New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-17
THE PARIS SALONS.
.-o,srNs INCREASED SHARE IN THE
WORKS OF ART EXHIBITED.
...xv ARTISTS SEEM TO BE WAITING FOR 1900
SOME OF THE PICTURES AND STATUES
pEscRrBEp-woRK BY AMER
IcAN ARTISTS
Paris, Nav 1.


Paris, May l.
-. salient characteristics OF the two Paris
..,or. which were opened to the public yester-
60 have already been described by cable The
~,,rher of painters and sculptors and the GUAM
.,,v Of works OF art exceed all previous limits.
.,,n the exception OF the Salon of 1880 which
,.,ned part OF the Worlds Exhibition of that
,ssr The women artists are not only more
.,,roerous-there are S54 women who have pict-
u,es pasteis statues in the two Salons-but
,he quality OF their work shows a considerable
.avance over that of former years. This is all
the more noteworthy because the men, espe-
ciaily those Of established reputation, evil
A.ntly reserving their best efforts for the
worlds Fair Of 1900. and the result is that the
average merit scarcely fulfls the requirements
Of an exacting modern taste. The American
srtists-no less than 1s4 OF whom are repre-
seuted in the two Salons-seem, with very few
exceptions. 10 be also waiting for the exhibition
year.
The Salon OF the "Artistes Francais"-the
.old" Salon under the triple presidency Of Leon
Bonnat. Edouard Detaile and Jean Paul Lau-
reps-contains 5.152 works. among which there
ere many grewsome and fantastic canvases. and
Il is wearisome task to select the wheat from
great historical paintings-certainly the one
which attracted the most attention yesterday-is
Tattegrain's "saint-Quentin pris d'Assaut:
L'Exode 20 Aout 1851" The subject is tersey
explained In the legend inscribed on the frame:
"After two days OF murder burning and pillage.
the surviving inhabitants. by order Of Philip
II. King OF SPAIN were onducted beyond the
limits OF the ruined town." Stately Gothic out
lines OF the Cathedral and Town Hall. with
their crumbling walls emerge from the gray
smoke of the background Two wretches are
dangling from the gallows A blaze Of light
from burning house mingles with the rays of
the August sun penetrating through the veil of
smoke. torrent Of scantily clad. bleeding
women and children fill the foreground. Fear
and terror are depicted on their faces Spanish
soldiers in bun tunics. on horseback and on
foot grasping their cleaning halberds, here and
there stand forth from this rushing mass Of
human misery. The artist has succeeded in pre-
senting a scene Of disorder and unbridled pas
sion which is prevented by skilful composition
and coloring from degenerating into the gro
tesque.
HUGE HISTORICAL CANVAS.
Another huge historical canvas painted by
William de Leftwitch- Dodge. a Virginian and
q pupil Of Gerome, represents the Spanish SOL
diery Of Cortez slaughtering the Mexicans. The
picture is entitled The Last Days Of Tenoch-
titan" Spanish officers in steel armor and
white pumes are descending enormous stone
stairway leading from a Mexican temple In
scribed with hieroglyphics Headless bleeding
corpses Of Mexicans in plumes and feathers are
scattered about in profusion. priest pro-
nounces anathema upon the conQuerors as
they lead Aztec prince to execution. 1t is a
daring. talented. weird composition of history.
ethnography and archaeology. executed with
carefully finished precision. The coloring, in
sutdued browns and blues is as pleasing as is
compatible with such a subject
1t is q relief to turn from these sanguinary
scenes 10 Henri Martins "Serenite," large
mural decoration representing a sacred grove
through which flows blue stream gistening in
the evening sun. Muses. and virgins recline on
the greensward Betrothed couples converse or
dance TO the music of golden Tyres. There is a
happy suggestion of Puvis de Chavannes in the
softness and harmony Of composition. The COL
oring is in pale greens and delicate puppies.
This work has been favorably spoken of that
the name Of Henri Martin-who. although
young, stands in the foremost rank Of French
categorical painters-is already mentioned q
likely candidate for the medal OF honor A vast
mural decoration, twenty-five yards long. paint
ed by GuiIIonet, presents football match. The
figures of the contesting teams are portraits.
There are all the life and movement the subject
demands The umpire is pronouncing Judgment.
The spectators are skilfully grouped. The work
Is intended for the Lycee Lakanal. and is al
ready favorite picture with the French stu
dents whose love for manly sports is steadily
growing Smith Lewis. of Philadelphia, shows
undoubted talent in his gray-white farm horse
OF heroic dimensions harnessed to plough and
bearing two little pink-and-blue children. They
are returning home after a hard days labor 1t
is painted close TO the ground. The freshly
turned earth is seen in magnifed detail 1t is
small subject for such vast expanse Of canvas
A very striking portrait is one OF Prince Hohen-
lobe. by Fulop Lazlo. Hungarian pupil OF Jules
Lefebvre and Benjamin Constant The German
Chancellor is leaning forward. thin. white and
nervous. The eyes are bright, penetrating and
restless He wears the broad yellow ribbon OF
the Black Eagle across the chest. and the insig-
MIA Of the Golden Fleece hangs from his neck
1t is a half-length portrait Of decided brilliancy
Marcel Baschet exhibits a group Of portraits on
one canvas. family comprising grand
mother. mother. granddaughter and little girl
Whose red ribbon and blond hair are sugges-
tive Of the child similarly treated by Velasquez)
are seated in homelke fashion in full morning
light. 1t is considered one Of the best works In
the Salon
Jules Breton's "vllage Fire" with peasants
hurrying to extinguish the flames. is less salts
factory than Emile Breton's winter landscapes
with fields Of snow In full moonlight Emile
Donna for the first time reveals himself as an
open-air painter. His landscape. with small
oarkly clad peasant bearing basket OF red
fruit and descending a broad white turnpike
road Of Southern France. is vigorous piece OF
work. but lacks the subtlety of atmosphere and
light Of those sunny lands. 1t is somewhat
harsh and melancholy.
Joseph Balls "Servante" is one Of the gems OF
the Salon. II is a female figure in plain white
dress, with peasants cap and white apron. A