The times., 1899-06-25
than Munich or London, the Mecca of all

than Munich or London, the Mecca of all
art students.
Where will one find in any collection
finer painting of cows than that great can
vas of Richard Burners? There are Van
Marks and Rosa Bonhsur's also, and
great Evening" by Emile Breton, but one
need not go to the end of the list to prove
the critics declaration that the modern
French pictures are abomnable, with
hardly an exception" is simply not true.
If he thinks the blue and violets of i'm
pressionsm alone represents the French
school he is a crank whom 1t is a mistake
to take seriously.
The impressionist school is all right, but
up 10 the present time this school has been
so dominated by vagaries that conservative
connoisseurs fight shy of their pictures II
is just as well not to buy impressionist
pictures until after they get cold, and is
so much safer.
The trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of
Art have chosen their pictures with more
than fair wisdom and discretion. They are
too shrewd to permit either dealers or
private parties to unload lot of Fortu-
neys, Millets, Rosseaus, etc, upon them
that are names only.
Pictures not backed by the best work of
these or other masters, however plain and
satisfactory the signature may appear on
trustees. The gallery is not in pressing
need of more or better pictures. Additions
will be made from time to time, but that
picture which seeks a resting place in the
Corcoran Gallery must have something be-
sides high price, a name and long docu-
mentary evidence to recommend it.
"Barn-DoOr-and-G Disense.n
From some ambitious provincial artist
given to the barn door and game disease"
the secretary of the Society OF Washing
ton Artists has received a local paper
containing a column review OF a recently
completed masterpiece. One may have a
suspicion that he is growing old. but it
never bears down so painfully as when he
comes upon writing Of this kind. There
are still cherished scrapbooks somewhere
containing these clippings that chronicle
in lurid phrases the writer's first success
In those days when things like this ap-
peared his cup of happiness was full The
feeling is peculiar and 1t comes but on
! in a lifetime. II is bred in the smaller
cities. 1t is not so common as it once
was, for good art and good schools are so
numerous that genius of this sort finds
small encouragement nowadays, and is
liable at any moment TO be undeceived.
A few characteristic bits are here quoted.
They will bring back to many If not TO
5.
| tender memories of the days that are 10
more"
The picture described is large one. A
life-size window shutter is no Christmas
card, "a Days Hunt is the title. This
is apparently the only up-to-date thing
about the picture. 1t is sufficiently am
biguous.
There is very little hunting going on In
the picture, if one may judge by the fol-
lowing description. That however, is
nothing. for titles, good or bad, are not in
| favor with artists at present. The picture
is thus graphically described by the news
paper critic:
Rabbits. pheasants, and partridges at
tractively arranged and suspended by a
string from the top of an old, weather.
| beaten. time-worn shutter, which is fitted
to window frame. Two old-fashioned
iron hinges lend an added picturesqueness
TO the ancient easement" Then, 1t is "ad-
mirably painted" shows "close observation
and conscientious treatment" OF course.