The sun., 1897-10-31
ART NOTES.
Famous he"srnndt BrouEht te View York
CeilinE by q. Y. Turper-Tbe MURAL
PaintinEa at the AstePin Hotai-Pictures
nv -.-.,.- -.s,nt,t,as

A celebrated Rembrandt has boen brought |
here from Europe recently and Is now the prop. |
erty OF Mr. George Gould. The price paid for 1t |
was $4,000. 1t 10 the picture called Tho |
Standard Bearer" and is we'll known to artists
/ and collectors on both continents as Tho Sir |
Joshua Rembrandt" II once belonged TO Sir
| Joshua Reynolds and afterward rassed into
| the possession of tho Earl OF warwick 1t
Is described in Smiths Catalogue RAJ
sonnc, Part VII. page lO3, No. 279 and
In DIR. Bodies Catalogue, pago 500. 1t was
| publicly exhibited in Manchester in 1887
and at the Old Masters Exhibition at
Burlington House In 1871. The anvas meas
ures 45S54ia inches. The picture shows a man
thrce-Qunrters length, standing full face to
the spectator He appears to be about go
years OF ngc. aud his countenance is genial,
| though determined. His hair is gray and the
| features show q certain likeness to the model in
| the famous " Homme au Baton " In tho La Gaze
| collection In tho Louvre. His slight upturned
mustachos and little tuft under the lower lip
are precisely like the same details in the Louvre
picture. 1t might well be the same man
when twenty years older. Tho Standard
Bearer" holds In his left hand the stafY of tri.
| colored banner ombanoned with the arms of
| Amsterdam, and in his right hand which hangs
by his side, grasps his gloves. He wears q black
slouched hat with white feather and brown
| doublet ornamcnted in front and on the sleeves
| with gold buttons. Over ono shoulder there Is a
blue scarf and across his breast is a richly EN-
broldered swordbelt The hilt OF the sword ap-
pears on the loft side OF the figure. This splen-
did canvas is signed Rembrandt. F., 1854
Charles Y. Turner. whose decorative paint
ings in the Manhattan and Astoria hotels have
| been recently noticed in these columns, has just
completed q ceiling for the entrance hallway OF
the Bank Of Commerce. In Nassau street. When
in place. the ceiling, which is about fifteen feet
square, cut out at the corners by scmi.circles.
will be seen at height OF thirty feet from tho
floor and about twelve feet from tho staircase
landing. The columns, pilasters and wainscot-
ing Of the hallway are in Sienna marble of
tho same tawny tint as that in the Bos-
ton Public Library. and Mr.. Turner's decorative
treatment Of the walls involves paneling Of
grayish blue as complementary note. The
same color scheme Is carried out In the painted
ceiling where the yellow drapery OF the prin-
cipal figure in the composition contrasts with
the blue of the sky. The subject OF the COM
position 10 Commerce" represented by female
figure of attractive presence which occupies
the centre of tho canvas. On her right
is female figure typifying Industry,
and on her left is another symbolzinR
Wealth. Commerce holds caduceus in her
hand, and Wealth has a cornucopia from
which fall out various products Of the soil. Tho
artist has treated the clements of the compost
tion in such way to bring about harmoni
Gus effect, and the ceiling is characterized by q
general feeling for lightness OF tone and suavity
of line. 1t will be lighted from tho upper part
Of a tall window which reaches nearly up to the
ceiling and BY artificial light, and will dou btless
when in place, produce the effect intended by
the artist, to flttingly crown the general color
and architectural scheme of the hallway.
Mr.. Henry ]. Hardenbergh the architect Of
the new Astoria Hotel, invited his friends of his
own profession and those who practice the allied
arts OF painting and sculpture to inspect tho
great building on Friday afternoon. A large
number Of wellknown artists and ladies were
present. Mr. Turner's figures In the spandrils
and lunettes in the dining room looked well in
their finished setting under the electric light. and
the sixteen beautiful compositions by Mr.. SIM
mons In the Astor Gallery lost but little In effect.
The gray tints of the general decoration, how
ever. which in the day are tender and deli.
cate, seemed somewhat glaring by the artificial
light. The artistic excellence Of this room
a whole becomes more and moro apparent, and
1t is without doubt q most successful piece OF
decoration. In the ballroom Mr.. Lows figures
in the ovals, circles, and lunettcs on the walls
appeared to advantage. losing nothing by un.
equal or forced lighting. but Mr.. Blashfield's
fine ceiling suffered severely. The arrangement
for lighting IL Is at variance with fundamen-
tai principle, which Is that the lights in which
painting OF any sort is shown should fall on it
) in such a way as to light it equally In all itR
parts. In tho present instance the lights are
placed behind a cornice around the edge Of the
ceiling, which Is q curved surface several feet
above the cornice. and the light "rakes "
} the picture. Tho greatest illumination concen.
: trates around the edges and the central portion
does not receive nearly enough light. Little
inequalities in the paint on the canvas are
, made to show by the force and direction OF the
light rays and tho general effect 10 far from sat
isfactory. There would seem to be no
: : way to remedy it but to throw vastly
Z stronger light the ceiling from the four
corners Of the room at points much
below the cornice, and IL that cannot be done. to
D alter the whole plan. II the ceiling were q fiat
; surface, flush with the top OF the cornlce. and
, the ballroom itself were brilliantly lighted by
0 side lights, probably the ceiling would then ap-
! pear to advantage. Such arrangements may be
seen In hundreds of buildings. and the problem
OF lighting the ceiling 10 simple of grea ter
= | or less light in the room. The artists who
. visited the Astoria on Friday were loud In their
5 praises of some Of the more simply decorated
. apartments. such as the Myrtle Room" and
I all were delighted with the wonderful views
, from the great roof garden when the sun sank
behind the New Jersey hills. and the surround.
ing cities, the rivers and the bay began 10
: twinkle with thousands OF lights.
Yesterday began. at the Chase School Of Art
2 2 at 81 West Fiftyseventh street, I'm exhibition
Q which will continue until o'clock this evening
4 1t includes about sixty pictures by William M
y Chase. three decorative projects in color. and
c some black and white works by A. b. Wenzell
t the instructor In the sketch class. and a large
" collection OF studies made by Mr.. Chase pupils
y at Shinnecock Hills during the past summer
d Mr.. Chases pictures to be sent this week tc
! Chicago for a special exhibition at the Art
o Institute. Among them are several portrait,
o and interiors with figures. A portrait Of
! q little girl in black, with large hat, 1.
especially attractive. and shows a quiet color
r scheme very simply and broadly carried out
T. The landscapes painted at Shinnecock are som,
twenty In number and of wing sizn from, m N