New-York tribune., 1906-05-27
DECORATIVE ART.
ReUiOal of Eighteenth Century
French Work.

teenth century Probably IL is an indirect effect
OF the continuous display OF the splendid exam
pies of the school in the Wallace collection.
"hlch are unrivalled even ar the Louvre. 1t
may also be a sign of reaction against the Eng
hsn art of the same period, which has been
Iorceo UP to exorbitant prices by American COM
peuton and the speculative activity of a few
LONDON dealers. A score of Gainsboroughs,
fteynoldses. Romneys and Hoppners OF repre-
sentative character be gold for three times
as much money as the same number of master
pieces OF the French decorative period Moral
lists may have justification for the assertion
that the French art OF Louis XIV and Louis XVI
is we'll suited to the present period of luxury.
frivolity and artificial life It lacked the dig
nifty Of high ideals. and it inferior IN
craftsmanship to the best English work Of the
eighteenth century; but it highly decora-
tive was lightly and gracefully executed and
was soft and refined. If rather superficial in col
oring 1t may be attuned TO the revels and ener-
waiting pleasures Of the modern House Of
Mirth' in the English American Vanity Fair:
but 1t is hardly necessary TO give SO pessimistic
an explanation for it's revival Its decorative
qualities suit modern furnishing and interiors,
and it is materially cheaper than the Old English
masters in portraiture and landscape. These are
two lucid and practical reasons for the revival
now witnessed at the new Duveen galleries. in
eleven masters Of decorative painting are on
hibition The Artists General Benevolent As
ISOLATION Will profit by the shilling paid for en-
trance; but II is not a loan exhibition. The
pictures have been collected by the Duveens dur
ing the last two years and are to be sold at
moderate prices in comparison with the best
English pictures Of the same period. The Du-
veen exhibition is, moreover. TO be an annual
event in the London season. like the Academy
or the sales at Chrstie's.
There are three Bouchers IN this fine colec-
ton. artistically arranged in two spacious GAL
leries The best is a pastoral with a child
dressed in red and yellow as shepherdess ard
employed in dipping water with earthenware
saucer from fountain There are flowers in one
hand but gourd and crook are on the ground.
and there is blue sky behind the trees. The sec
ond one portraying a maiden who has taken a
spray Of roses from basket Of flowers, is equal
ly simple, and the third has been dashed off with
the same faciIity-a girl in white. with red
wrapper, lying on blue couch in white par
elled room, with perfume burnnr and a Jewel
case on a low stool beside her. Drouais is even
daintier and more decorative in three portraits;
one OF a niece of Voltare in blue gown trim
med with fur and lace; another of Countess du
Barry decked with roses and with hair powdered
above the white. low necked dress. and third of
Princess de Conte in blue and white. with corn
flowers in her powdered hair--One Of the most
charming works IN the galleries. There are two
small Watteaus-one decorative painting OF
Italian comedy with stage crowded with figures
and the other a girl reclining on a brown cusE-
ion with loose. open white gown. her bIcwn
hair plated and tied with red ribbons There Is
a single Lancret, a classical composition with
more frivolity than poetry in it, but with grace
full grouping OF figures on a lawn. To these arc
In, nd
playfully executed-one a sleeping painters vi
sons of subjects for pictures, and each of the
others a fete champetre. with large groups Of
men, women and children more or less senti-
mentally employed. There are few signs Of
power in these works. but there is charm OF
color with grace OF style and Vtvacity of treat
ment.
Nine Vigee-Lebrun had her own point OF view
and was not Influenced by the decorative con-
ventions of her time much as by the tradi-
tions of great art There are three characteristic
works of hers on the walls OF these galleries.
two of her later pictures portrait of Mile. de
Fries sappho with the Tyre. and the other a
portrait OF Lady Fitzgerald In Oriental costume;
| but the earlier one is more graceful in compost
ton and more pleasing In color. 1t is of the
! thirty portraits Of Marie Antoinette painted by
| her with the Queen In white satin bordered with
fur. with blue velvet corsage and train and
| blue hat trimmed with white feathers. The
crown. the golden f1eur-de-lis and other cmblens
of royal state are there; but the Queen is paint
! ed sympathetlcally a charming woman. There
five Matters, portraits of great ladies deftly
| posed alegorical figures reclining on clouds
| or with crescent moon or morning star above
| their powdered heads; and there are as many
Largillieres less vivid in flesh painting but good
| in color with that facility of handling which
seemed 10 release the painters OF that time from
| the necessity for arduous work. There is one
| Van Loo-another Of Voltaire's nieces in blue
| trimmed with gold lace: and there is a Greuze-
| presumably the painters niece with auburn
| hair and white notwithstanding IN theatrical
way dependency. but not so seriously as TO
sacrifice decorative effect Finally there is q
fine pair Of Fragonards-two opera dancers
! painted with much power as charm All these
| examples Of eighteenth century work enrich with
color and decorative feeling the walls whore they
| are now seen. and they viii be beautiful orna-
/ ments in modern drawing rooms. It is not sur
| prtsing to find them returning 10 favor and dis
placing the less decorative rnid-Victorian story
| telling pictures. which are shrinking IN value
when brought under the hammer at Christie's
George H Boughton while he lived had a
genial way of talking playfully about painting
| as a holiday recreat tion which was not 70 be
| taken too seriously. He did not deceive his
| friends-with his lovable nature he could never
| have had an enemy-for they knew that he was
a painstaking and conscientious worker. who.
| instead of playing with paint under the pre-
! tence that anything could be done easily when
/ one was in the mood for It, approached his
subject cautiously ana studied it expertmentally
! IN sketches made in various materials His
| methods of work are disclosed in a collection of
| 100 sketches from his portfolios and studio
! walls. which is now 10 be seen at the Ryder