New-York tribune., 1894-04-06
THE BIUMG4RTEN PIINTINGS.

The small collection OF pictures which will be sold
at the American Art Galleries tonight for Mr..
William Baumgarten is not one of great irnpor-
tance on the whole. but a special interest belongs
10 it containing some good examples OF the
modern Roman and Spanish schools. Those schools
are really identical in spirit and style The founder
OF the Roman school, Fortuny. brought his tradition
from Spain, where it had been foreshadowed by
Goya. and It's present most remarkable eNempar IN
the Italian capital Is also Spanard. Nillegas. But
Francisco Pradila, VINO remains In Madrid, mas ths
same tone which Eortuny possessed, a tone wnlca
has come to be more suggestive, in the classification
of schools Of Rome than Spain. Boldni and Pal
maron are as thoroughly of the school as their
colleagues from the Spanish peninsula. Italian OF
Spanish, whichever this art may be. II is at any
rate OF the south. and II is valuable for It's SOUTH
ern picturesqueness and color. Here in New-fork
we see little Of II; less. in fact, than is desirable
and the dispersal OF Mr.. Baumgarten's collection
ought to bring the amateurs together In an ener.
getic competition. He has. to begin with one OF
the principal paintings executed BY Nillegas, 10
Feste de la Mariae." which may be called COM
panion piece to THE Baptism" in Mr.. Nanderoiits
gallery II is an extraordinary picture, crowded
with figures excessively opulent in color. giterihs
like a jewel casket. but held together with ths
utmost precision. II is enchanting unity OF
brilliant crimsons. golds and whites. The erispness
and minute del.cacy OF the handling will be noticed
or course the painting is decorative in its essence
and the actors In the pageant are not indViuuah@ee
with striking power but they are far from oe"ns
mere lay figures, and the iridescent spectac's
moves across the canvas with considerable vitalty'
There is nothing else in the Baumgarten colecuoh
so dazzling so elaborate and so important as '"e
Villegas wedding picture, but there Is much inter-
esting work. IN the same vein. on less inp"s'"s
scale Vilegas himself is represented py s"ne
pauant Venetian sketches Nos. i ana 10 an.
in No &C. Spring Blossoms" he has minor ys'
characteristics study Of figures among oleShuT oleSi IA
38 sketch OF a Young Woman. is an eNceliienss
example of Boldini in one OF his most ltNoF,' ~
moments: and No. 76. Palmarolfs STUDY oa ~
Young Woman" an unfinished portrait Is one %
the whining fragments OF DAINTY t. nd
that the collection brings forward The three a,u s.g
scapes by Pradilla, Nos. l. and ., are lhSIcsaadS
as showing that the school is capable OF , pIesh nv
when that A. called for. The single Water-ceolorn
Fortuny No 3d. sketch OF an Oh Spai,Ss ,Ss
Woman" throws light one side OF his arr, ,hs ~
grasp OF structure underlying his handnnS uyo,ch u
draped model 1t is a delightfully."- personal So "a
TOO being full of his vvacous feeling Inc coVVa
not in his most brilliant key. lnnocent, ohoss
Bezzi and Jiminez are Southern palnteiS "v Wee
works figure creditably In the exhibition me Il, us
OF Verona by BezZi, Is unusually beautliui in.,or
delicate treatment of the values IN a supnr p good
scheme Mr. Baumgarten picked up otner eS,ct.
things in addition TO the Roman ana Madrllehe gons
ures which he brings TO the hammer, ,,rood
slight studies, by Rousseau; some similar III n,srve
from Corot's studio; fine landscape 10y s ur
and pictures by two Americans. Mr.. Neir dnn AL
No 81, Esther Before Ahasuerus, Is an ihack ia
Ing relic OF Tepoo. design which brinss i 20 nan.
faded colors but in still charming outlines anu anu san
ner the atmosphere of fascinating ola |e"e"