New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-17
PRESENT FRENCH ART.
disappointment from VISITING Cur
rent Exhibitions an Paris.
Paris, February ..


of course. brilliant exceptions. especially
among the younger men. some OF whom evince
vigor. freshness OF conception and conscien-
tiOus searching after truth. The technique is.
on the whole, fully up to the excellence OF the
French standard. but the men who have at
tained success, the masters" show signs OF
fatigue and os anamia. Take. for instance. the
Salon of the Cercle Go rUnton Artistique-the
"Epatant"-the most fashionable art show OK
the year. which opened yesterday. The exhibit
ton includes about hundred and fifty paint
ings and a couple OF dozen works of sculpture.
AS usual at the "Epatant," large. luminous
portraits OF smart society ladies predominant.
These grandes danes haTs nowadays their own
favorite painters just as they have their dress
makers or their furnisners Of automobiles. In
deed, the painters almost in the same cate
CORY with the couturieres and the modistes. for
their mission now seems TO be TO present their
fair models attired In beautiful silks. vclvets or
laces. and in bewitching hats fresh from the
Rue de la Peix. Fashionable portrait painters
have become mere illustrators There is scarce
" any attempt at thorough modelling OF face
figure. The flesh is soft. smooth. waxen and
veinless. There IS painful lack Of expression.
There is no effort to delineate the modeIs char
acter or soul. The play of nerve. OF sinew. and
the subtle folds and shades of skin are neg
lected. On the other hand, there is superhuman
effort to portray the intricacies Of the dress
makers art Even agnan-BOuveret. in his
portrait of Nine. de NJ. insidiously dwells
upon the decorative pink coral necklace and
turquoise rings. and gives prominence to mili-
merry and jewelry rather than TO character or
expression The orgy of tulle. silk and flowers
that sets off NJ. FRANCOIS Flamengs portraits of
two exceedingly beautiful women-Mme. Henri
Letellier and Mime. Mumm-distracts attention
from their fair, frigid faces, which are merely
sketched in milky tones, without an effort 10
catch the models character or expression NJ
Humbert continues his series Of fresh water
Reynodses and Romneys. with woodland or park
backgrounds and the little lapdogs caressed by
his models seem for all the world like velvet
pin cushions. NJ. Bonnats portrait Of the Com
tesse de Laur is so Ill conceived as to elicit from
foremost Partisan art critic, NJ. Louis Vaux-
celles, the query whether "a candidate for the |
Ecole des Beaux Arts would be admitted by the |
jury if he presented work so poorly executed"
One finds better things In the two portraits |
by NJ Jacques Blanche, whose vivacious full |
length picture in yellow tones of a young Eng
Iishman. and somewhat meretricious likeness !
of "Colette." a young woman in pearl satin /
and silk leaning against couch, with a French /
bulldog at her feet, are bright. virile and orig
inal NJ Anne Morot In his portrait OF the /
Pastor Goulden seems to have initiated NJ. Boil
is neither thought nor meditation in the holy /
mans countenance. NJ. Gustave Courtois, in /
his portrait Of Nine G. de NJ, is carried !
away by his strange fancy for waxen, ginger
bread yellow NJ. Paul Thomas supplies bright
and welcome note by his clever portrait or
Nine Henri Lavedan. NJ. Friant shows pleasing
variety In his Arrival of the Moder'--a striking
fantasy in anecdotal painting. NJ Jean Beraud
evinces his habitual subtle observation in his
portrait of NJ. dEpinay. NJ Theobald Chartran
In his double portrait of Nine Twining and her
little daughter beneath parasol sets an ex-
ample of excellent composition and sound draw
ing The finest open air work in the snow Is |
NJ Alfred Rolls group OF young women In a
field surrounded by oak trees and bathed in sun
shine There is force and observation in NJ
Rolls study of a rideriesS bay horse rearing
and plunging. NJ. Alexis Vollon is rapidly COM
Ing to the front among the younger painters.
and his picture of young Breton woman knit
Ting in a room is full of charm and sentiment.
NJ. Vollen is delicate colorist. NJ. Billotte has
some melancholy but pleasing moonlight scenes.
and NJ. Montenard remains true TO his radiant,
highly colored seaports of the Mediterranean
There are four American painters represented
N the "Epatant" show-Walter Gay, Alexander
Harrison. Frederick Bridgman and William
Warden Mr.. Gay who now stands foremost in
The speciality OF interiors. exhibits delightful
Fiew of reception room in the Chateau de
Breau. the property of the Grammont-Aster
family, which is occupied by the painter
and his wife. No one in Paris compares with
Mr.. Gay in successfully rendering the harmony
If architecture and decoration and the delicate
atmosphere of sumptuous interiors. Alexander
Harrison continues his series OF ocean WAKES
,athed in translucent reflections Of red, blue
md violet. Mr.. Bridgman remains faithful 10
he Orient, and his group OF Bedouins near
Dram has warmth of color and life. Mr.. War
lens portrait of man is we'll composed and
beverly modelled.
The only nude in the "Epatant' salon is a |
female figure reclining in field !
rhe flesh tones delicious. and the drawing !
8 bold and firm. but perhaps too obviously sug-
FESTIVE OF the sculptor's chisel. 1t is painted
" NJ. Antonin Mercie There are some frolic-
ONE settlers by NJ. Hermann-Leon, and grim
determined bulldog by NJ Saint-Germier
Among the sculpture finds a good bust of =
line. Deschamps by NJ. Denys Puech. and a
raceful design in terra Gotta of a monument TO !
he late Prince Imperial by Nj. Prosper d'Epi-
ay.
The sixth annual salon of the societe des Arts
seunis-painting, sculpture and objects of art
t the Georges Petit Gallery. contains about two
undred numbers. including some fifty attrac-
I've works. which. without being really bril-
ant productions. are exceedingly clever. A
cries of small brightly colored sketches Of
artisan episodes by NJ. Andre Dewambez- :
The Ouvriere,'' THE Priest" THE Iayver d
The Gendarme," THE Old Clothes Pedler" a
The Duel" Street Corners" THE Crazv Z
ian'-have Hogarthian humor and irony. true II
efficacy of feeling and are pleasing expressions :