New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-15
PAINTINGS AND CURIOS.
THE WICKENDEN AND Won BRANDT COL
IECTlONS

'i"h pfniticd 10 Sco az least IN this country, where
such collections are anything but numerous. Mr..
ktl"Tt J Hicfendcn Is American artist who has
lived and studied abroad for some time. During
his European sojonrn he has made hs about sixty
three works in oil and almost many in pencil.
ink and water color by men belonging TO the storm and
stress period Of modern French art, b. Dclacrox.
Rousseau, and Others of their rotcd circle. These
works are at the American Art Galerics-with
collection Of Oriental antiques formed by Baron
". E,andt-and present the public the
parativcy opportunity TO which refer. the
opportunity 10 study group Of pictures for the So
lection of which professional taste is responsible
The liking for the printers of 1880, Which has con-
fined Mr.. Wckrndcn principally TO their works. IS
a liking lie harcS with thousands Of non-tcchnical
,rlcn;s Of art. The gcncious prop rton of skcc -
and Studio, TO ia" finished works In hi, collection
point, to an appreciation Of pGrely tcclrica' !cta
and Of the personal qualities which such details oftcA
reveal most clearly. which is no; general. The
sympathies of the wealthy amateur DO not often seem
embrace such memoranda the "sowcr" by Mil
let. and the Landscape In Holland by Michel. OK
which we had occasion to speak in referring To Mr.
Walter RlchmUnds fine collection at tho Fifth Avenue
Art CallcIir, last sunday. Perhaps it is the rise
Of that modern industry, cart collecting as "A method
Of investment which is responsible for the scarcity
OF collections like Mr.. Richmonds. Finished works.
important works, usually regarded as the safest 1T
vestmens.
a few finished paintings but the studies 1t contains
arc in many of kind 10 prove as lasting In
value. No one who Is responsive to the essential
things In n picture can fail to apprchend the ele-
mental truth in No. 10. study Of Vineyard" by
Danbigny tho unprecedented harmony NJ the values
which were obviously felt by instinct. The character
istic picture by Daubeny tho picture by which he Is
known most widely is the study OF summertime on
the Gise, II scene of ripe green beauty. whch he re
pcAicd I'm scores Of varia,ions Tha, is the picture
for which the owners Of great collections contend
But there IS an intimate touch in this rough study
study executed for THE Vintage" picture now in
the Louvre there is In No. 60 "A Study Of sheep
and ir No %, Moonrs. in the Valley Of the Disc,
which is ample Umpcnse for the unfinished state
OF the work whole whichever IL happens 10 be-
Tho distinctly artistic interest in paintings like these
dwcs in their suggestion. II not their explanation. Of
natural fucts. by the use OF 4 broad, gcnerdllznS
language by abrupt but copiousy expressive treat
ment of details which IN the completed work may
be more cnsy comprehendcd By the superficial eye but
to one that supply what is omitted on ire
canvas are In evidence nevertheless Then ~ we nave
said the personal feeling Is strong In the preliminary
or casual sketch. The turn OF the wH-'' thc ihoiN-
duality in the manipulation Of the brush can know
from the work done juh for the artist pleasure or
Tor the registration Of an idea. Mr.. Wchend"h has
designs Of this nature b. Daz, in No. a. "Foniainc-
leau in Spiingtlmc." and No. 80, " Fathers Near
Wood: By JongMnd In No. 81, "Moohrlse on Tue
Me,isc": by Karl Daubigny in No %, On the Banks
Of the Oisc,n and No. 81, THE Reach Mt Trrpoit
By Dupre in No. 90 sunset Over Marshes; by
Appian In No Il. 1.-THE Mnrtigues in the M"llter
raneanr; by Charles Jacquc in No. l, "a Study OF
sheep which is wonderfully strong little panel
one of the very hest things In the colecton-and 10y
others whose namcs would be eivcn did not the H't
threaten grow too long. While not wisnins 10 cN'
aggerae their significance, we do pot hesitate 10 SPEAK
Of them with unstlntcd cordially Nor because Coro'
thu min Of \,
his earlier and less valizcd Landscapes 10 overlooked
There Is souvenir OF one Of his Italian Journeys 10
Mr. wiraenden's collection. NO. 20. I'm the Nancan
Gardens at Roue,' obong panel only h''lc moro
than foot long WHICH Is Ia style and landscape charm
a very different thing from the beautiful pictures of
A later time. which may now BE enjoyed In Mr. Rich
mbnd's exhibition, nut In It's way II Is quite "a
potent to recall Corpt Mr.. Wcdeadcn has several
Ccrots This IS good, and Nos. II and 80 arc
also Tie cold study OF nude bathcr No. %, the
faded river view which Is numbered 20 and the up
right wood sketch, with Its neasuc hnndllng. no ii,
d not appear 10 US to be Of much consequence.
