New-York tribune., 1905-07-02
PARIS ART NOTES.
Versatility of Besaard's U'ork-4n
Original Studio Entertainment
Paris. June L.

Paris. June l..
The Paris art season closes this week with
sn extremely interesting exhibition of the pct-
ures and drawings OF Albert Besnard. The cata-
logue contains over four hundred numbers. Of
which $50 are oil paintings. the rest being
pastel drawings, watercolors and etchings This
IS the first time that nearly all the important
works OF Besnard have been brought together.
/: IS astonishing 10 find how these works har-
rGonize and blend as it were IN one vast chro-
matte scale The decorative effect Is irresisti-
BILE as one enters the Georges Petit Gallery,
Besnard has been described as the painter OF
sensuality. as the exponent OF the Joys Of life
in their most modern aspect But the present
show proves that even in the concentrated
nervous vigor Of his talent he never permits
the most audacious liberty TO become morolo
o. unhealtnful is the case with SO many
contemporary Partisan masters. Besnard's
draughtsmanship seems faultiess. ana as
colorist he charms the senses. There is re-
r1arkahle versatility in the work Of Besnard
II is pity that his ceilings in the Hotel de
Vile and that painted for the Theatre Francais,
and the frescos at the hospital at Berk. and
other mural decorations of this Partisan Goya
cannot be exhibited together with his portraits,
landscapes, open air figures animals. seascapes,
fishing scenes and Partisan interiors. In all
these works one finds strange, fascinating bold
ness OF conception and execution. mingled with
discreet circunspection and naodesty. Delight
fui harmony Of line and color is the essential
characteristic of the exhibition. and there is
not a solitary false note 10 alarm the most re-
fined susceptibility
There is radiant portrait Of the late Princess
MathiIda- in warm roseate tones. beside the
delicate grays and whites OF the Hfe-size por-
trait Of the painters wife. There are the full
length portrait OF Nine. Re5ane in pink the
double portraits on one canvas of the Miles
Dreyrus in hues of pearl and of pale green, and
the portrait painted a summer evening or
Nine. Roger Jourdain which one Of the gems
OF the Salon OF 1886 The sonbre portrait Of Mile.
Gorges painted in 1874. makes pleasing coun-
terpart 10 his latest portrait, that OF the
Countess Pillet-Will, finished last month in
ashen gray and faint green. at once a truthful
likeness and q beautiful picture. There is q
delicious portrait in red and black of Nine. Al
phonse Daudet In a more virile note one hndS
the massive leonine portrait Of the Partisan
deputy NJ. Denys Cochin. with yellow beard ana
tavvny cheveIure: the portrait of NJ. Franz Jour
dain vigorously brushed and colored with brill
liant dashes Of blacks and whites, the pastel por-
trait OF Dr. Pierre DeIbet, and that of M Boivin.
There is a glow of VelasQuez. mingled with the
hy1n!or Of Daumier in the two Seville dancing
girls with castanets. gyrating, with swaying
hips and uIlifted arms, a brilliantly lighted
stage in 2 music hall before audience Of
Spanish men and women, while the projecting
lips Of q young fascinating AndaIusian beauty
uur clouds OF smoke from a cigarette. This
Andalusian profile is placed in the corner Of
the canvaH very much in the same manner that
Whistler Vsed TO put clusters Of reeds or Of