New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-02
BLAKESLEE COLLECTION.
More old and Modern Pictures at
the american art Galleries.

The spring poet II he were by chance 20 turn 70
the picture sales at this end OF the for in
SEPARATION. might wen exclaim ''Old canvas is your
only wear!" To be sure he might be depressed by
some OF the things painted the old canvas. but
this could not prevent his noticing the extraOrdi-
nary prevalence of the kind OF art TO which
fer The latest collection 70 be brought TO the
hammer Is that OF the proprietor OF the Blakeslee
Galleries. in 5th-ave. He has sent It to the Amer
lean Art Galleries. where IL wiz remain on view
until its dispersal az auction. which Is set for next
Thursday and Friday evenings at Mendelssohn
Hail. OF the 124 pictures a few modern; the
bulk Of the collection is made up Of portraits and
other paintings Of the early English. French and
Dutch schools. Among the modern things We have
noticed two interesting landscapes by Mr. George
II. Bogert, glowing bits of color: a charming river
scene. called ''Springtime" by Thaulow. and
couple of popular figure subjects by Henner and
Madrazo.
Mr.. BIakeslee's old masters form one of those
uneven bodies OF work with which, in recent years,
we have been mads familiar. They include
number of decidedly interesting productions, and
many more which the brave attributons in the
catalogue quite fail TO lift out Of the slough OF ute
ter duness. The Dutch pictures are. in the main,
/ more persuasive than either the English or the
French The Dutch Gentlemen by Aart Mytens.
has certain merit, and so has "A Dutch Burgher,
by Ferdinand Boil With these We would group, as
possessing fair but not respondent excellence. Bols
Money Wegher," Aren't de Gelders Blind Simeon
Blessing the Infant Christ" Thomas de Keyser's
Portrait OF Dutch Gentleman" the Portrait OF
Dutch Gentleman by Jan VictoorS-a particu-
larry promising work. save in the painting OF the
hand-and the very handsome full length by Cor
nelis de Vos the Portrait Of Nine. Van der
Geest." On the other hand, there is nothing at all
TO admire in the Dutch Family. attributed to Van
der Helst. painter whose corporation pieces akin
in their brtlliance to those Of Halls. not even
dimly recalled by this nerveess composition. The
portrait by Van den Bosch is not bad The Lord
Burleigh," which in the catalogue is "Ascribed to
] I'D n f1nn
anecdote Of the person who was taking a some
what cynical visitor through his new house. This
is Louis Quinze room' said the host. with
conscious pride What makes you think so? was
the bland reply. The Madonna and Child and St
Catherine attributed to Van Dyck, is equally dis
appointing But we have only praise for the gor-
geous Anne Of Austria, Wife Of Louis XIII" by
Pourbus. In its tight and formal fashion this is
delightfully."- decorative piece Of portraiture.
The best of the French pictures are the Mar
Quise du Chatelet,' reasonably enough attributed
to Largillere-not a fine but stn a fairly good ex-
ample; the ''Marquise de Maily,' given to Nat
tier, and the Marquis Martiliere" given TO
Rigaud The Madame RIgaud." ascribed to the
last named painter. is of slight value and even
less edifying the pictures assigned to Mignard
and Drouais- In a trihing way the 'Vicomtesse de
MontilIet" OF Antoine Vestier is attractive. There
are several paintings from other Continental
schools. but the only things which inspire a mild
interest are the Madonna and Child attributed
Juan Carreno de Miranda and the really engaging
portrait "A Lady OF Venice" given to the school
Of Veronese. The bsg Canaletto IL the entrance
gallery is somewhat dry, but II has a picturesque
quality. and it must be remembered that the
Venetian painter was wont to execute many pot
boiler. In the list OF English pictures, Beechey's
Duke Of Gloucester leaves good impression,
and there is another similarly persuasive portrait
OF a man IN the show. IAN Admiral" by Francis
LemueI Abbott. There IS q pretty touch in the
Lady Boynton and Child" attributed TO Cosway
though none OF the distinction belonging to the
miniatures which his fame was founded A
pleasing specimen Of William Dobson appears in a
Portrait OF Charles T. despite the absence OF that
tonal suavity which characterizes his master
pieces and a charming Cotes Is exhibited In the
Miss Montague Two OF the Lawrences, the
Lady Harriet Ker Seymer' and THE Best Chill
dren" are agreeably characteristic, but we fear
that we cannot diIate with the right emotion over
the paintings ascribed TO GainsboTough Romney,
Reynolds and Wilson. The only remaining paint
inEs Of this epoch which wake any interest are
THE Broken Pitcher" by John Opie and the
Portrait Of Mrs. siddons," attributed to Hoppner
Taking leave Of the exhibition as whole we
wonder as we have wondered before, why old pict-
ures so far below the best works Of the masters in
merit are brought here In such quantities. Pre-
sumably it pays. Criticism, called, positively
CLOVIS in some quarters. over the most common
place driftwood of the auction rooms. and there is
no doubt a purchasing public for great deal OF
lumber which reaches our shores But would it not
nay even better import old masters of the high
est quality? They get into the market often enough
to make the experiment worth while Certainly
genuine and beautiful old master rarely remains
long unsold in this country when a dealer has the
good sense 10 bring it over.
In the space at the American Art Galleries not
occupied by the Blakeslee collection there Is a
quantity Of OrientaIa exhibited by Fu5ita & Co.
T,here ara some good pieces among the porcelans,
but the special interest Of the show resides in the
collection of en1broideries and textiles it brings
forward Some Of the Chinese garments are
superb These things to be sold at the Amer
lean Art Galleries on the afternoons OF April g. Z
and g.