New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-21
FLEMISH ART.
WINTER SHOWS IN LONDoN-VAN EYCKS
AND MEMLINGs AT THE NEW GAL
LERY-vAN DYCKs AT BURLING-
TON HOUSE


There are signs of cooperation rather than
rivalry in the winter art shows opening to-day
At burlington House there is a unique exhibit
ton of the works of Anthony van Dyck, in
which English private collections have even
larger resources than the Continental galleries.
and this is supplemented at the New Gallery
by a comprehensive display of the portraits
and religious pictures OF the Early Flemish or
Gothic school, and also of examples of Rubens,
Van Dyck's master. and of the Early British
school Of portraiture and landscape painting,
which was strongly influenced by each of the
two great Flemish painters, The two winter
exhibitions when taken together have high
educational value, although they are not likely
70 rival in popularity the Rembrandt and Burne-
Jones collections of last year at Burlington
House and the New Gallery. Mr.. j. H. Weale
by his Introductory notes the Flemish school
OF painting, with which the catalogue of the
New Gallery is prefaced. opens the way for in
telligent study and examination Of these works
In the West Room and Balcony of the New
Gallery there are 1O4 examples of the
Early Flemish school, and 1t is fairly
comprehensive exhibit. although not a few
of them, as an act Of courtesy to the own
ers are attributed TO men who did not paint
them. There are five under the name of Jan
van Eyck the pioneer of painting in OIL and
one by a pupil. Among these six quaint pict-
ures The Holy Women at the Sepulchre," from
the gallery Of Sir Francis Cook. is consocuo''S
from ahalogies of style with the masterpiece OF
the two brothers, the Alteration Of the Lamb"
the famous altar piece of St Bavon. Client
The white robed angel seated the tomb sug-
gests at once the beautiful angel in the "Adora-
ton" and in the sleeping guards and in the
Virgin and the two Marys there are the same
vividness OF delineation and purity of color
The green mound of the Mount OF Olives the
fantastic towers and houses of Jerusalem and
the cavalcade of horsemen on the rocky road
fill the middle distance. Another picture at
tributed to Jan van Eyck is the Head of
Christ in which the jewels edging the crimson
robe are not painted with the fidelity and liter
alness for which the Flemish painter was IA
nous "St Mary Magdalene and the Donor" Is
an inferior work for which the two brothers
Van Eycl are held accountable. The Madonna
from Lord Northbrook's collection is charac-
teristie work of Jan van Eyck, darkened by
age but with minute and literal painting Of
fabrics embroideries and flowers, and there Is
similar picture, apparently from the same
hand which has been lent by Mr. Fletcher
Moulton Lord Northbrook's Van Eyck has the
best claim to authenticity, but Sir Francis
Cooks is a medieval work of great power
There are three examples of Diedrick Bonts's
art two Nadonnas and an altar piece with
Gideon and the fleece and Moses and the burn
Ing bush-each interesting, although 1t may be
difficult to obtain proofs of the Flemish painters
handicraft. There are five works attributed to
Hugo Van der Goes, and there are traces in
them of Jan van Eyck's influence. The Glasgow
picture by this artist is the gem of this early
collection Lord Northbrooks Virgin and Child
Enthroned," once assigned to either Van Eyck
or TO Mernling is a chaste and beautiful work
by Van der Weyden, and there are two other
examples of this art. There are five Memlings,
the best of them Mr.. Bodley's Virgin and Child
with Saints" and the Madonna with Angels,
from the Duke Of Westminster's collection. They
are not the rnarvels of medieval art which are
seen in the Hospital OF St John in Bruges but
Mr. Bodley's picture strongly suggests the
greater work and all reveal the same innocent
delight in the beauty of nature end the same
strain Of decorative talent in miniature panels
There are three Gheeraert Davids, many
quaint works of Joachim Patinis. three reputed
to be by Civetta, and five by Quentin Matsys,
the last Of the early school, with cearness Of
color and refinement of method. There are
dozen examples OF Mabuse including Adam
and Eve" which has been lent by the Queen,
and minor artists of the Flemish school
also represented. The National Gallery has
strong collection of Early Flemish art, but the
spacious West Room of the National Gallery
contains an exhibit even more comprehensive in
range
The North Room is mainly filed with works
bearing the name of Rubens, but the collection,
while made from the best private galleries in
England. is surpassed by the wonderful exhibit
OF the National Gallery. 1t contains six
derful sketches Of the STORY of Achilles. the
Duke of Hamilton's Daniel in the Lions Den,"
the Glasgow Corporations wild Boar Hunt"
the Duke Of Westminsters Dismissal Of Ha-
gar" the Queens Diana and Her Nymphs"
Lord Northbrook's Abraham and Melchisedek''
and many landscapes, portraits, studies and
drawings; but the walls lack the marvellous
richness and glow OF color Of the Rubens rooms
Of the National Gallery or of the Museum at
Antwerp. The collection in the South Room
is designed to illustrate the influence of Rubens
and Van Dyck upon the early masters of Brit
ish art. There are landscapes by Gainsborough
Constable, Turner and George Moreland and
there portraits by Reynolds, Gainsborough
homney, Hoppner and Raeburn. The most ia
NOUS portrait is Sir Joshua Reynolds's Mrs
Nesbitt as Gree" but the Gainsboroughs and
Romneys are also finished examples of the art
OF portraiture in England. 1t is a restfuI and
invigoratIng hour that one NAV mass IN +be
New Gallery during these whirIing days of war
excitement and public depression.
The Van Dyck exhibition at F3,rl,re+on tIo,,.o
excites less curiosity among experts than the
extraordinary collection Of early Flemish art
because the genuineness Of the pictures cannot
De questioned; but it is wonderful sbou,
winch VIII delight every lover of high art II
includes l29 out Of 1000 works which are
ssc'loeo 10 Van Dyck, and the finest examples
OF ms later or English period. II is supple
mented by over hundred drawings and Dor
traits in grisaille, etched by himself or renro
cuceo by engraVers. cannot compare this ex-