The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-21
On Exhibition Now at the
C0rcoran Gallery.
BOUGHT FOR NEW YORK HOME
Views of Art Critic on the Several
Pictures-Corot Holds the
Center.

loan was secured through the efforts OF
c. c. Glover, trustee and treasurer or
the, gallery. 1t is estimated that the !
pictures are worth q quarter OF a mil
lion dollars.
The collection embraces some two
dozen pictures. gathered from the vari-
Gus art centers of Europe, and will re-
main here until the completion of the
Senator's New York home. The follow
ing comments on the paintings were
made by a well-known art critic:
1.-The fact that Senator Clark is very !
catholic in his views of collecting is |
well known. He bought masterpieces or
various schools and ages. NO 1smS |
do with his likes or dislikes. He was
law unto himself and bought the best
obtainable, irrespective of schools.
Gerard Dou's Rabbi.
Gerard Dou is represented by small
masterpiece OF an old rabbi. which
proves him the best pupil of Rembrandt.
but he borrowed little Of his masters
style and art Dou's talent was all his
own. His pictures, though small. are
gems in their way, finished with care
and intellectual impress.
Portrait of a Dutch woman painted
in the manner of Holbein- is, no mat
ter by whom painted, a great work of
art. By at least one expert it is positive
~ identified as the work of John Asper,
an artist born in 1899, deceased 15I1. He
has painted portraits with so much life
and character that his reputation Is lit
tie inferior to that Of Holbein.
Jacob Ruysdael has a landscape in
the collection, which DR.. Bredius, the
director of the galleries in The Hague
and Amsterdam, considered as one of
the finest landscapes by that master. 1t
is well established that Jacob Ruysdael
designed everything from nature; his
trees ard broken ground are of the most
pleasing form, his skies light and float
ing. and his verdure has an agreeable
freshness. All these qualities DR.. Bre-
dius considered powerfully represented
: in the canvas referred to.
Van Goyen and Rubens.
Two years ago a collection of all works
obtainable by Van Goyen was gathered
and an individual exhibition in Amster-
dam arranged with unexpected artistic
success. The Van Goyen in the Clark
collection is a very fine example. This
artist was one of the earliest of the
Dutch landscape painters. His pictures
have mostly a warm gray tone and Geep
color qualities and while somewhat dark
are very atmospheric. There is also a
fine Wouyermans, study by Rubens
and marine by Van de Velde shown.
Senator Clark has a BijouX, a master
whose paintings are rare in private col
lections.
Some of the important museums in
Europe are lacking in the works Of
Jean Simeon Chardin, out the Montana
man has one of his paintings. This
foremost still-life painter was born in
Paris in 1859. and, after a varied career,
during which he entered the studio of
Coypel he was employed in restoring
~ z,-f1e Tot alNTn
and began painting dead animals and
still life. In i737 he turned his atten-
ton to figure painting, and his well
known "Benedicts" was exhibited In
1740 and gave him a worldwide reputa-
ton. His works are remarkable for
truth and simplicity, as well as for har-
mony of tone and the careful manage
ment of light and shade; no man of
true art feeling can see this little pic
ture 1324 by 1874 inches, and not admire
l. as masterpiece of the highest order
Chardin died in 1T79. His paintings
fetch now enormous prices wherever
one appears for sale, which is rare in
deed
A Valuable Hoopner.
Now we come to the masters of our
own times. and are held by q very mag
nfficent Hoopner. broadly painted and
extremely decorative.
Another is from the brush of the faith
er of the French school of 1890, who.
strange TO say, was not a Frenchman.
but the greatest realistic landscape
painter of England. John Constable.
John Constable. the son of a wealthy
miller, was born at East Bergho1t Suf-
folk. in June, 1T6 His father destined
him for theological studies, but his own
unmistakable genius for art. and Sir
George Heaumonts patronage brought
Ii IN, T fh1a--r 10
admitted as an art student into the
Royal Academy. He painted a few por-
traits and compositions, but his teacher
was nature and his art landscape paint
ing
a Spectator in pictures bought sev-
eral of Constables paintings and sent
them to the Paris Salon Of 1924 This
brought him a gold medal and the idol
atric admiration of the French critics oil
the period. From that time dates his
world fame as one Of the greatest Eng
lish landscape painters. and his reputa-
ton steadily increased until his sudden
death in 1887
The CorOt which is awarded the place
of honor in the center OF the Clark col
lection, is a notable picture. replete with
poetry and fancy. Corot's method tc
paint IN open air peryades the land
scape. and his dream he interprets In
dancing figures. small picture, also
~ Corot. is his early work of the 1897
EsTiod, when he was painting In Italy.
paintings, was one of the earliest inter
prefers Of pictorial Algeria, having been
able, while young, 10 visit the land
and people that suggested the subjects
of most Of his works. The smaller OF
the two pictures is distinguished Inv
striking composition, great dexterity OF
handling and superior brilliancy of color
while the other is somber and must be
the work of his later years, when cor
rectness of geological drawing was more
to him than poetry or purity of color.
OF the two Daubignys exhibited, one
is very strong. a robust tour de force
while the other is a poem on the beau
ties OF a brook and forest.
There is also n notable Decamps, q
Couture and q Ziem A figure piece by
Corot and another one by Bonnat are
recent purchases of Senator Clark from
the Kaufman sale. The Jules Bretor
is a very good example OF that artists
works. A superb Anton Mauye is sim
ely irresistibly charming. Anton Mauve
born a. Zaaudam, North Holland. wa,
neglected during his lifetime. TIL,
writer's of art dictionaries did not know
such man existed The critics, thu
discoveries OF geniuses, were all asleep
He had in 1883 to die to become cele
brated and even after his death his pic
lures were sold at from $500 to Sl.50
each. The school OF Dutch painters
soon drew the attention Of the collector
.pd cdpuoisSeiIr To their achievement