New-York tribune., 1902-02-08
ART EXHIBITIONS.
THE f. F. M1LL1KEN co11.rc-

~ -
at auction on Friday evening, Fehruarv "A :. = sh
delssohn Hall. II contains only twsnt-v,, Aes
Some of these are Of great value and NJ. VA
bad. trivial or duh. The list is as vsrt.. uae
dignified and interesting; Titan and Deg. M, :
and William N. Chase. Puvis de Chavsnr.l his,
Adoiphe Monticello are among those who hs,r. - a
The Titan Is noble portrait OF a ~,
"Giorgio Cornaro' long known as one % -. - ne
ures at Castle Howard. 1t Is one OF -. as
Nenetian's more restrained canvases WITH -1
the sumptuous color. none OF the dovsnv Ld
work. which remember in certain 40 "a, 80
traits but with all OF the technical nnasta-, pe
distinction OF style In which his genius !, ~
claimed The bearded Southerner. playing w,. ~
falcon. who Is represented in this patnf,,v : =
dark costume. against dark BACKGROUND
light falls on the muzzle OF the dog at his 81 -
his tawny face and hand. and on the mi, 49,
linen at his throat tt is simple scheme - 80
broad masses. handled IN the grand rnanna- . q
the analysis Of the features IS wonderfulv oa'
ing the warm surfaces OF the flesh are 49,
with profound deiicacy. Over the whole f,-sa
thrown the quiet splender OF the golden 49,
portraiture- true Titan Is this; the kips = " y
master that we See only at long intervals in -
local galleries. The other old master in ~. :,
is The cuack Doctor OF the Flemish Van A.
Heuvel. bit OF humorous genre, with some bean.,
fully fat color
Several nne souvenirs OF the Barblzon rror, -.
present. but they may be ignored for the noms,s :
favor OF a few paintings by Frenchmen far a.
familiar to the general public, especially Dsv,.
and Manet. The three examples OF the former =.
extremely characteristic Only one Les Couis~.-
is what might be called a beautiful picture. -,
in this brilliant interior study with rs s,s
guished design and consummate lighting thsrs A.
ballet dancer whose strained attitude forced s,,
our attention in the foreground. strikes thar no.,
of almost brutal indifference TO grace Of for, :
which the painters disgust of the Academy rats.
than any new and original conception OF beauty
so frequently made manifest. Les Courses
study of racehorses. has loveliness save thst 4.
atmosphere delicately rendered The small uaxs.
"Loge des Danseuses'' Is an almost ugly M, :,
realism Yet every one OF these pictures has he n
terest OF essentially artistic individuality svs
one OF them has style. II is possible To ov.5-rs
mate the art OF Degas. II Is the fashion in so-.
quarters to maintain that since Velasquez IA,
have been only two painters. Whistler and tbs !.
voted celebrant OF dancers. jockeys and u,spr
women. His skill in representing ballet giri r.,
racehorse in action Is adored with bated brssn
One may appreciate him without going SO far Ia
is not a colossal genius. He is simply an INTEREST,"
ing personality in art; extraordinarily apt In t.,
nique. but chiefly arFesting 70 the impartial A
server because he looks at his material In a var
OF his own. envelops 1t in the indednable glarrn.
of style. and so commands interest, even when n,
gives nothing, in the higher sense 10 extort a.
miration. The significance of Manet is much n,
same though as a man of equally pronouncsi
idiosyncrases he makes, OF course, his own d
culiar appeal The curious marine here bv N,
noted impressionist, "SOrtie du Port de Bouloguss
with it's toy boats dottins sea that IS everythns
but watery. has In its piquancy OF design and ..
color more OF the flavor OF decoration than a
nature. But with Degas. individuality Of ms,h.
cd and OF style comes to the rescue: as Technical
Improvisation. IL not a picture the work IN.
terests. lie F'uIneur." less eccentric. far hettss
balanced IN conception. and more reasoned IN exc
eution, is perhaps OF greater value as justiacara
OF Manet'S fame. II illustrates the sheer power a
pigment and handling the success which Manss
achieved when he threw overheard every aim savs
that OF expressing the facts OF human form "a
terms OF paint. A painter. not unnaturaliy. might
regard this as the best OF all successes. IN tas
mean time. we fear the world will so on aszing ~
something more; It viii never deny 2Ianst his Ehs
eninenee. but 1t viii give the more honersd pa,s
10 art Ot subtier ssnsuous charm and OF higaa
imaginative power.
There is a painting in this collection. TEsDs-
rance" by Puvis de Chavannes to whsch n q
measure. this more precious homage might Be pa1
The giTlish figure 10 white. seated amid runs Il
heavy masonry. with oth.r signs q dssolznus
around her. shattered walls, graves. and bsrFsI
landscape. typIfes the genius OF France. rising o
domitable from the disastrous conflict with PFs
sia- One thinks inevitably OF LovelPs lines:
beautiful. My country. Ours once more,
Smoothing thy gold OF war disheveIied hair
Der such sweet brows as never other wore,
And letting thy set lips.
Freed from wraths pale eclipse
The rosy edges OF their smile lay bare
The French painter rousss. for a moment. m
very emotion that is called forth BY the Amerczi
poet. But the moment passes. and one remains Cd
before this indubitably fine production. Whyf Az
together, We fancy. because form. with Puvts q
Chavannes as with the Italian PrimiIiveS b .
often echoed. was apt TO suffer lamentaos a.
tenuation; physicguomy with him, as with tssss
predecessors OF his. was apt TO lose in humanity
what IL gained IN ecStatic rapture. The ha1 IN IA
Agure is that II expresses a permanently sa=1i
race, rather than strong one temporarily exha1i'
ed by great military crisis. One recognizes n
loftinesS of the painters aim but cannot Asf
his failure to reach the heroic plane on which gn'
bolism OF this sort must rest II IL Is 20 b 80
ytneingly symbolicaL More fellcitous in It's Flg q
'The Ball of Fire by Monticello al the othsi nj
OF the scale. There Is spirituality IN this sss
is no intellectual force: there is dramatic =.
plicatton- There Is nothing the luxury
color. The ballroom and the garden. The eA1csrs
the illumination. are all h~ndled 50 many nous
in an arrangement OF color. kind Of art which
almost Invariably arid But the picture san
praised Tor one thing-it expresses perfectly 20
artists ideal Indeed. for this 1t is Of the veg
best OF the very few good pictures by MonucAa
which have been exhibited in this city.
The Landscape by MiIlet is the brilliant si1''
OF cloud wrack which will be remembered as cru
ing part OF the noted Spencer collection IN
mountain top in the foreground Is Of rnpornn'
as giving basis for The composition and a fe's
hold for the animal whose grotssque form ool'
vaguely In one corner; but the beauty OF the So.'
resides IN the superbly modelled sky. Corots :.
Sebastian has in all its accustomed sweetness y
poetic Interpretation OF Landscape senuH1--
though the masses Of foliage lack the uenlluN
Interplay of lIght which does so much 20 s'Fs -
TO his work. and the group OF dsures in the 20
ground Is neither engaging IN itself nor neces'+'
the homogeneity OF the picture. There Is :. !,
quiste coast scene by Daubgny. The CA-
ViIlervilIe" a painting full OF tender feeling
lovely color; by Rousseau there Is bold SUI.
rocks and waves. Coast Of Portugal" ana -
''Montmartre." formerly. like the Daubigny'
". H. Fuller collection, gives a good ace04-
the art OF Michel, single canvas FepssS,