New-York tribune., 1900-07-22


Paris July I. 1900
rvou ask q Frenchrnan what he thinks Of an
American artist the odds are that he viii Ss,,
81 good ore or bad one. "FIe has much tai
yrt~ This inspires a doubt as 10 whether the
French really care for anything our painters and
s--,rtars may DO. Ignorance and indifference
sazr7 70 De- implied by such stereotyped comment
have heard an eminent French critic use this
nacl-eye6 phrase in speaking Of an American
rafrrer vh0m most Of Us consider a man of
genius But that same American has been hon
o-as hv The French Government and q little in
esreati7u teaches Us that in matters of art the
action is hare more generous and Just than the
s9eech No Cne rhEps0dizes over anything. un-
less IT be so-le faerart sensation in the Salon
shock TIE critics and they viii say hvsterfcaI
-rf7gs Only the veteran ike Carolus Duran or
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS or Degas is sure Of being
laad=d as master. whether he exhibits good
work c- inferior In the main, praise is eau
raus,v bestowed and practical encouragemen
is offered instead with this thought in mind. it
is vo--h while 10 approach the American section
IN The Fine Arts Building at the Exposition by
way NJ several other points in the panorama of
Paris that shed light on the subject.
II The Ecole des Beaux Arts the American
Students at this moment oUInumber all the other
foreigners put together. In the Luxembourg the
room devoted TO alien schools contains paintings
by nine or Ten Of our countTymen: not all. to be
ea-6.E. are worthy 4 the distinction. but Whist
lsr and Sargent give one d thrill Of pride The
fcrners portrait OF his mother is quite the
modest work in the Museum. and Sargent's
-Czrme1cira." in q more obviously brilliant way
IS also superior TO any Of the French paintings.
Both. as il happens, recall Velasquez, but both
are IN the last resort, essentially original mas
-s--Ea-ae any rafD~fugS in he Eo,,-e
are sure q transferrence 10 the Louvre after the
artists are dead these two are at the head Of
The list. II the sculpture gallery Mr.. Augustus
s. Gaudens has lately been received. The por-
trait uedallions which are partly TO represent
him are not yet in place. but the beautiful
bronze relief Love and Charity has been put
On exhibition Here again one rejoices in a fell
low couutry-nan- The relief is OF an angel.
Standing with arms uplifted. a tablet in her
hands bearing the words that give the piece its
title. a Greek motive might be discerned in the
drape-ies # they were not modelled with shade
more freedom than We associate with classic art,
and I the mark of an intensely individuaIzed
stvle were not visible in every detail. This indi-
viluaIity IS especially potent in the face, which
is profoundly tender. All around, among the
French statues is extraordinary workmanship,
pur al the service Of conventional ideas and ma
teralistic feeling. The Love and Charity
protects into the mute assem- mblage Of marble
and q bronze note Of living spirituality; 1t is
rich in thoughtful expression amid dozens of
sJulless masks Of St Gaudens it was said TO
ne the other day by a noted French collector of
rronzas and medals that he had much talent
-ae colorless tribute all over again-but the
French could net well do more in honoring the
american sculptor than they have done in wei
coming aim 10 the Luxembourg. I have just
been informed by the way, that Mr.. Alexander
Ha-ris0n's well known canvas, In Arcadia
has also been purchased by the State, and Will
presently enter the Luxembourg.
The gracious reception accorded TO Mr.. Daniel
C. French's statue OF Washington and Mr.. Paul
Barrletr's Lafayette when they were unveiled q
few days ago has already been noted in the
cable dispatches. Il may be added here that
both statues have been erected upon perfect
sites. The Washington is in the Place de Jena,
With plenty Of space around II. Il is not the
most interesting work that Mr.. French has pro-
duced but II is dlguifed in conception and ca
Qaby executed q credit to him and 10 America
The pedestal is severely simple, as BELTS a statue
Of which The first Characteristic is quiet strength
NJ BarrIett's Lafayette is in q lighter, more
picturesque. style animated, and perhaps little
commonplace. Il has not been rendered any
ECre attractive by the pedestal, which is a SIN
gularly weak variation on the lines Of the IA
nous pedestal surmoUnted by Verrocchios
Cole0ni IN Venice. The French, however, have
not looked this gift horse in the mouth. They
have placed the monument in the Place du Car
TCusel. whore il is emhowered among trees, and
has f7- further background the stately walls
o. the Louvre. The generosity shown in the
natter os these permanent memorials has been
Repeated in the temporary arrangements OF the
great Exposition. On entering the Porte
Lg-ur-z~rz1- ora i-lrnedfc .nly encounters ryVO
Important works By Mr.. Phinister Proctor, the
animal sculptor and several other Americans
nave their statues conspicuOusly displayed else
where in The oI-n air, notably ST GaUCens and
@laeNonnes Not only has st. Gaadens's eques-
tlan statue Of Sherman been placed ef-
tectTeIy as was possible in the overcrOwded
sculpture court Of the Fine Arts Building, but a
REPRODUCTION Of his Shaw monument in Boston
is suD@rbiy disposed at the head Of the stair
case that leads directly TO the American section
II the exhibition Of pictures
The painters. no less than the sculptors. have
received the most friendly treatment They
nave six rooms on the main floor and one in the
Easement, just allowance compared with that
gwen To each other foreign nation, and all that
We needed. The upper rooms are well lighted,
ana good. reDOsefUI coIors have been used for
eAe decoration Of them. The ample space has
1sen fairly well handled by the Hanging Com
A-'tee Stories are toId-stories that would fill
page of The Trioune-about conflicts between
nos members of the committee who came from
NsR-Ko-k and those who have lived for years in
s5ls This talk may have been amusing or
e1asperatiHg while the collection Of 80 pictures
@s being hung. Now II is fat stale and un-
pi'nta5e, and the quarrels are only worth men
-oIag as the possible explanation Of the few
-'S upon the general scheme. There is, for eX-
o--ple. z large nicture by Mr. Ridgeway knight.