New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-06
nsuring unending benefits to both the con-
tracing parties and commanding the resprct
md approval Of mankind.
PICTURES AND PRICES.

PICTURES AND PRICES.
The Stewart collection of paintings has been
dispersed. and the prices brought by one master
or another, but especially by Fortnny' nave pro-
voked much discussion as to the records" which
have been established The topic is Interesting.
fixtures. however they may lie are always
amusing.
Let us take first the work OF Fortuny Ills
"Choice Of the Model" brought the large sum OF
$4,000 not much more than some judges pre-
dcted and several thousands less than others
thought the picture was worth. what Is Ii
worth? Artistic values cannot be put into dol
lars and cents That certain commercial value
resides in this picture. however, and that. ful-
thermore, there Is something advcntitlous IN
what might be called It's earning power, Is
shown by the fact that other works by fortuny,
less famous but no less artistic, have failed 10
bring any such sum. We printed yesterday
the figures OF previous Fortuny sales IN New
York. The highest price brought Mt auction
was $1,000, paid for "The Serpent Charmer
In the A. T. Stewart sale OF 1897. Ten years
later THE Choice Of the MODEL seems to mark
q great leap forward. but this really proves
nothing for as fine picture as The Serpent
Charmer"-"The Court Of Justice. Alhambra a
was bought by Mr.. Whitney for $4,000; the
splendid ARAB Fantasia" sold for S12,000-a
serious drop-and except for THE Antiquary.
which fetched $1,000, there was not n single
one Of Mr.. Stewards peculiarly characteristic
Fortunys, nfter 1.-THE Choice Of the Model"
which did not fall below, by several thousands,
the price paid for THE Serpent Charmer' in
1897
hp il Weighing
tion-that collectors will pay the highest prices
for the pictures most important In subject and
most finished in style, as the sale of last week
might suggestive is confronted by the fact that
"The Beach ut Portlcl," in the A. r. Stewart
SALE brought $1,000. though unfinished. The
value Of that work is enhanced by its associa-
tons. the historians Ia wing stress upon the cir
cumstance that Fortuny was at work on the
painting when he died There lies the clew to
prices in art. The sentiment attaching to ''rhe
Beach at POrtici." the celebrity OF THE Choice
Of the Model" the presence Of the late Mr.. Stew
arts own portrait in THE Antiquary"-these
matters have weight and help to run up the
prices We do not think the prices are too high.
The value Of a beautiful picture cannot. we re-
peat. be computed In figures. But that is just
what We wish TO enforce. The records made by
the Stewart sale mean absolutely nothing rs
indications Of artistic merit: they accidental.
and IL they reveal anything It is the willingness
Of men to pay whatever is necessary to secure
what they desire
When the picture Is not wanted It's artistic
value goes for naught. Witness 1.-THE Wave and
the Pearl Of Paul Baudry. in the Stewart sale.
1t brought $500, Madrazo's Departure from
the Masked Ball" sold for $4,000, yet we be-
lieve Senior Madrazo would be himself the first
to admit that the proportions should he re-
versed il the intrinsic merits OF the respective
paintings are TO be- considered. What are your
records at this point: Sounding brass and
tinEling cymbals. The eyqusitely beautiful
"Alsace" Of Alfred Stevens sold for 81 100 and
II is work not only beautiful but excessively
hard TO duplicate Roman Riberas Cafe Chan
tant" brought $4,000. price much higher. we
believe. than that for which an equally good
example of the painter could be bought in the
shops.
This last instance IL significant. public
auction sale Of pictures will often bring prices
far higher than those Of the normal market,
and often Will bring prices far lower. 1t seems
that men gather with eagerness around pict-
IRE or collection that is celebrated; the Lady
Mugrave" of the Price collection. Gainsbor-
Ough's glorious portrait sells for $4,000, the
"Angelus'' Of Met sells for almost double the
sum, and the world says: Behold. we have
appraised these works forever But the world
has only testified to It's passing taste, to the reso-
luton Of It's rich men to have what they want
We do not regret these high prices. On the
contrary. we rejoice in every such illustration
Of the willingness Of the modern 70 spend great
ly on art. and we warmly congratulate the Stew
art heirs on the upshot OF their sale. We sim
ply wish to point ont the eternal gulf between
commercasm and art. the utter lnadequacy of
the auction-room ms source Of standards In
the realm Of the beautiful "A thing of beauty
is a JOY forever" sings Keats, and, again,
Beauty Is truth. truth beauty"-that Is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know
Figures should be kept in their proper place.