New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-19
MORE GOOD PICTURES.
THE SECOND ANNUAL SHOW AT TIN
MANHATTAN CLUB

lery Of the old Stewart mansion. the club sees tn,
necessity for making imposing impression O,
none at all Consequently only one collection II
shown in the course Of the year, and that one Il
made as brilliant possible. Last year the wall.
hung with admirable though somewhat
unduly miscellaneous gathering Of paintings Thi.
year the quality OF the exhibition is more uni
formly excellent, and OF the sixiy-four pictures
presented there IL hardly one that is without I'M
mistakable merits. The selection has been made
with much catholicity, ranging from the works OF
the .Barbizon school 10 one Of Lcfebyres sedately
pretty canvases. from landscapes by George Inness
and marines by Wlnslow Homer TO early
tune study by the distinguished Belgian. Alfred
Stevens. As the result OF this discretion. the col
lection promises 10 meet many tastes, 10 charm By
its variety well by its broad virtue. and those
who are fortunate enough TO visit the dubious,
to-day tomorrow Will spend uncommonly
satisfying hour.
The happiest stroke in the arrangement OF this
exhibition consists in the grouping OF a number Of
American pictures at conspicuous point near the
entrance Individually the works here excite vary.
ing degrees OF admiration Collectively. they I'm.
press the observer with the ability OF
school TO hold It's In the presence Of some OF
the first of modern European masters This native
section is dominated by veterans by InDess snt
Homer, and the opposite wall there Is large
OF the late A. II. WANTS which upholds
kindred standard. But the younger men have theii
Mr.. Tryon. in the vcracious and sensitive works Of
Mr.. C. II. Davis and Mr. J. r. Murphy we are
minded OF how worthily the older traditions
supported by men in the to-day. OF the lines.
landscapes probably the most attractive, as It !,
certainly the most mellow. rich and brilliant, Is the
golden toned Wood CATERERS" a canvas dating
from the artists freest and most poetic period
Here you have the style which lifted George fnness
abreast OF the men OF Fontanebeau style 6,
authoritative 1t is supple and spontaneous
style charged as much with poetic emotion as with
technical mastery. The same painter who executed
this work produced also many loosely constructed
and still more loosely handled compositions but
when he is seen at his best, IN the picture al.
recty In question. he touches the imagination with
a sense of artistic inspiration at once artless and
sure. Mr. Homer's West Wind" IS the extremely
simple study OF a woman on the brink OF stormy
coast. which prominent at the Chicago Expo
siton, and was for short time visible in one Of
the galleries uptown. IL stands well the test OF
time. The color. it is true might have been with
profit strengthened and lightened. But the west
wind is In the scene and design this Is one oil
the most original and effective things made
by one Of the most original painters we possess
The slighter sketch. entitled The Rescue" is less
symmetrical and less impressive. but there Is o
mastery touch in it, the indication of movement Of
structure, in the figure occupying the foreground
There are other interesting American things In this
collection an early landscape by Mr.. La Fargo
noticeable for a tender tone not often encountered
in his later maturer studies: beautiful little for
scene, with some especially deft and sympa'
thetic work in the LEAKAGE, by William Hunt, and
good specimen of Eastman Johnson In his old weir
of pleasant. domestic genre. The figure pieces by
Mr.. Ulrich and Mr. Moeler are not so alluring, but
OF their kind they good and their kind. II noi
the highest is at any rate artistic. Mr. Ryder re-
sppears-ar artist whose works like little
OF old masterish sentiment and style in our vast
N m known
Christ Appearing to Mary" The style is not new.
but the beauty of the work never fades. OF one
American here represented, Mr.. J. Alden Weir
some regretfu thoughts inevitable. Why does
he paint the often disappointing pictures that hs
shows in current exhibitions when he once
capable OF like the Roses in this col
lection? II is so fun of grace. Of feeling, and
above ALL or artistic power. that the spirit Of the
thing seems to rise up and reproach him for his de
sertion OF his earliest aims.
At the end of the lorg gallery, between tive
tapestry-like canvases by Delacroix-companons
to another pair shown in the same place last yesi
-Gustave Courbet looms ma gsterially in his huge
hunting scene. after The Chase" The compost.
ton has been rendered familiar through repro
ductlons. In its original form It has not OTTER
been seen. Whether it would be widely adj
n;ired, even after having been considerably ex
plotted. Is doubtful The design. is otter
the case with courbet, is lacking in unity anc
charm. The animals living and dead. which al
a large part OF the canvas are jumbled together
something after the manner OF the old Flemish
hunting scenes. But the handsome young hunts
man. in his brilliant coat is undeniably grace.
fu and picturesque figure. and the relation OF his
red garment to the deep colors of the forest Is
well managed Courbet painted ar ambiguous pct.
ure when he painted this, that would neve
take the critical spectator captive at once. But
carefully studied it yields n certain beauty in the
single figure and its background which IS not
Silt Il
on so large scale. The smaller courbet shown Il
characteristics, but not particularly pleasing. The
two Delacroixs thanking the hunting picture pro-
woke the same observation. They have the mans
style In them, but they wear perfunctory air. and
empty in spite of their bgness-perhap be-
cause of it. The only other examples OF bigness
in the exhibition which commensurate TO their
size ip genuine qualities Of feeling and power are
the great seascape by Daubigny and the fu-length
OF 'Mademoiselle Hsbere' by John Ioppner
The former Is noble work. spacious true ex.
quslte in color and trimming with the love-
Illness OF the The Hoppner portrait is remark.
able for it's deep almost unctuous tone. for It's Gle.
gance OF style and for the animation which fills II
from side OF the canvas the other This Is
a good illustration OF the with which the Eng.
llsh porira-panters OF the last century Joined per.
feet dignity and poise TO a kind of chastened polite
vvacty
But the picture in this exhibition which It h
hardest leave is the that possibly the mos,
modest in the room-the one which 1t would lie
easiest to overlook This f. the Autumn Flowers
of Alfred Stevens No doubt II IL less striking thar
the replica of Met's "SOwer' which hangs
by no doubt 1t is less consummate. less individual
less extraordinary than .ir Whistlors "Cremorne
Garden nj Night" OF historic memory: but nowhere
else In this body OF hrst-rae painting will you find
simpler broader. more eloquent treatment OF
surfaces than in the dress OF the woman In
Sevens's PANEL nowhere else is there visible Q
more beautiful piece Of modelling than in the head
and throat OF his model or In her hands. Alfred
Stevens IS none often seen In America in
thoroughly characteristic painting. The present
work offers a precious opportunity 10 students Of
powerful workmanship interpenetrated with SYM
patty for what Is mos, gracious most subtle I'm art