New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-13
PICTURES AND ARMOR.
THE UNION LEAGUE CLUBS EXHIBITION


II is always interesting to observe the divergence
Of racial bodies I'm matters Of art The East and the
West contribute to the third monthly exhibition at
the Union League Club Representing the Occdent
are fftysiX paintings by American artists. Repre-
senting the Orient twelve suits OF I'D japanese
armor The contrast between the two spirits is in
strucuve. To weigh technical characteristics and
trumphs would not be fair. the forms Of
art not different. The painters II these pictures
skilled some Of them are. have not anything like
complete dominion their materials as the
makers Of these war suits had over theirs. Yet on
the side Of the Americans We have gene1nnuon
vitality. and. OF with occasional reservations
artistic charm artistic beauty. on the side Of the
japanese In the present instance have obtr1isive
analysis have neither vitality nor. strictly speak
ing, artistic beauty. We have much else. We have
picturesqueness, quaintncss, bizarre and enjoyable
effects. ard have that kind Of beauty which must
attach to the details Of any production In metal
leather, when those details executed with taste
and with oonsummatc ability. when come to
ensemble to grace Of FORM to srbtlety OF line, these
curious relies simply remind that there Is ar1nor
and armor. There Is hardly any armor save chain
mall. which reveals when land far less when
placed a standard) the human form II is, or was.
rather made m cover and II would be idle 10 look
for any sculpturcsquc beauty speak Of in these suits
But the of Europe has generally been wrought
with fair approximation to the truths Of nature, and
what l. more It's as have been etched and decorated
In relief by some Of the greatest artists Hf the past
In the museum at Turin there IS one OF the finest
collections Of armor and weapons In the world. To
study It's pieces IS 10 derive the kind Of aesthetic
satisfaction be derived from the architecture scnp
and painting Of rne periods from which they
date. The japanese armor at the Union League Club
has afforded the smallest possible amount of
aesthetic pleasure. From the Intelligent little essay
which opens the catalogue we may quote the following :
japanese armor consists OF n helmet. the heavy
and tough cuirass that protects the body the bv
some form OF chain mail. the abdomen and thighs by
acqucrcd scale, or metal plates joined by woven
chains silk while the legs guarded by graves,
usually OF metal. on the shoulders. hanging loosely
10 give freedom TO the arms, wide and heavy
brassars, designed to dcaden the force Of TIE two
handed sword sroie. Arm red oopcces, furrcd and
sometimes mailed gauntlcts complete the suit. Which Is
bound with decoa c metal clamps laced with cords OF
buckskn silk. and cm5rlished by the family crest.
sk'n cords tas.els and trimmings Of various costly
alloy such shakulo, copper and gold, shlbulchi,
copper and silver. and the Ike
Tho compcAiiy Il this panoply IS not more surpris
Ing when .e remember that the latter was to he worn
In battle. than when II Is contrased with the sim
plicy AMI SENSE of alancc which do frequently dis
inguh Japanc." work in metal porcelain and lacquer
ornaments. In it, lick If these virtue, lies thu secret
Of the nartisc eject Of japanese nrmor. The suits
Of tn" Union League Club have mmrnsc value as his
toIcal do umcnt-, specimens Of military dres In
ages gone by. They not bautifIl When they art.
II Is. Is hav" I'D. In the treatment of detail.
Here and tcr' you win find good BIT II damasccnIng.
touch Of that cXqulsi" finish which makes japanese
lacquer silk vog, marvellous to Western eyes.
lu W. have only to refer TO the quotation made above
10 point the aahv ardncss and inappropratcly dec.
orafivc style Of The armOr "On the shoulders. hang
Ing lo.c,y 10 give freedom TO The arms, wide and
heavy ba"art-." Tl.c,c lras'arts are indeed wide.
Their eject be- ina ned. Metal plates Joined By
II claims or sll.- Add that when silk * used Ii
Is u ed abundanty. h'avily. and the picture Of this
feature Is compit'. l. with the armor as who'll.
however, that one, snsc ~ beauty refuses 10 h.
satisfied r. rumcrou, rars arc put together firmly
lu' unrraccf'lly. The man he stands forth-the
.'lis nj 'he club finely mounted on dummes-is
% sqre IN :. APP = o'd and picture que figure.
brilliant IN color h int rctng. But ell hy does he
lead the miuG 10 rilrs Of historic, not OF artistic
Jarln.
