New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-19
ART EXHIBITIONS.
MR.. FRANZEN's PICTUREs-A CROWDED
WEEK-MINOR NOTES

W. Au,,s, Franzen is n Scandinavian artist
who came to this country about six years ago an"
sent to the exhibitions pictures which vied with
those OF the most headong impressonists in vivid
ness Of color Ever since that time his WORK mas
occasionally been seen in public and now IT MIS-
the Fifth Avenue Art Galleries. One hundred ana
forty landscapes and figure subjects will be SOLD At
auction there next Tuesday and wednesday even
ings This long list of paintings enables us 70 re-
wise our opinion Of Mr.. Franzen lie is sun au
dicted to exces, Of color at the wrong moment ne
still analyses his subject too closely. putting NOR
into n pict,,re than is meant TO go there; but ne
fails thus in far fewer instances than SIX years
ago All along the lire his art has been me'o"'"e'
his taste has been refining and now there are '"'e
on the walls which have really dehca'e cha' ~
A fruitful comparison may be made between ~ -
September on the Hudson" and NO. p RAINY
Day" and the large canvas. No. a. "Ihe ho"' W
Golden Rays" OF its fitting companion NO ~
Natures Drama" The respective SUBJECTS wal
ranted differences in key. but. on the one manu-, "
Franzen seams to grasp his material ana han"' "
with delicate SKILL the other, he secs II III W.
glaring a light and filings mere paint upon 'he c""-
vas.
7, tostihes to the serious purpose Of MI rrah%.i
that as we have said the refined moderate worn
are IN the majority. Among them goo" "e' -
thoughtful observation will be noticed Inns a.
does not seem 10 be. above all Things, la""H"P
but he paints the MEADOWS and hillsides with cohs'u-
best in his studies Of humble types-'he '"'''' '
man mechanic or tramp. seen under more or Jess
domestic conditions He has had the courdse ~
paint these sometimes grimy individuals efdo"s
they are and. although the sordid ohara''e
many Of his designs diminish.s their decorative
ability we believe that honest work, such a - '
ible in Charity" for example Is oou''' !"
be appreciated in spite OF its unlovehneSs. Inc
scene is sordii. the tramp who Nils the cen'ie "
the scheme looms ptfully against the o'eaN "o'
Jon vet thore Il A strange dignity about this pct
40. !, almost has charm In a purely technical
sense II is one Of Mr. Franzen's best things. nc
indeed nearly always happy IN MS u'a''e
these rather forbidding models, extracting MINT vi
picturesqueness from them, and IN every ca'e mo-
ing them human and touching. perhaps Inv e'''
cor,nanv NJ carpenters and farmers may gro"
wearisome ghea Il is surveyed from end 10 emu ~
We pointed out with reference To Mr. Virgins IN
hibition week. these one-man dispaSS run -
-,eL Of anneoring rnonotonoUs unless the man ms
very wide range. Yet do not hesitate 10 u'Se
Mr. Franzen on in his task OF dellheaulhH INC "
nolished proletariat. Let II be al the expense "
hts recollection for landscapes If necessary. MS
landscapes spare But the nsufe STUN
are original; they have direct force s'u'us
sinnlc,tv for which in these days OF an@h'ic
"s,udio Effects and costume arrangements W
are bound 20 be grateful. Mr. Franzeh NE" anu
women are alive and that means Huch' ne "'""'
we'll
no week
Fine Arts Building the exhibition OF the Arcn'-
tecturaI League is open. 1t remains open, os ',7
uav on Sunday The American Water Color Soc
etv at the Academy Of Design continues us eAno'-
! ton next week and az the American Ar 'ai''
the Fuller and Dana collections consplcuousiy TX
ure The smaller galleries all filed with eN"i-
btions Among the exhibitions announced Is on
! NJ water-coo;s. oils and pastels by me ia'e W
| Hamilton Gibson. which Will be opene" ~ w
| American Art Galleries about the middle Oh heN'
month. ,, W. I,
The edition de luxe Of the catalogue OF Mt "a
Euller's collection resembles the recently puoHsn
| Stewart catalogue n its scheme ana p'eS'"O'N
| hut il is a smaller volume, and the tnir'y-se'e.
.,,res arc reproduced in plates. which instead OF
giving the effect OF photogravure recaIl '"'
ooect Of p mezzotint. This is appropriate the Ei's
| lish pictures especially coming out wen IN '"e ,e
nroductions Mr. Frank Mlletts name on the '''ie-
| - ,aLoe him responsible for most Of the care
Univ nrepared text but Mr.. Fuller himself has sup
| piled much OF the material