New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-16
SALON OF FRENCH ARTISTS
Not Many Good Worss IN Wider,
ness of Labored Mediocrity.



ment. The pedometer in an art critics walstcoas
pocket recorded $500 paces-roughly speak,
ing. two and half miles-as notebook IN hang
the galleries were consclentiOusly visited from
No / 20 No 40 The wilderness OF labored nnedi-
ocrity and the incongruity OF colors fatigue tbs
eyes. turn the head. bewilder the brain am
produce a sort OF chromatio intOxicat1on. IN
this great official Salon the artists are classed.
graded and placed with the precision OF MILL
tary rank. The Academicians-held marshaIs
and generals of the palette-who have won their
medals and geld lace by occasionally brilliant
achievements, enjoy for the remainder OF their
lives the comfortable cimaise and the centres
OF the most conspicuous panels. The younger
men and newcomers are relegated 70 obscure
hooks and corners. and one has TO seek for
them. like a sportsman in quest OF woodcock or
quail amid disconcerting myriads OF magpies
and sparrows. A second visit to the Salon Is
always more favorable. for one is enabled 70
eliminate a couple OF miles OF tedious crudity
and misdlrected energy. and concentrate atten-
ton upon fifty or sixty really good works
What a pity IL Is that ever since David was
commanded by Napoleon to paint the Corona
tion in N0tre Dame Cathedral IL has been the
practice OF successive governments TO comment
crate on canvas official functions which compel
the artist to group together battalions Of min
listers. ambassadors and nonentities. For this
OF the Institute. to paint huge picture OF the
reception OF the thirty odd thousand mayors OF
French towns and villages in the garden OF tbs
Elysees Palace by President LOubet in 1900.
President LOubet awarding the prizes for the
Worlds Fair OF 1900 Is COMMUNICATED IN
large, highly cOlored decorative picture by Fran
els Tattegrain. and the ceremony OF the centen-
airy OF Victor Hugo executed for the Versailles
Museum. is skilfully handed down to posterity
III n Eenff nF-
nclal painter who accompanied President LOub.t
to Algeria, delineates the Oriental episodes OF
the tourney in two broad expenses OF canvas.
representing reviews OF Arab hOrsemsen and
"fantasias." into which he has thrown brill
fancy OF color suggestive OF Fromentn- An
other conscientious protocol" picture IS the
enormous portrait by Leon Abry OF the King OF
the Belgians in full uniform. on a superb, pranc-
ing charger, followed by aides-de-camp. review
ing his army. Military pictures are. however,
few and far between in the Salon
This year pictures that most please the Paris
ian taste are sketches OF quiet. everyday life
such as the ''Veille' OF Joseph Bail In a spa
cious room in a farmhouse half a dozen women
are seated before a large wood fire engaged at
their needlework around a bright lamp provided
with a powerful reflector, while young girl
reads aloud TO them. This custom. known as ths
"veille" prevails in French rural districts. whers
the women. in order 20 economic lamp oil and
fuel gather together by turn In tbs house Of
each in the long winter evenings The problem
OF light. IN rays from the central lamp. from
another smaller lamp which peasant woman
holds in her hand as she enters the room, and
from the warm glow OF the briskly flaming log
fire. IS masterfully treated. The Corner OF tha
Dinner Table" by Paul Chabas. Is exceedingly
clever. Two men and two women IN evening
dress are seated at a luxurlOusly laic and brill
iantly lighted dinner table. They are listening
20 some amusing story told by an invisible
guest-for only portion OF the table Is seen
In the picture. There IS delightful transparency
and luminosity in the rays OF the electric pink
shaded lamps. The crystal and silver decantsrs,
the wine glasses. half filed with sparkling
champagne: the damascsns sheen OF the nns
linen tableoloth. the Sevres plates. the flowers
the fragile bejewelled fingers OF the ladies
dainty resting on the table, the graceful nnes
and warm coloring OF bare shoulders. the laces
and gowns and the chestnut and black tresses
are presented with nervous vsor and distine-
ton. The "Debutante." young woman in
pale coored satin gown. fun face 20 the spec
tator. making a courtesy with gleeful smle.
painted by Walter MacEwen. OF Chicago. stands
forth from its pink background IN strong relief.
The "Adagio" also by MacEwcn. picture OF \
Dutch maiden listening to her betrothed playing
a musical instrument. painted against food OF
broad daylight. IS Il charming work. showing
remarkable dexterity In catching the effects OF
light on soft textures. The story os the Past
by Louis Ridell. is Gelicately toned picture Of
two women seated by candle light at dinner
table. cozily taking coffee. while dark eyed boy
hiding behind his mothers chair. is listening
20 the exchange OF condolences. probably con-
corning the lads absent father.
Devambez is seen ut his best this year. Les
IncOmpris'' can hold its own with anything pro-
duced by Daumier. Five men and women are
slipping beer absilthe at a marble table in a
cheap cafe They are disappointed. misunder-
stood artists. An agsressively successful. lion
headed woman. with gray corkscrew curis and
grasping in her hand pamphlet upon which
is inscribed in large letters the word Art
plants herself at the table and. with her violet
ribbon OF the cross 81 the Academy on her left
breast. erouses the ire of the broken down.
penness. ever thirsty. absinthe drinking. bird
of-the-night artists. who are ever and forever
Observation-Disclosures incompris" Another pict-
ure by Devamber Is the trial OF Jean Vatican.
the hero OF Victor HUSo's LES MIsera5les." az
the Lille assizes. The red clad judges the black
booted gendarmes the lamplight and the dismal
courtroom effectively painted faultless IN
color but not altogether so In drawing 70, a
young painter from the Basque provinces. places
himself well TO the 'front.' this wear with his ad-
mirahe picture OF the "AgundOra" or Sevillian
water girl, and with his three Spanish plea
dorcs on their steeds waiting outside the arena
for the hullhght TO begin. one OF these works
viii probably find its way into the Luxen bours
Museum. The "AguUdora" Is life-sized girl IN a
vvbfta rOyyu sDOttad with btra ssofak basfda A