New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-13
ART EXHIBITIONS.
French Paintings at the Union
League Club.

The February exhibition at the Union League
Club consisting Of forty paintings BY modern
French artists Il interesting for two reasons The
works shown are nearly all OF unusually high
olslitv and some OF them represent men who are
not often seen IN our galleries Private collectors
and dealers have contributed 20 the collection IL
reminds Us once more ~ the special good fortune
which America has enjoyed IN respect 10 the Bar
biEou school and the French Romantieists OF tn7
same period. No matter how often good Ilustra-
ton % the art OF Corot for example is desired for
an exhibition IN New-N ork IL f. always torlhcOu-
Ing. There are fewer than seven paintings oy
him at the Union League. and the group Is eStIao'-
diuarly even I'm quality. II contains two or three
rnesteruiaces The Diana Is superb. large land
scare which hardly needed the Introduction Or a
figure n make Il poetic the sentiment aimed az
by tie artist is 80 eoquently expressed IN terms
% atmosphere and color. The Lake Nenh -
another painting 81 -ubtly lyrical charm. almost
sor1brs IN tone but with wonderfully Transparent
quality I'm its shadows Daubigny and Dupre are
both well represented. and there are some me
examples Of Diaz OF the two paintings by Troyon
the more interesting IS luminous Marine.
uIcture with beautiful skv and some teughtfuIy
fresh and delicate blues Both In composition ana
I'm color this IS one os Troyou's most spontaneously
picturesque compositions
Tho large Flower Piece by DelacroiN Is inter
ostirr rs showing what n man Of his gifts can
make OF motive that usually is left commonplace
enough on canvas but the better OF his two PANT
i-rs here is "A Capture by Pirates design
brilliant I'm It's representative 'l 't'l '''-l
handsome IN color. The three pictures by Decamps
are NIL excellent specimens OF that versatile painter
RaIzac may have slightly Overshot the marx When,
Iu his fervld tribute to Decamps he declared that
he could paint a broom with such art HS 10 give
H. II he chose even a tragic significance. but one
may discern In these pictures something or the
quality that the great novelist perceived IN the
work Of HIS friend. II ia the quality that NUS al
most any subject onto genuinely artistic plane.
In ono of the three pictures Shooting with the
Df Il depCfad. in another,
The Farm f.aborer.' plouEhman and his cattIs
are drawn and in the third. The Dehle. becamlS
sketches Eastern scene In no case IS Ms theme
particularly captivating but In every case technique
and st,Is serve TO extort beauty from very ordinary
material We may say much for The GUAR
rierS" by MiIet. n magnificent study or rough
models engaged In rough work. The more or less
unfamiliar painters alluded 10 above are Marlnat
and FIarpignes. BY the former. an Orieutalist Who
had great individuality of style. and was very
distinguished Colorist there Is a typical canvas
'Old Tower Cairo" fine composition With some
mastery painting in It. There arc five landscapes
bv Harpguies. and all OF them are good Ills Work
seems nIvyavs to have been executed In rather dry
light dryer than that used by almost every other
French master OF landscape. yet he is never cold
Indeed his Morning Near Bonny sur Loire. MS
Quiet Pool Near HerissOu' and hts Afternoon III
Dauphine" brim with the vitality of nature
itself Harpignies has a powerful grasp OF tree
and land forms. his composition always possesses
distinction and there is sincerity about MS ART
which gives IL only charm. but peculiar dignity
Now and then "A painting by him finds its way into
one Of our exhibitions. but we do not remember
ever having seen in New-YOrk a group OF his
works so altogether brilliant as the ono which Is
now II tho club The other exhibits which should
he especially noticed are two paintings by Barge.
an interesting little study Of horse by Gertcaut
ard Garden Party" by Monticello. which for
clarity In the definition OF forms and for sober
beauty OF color. Is quite the best example OF this
too often obscure painter which has ever been
seen in this city.