The sun., 1897-12-10

r,e..rs. !. 5. rsl.. ,...,.. -.


exhibitions with ino collection OF picturos By
OLD masters and PAINTERS OF tho past There are |
only twcnty'ono cnnvasos In tho gallery, but |
almost every one 10 worthy OF special study and ,
moro than half dozen arc Of tho first impor- |
tance. One. tho celebrated STANDARD Bearer" |
oy Rembrandt, Ia a picture we'll known the |
world over, tho arrival Of which in this country,
wnere II hhds permanent resting place In New |
York is an event of great interest. It is no in.
discretion to again mention tho fact that
1t was purchased by Mr.. George Gould
last May. although tho names OF tho
owners OF tho pictures at tho Union
League Club arc not given IN the catalogue.
| Though II Is private property now, IL will no
doubt In days to come be one OF tho possessions
OF our museum, for It is unlikely that It will
ever be allowed to 20 out OF tho country, and
such great works eventually find their way into
| one or another public collection. It has already
boen described in these columns from n photo
graph. Tho picture itself shows that 1t is quito
up to its reputation. 1t once belonged to Sir
| Joshua Reynolds and is often called "tho Sir
Joshua Rembrandt" A full description of
| 1t may be found In DIR. Bodo's catalogue.
page %, and in Smiths Catalogue Raj
sonne, Part VII. pngo l03 No. no 1t
| was publicly exhibited at Manchester In
1857 and at Burlington House in the winter
OF 1871. The resemblance previously noted in
|
| Standard Bearer and the model for IL Hommo
au Baton" in the La Gaze collection In tho Louvre
| lie seen to be oil the more marked whom tho
picture itself Is looked at, Tho fact that IL Is
| probably the samc man. but at a more advanced
| age. who posed for L'Hommo au Baton Is in.
| teresting, for with the Louvre portrait in mind
1t is plain that Rembrandt stuck closely to ma.
ture In his subject pictures as we'll as in his por
traits. The picture Is in an excellent state of
l..
by cleaners or restorcrs. The general aspect
of the canvas is sombrc. for tho back
| ground is dark, tho doublet with dull gold
| buttons is dark. and the banner which hangs
| from its staff behind tho figure is mellow and
| rich with time, 80 that only some golden and
dark.red tints are visible. Over the right
shoulder there Is dark blue scarf and across
tho breast there is richly embroidered sword
| belt. splcndidly painted. and as rich as tho
border Of an Archbshop's vestment. The effect
| OF tho whole is not fiat dark mass. how
evor. but well gradated and varied one
in which tho figure appears solid and we'll
constructed. The head, evenly illuminated and
crowned with black slouch hat and white
feather. Is the central point of interest, and tho
quiet, rugged face, with gray hnir and white
collar framing 1t in, holds the attention OF the
spectator and attracts at first glance by tho sin
cerity and honesty of its expression. The head
is broadly and simply painted with a full brush
and no insstence on detail, as In the pictures OF
the period to which the great portrait THE
Glider" owned by Mr.. Havemeyer, belongs.
The eyes are somcwhrt deeply set and
are calm ard kindly in expression. The
nose, mouth and chin denote determination,
and there Is q jaunty mir belonging to the
soldier in the mans grizzled mustachc, a few
thin hairs on either side twisted upward. OF
all the great old masters Rembrandt is the one
best represented in America. Our list includes
the three fine ones in the Metropolitan Museum.
one of which is a very beautiful work. The Gid
err" the two Van Bcresteyne portraits. tho
Portrait of an Admiral" and a number OF
others. One excellent work, Portrait OF Doc
tor Tulip" is owned in Chicago. When an old
master Is so much in favor with our collectors 1t
is gratifying that the enterprise necessary to
secure really important works exists and that
the money is forthcoming with which to pur.
chase them The STANDARD Bearer" takes
rank in the highest class.
Two portraits by Franz Halls. Portrait Of a
Woman" No. IL. and Portrait of a Man." No
IL. arc hung in prominent places at the end OF
the gallery opposite the Rembrandt. Each
work contains characteristic painting notably
In the hands. which are very fine in both, and
the heads In each are clean, sold and hardy.
Both are in the familiar gray. black. and white
tone of Franz Halls. and are representative ex
amples. " Portrait OF the Eector Frederick III
of Saxony," No. 7, by Lucas Cranach. is a re.
markably we'll preserved panel of medium size
by ono of the earliest painters l472-1553). and is
most interesting artistically well as for its
, value as a chronological record. Earlier than
this is "Vrgin and Child" No. 0, by Martin
Schoen Q42O-14Ss). which, as may be imagined
from the dates. Is nafvc and primitive tcchni.
cally, but 1t Is also seductive. A large canvas,
Family of Saints" No. 3, by Agnoo Bron.
zinc; Elizabeth Of France" No. is, by F.
| Porbus; an unfinished portrait of lady by
Sir Joshua Reynolds No. s; charming
Romney, LADY Caroline Stevens" No. 49,
and frankly painted. sketchy, and pic,
turesque head of young man with O
high-crowncd. gray felt hat, "a Warrior" No.
10, by Richard Dadd, an English painter. quite
unknown here. who lived in tho first part of the
present century. are the other most important
pieces in this excellent and harmonious collec.
tion. moonlight Near Norwich" No. A, by
John Crome. should also be mentioned, but
chiefly because it is by John Crome. and two
Constabes must be included in the list of fine
things. THE Valley of the Stour," No. 9, with
! its fine composition and highly but Justly
finished distance, and q dramatic "View ut
Hampstead" No. 6, which has high cliff by
tho roadside the right of tho picture
and q powerful sky with cumulus clouds
Tho wals of the gallery have been draped with
velvet. n permanent arrangement and an agree.
able, IL somewhat luxurious, one. and in the
spaces over the pictures some fine Dutch Flem
; ish, French, Spanish, and Chinese plaques and
: plattcrs in ropousse brass copper. and pewter
; arc hung with good effect They are lent by
the Chairman of tho Art Committee, Mr.
Thomas B. Clarke, who announces that at the
!, January meeting of the club there will be an
exhibition OF works by American artists. To-day
and tomorrow are ladies days" cards OF
invitation being necessary for admission to the
: gallery.
, The Opposition to tho TOrrcy bankruptcy BIII.
: To THE EDITOR TIE suS-Sfr: heartily coin
eide with your correspondent DRY Goods " touch
ing the opposition of certain lawyers the proposed
bankruptcy legislation. Indeed, the sudden dIsap
pearance OF property and OF every description
belonging to merchants whose failures in business
hnre heen nrenrranrnh md nnnnh nnscrnnnl,,