New-York tribune., 1909-06-06
THE SALON.
More than -Four Thousand Works Of
4rt, Mostly French.
PariS- nraN %.


harvest which this season comprises two thou
saud oil paintings one thousand works of sculp:-
ure over a thousand pastels water cOiors and
drawings, and nnumerable architectural designs
and objects of art displayed in forty-three large
rooms dozens of galleries. and on the turf and
gravel of the nave of the Grand Palals when
has the dimensions of a small racecourse. NO
doubt there many grotesque failures over
strained fancies, unbalanced conceptions and
works of mere mediocrity. on the other hand,
there is scarcely a nook corner that does not
hear evidence of conscientious labor and sincere
search for truth One can easily mention, say
three hundred pictures of genuine value and
originality.
After all it is the French artists themselves
Nho ma Ike the best show. The Spaniards OF the
School of Zuloaga, Anglada 10 and Sorolla are
elr ahead of all other foreigners. They seem to
Breathe the inspiration of Velasquez and Of
Goya modernzed by their Partisan surround
fngs The Americans, with half a dozen eXcep-
tions seem to have fallen back upon the man
serisns of Whistler, and produce canvases
bcfcgged in darkness, mysticism, pompous teen
nique and pretenson. The English painters are
tainted with superficial Whistlerism; the Ger
mans oscillate vaguely in a sort OF neo-impres-
siouism-something between BGcklin and Ce-
zannc The Italians are acrobatic prestidigita-
tors with brush and pencil; the ScandlnaVlahs
nre either lugubrious or anemic.
1t is singular to notice a strong reaction
against anti-miIitarisrn; nearly three hundred
pictures deal with warke subjects, and many
were ordered by the government for the national
museums in Paris, and especially in the proVln-
ciaI towns. The finest of these IS THE Battle or
Tourcoing May IS, 1874" by Emile Bouugny.
It is a vivid bit of realism cOmmemorating the
turn of the tide in favor of the armies of repub-
Hcan France The battle is over, twilight ap-
ham
snounted upon a white charger, salutes
sounded hussar he brings TO his chief the
captured Austrian standards.
Portraits, as usual predominate. Bonnat, the
Feteran painter, who to the Third Republic is
very much what Drouais was to the reign of
Louis XIV, exhibits excellent and thoroughly
academic portraits of the Due de Loubat and OF
General FIorentin. Francois Flameng shows
charnngi- brilliant bit of virtuosity. His por-
trait Of the beautiful Mrs. George KeppeI bears
the mark of stronger individuality than ne usu-
ally impresses upon his models. The blond hair.
delicate blue eyes and the fairest imaginable
skin enhanced by radiant black velvet,
pearls. lace and the daintiest of vanished shoes
The strong, dark, simply composed portrait OF
President Taft by the American painter Robert
MacCameron, already described by cable, fails
TO portray the true character of the model, it is
a work which neither adds to detracts from
painter. In the opinion of French critics the
best American picture in the Salon is by Henry
Salem Hubbell. Two young seated
beside fire chatting Il cup of tea. 1t is
truthful work. repete with masterful brush
work. There is excellent portrait of Dr..
William Osler ny S. Seymour Thomas. There is
an admirable portrait of the young son of Ed
mond Rostand, seated in the open air in full
sunshine, by Mile Helene Dufau. There are ex-
tp itG of IarItr
Laurent. There is exceedingly clever por-
trait Of Nine Marthe Regnier, the actress by
Ferdinand Humbert, executed somewhat after
the style of Reynolds, the subject standing in a
park leaning against column
L'Enfant a Ia Crinone," an exquisite picture
Of a little girl of six, attired in crinoline and
brocade, is far and away the most pleasing and
sympathetic picture in the Salon 1t is by Theo-
dore-AUguste Desch, pupil of Bonnat foremost
among the generation of young French painters
and man from whom great things may be eX-
pected. The composition is strong, solid and
simple; the technique is excellent free from
self-consciousness and effort. The modeHna, Of
the chd's face reveals extraordinary deIicacy
Of perception and marvellous suppeness There
two nudes in this Salon, each a model of its
kind girl standing ankle deep in gray. opal
sea nOlds in her hands large bit of seaWeed-
it is the deep brown devils apron variety.
rejecting rays of sunshine If from a Claud