The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-29
ART NOTES.
From Various Exchanges.

From Various Exchanges
The death of Jules Breton, which oc-
CURED at Paris on the 9th of last month,
removed a conspicuous figure from the
field of modern art. Born at Courrieres,
France on May-day, 1927, he early evinced
an aptitude for painting, and before he
was thirty years of age won, among the
artists of Paris, high honor and distinc-
ton. His whole life was series of sue
cesses-medal followed medal, one triumph
was succeeded by another-his pictures
pleased the public and were approved by
his fellow painters. His work was pop
ular and yet at the same time good. Like
Milet he gave his life to picturing the
peasant people, but unlike him he never
showed them bending beneath the burden
of toll. Either he did not know the hard
ships of labor or he preferred to forget
them, for the themes he chose were al
most universally joyous and set forth the
heyday Of life. They were, perhaps, not
inspiring or strengthening, but they were
restful and attractive. 1t was the re-
verse of the shield which he proclaimed
the joy rather than the WEAKNESS of ltv-
ing Take, for example, that character
istic canvas Returning From the Field,
WHICH the late Mr.. Walters purchased at
the Morgan safe ana Is sui III
his sons collection. Three peasant girls
are seen returning at evening from the
fields not work-worn and weary, but Wig
orous and full of rejoicing. His peasants
are always in accord with nature rather
than warning with the elements. Romance
appealed to him. but not human prob
lens. With a keen sense of the pictorial
he painted those things which were
pleasing to the eye-and yet he was some
thing better THAN a picture maker, for
what he painted he painted well He was
an excellent technician a good draughts-
man and an Industrious worker. The
Luxembourg owns several of his best
works and into almost every public gal
lery and private collection Of note one or
more have found their way. The Cor
coran gallery is fortunate in the possess
sion of an exceptionally fine example,
portrait study of a Brittany Widow
who carries to the altar of st. Ann the
virgin patroness Of Brittany sailors, a
taper to the memory of her husband. It
is a strong, vigorous painting. more pro-
found In its sentiment than the ma
jorty of Breton's work. and with all more
! broadly painted. lie Fin du Travail"
owned by Senator Clark and recently ex-
| hibited in the loan collection at the Cor
J coran gallery, is another notable example.
while with some of his other best known
| works in America may be mentioned tho
/ ious Procession in Brittany in the Met
ropoltan museum, New York; the Rain
bow" owned by Mr.. George w. Wander
, bilt and the Potato Harvest" which is
to be found in the Pennsylvania Academy
of the Fine Arts at Philadelphia
The leading topic of conversation In
English art circles, In spite of the fact
that this is the season for exhibitions In
London, is the purchase by the Duveens
of the famous Hainauer collection for
9250O00 and the efforts being made to re-
tain the collection as a whole IN the
United Kingdom. Oscar Hainauer died
some years ago. and all kinds OF offers
for the collection have been made to his
widow by German and French collectors.
The Berlin museum wanted 1t, but was
unable to pay the sum demanded. The
news that the treasures have been pur-
chased by London firm has created con-
sternation among German art lovers.
The collection Is quite a small one, but
almost every object in 1t is a masterpiece.
1t consists OF paintings statuary, bronzes,
rnajoiica, Limoges enamels, and early
Flemish tapestries akin to those made for
the great Dukes of Alva and those In the
Escuria1. The pictures number over thir-
| t., ana ipes;ide examples priced by many