New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-12
SOME OLD MASTERS.
AN EXHIBITION AT THE UNION LEAGUE
CLUB.


The art exhibitions at the Union League Cluo
have had a rather difficult time In getting mem
selves organized this year, but with the '"A' ~.
of the season the Art Committee conciudes Ito
labors In q blaze OF glory. Twenty-seVen o'u me
tiers adorn the walls-Dutch FLEMISH ita'a" o..
EnglIsh-and there Is hardly panei winch 'oN
we'll be SHARED from the collection. 1t Is composeu
chiefly OF portraits. with group OF landscape,
good piece OF genre by Jan Steen ana a"o'".'
equally characteristic by George Moriaho' ~
tiful still-life study by William Kaln-a seventeenth
century Dutchman who combined great natural
ness with peculiarly brilliant polish-ana a re-
vaporous. NEUROLOGICAL sketch attripu'eo -
dyke There is also spirited Marine w '
van Coven done In monotone ana Interesting "
typical Of an unfamiliar phase OF MS arr. 'a -,
Goven Is usually placid in motive and peary :"
tome Tn this example there is considerable move
ment and the sepia tones ut once turp'o anu
attractive suggesting a greater spohtahei'' ~
the painter commonly shows.
The most important Of the portraits Is 'arse
study Of Rembrandt. painted by himseh III 49, 80"
when he was In mid-career. IL Is ho' o'e -,
great canvases the modelling OF 'he ia'e "a
below the level Of his best work IN de'cao, ,o,
nrecsion but there Is much rugged truth anu '''''
oily br,ishwork and in the animation Oh III. a.,
the vitality Of the fesh this production Is o's,
tnctly impressive. Later In life Rempra''"' w."
have made his tones cooler than In TINS canvas
accustomed vigor and mastery OF MS ar rha
thoroughly representative for Its period. i"o
smaller and much earlier 'Portrait VI 49,,
Man" is a smoothly painted WORK Oh 'ouS
terest On the opposite wall hang TWO Po' 80
bv Paulus Moreelse who is not especially e""e"'
IN Tho history of painting but who shows In these
naneIs his hest qualities their best estate Inc
head OF Lyman van Volbergen Is peautiiu"y
painted the carnations ripe ana sio"'"e Wv
modelling a little hard yet adequate ana ar"S'e'
In both these portraits the treatment Oh inc runs
OF the sitters is noticeable for delightful Dreau,h'
for a synthetic touch In curious contrast " "o
close handling of the faces For minute ea"o'"-
t,on the large Pourbus at the end or the gaiieis
carries off the palm; II is rich, archac ueco,
more decorative in fact than pictorial put VIZ
engaging in It's forid jewelled surfaces I"ese
portraits and we had almost said the larger hein-
hnd, TOO male into insigniicance for sheer love-
lness and sensuous charm beside the sKetchy
"Airs Campbell" by Sir Henry Raeburn. lie Is al
artist rarely In American colectiohs' anu III"
often encountered abroad in so good picture d,
the present. He never quite attained the po"e, ~
his eighteen century contemporaries, HOT 'he'A
| fame but like most Of the good British painters
| NJ that time he had taste elegance ieeiihs io'
| grace and sentiment, and he paihted th's po' .
| in a mood OF bewitching ease and suaVty. Inc
pigments are thinly laid and the delicate laoricS
of the stters costume are handed with inc W
| most softness The brushing is little rechiess'
and. there are passages which seem not o'S
|
| sketchy but incomplete. Nevertheless IL Is d ueau
| tiful portrait with the hand OF master visible IN
its execution and the temperament or a gentleman
| disclosed In Its spirit
The small sepa Of "Andreas Colyns de Mole ID
| one of Vandyke's brilliant monotones. free. ener-
| getic and full of his distinction of style Inc
| PORTRAIT Of n Burgomaster' by Cornelius ae Nos
| "a rich unctuously painted work that JUST s.opS
| short Of being brilliant, hrst-rate performance.
Romnev Homer and Lawrence are represented IN
| good examples, and there are TWO OF oil TN ~
fey's shallow but plausible canvases among sie
| LANDSCAPES there Is glorious work or Ja"o..
van Ruysdael The deep forest scene Is stuoiea
uith the ANALYSIS peculiar to the man, ana al lle
same time is handled in such noble masses anu
with so subtle graduation OF the tnck Ioiidse VIC.
II seems as II IL might have been painted py nuus
seau The silhouette of the trees against ene WIZ
| omen sky is slnguary modern and lovely ne
landscape by Saloman van Ruysdael Is NOT SO goou
| II is characteristic and therefore nistolcaiy ~,
tsresting but IL Is ntrinscaly too dry ana Iorhia
IN lea We a very favorable impression A lrdInei VI
! ~ sketches by Constable gives some suggestive
| pmpses of his art and there Is pretty turner
esnue coast scene by Bennington. Finally, one =.
the three tiny panels by francesca Guarat sa vt
as perhaps the best fragment Of his artiicaI yet
| Fascinating work that has ever been seen IN ms
country Ii is No. Is in the catalogue where II -
! called rather ambguously. a view OF nei,e a,
| It does not matter that the title is lndcculatc
Tho color in this is Guards brightest ana sweet
Get the STYLE is his liveest and most artistic. "A
massage more exhilarating ana spartan tIi VI.
| furnuOise middle distance In TINS sketch IDS nu'
| been seen AT the Union League In many long Gay
| her the show is remarkably even ana good;
The LIST of pictures is brief but IL Is Varieu' anu
| o,ob, n eyci,e much admiration.