The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-27

A Collection of Ancient Canvnsses at the
Academy of Design.

| Academy OF Design.
The Folts Mission Institute is an educational
esta blishment at Herklmer. n. Y. where the
chief courses OF study are the Bible and bibll-
| cal literature. Christianity and other religions.
sociology and church pedagogy. It's founder,
Mr. George T. Folts. a philanthropist and a
good man no doubt has been for some time a
collector OF pictures. and has rented for an in
definite period the galleries OF the National
Academy OF Design. Twenty third street and
Fourth avenue. In order to exhibit for the
benent OF tbs Mission Institute the canvasses
he has acquired. and has caused statement
TO be placed In the catalogue that the present
10 preliminary catalogue OF a much larger
collection OF paintings which will later be ex-
hibited In Its entirety with the full descriptive
catalogue. for tho benefit OF the Folts Mission
Institute. The present exhibit. with the pre-
liminary catalogue has been made in order
that the unusually large number OF people IN
the city at the present time may have an op-
portunity to view them. The com plste exhibit
ton Will be made rs soon as proper prepare
ton Ia possible" From this it will be seen
that the eighty nine canvasses now in the gal
leries are only a foretaste OF the feast to como
Another statement in the catalogue Is likewi
OF interest. 1t Is that tho attributions given
these pictures are those accorded to them at
the time Of purchase. In forming the col
lection more attention has been given to
bringing together pictures OF great merit
them to the names OF the artists to whom they
are attributed" The task Of the critic Ia thus
greatly smpli0sd. The catalogue contains
such names as the following: Rubsns. Sir An
thony Van Dyck. Andrea del Sarto. Tiepolo,
Vatican. Guido REM. Terburg. Ribera. Cuyp.
Jan Stsen. Van Ostade. Tintoretto. Wouver-
mans. Holbein. Correggio. Sir Joshua Rey-
nolds and Titan. 1t is a fair statement to
nla thot tk.tl
bulls eye in every case In which these old mas
tiers are concerned Two pictures credited to
Holbein. No. "A and No. 10. are probably the
work OF painters OF Holbein's time and are not
unattractive. the portrait OF a lady with an
deliberately painted costume mo. IA. being
both pretty and conscientious in execution
There 10 some merit In tho picture Reading
from the Poets" No. IL. attributed TO Vatican,
and Tho Professor" No. 10. by de Keyser 10 at
least effective in general aspect This 10 true
also OF q Jordaens. "A Saint" No. b5. Tho
Death OF Dido" No. "a. asoribed to Sir Joshua
Reynolds. can only be described as "a corker"
A special and lengthy notice is given to very
large, long canvas hung In the north gallery
II is called THE Conquest OF Mexico" This
magnificent Oil painting. In the historical class
product OF the first order Of genius. 10 OF tho
Spanish school OF the latter half OF the six
teenth oentury-it represents by tableaux OF
evonts. the progressive conquest Of Mexico by
fernando Cortez and his band. from the land
Ing at Vera Cruz in the year 1913 until the
second surrender OF the City OF Mexico on
Aug. Is. 1921. after tho immortal siege Of
seventy-seven days. This picture 10 the ex-
preston Of one of the largest ideals OF genius
which has ever been attempted in art" There
is great deal m ore. beside these quotations.
in an explanatory and apprsciative vein. The
work. such as it is. belongs to no recognized
school OF painting. and is unusually bad as
panorama.
The collection as o wholeipresents an air OF
antiquity. for most OF the oanvasses have tho
appearance OF age Most OF them are sombre
and mellow In tone. The frames. however. are
bright and nav. A few peturee by modern
painters are included. Among these "Prepar-
ing the Meal" No. rs. Is large. wsll-known
Dom position by the French painter Grolleron
Landscape" No. "a. signed by II. Hanoteau,
celebrated French landscape painter. is similar
in subject to one by Hanoteau in the Luxem-
bourg Gallery at Paris. 1t 10 probably either a
large study for the Paris picture or a hurrisdly
painted replica. 1t 10 hardly possible to expect
a success d'estns for the exhibition. but 1t may
have a success OF curiosity 1t 10 the first in the
field In tho art season OF 1899 1900. and the
fact that 1t 10 given for the benefit OF what 10
probably a worthy institution would make it
pleasant to speak we'll OF 1t II there were any
way to do 80 without seeing the pictures