New-York tribune., 1906-05-13
THE FRENCH SALON.
Features Of Exhibition Of Society of
French Arfists.
Paris AfaM q

Hfical exigencies IN several periods OF its exis-
,.nce holds this spring its l24th exhibition There
ors ave thousand numbers an the catalogue. and
q Is interesting TO note that OF the nine hundred
r,irters who exhibit there are fifty-six Amer
ans. and among the four hundred sculptors
,bere are ten Americans. The present Salon
ogers two novel features. The National sevres
poroslain Mandatory exhibits in the gallery
a the top OF the main stairway models executed
n the eighteenth century by Falconnet, Rou-
ehardon and Boisard for the artisans 20 work
into porcelain. There IS a series of Florianesque
shepherdesses. presenting vivid contrast 20 the
nervous realistic figures affected by contempo-
-arv artists at the Sevres establishment. This
innovation is due 20 the practical common
sense Of n. Dujardin- n-Beaumetz. Under Minister
n Fine Arts The second nOvelty-and this
,-,nrnts almost 70 a revolutlon-is that the
venerable "rhors concours," artists who have
attained so many Official honors and medals
ss 70 be exempt from the stimulating force OF
,aa,petition are now judged according TO their
merits. and their works are hung. not necessa-
T1y on the line hitherto. but are 'skied" or
mt in obscure corners II they fail to maintain
,be required standard Of excellence. This salu-
,arr regulation. applied with absolute impair
,isli.v BY NJ Albert Dawant president OF the
,nrv greatly enhances the appearance OF the
salon and accords freedom and fair play to the
younger men.
The Salon OF 1905 VIII long be remembered
lscause OF the superb mural decorations exc
er,ied by Henri Martin for the Capitol at Tou-
louse which together with eighty-seven
sketches and drawings that served as studies
I'll the large room Go. 160 set apart for them
Henri Martins idea OF mural decoration differs
radically from that OF most Of his contempt
TaYaes In Henri Martins conceptions there is
no place for waxen AdOnises kissing the brows
of smperlng Psyches adorned with butterfly
wings. Tor for hypnotized sirens straddling
tritons nor for orgies Of nude figures sugges-
i've Of q Turkish bath swarming with ballet
Girls Henr! Martin is the Balzac OF decorative
raiDting He has bitter enemies among the
classic academicians. Although he has for
Ynsny years fully merited the medal OF honor.
he viii probably never obtain s. for. according
10 an absurd bureaucratic regulation. this COW
eted distinction cannot be awarded TO artist
70 whom an entire room has been reserved.
Henri Martin idealizes men and women Of to-
day and depicts the human comedy as he sees
it in town and country. His splendid panels.
luminous in color. Of absolute purity Of line and
vibrating with movement and life. depict hard
work now IN the broad 1ields OF GascOny. then
in the factories Of the town. and again In the do
mains Of thought ana Of mental research.
In the course OF a two-mile walk through the
immense galleries Of the forty-three halls de-
voted TO the department Of painting there are
some TWO or three hundred works that deserve
attention Among the prominent portraits are
those Of NJ. Ferdinand Bischoffsheim, seated In
& green Louis XIII armchair. and OF u. Mesnier
standing forth from dark rusget background.
Beth these works are by Leon Bonnat and they
are striking examples Of his most vigorous and
hsppiest style. Indeed. there are only four ar
lists IN France to-day who are capable OF paint
ing n q really masterfuI manner men OF ripe,
mature age; one is Leon Bonnat and the others
are Airaee- -Morot, Gabriel Ferrier and Bou-
cher-LecleTcq. Another strong work. painted
with brlliancy and distinction Is the portrait Of
the late Georges Thesmar. a youth of twenty
four in the uniform Of cuirassier by Frederick
MacMonnies. In the background are venerable
white haired man and graceful young mother,
while the cuirassier holds the hand OF a charm
ing little girl. smiling and regarding the SOL
der's glistening steel breastplate This is the
dnest painting that the American sculptor has
yst produced. There is a radiant portrait OF the
4AharaJa OF Kapurthala. dazzling in pearls and
gaden lace, by Chartran, who also exhibits a
me full length portrait OF the Countess Of Mau-
psoU. The portrait Of an elderly lady with white
haR, seated at a tea table, by Marcel Baschet, is
remarkable for its harmonious hoHnelIke sym
paIhy. The portrait Of a lady in a black dress,
seated on q sofa, by Miss Alice Corson, OF Phila-
dephis, evidences most delicate color sense and
subueness Of execution.
Two remarkable portraits by George Aid, Of
Boston. show that this artist is now ennanci-
pated from the bitumen duskiness OF which nine
out q ten American painters are victims, owing
to the ~ epidemic Of initiating Whistler's
mannerisms. Aids picture OF a fresh complex
10red In Mn
hat is a perfect little gem in portraiture. An
other highly successful portrait. that Of Mrs
OConnor. Of Paris, is painted by S. Seymour
Thomas. Of New York The portrait Of a young
woman playing upon a harp in flood Of lumi-
nous reddish light, by Mrs Mary Shepard Greene,
q New York, is a most charming bit OF color
study, and Justly merits the high praise that It
elicitE from the leading Partisan critics. The
portraits Of three young women reading while
their morning coffee is being served by Sander
LAadeau, Of New York. is a captivating study Of
difficult problems IN light and atmosphere sue
oessfully solved. The portrait Of a girl in a
white muslin dress well composed on a roseate
pear-grsy background. by Miss Susan Watkins
o. San Francisco, has character and refinement
The portrait OF a youth being caressed by a
huge bulldog. by Henry Hubbell. OF Chicago. Is a
strong piece Of work. although somewhat too
visbly inspired by Manet. The figures. pre-
suTnahly portraits. grouped about plano. by
Thomas Congdon. Of New York are skiIfuIly
treated. The Salon abounds in characteristic
portraits by Jules lie Fevre. Flameng Gabriel
FeTTier, Dswant, Comerre, Hebert Bordes. Roy
bet HunDert, Lauth, Laszlo. Richard Hall. Le-
andre. Nine FrederiQue Valet Bison and Mile
Louise Abbema. The brilliant and conscientious
portrait Of Sir William Vernon Harcourt by Ar
lhur cope of London. is the best English pict-
ure in the Salon The portraits sliIfuIy handled
IN white BY Patriot are justly admired The
portrait Of n DuJardn Beauuetz by AdoIphe