The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-27

rlors 10 portrayed with great dash and 20.
and In tho color notes there are con.
trnsting effects that might be thought, IL
tho scene wero described by an actual
observer, to possess moro EARRING elements than
any semblance of concord. Yet while retaining
this diversity of local tints tho painter has sue.
ceedod in cnveloping his picture in a harmo-
NOUS cloak Of color effect that produces breadth
and unity in the ensemble. It is needless to
point out the difficulties that invest the solving
of.such artistic problems, for 1t is sufficient for
us 20 500 In the picture as 1t stands tho kind OF
concentration, both In action and in color. that
belongs only In the well-considered compositions
that proceed from the hand Of an artist who 10
mindful Of the greater things in picture making
and has tho talent to express his convictions in
such pictorial form that they arc convincing.
Tho delight of q painter who has happened
upon something to make q picture Of and sits
down to do It with enthusiasm Is clearly shown
in the joyous canvas Courtyard. Alhambra,"
No. 6S. Hero Fortuny has made a large study
of old buildings with yellow walls and red-tilcd
roofs shining In the sun. set Off by a sky OF deep
blue with white clouds. and n foreground com.
prising divers picturesque elements. among
which are two big, black pigs roofing up the
soft earth. 1t is excellent and 1t is attractive,
because It Is carried Off with such q fine dash
and so much confidence. In Breakfast In
the Old Convent Yard" No. SO, tho artist
shows quite u different way Of working. Hero
there is infinite detail painted in miniature
dimensions. care in the drawing and elaboration
of the tiny figures Of tho cavaliers who have
stopped on their journey to refresh themselves
with q repast In tho open air, and an unconven.
tional but not haphazard composition. In"The
Alberca Court, Alhambra." No. 1877, a large,
unfinished picture without figures. and so leav.
ing us in doubt as to how he would have dis.
tributed his accents. Fortuny as q technician
appears moro skilful in some respects than in
any other picture in the galleries. Apart from
tho fact that the composition is ono OF great
beauty, and that tho water of the vast basin
which occupies tho foreground 10 painted
with marvellous semblance TO the effect In
nature. We SEQ him treating masses of the most
intricate Moorish architectural detail and orna-
ment with o synthetic rendering that would
make some of the famous Orientalist paint.
ers heave q sigh Of despair. Add to this that
tho picture 10 30 far completed In parts, and so
clearly indicated as to what 1t would eventually
have been in others. as to show q comprehensive
grasp of its finest possibilities as q subject. Tho
effect is majestic and enhancing. In the other
pictures painted in oil. and in some of the water
colors, such as tho brilliant "streetin Tangiers,"
No. 106, there are some other notable points Of
excellence. but the general characteristics Of
great skill in handling, acute sense of color har.
mony. and interest in tho work on the part OF tho
painter for tho sake of expressing what nature
says to him in fits many phases Of life and action
may DO fully observed and appreciated in tho
pictures here mentioned in detail. It will no
doubt DO in tho nature Of q revelation to some
people when they visit this exhibition to find
that tho work Of o painter whom they have
thought in the light of new movements in art to
DO somewhat demodS possesses 30 many
of the vital elements Of good painting
at any period, and that now after the
lapse of twenty-five or thirty years 1t impresses
by an undeniable quality of progressiveness. In
some Of the out.of-doors effects painted by For.
tuny 1t must be o matter for surprise that he
arrived so long ago at q knowledge of what later
practice than his has improved upon. It is true.
but has not succeeded to any very marked de-
gree In making moro convincing, except in tho
sense that 1t Is moro familiar to our vision.
Eduardo ZamacoYs, q Spaniard like Fortuny.
was o pupil Of Meissonier and first exhibited at
the Paris Salon in 1853. when he was but little
moro than 20 years of age. He died when he
was 80. and in o short space Of years painted q
number Of pictures which in their field OF art
rank with the best productions of any time and
school since tho days Of the wonderful Dutch
and Flemish masters. A genre painter, so to
speak. he found subjects in the life Of
courts, and painted gentlemen and some
times fine ladies and testers. In the Stewart
collection there arc two mastery pictures by
him that almost defy criticism. 1t would DO
hard to find anything better in modern art as q
single moroccan than the court fool in mis- suit OF
rcd in "Checkmated." No. 101, and equally
difficult to find q genre canvas so complete and
unified in effect. The two dwarfs on the table
are only less good than the Jester because they
are q trifle harder in ~facture. The figure OF the
Jester in drawing and in ample yet serried paint
ing is entirely admirable and nothing else. Tho
picture as a whole is a masterpiece of mature,
reserved, and sober painting. THE Infanta."
No. Al. is less brilliant in color scheme. but
scarcely yields to its companion in excellence.
Here again is an admirable single moroccan in
the figure Of the little Infanta clothed in n rich
gown with long skirt Of embroidered whilo
satin and ribbons OF blue. The head and hands
are painted with full fieshy modelling and an
absence OF visible means in tho painting that is
truly remarkable. The composition Of the pic
ture is completed by a great, long.haircd hound.
whose shoulder is higher than the little girls
head and the figure of an elderly male attcnd-
ant who wears a green doublct and a wide
white collar. and carries a hat with a red
feather. Tho %servitor is represented standing
in the shadowy part of tho picture. which en-
velops all of the composition except the figure
of the Infanta. This digni6ed and severe
figure Is also admirably modelled. and though
in half light is ms round and as much envcloped
as the other. These pictures are two OF the
great stars of the collection.