The parblyon painter Of whom Mr.. Wlckenden has
the most brilliant examples Is Rousseau. The melan-
choy evening scene No. IL. "The Plains OF Barbi-
ION at Twilight" Is fine: the very small nndscape
In Netherlandish key. No ~, The Little Washer
woman" Is finer: and No. %. Roadway In the
Forest OF Fontainebeau." Is the finest OF the three"
The last in this trio might the supera'ivc In
the presence Of many Rousseau which has passed
through New York auction rooms II Is an cN-
oulstely lovely work OF art. Deep ranks OF trees
border the road those oh tie right throw shaooN
over the turf. and thereby extend the dark tone
which prevails everywhere else In the picture save
In the space between the two masses OF foliage
where the sky imports another note into the color
scheme. The work is delicate In spirit md Is dri
catey handled. II is Rousseau IN his eehu'Su
lyric mood and at o period when he was content 10
work with less boldness than his later pictures
show. An in teresing comparison between early ana
late work NAV be made here IN the case OF Dinz.
whoa. Autumn Landscape" mo. la has the
pearly sky and smooth brushing Of painting by
Cain but who, In n sketch hanging Just beneath
this No. 40. "Fortancbeau IN Springtimc." which
we have already mentioned. uses the 'hicS I'M
paste and darker pigments by which he Is USUALLY
Identified While speaking OF Diaz We should not
forget a small sentimental figure piece by Him. NO
%, "The Lovers" IT is enough In The STYLE OF
Vatican to suggest that 1t was the outcome OF some
moment OF meditation on the eighteenth century
.r,,st.s work Nothing weaken the
effect OF tho franhness and energy which were Conr
bets dominant traits. and they lift his two Ihhd-
scapes I'm this collection far above the level OF
commonplace painting, but In neither No 49, "A
| Pastoral of the Doubs," nor No. 90. AN Alpine
Torrent has he pictorial interest nor his customary
beauty OF color while In the larger OF the TWO. 'he
Alpine study, the brutality OF the method
little more brutal than II Is as rule In the WORKS
OF who was not at any tiihe famous ioi " "A"'
hund These pictures are full OF vigor anu 'heV
have an attraction. They have not charm There
are other works which are no more TO lie I'M
reseryedly accepted than thesc-there are WORKS
by Milet Barye. Decamps. ocricau,'
,yop,n, Camille Uoqueplan lcrv1er, ChlnreaA
iroyon and D~lacrox which leave the observer won
mixed feelings They have interesting points bu' are
not wholly Satisfying by any means. The acgorl cal
piece BY Chaplin has In TACT more nh ,sm Soa and ID
muddy and forced in color where be Is usually the re-
verse Ard fprc not only poor Ccro,s ~, as we
have remarked but some works BY te!ehfcrIli:
in. Frerr. AIRY sClsher. Delaroche. Dedreux ana
bore which have not the fantest traces OF artistic
hnu;v Vet the bulk Of Mr.. Wickendens pinu'gs
are good In last paragraph We may even indrp,s he
Daumler a view Of the Seine by Lapostoet and
norirsi, of George sand by Boulanaer Among tne