New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-10
PICTURES AT THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB

PICTURES AT THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB
Circumstances connected with the recent formation
OF art committee at the Union League Club gave
those gentlemen who were elected the smallest pos
sible amount Of time in which to prepare the e&hib
ton for this month, and II the committee have any
particular policy to speak Of 1t has yet 10 be demon
straed. The collection now at the Cuba collection
composed Of some slXtyfve works-is of a decidedly
mixed character 1t embraces at one end the dra-
matte and peculiarly elevated art of DelacroX In one
Of his religious moods and Mt the other the shallow
and very placid art of Ferdinand Heilbuth, leading
light among those painters with whom scnmentality
and millinery dispute the palm. Special exhibitions
fall naturally within the province OF club. and the
regime do nothing better than emulate the
old in devoting the galleries from time to time TO
special school group IT, indeed 1t cannot go further
and give occasional One-man display. But at such
times when collections illustrating specific phases OF
art cannot be formed the example set by the present
exhibition, though not the result of set purpose,
needs TO be followed with only few notifications 10
make the monthly show OF pictures what II generally
has been-artstic and enjoyable. The patitudes mt
which we have glanced above are better spared upon
every occasion. The pictures by Heilbu'h and Adren
Moreau artificial without aoning for that sin by
briliancy OF technique, and the figure piece by Mad
razo, who Is usually interesting in workmanship goes
into the same category with them. And not every
artist OF the remainder represented on the walls is
represented at his best. in the MAN, however, the
miscellaneous lot OF pictures is much TO be approved
II Is profitable 1t Is pleasant 10 have the oppor-
unity Of studying the rOmanticm OF Corot Rousseau
and DelacroX, but though it may not give the lover
OF those quite much pleasure 10 study the
frigd work OF Gerome or the mild hnmor OF Mr. W.
Dendy Sadler, he will find the less delightful occupa-
ton profitable too, In its way.
Feeling and technique can the without the
other. produce Interesting art. but when they are
combined and combined with power, the result re-
quires stronger cpthet for it, proper classification
That they should be combined Is certainly essential 10
the making of great art. one OF the two Gcromcs
In this collection shows very polntcdly what the
absence OF feeling of Imagination, involves. The
famous Academican probably never had a more I'm
prcssive theme than the visit of Napoleon TO the
Sphinx, and in his Bonapare in Egypt the mere
facts of the composition. the puny horseman pa'sing
before the colossal and mysterious statue, and the
army spread the wide, distant plain. leave
considerable impression on the mind Yet the work,
faulessy drawn as it is, is cold and can touch no
warm vein OF sympathy in the beholder. Dn the
other hand, any one OF the paintings here by the
Frenchmen OF the school that Is the antithcsis OF
Geromes will stimulate emotion. The drriehisnan-
ship, the composition, in the BonaPlre In Egypt
are Instructive The impctuosly Of feeling in The
Jesus on the Lake Of Gennesaret' by DcacrOlX, a
beautiful version OF a theme he painted than
once and in his study of lion tearing the flesh OF
PROSTATE horse the tenderness that vlbratcs In the
"NiIage OF Normandy by COrOt the eXqulsitcy deli
cate sentiment OF Daubigny's HIrvcst Time and
the FULL rich warmth in the FOnalnebcau landscape
by Rousseau these qualities gid these works with a
charm OF which design is impeccable the Bona
parte Egypt IS innocent. How transcendcnt the
virtue OF feeling Is may be- apprchendcd from the
vitality which It lends TO works that although dis
unguished by many merits, less remarkable. In
style than those OF Delacrox, for example. or Cor0t
LerolIe and Jongkind and. among the Americans.
value largely to their feeling And masters like
Cain and Pelouse Mauve AND Israes. and our own
Inncss arc masters much by virtue OF their tenn
peramenta qualities their executive skill. T"rc
are pictures by all these artists at the League.
Among those PICTURES at the club which more
striking In technique than In feeling, but that are
not altogether devoid Of the latter, there ex-
amples OF Rico, Domingo and Albert Lynch. There
are a number OF landscapes, foreign and American,
besides already referred to there pictures by
Elem and Billotte, and cabinet pieces by Mr.
Watrous and Mr.. Moeer, which add 10 the attraction
of the exhibition. The picture by Mr.. w. Dendy
Sadler calls for than word. 1t Is large
paInng OF the rather literary character by which this
artists work can always bv known. That work Is not
known here any extent and The Doubtful BOll',
pictIre OF three old fashioned connOisseirS tasting
good specInien of the kind Of anccdote painting Of
which Mr. +. ID. Millet Is perhaps the best exponent
in America. The scene Is well put together, the eN
pressons arc acucly realized. the costumes ac-
ness the Is agreeable and harmonious ana me
handling IS smooth, deliberate. leaving the Inlns
easy 10 understand easy TO praise In moderate
way.