Among the figure paintings at the club there Is
considerable that speaks for artistic America. but there
- not 80 much that touches history. our Ma
iionaI Ne This .roup Of pictures might offer good
text Tor q discourse on the subject Of foreign and
native motives. The latter are treated ty few Of
The genre palntcr,-rcaicd Well hy Mr.. Eastman John
-on In NJ. -. \ Nantucket symposium: hy Mr..
g. \ Ilnrr.s. IN s'rdy ~ an old Connecticut post
man. hy Mr.. Currsn. In a picture Of pretty girl In
a boat. and hy Mr. Brush In a portrait 10 which We
viii return. but they treated equally well 10y
no others. To balance the three or four good picture,
~ American models quite number Of foreign
subjects. BY Mr.. Lafarsc there Is beautiful seated
figure "Vcnctan Guitar Player" frank adaptation
~ the charming little figure which reappears again
and gain at The feet ~ tho Madonna In pictures by
I}eiinl and other Italian masters. There Is no oriri
ualltv In The subject hut the coloraiion and siyl"
are Mr.. Lnfarcc, In n familiar pctnr" hy Mr.
lrlch we find The c1mrv figure Of modern venetian
laundry Mr. Millcr ard Mr. Low both have painted
models I'm cla,.lc drnpcrcs Mr. Rdeway Knights
ncuro I'm At tie Garden Gate" l. that Of French
pca.ant Mr. MicEwcn's "Fnthorlv Advice" repro
duccs old Dutch costumes. Mr. Bridsmans interior
study with women and children. IS Algerian 'ir
IIas,am', "Flowcr Girl" Is possibly American hut
her air Is q France. The Girl In Mr. bourhto"S
" Primrose Dav" I, English girl Mr. wat
rons paints an italian monk Mr.. Weeks paints
a group Of tai cr, IN an Indian town. Mr Siiio'H
subject (Which he has treated with exceptional clever
ness IS "Richclcu" + Mr.. TIL RoblnSohS
Young Poacher" IN American or French chiu
Tie picture an excellent one Ia French rather t'mn
American The young lady In Mr.. church,S winter
fantasy \ humorou, composition, would be American
did She not like the frolc.ome bears In the scene
belong To fiirylani first The finest igurr zee !" ,
collection Mr. brush, Mother and Child IS Ger.
tainy American n, TO subject but rs though to INSIST
mon orr continual leaning toward Europe the Idea
in the composition /, Dutch. All things considered
W. find less fault with the picture because 1t Is
reminiscent ~ certain masters ~ lioanu 'ha w. h,
II is reminiscent In peculiar way. OF Mr. BrlNh MN
.clf That l. q say. the striking ariahgcoeh ~ w..
figures the mother seated in the Foreground WIN ,ne
child In her lap and two other figures LOOMING Ia'n
behind her recalls precisely the same uick usuu III
Mr. Brush's tine picture called The Portrait WHICH
was in the exhibition Of the society Oh Ame'ca.
Artists last Nav We say trick adviscnly' ~
would have seemed unwarrantcd at the ume ,me
earlier work was shown II Is hard TO avoid IL now
Rnt perhaps MIR. lr'sh has done no more ' ri
fbousands Of artists have done before ilW ana VIII
DO mill the end ~ time Perhaps he has simply
struck a certain note and been 80 niatua,cl oy ~
10 seek satisfaction in reritlnhS' dnc nor Wv,
oue stInnablv powerful ard Winning The poish,d We,
free draughtsmanShip and modelllng me sInm,,
color the faiIiy transparent tone ana the DI1Hinl
nIscrc Of the ngurcs-for all this we can only he
grateful. 49, ,,.ooo. oxhut,o,
or tho numerous American landscapes exhibited
uttIc snccnc NAV be- said. They are mostly
"r.n itahir work, bv we'll known men. 10 TWO oi
them however. few more worus en lou W. s' W