The sun., 1900-12-09
ART NOTES.

The small collection OF pictures by Joseph
l.. Smith Of Boston. now to be seen In the
rooms OF the rchitectural League, Is chiefly
remarkable for what seems TO be an ex-
tremely conscientious and painstaking A.
deity rather than for orig inality or artistic
grasp. The chief end attempted In the
most important and successful pictures
shown has been 10 Reproduce the actual
appearance OF certain sculptors and bas-
liefs, Italian and Greek. The pictures OF
some marble heads on famous tombs. suoh
as that Of CASTOR de Folk at Milan. and Of
Giudsrelli at Ravenna, convey wonderfully
the feeling OF eternal rest sought by the
sculptor. The last named picture was painted
at the request Of Or. Weir Mitchell. who once
wrote a poem upon the fate Of this young
soldier who fell at the battle OF Ravsnna
and IL said TO havo Courted death be cause
lis mistress had ceased To smile.
Two large panels painted bv Mr.. Smith at
the order OF the Boston Museum OF Fine Arts
depict the colored bas-reliefs upon the So
called .arcophagus OF Alex AT der in the Mu g.
cum Of Constsntinople. Thev represent a
spirited battle between Greeks and Per-
slams. Each panel is about feet long and 2
feet wide. Upon the completion OF this
work the Sultan bestowed upon Mr. Smith
the order Of the Med ede. Manv OF the
minor rictures are commissions from Boston
patrons. There Il good head Of Col. Hlggin-
son and also one OF NJ me. Duse
Two very interesting paintings by Claude
Monet are n be seon Just now at different
Fifth avenue galleries. Totally dssimilar,
alike they attract the homs~e Of tho i'm.
pressionst's Disciples and the interest Of all
but the hopeless one Is an admirable North
TIE receptive may see what snow looks ike
20 this painter Of subdvded SUM chit 1t
pictures a bridge and contiguous landscape
at Sandbiken. Norway, and might be called
a study Of snow. which constitutes almost
the whole substance Of tho painting. ex-
certing the structure Of the bridge and some
red notes in a reishboring house Before
the other painting, ut Crist Delmonlco's.
tho ardent Monet disciple stands enraptured
by the beautiful foral colornr Of the "He
aur Or'ies." and the reflections OF the many
hued blossoms in the water.
The sale OF Mr. Sprag,Ie's japanese pos
sessions other than furniture revealed again
the peculiar idea governing so many per-
sons that unless sale Of art products IL
her ldod under tho name of known coll
lcCtor IL cannot bc worth while to buy the
articles. NJ any rate unless they are to he
had at low figures. There were. TO be sure.
comparatively few offerings in the Spraeue
catalogue which might he termed collectors
pieces. in the restricted use of the phrase.
Yet there were enough objects OF interest to
induce william Churchill Oastler. John La
FARCE, Amos Emo. John u. Crimmns. Dick
llalstcd and various parsons screened by
dealers names. to attend the sale and to
10 of Of Io ho, ,,i
nt prices none would call eXtravagant But
It was among the BUYERS at largo that the
governing idea referred to was shown Per-
sons who woald not buy pieces of import
ance in any event. but who like to buy good
things or beautiful ones upon OCCASION had
NOT the confidence in many instances to bid
UP those offered. as would have been done
unhesitatingly had similar pieces appeared
in a collection widely known and disniaed
by important productions.
The fact has not been borne home TO n
sufficient extent that it is really becoming
more difficult to set japanese artists work
of the class distinguished & o 10 the commercial
wares found In tho ordinary stores Mr.
Kirby Of the American Art Association used
tn be somewhat sccrtical. in conformity with
the common feeling. Notwithstanding his
PCkVicki1n a seve, atoms IN the auctionaer's
box, iilor 10 MS JdlAN"~c TOUR last summer.
lie found then to his satisfacti N what many
spp.e have yet to learn. that the good pro-
i'm lions are not to be had readily any longer
eVrn ia Japan. IL seems not to he eeneraliy
known tLdt tho Japanese Government is
lntcrcstiu itself In a very real degree In re-
tanning IN Japan the best expressions of her
artist worknen, and that there are other
purchasers also for these thing. there al
home The Mikado's Government, more
over. upon occasion works through agents
abroad to secure fine Japaneae work that
has gone out of the country
Is D., Jlcnsure to and Hn exhibition Of
paintings 10y one man ana 10 bc able 10 say
truthtully that none Of them Is bad When IL
may also be- said ~ an exhibit Of ten recent
works 10y one painter that the impression pro-
duoed by the collection is good. the irppree-
sion Of faithful student Of nature With the
ability TO paint the moods and aspects that hS