New-York tribune., 1909-03-14
HENNER'S "MAGD4LEN,"
IN Interesting Example Of Modern
RELIGIOUS 4rt.

The picture by Jean jacques Henner which is re-
produced in our photogravuIe supplement to-day
the Mary Magdalen" In the Metropolitan Museum
is Of peculiar interest example OF modern
religious art. II is old story that themes drawn
from the Scriptures were treated exhaustiveIy
and with such transcendent authority by the mas
ters Of the historic past that little was left for
their successors in time TO do. Indeed, IL
has come to be assumed matter Of course that
the religious Inspiration which governed the paint
OF the great epochs in Italy and elsewhere on
the Continent could scarcely be revived In an ago
of business, electricity, mechanical invention and
practical things generally. AS this picture OF Hen
ners reminds US however. your modern artist
sooner later. is bound 10 return 10 those SUBJ
jects which Hwayed the ina agnations Of the leaders
in other days. In fact. there have always been,
IN every period. men who responded TO the appeal
that the church makes TO the painter. II inter-
esting TO recall that IN the heyday OF the romantic
movement in France this field was not by any
means neglected. Ii not left to a classicist
like Ingres cultivate alone the motives lying In
the Bible. If he could paint the Madonna so like
wise could Delacrotx illustrate than one page
from sacred story.
Yet the reader will observe, there is Inevitably a
difference between the religious art Of the old
masters and that OF the modern schools What is
It? The question might be answered in different
ways. in accordance with the practice OF this or
that modern artist. Considering II with a view to
what Henner stands for, it may be said that the
difference lies in realistic as distinguished from
imaginative poiLt Of view. In painting the Mag
dalen. the old master was wont to lay stress upon
the dramatic significance of her grief stricken at
titude before the sepulchre of our Lord To him
the expression OF her pathos meant everything
His purpose above all denote the emotion
of the penitent. These elements are not ignored by
Henner. Indeed. Ec too is anxious 10 make his
picture an essentially religious composition. But
being modern man, product OF the art Of nine
Fteenth century Paris. he for the life of him
shake of the point OF view characteristic Of his
time. Consciously or unconsclousIy. he wreaks
interpret its grace its charm. in terms exquisite
form and color.
This Magdalen is portrayed first and last as a
type Of feminine cveliness She is posed with that
end in view. and, rot only in his broad conception
OF his model. but in his painting Of every detail,
Henner is faithful 10 mis- modern ideal In the
drawing OF the figure. in the delicate delineation
of the upturned face in the painting Of the hair
he is the refined rcalist. subtilizng fact And he
sets his luminous flesh tints against just the
background best calculated to give them the right
degree OF relief The result is picture bringing
an old theme into perfect harmony with latter day
taste and emotion. 1t characteristic OF Hem
ner to thus blend his material with a thoroughly
modern strain of feeling He was Partisan to
the core In a long list Of pictures. the monuments
of a career dating from 1929 10 his death in 1905
YOU will encounter many ii poetic idea. He loved
TO paiut nymphs ard the ike, and 10 invest every
one of his figures with certain glamour. But
whatever his subject. he remained throughout the
sophisticated work,r In form and color. IN light
and shade