what an
lmpressionist picture is: but much informG-
ton on this head was afforded by va
rious commentators in paint Iteln air. too.
that inolsrcnsanle clement IN truiy mooern
works. was more thah once eXhipltea IN an IN
terrre1ative iashioh. mere one saw II secured
IN demljohns' ready TO tne hana Oh the OK.
cited artist VINO was painting 'enlcc' ana
there IL was SHOWN AGAIN IN inc variety known
as mo heavy atmosphere OF france lying
IN Jumps on the backs OF cows ana crushing
them 10 the earth. one ingenious gentleman
not PEN aple 10 mako ms stormy sunset SKY
ehects strong ana soiia enough with mere pig
ments' hau USED the tubes themselves with