New-York tribune., 1896-11-26

Plates and 2}S Text IlluSTatloHS '''''' W.
xiv 395 A. C. Armstrong n SOIL
This hook WAS to be expected and the only
wonder is that it mas been so long in coming.
Neissonier died in 1891 1t was inevitable that
no who is regarded as illustrous among paint
ers by his countrymen, should have such
monument as NJ Greard has at last brougnt out
He has been celebrated in bronze and marpie'
however while the book has been in prepara-
tion Now that il has appeared, It's characler
is sufficient excuse fOr the long delay III comes
from the press in magnificent forn prin'eu III
bold type on broad pages. and richly hus'ra'eu'
Meissonier goes naturally into such portioNo
OF reproductions. His genius was for degree
Of minutiae that makes him to-day more I'M
pressive in a photograph than many painters
are in their original canvases. Such pooK as
this ON NJ Greard is really little gallery a
record of the artists work. which is in many
ways equivalent to gathering OF actuai Pa"eis
from his hand.
The scheme Of the work is admirable. Syste-
maticallv IL describes Meissoniers struggles as
q student his steady rise to emnence, his char
acteristics as a painter and man. and then,
when the record is completed. series of chapters
presents his own views on life. art his works and
his friends An appendix contains Count Henri
Delaborde's note on the life and art of the mas
ter. read before the Academy in 1882, and fol-
lowing this there is catalogue of the works.
He was an odd little man, positive, even dicta-
toria and convinced of his own merits, but all
the time there burned in him a flame OF ar
tistic aspiration which kept him student to the
day he Ged. He used to say: Il have an I'M
mense power Of work. work quickly. passion
ately. frankly. But / am slow in reaching my
ultimate rendering Of the subject. The IDEAL
grows as the work progresses The longing LOT
perfection is imperiors in me- 1t Is only neces-
sary to study his art TO see how sincere ne was
in this longing after perfection Witnln tneir
self f-prescribed limits they are probably the paint
ings in modern art which are most clearly en-
titled to be called perfect Nothing could be
added to them nothing could be taken away. \
panel by Messonier is like watch. Its value
Is dependent upon the same exquisite ADJUST
ment of parts. It conveys the same impression
Of consummate mechanism. The interesting rev.
elation of his biography is that which shows him
as man Of romantic impulses and keen per-
sonal feeling There is nothing In modern art
more impersonal than his work, the tiny master
pieces are too closely packed with pure work
manship for temperament idosyncrasy TO creep
In even edgeways Yet he could say things like
this: Like Lamartne. whose poetry was the
delight Of my young days, have loved nature.
i
tains and the woods in solitude Light Is so
beautiful! Nature is so fair! 1t is JOY to ad-
mire them! Oh. the dazzling golden glory Of the
forest, How exquisite the earth is How long
to fill up the time before me-too short. alas
with innumerable pictures, Oh. to live on
This might be rhapsody from the lips Of one
of the Fontainebleu landscapists. NJ. Greard.
indeed. thinks that Meissonier would have made
a delightful landscape painter and he cites GER
tain pictures by the master to support his as
sumption; but it is doubtful il Corot was lost
to fame in Messonier. He indubitably a
lover of nature and of romantic, poetic things.
1t is this fact, we repeat which ii is surprising
and delightful to learn from his biography. but
that he had latent in him the power to put ro-
nance poetry or nature Gn its sylvan moods)
upon his canvas is hardly credible These
motives did not fall, they never could fall into
the hands Of man whose whole genius for
consummate craft good specific proof Of this
is TO be found in his celebrated Napoleonc
studies. They were the fruit of lifelong en-
thusiasm yet there is more Of the character Of
Bonaparte in one of Raffets little Autographs
than in all of Meissonier's vaunted paintings.
He caught the surface of the Napoleonic spec
tacle and painted it as no other has ever
painted ii. but the personal touch was beyond
him. He may have felt it, he undoul iedly did
feel IT, II his talk the subject is TO be reckOned
with; but his hand poweress. for all its
cunning. to transfer the vital aspect of his hero
to the surface of his panel.
1t seems great pity. too. Why should the
gift Of expressing his emotions have been denied
to this otherwise mastery artist? He saw with
such keen eyes. Witness his pen portrait OF
Balzac: Yes knew Balzac well. His imagina-
tion and his pride-an immense and sincere
pride-were alike stupendous. | began portrait
of him; it full Of vitality like the portrait
of Doctor Lefevre but. unfortunately / painted
something over it. 1t is now in Belgium. under
Of my best pictures, the Man With the
sword l began this portrait for Balzac's pub
Usher. and Balzac. with all the good faith in the
world made a calculation Of the 1000 900 francs
which would be my share OF the profits at a
percentage of two francs volume huge
edition Of his works. One of his characteristics
kind Of bizarre avarice. Hetzel who
brought a good deal into contact with him dur
ing the publication OF La Comedie HUMANE
gave me many curious instances Of this. Bal
zac used often TO come and fetch him in cab.
then novel luxury. and after taking him
round would inevitably leave Hetzel to settle
with the driver" 1t would be absurd to crti-
else that portrait relic of which the loss must
be seriously regretted. yet if Messonier's other
portraits may provide criterion it is fair to
assert tndt he never cOulu present SuCn
individuality Balzac's with the same per-
suasveness that he exerts in the passage quoted
What might be called the primary emotions. the
obvious traits. he could always seize: and
miser. an absorbed painter, quarrelsOme SOL
der these transparent types ne never failed to
interpret with authority. on the other hand the
individual is lost in the type; his psychology, his
insight. his imagination. somehow failing him
when 1t came to the celebration Of complex
character
He will remain master for postcrity. that
much seems certain: but he will say nothing to
posterity about his time. he has put nothing into
his work of the 70 mantle enthusiasm which he
shared If hundred years hence number OF
his panels are mingled their signatures having