New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-26
THE KING COLLECTION.
Portraits by Early English and French
Masters

The collection formed by Mr.. David H. King jr
is now on exhibition at the American Art Galleries
1t consists of seventy paintings. which will be sold
at Mendelssohn Hall on the evening OF Friday
March 81, and of antique furniture Oriental rugs
etchings, engravings and water colors which will
be disposed of the afternoon of the same day al
the place where they may now be seen. The miscel-
laneous objects in the collection may dismiss
with the remark that the old furniture includes
some beautiful pieces and that few of the prints
are worthy of notice. The paintings the other
hand, require more specific description. They are
mostly portraits canvases of the decorative char
acter which has OF late been popular among the
wealthy owners of stately dwellings in city and
country a good deal of this sort OF thing has
strayed into the auction within the last ten
years, but not often has collection so good Mr.
Kings been brought to the hammer.
II mas Its modifying spots OF the two Mignards
only one. the Catherine Mignard," is worthy of
that imposing seventeenth century courtier. The
Dig Largilhere. THE Marquise &c Lafayette" is
handsome enough in its way. but it is not half SO
good as the far less important Duo de Pen
thleVre or the Madame d'Henin'' Among the
three Leys. too there Is only one the 'Mr. Leneve
alderman of Norwich" which is q first rate ex-
ample Of tho painter. Bat the great strength of
this collection resides in the fact that there is
nothing in it actually bad and that the majority of
the portraits 1t contains of unusual degree Of
excellence. One does not need to rank the "Sr
Fatrick Blake with Sir Joshua's masterpieces In
order to find it interesting It is after ALL one of
MS characteristic thngs-a pot boiler perhaps but
only such pot boiler ne could have painted.
Inc TWO other portraits from his brush, Lady
Sc rah Bdnbury' and Mrs. Tales" likewise give a
lair II lot precisely triumphant account of them
selves Romney's Mrs Clarke leaves US cold and
so does his Thomas ThornhilL" So again does
his Lady Hamilton as Bacchante" but we find
pleasure in the pure grays of his Miss Lockwood"
Out Of the four Raeburns we would choose 1.-THE
Duke of Portland" and the Portrait of a Gentle
man." The latter. a small study of a head, is g.
mastery piece Of modelling and It has all of Rae
burns lnpidity In the tones
single specimen OF Beechey, uncomfortable but
good is In the collection, and Hoppner comes of
we'll In his Lady St Asaph'; his Portrait OF a
Gentleman" is uninteresting. None of the five
Gainsboroughs revive the witchery we associate
with that shining name. There Is an equal num-
the Duchess OF Buckingham and tbs Master
Kenwood Shaw seem to US OF any moment
Among the Frenchmen. In addition TO those al
ready noted We must cite Natter and Drouais.
The latteT>s ''AIaTquise de BreteuT' is a capital
piece OF French art. graceful elegant and ire
slstible in its refined artihca. The Matters are
not any OF them resplendent as we have known
products OF his brush to be- but all three or them
are lovely. polished thngE Mr.. King has three
portraits by Vigee LIE Brun and two Of them. the
''Marquise de Safray'' and the Shine Vestris 81
are entirely charming The first OF these IS In
deed, perfect illustration Of the accomplished
ladys fashionable art We have nothing to say
IN admiration of the Portrait OF a Lady given
to Vatican. but would take leave OF this COL
lection in friendlier strain not only for the sake
or the fine portraits at which have glanced but
for the sake OF further handful OF good old pict-
ures by Pourbos, John Russell and John Crome
and tho group OF modern paintings in which there
are some fine things by Corot, Fromentin, Ribet.
Monticello. Harpignes and other noted Europeans.