The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-09
arr VOTES.
Portraits ~ Mr.. eandara 81 Durand.Rue,N,-
Philn delphta Acaderny.

An exhibition Of six portraits by Mr.. Antonio
de Ia Gandara, n young French painter Of SPAN
ish parentage. is in progress at the galleries Of /,
Durand.Ruel, $3.50 Fifth avenue. Mr.. Gandara
is a pupil Of Ger0mc, and has been a regular and
notable exhibitor at the Champ de Mars Salon
since its foundation, in 1890. The catalogue of
tho present exhibition is prefaced with q eulo-
CYSTIC biographical sketch in which we are told
that In fact, as one of our great American dill.
ottanti says Mr.. do Ia Gandara must bo
considered the painter par ercelHcncc Of tho
grand monde" n pretonsion backed by the
list Of his portraits, which includes those
of the Comtesse de GrefIulhc. the Prin. |
cosse do Caraman- Chlmay, the Prince Bor.
ghesc, tho Prince de Sagan, and others. Then
follow extracts from tho columns of Paris
journals in which Mr.. Gandara's work is re-
ferred to with amiablo phrases. The card Of
invitation speaks Of this exhibition as being
"of some Of his most notable portraits, painted
in Europe" Mr.. Gandara has not boon here
yet, but he is coming. But why painted
in Europei" New York Is not q bad
place to paint portraits. M. de Mad.
razo. Sargent. Munkacsy, Benjamin.Constant
Chartran, and Herkomor have come over
and painted many. Mr.. Boldini has just ar
rived and Mr.. Gabriel Ferrier Is coming. The
catalogue gives the titles OF the portraits as
Mime. Guillaume b." mime. s." mime. Co."
NHle. SuTun d., &c. luis Is Qulto III ROOu
taste as regards Mime. g." or Miss r."
tanother portrait,. but It is excessively mys-
FERROUS in the case Of mime. g." who is the
we'll known Paris professional beauty. Mme.
Gauthereau, whose portrait by Sargent 10 a
masterpiece, and whose picture by Courtois has
been exhibited in Chicago. Mime Sarah b.
is-Bernhardti 1t is a good likeness.
Tho six canvases are all portraits Of women.
all life size and painted in full length. Mime.
Guillaumo b." is tall and stout and wears a
rose-colorod gown. 1t is tho least attractive Of
the pictures. Miss H." in pale yellow, is indie
cisive and weak. mime. k" with a rose-col-
ored opera cloak. is engaging. we'll posed and
substantial. The rose color is qualified with
gray and is delightful in tone. and is also
broadly and competently laid on. Mime. g." is
a charming little lady In street costume in
which grays predominant. with a hat crowned
with white feathers. There Is solidity in the work
and the general tono of tho canvas Is agreea-
BILE. even distinguished. The hands. small and
simply indicated. are very good. Mime. eau
thereau is shown with her back to the spectator
and head turned SO as to show her beautiful
profile. The hair is dressed in the extreme Of q
fashion and looks exaggerated. Tho gown 10
white. and the neck and shoulders show well.
for it ia cut very low. There is a nice compre-
hension OF values in the light on the shoulders
and the sheen Of the corsage. and the white Of
the robe is Of n subtle tint throughout. Tho
portrait Of Mime. Bcrnhardt shows the great ar
tist In back view, with the head in pro-
file. Tho gown is white, with big sleeves.
The general effect is stately and the color
scheme. a simple one, is well defined. All
of these portraits. with the exception of that of
Miss r.. which has almost nothing to recon-
mend it, possess some good qualities, but tho
best of them is q delicate sense of color. They
are all decorative rather than naturalistic.
Though the work Of a young man of thirty-i1ve.
they seem to be decadent In spirit. The sue.
cessful ones possess charm but not virility.
The artist has had so much success abroad that
it would hardly be appropriate to say that the
pictures are promising, for a painter who
achieves success by short roads 10 not inclined
to toll on the long ones. We have twenty men
in our studios who could. II they chose. give Mr.,
Gandara cards and spades and beat him at his
own game.
The ninetieth annual report of the Pennsyl
vania Academy of the Fine Arts shows that il
is a we'll conducted institution. 1t has held to
its course through long years of vicissitudes and
civic changes. and its President and directors
may we'll congratulate the stockholders and all
those who care for art and its development on
It's present prosperity. Since the last annual re
port was printed the Henry C. Gibson collection
of works Of art in painting and sculpture has
oeen transferred 10 the academy ana Installed
in galleries c and d. 1t includes 100 pictures
among which are tno examples OF Corot, Meis
sonier. Daubigny. Bonnat, Troyon, Zamacois
Madrazo. Jules Breton, Cabanel, D~etaille. Fro
mentin. Couture. Diaz. Cain. Fantin. Latour
and Alfred Stevens. At the sixty-sixth annual
exhibition last year gold medals and other
prizes were awarded to George De Forest Brush,
]. w. Alexander. Albert Herter. and other
American artists. The schools are we'll at
tended, and the classes receive criticisms from q
corps of instructors with William NJ. Chase and
Miss Cecilia Bcaux at their head. Tho general
statement Of the Treasurer shows that the
acadcny's work was carried on during the last
fiscal year with an excess of 81, O93 of receipts
over expenses. The managing director is Harri
son 8. Morris. This years exhibition will open
in a few weeks from now. and will consist in
large part of pictures from New York painters.