New-York tribune., 1911-01-17
ART EXHIBITIONS
The Collection Formed by the
ate William M. laffan.

pleasant experience to come upon
,.c,,on - Of old pictures in which ques-
- attrjbution scarcely disturb the
',,,or uvI, The late William NJ. Laffan was
soo,ishly enamoured of great names
% hoprht his pictures on their merits.
uo a. the impression conveyed by his
,,..io, now on view at the American
VCarleries. The catalogue OF some fifty-
,ointines is. 20 he sure, not without
rores OF high repute, but the main
&c that these old portraits and re-
- e,ibiects Of the historic schools are
,,'e.-srs;caIlv interesting. II is the same
~, tho miscellaneous objects Of ART. the
.,,i,e bronzeS and so on. which are
.a,lv Of the sort TO appeal 10 the man
ls,sste. These. IT may be added. are 10
sol5 where they are now next Friday
~ saturday afternoons. The paintings
IN ~ disposed Of az Mendelssohn Hail
q, Friday evening.
~ 1sran's Judgment Is nowhere better
Illustrated than 1ong his examples of
80 earlier Northern schools. The little
- NJ "The Three Graces." given to Lu-
-, Crsnach. - q charming piece, delight
Ill. Characteristic Of German austerity
.,,vA5 nv lighter mood. and there arc
,trfsrlv begUiling qualities in THE Ill
,,ss Of King Antiochus." by Lucas van
,.vdsr This latter is indeed, an excep-
.,o,silv interesting souvenir Of a school in
-rbi,h poetic and decorative impulses sub
.-,.,e5 themselves 10 rather rigid concep-
,,o,s NJ form and color In its master
,,.,es those very conceptions were raised
:. NfEger power. So that craftsman
,,i, was Superbly energized by style. and
,olor took on the glow OF jewels or the
.,ftsr richness e enamelled surface. Mr..
rsraD's pictures are not of the first fight,
so 20 saw but on middle plane they bear
,bsroseIves well. the two subjects already
Mentioned. the picturesque Alteration Of
.5a Kings" likewise given 10 Lucas van
rsvden. the same subject painted by MI
,Siel van Coke. the Virgin with the
rbgd" PAINTED by Anthonie Claessen. and
.bs Two Wings Of a Triptych," attributed
N Jan van ConinXloO. Though none Of
these is exactly momentous. not one mem
hsr Of the group is without a certain in
.s-est Tho two examples OF the elder
B-eurhel are both attractive works-at-
,ractiye in their excellent old Flemish color
and unctuous style-and there is some adj
nlrable drawing in the polished Philip
IT. Of Spain" ascribed to Moro.
The most imposing painting of Italian
orlzin is the large altar piece, The Virgin
with s. Sebastian and St Roch," attrib-
u,ed to some sixteenth century artist Of
Te-rsra, a conventional composition car
ned out with much dignity and possessing
certain sober and solid merits in its color.
But even more engaging, though not, per-
raps Of the same academic weight. is the
small "Flagellation." by DomeniCO Nene-
zaDo and there are some winning traits.
100. about Lippi's Alteration Of the
Child" An anonymous North Italian is
credited with the Portrait of a Man (No.
s0. II IS obviously a school piece, 20 be
affiliated to no particularly eminent hand.
but 1t .s into the bargain, an ingratiat-
ing panel, a perfect illustration Of the
kind Of old picture which one buys because
q Is good. no matter what its authorship
might be The Battle on the Bridge" by
Bassauo. is a delightful page from old
Italian social history, impossible as a
composition, with its welter Of figures.
but very amusing, nevertheless, in its
technical aspect; clever bit OF naive i'm
pr'ss!ouism.
There are three or four Spanish pict-
wes. including an Alfonso Cano. The
Christ Child Between Mary and Joseph"
n0ta bic for some masses OF fine color, and
a little sixteenth century Saint Doro-
'hso." ." which in its pure drawing and tone
and sweet spirit is. on the whole. one Of
the best things shown. The English pict-
ures do not make an especially persuasive
group. though the version of SIR Joshus's
Laughing Girl" has some warm, vivid
qualities and Gains borough's Charles I
or Horseback" after the Van Dyke at
Windsor. is a decidedly interesting memo
rtal 0f the English masters sympathy for
the art Of the great Flemish court paint
e. The two large iuteriors by John Scar
lett Davis. one done in St Peters at
Rome. end the other I'm the Louvre. would
make aTcctivc decorations in a museum.
Besides these old paintings, Mr.. Laffan
bought ii number Of modern works, a
strong coast scene by Vollon, two or three
charming landscapes by Alden Weir a
beautiful Moonlight on A Stream" by r.
1. E,ahHIOgk. one or flc most EXQUISITE OF
the flower studies Of Leon Bonvin, and a
screen with one panel by Homer Martin
and TWO by A. r. Ryder
The best Of the sculptures is n little
fifteenth century Italian marble, the head
o. an infant full of the delicate charm OF
me Renaissance, but there are several
other pieces tuat are likewise Of consid-
'rable merit such as the figure Of the
Infant Christ, in colored stucco. Of six
feenrh century Italian origin; the later
head n Christ also in stucco, from the
tare school, and the five or six bronzes Of
Italian workmanship. Some good articles
Of furniture figure IN the collection, and
among the porcelains there are number
Of fine pieces in blue and white, single
coiors and decorated designs. We note
particularly several specimens Of Celadon
ard three superb pieces Of Satsuma. IN
TACT the porcelains like the paintings, are
eloquent Of 4 sure taste. The dispersal Of
mis- collection affords an excellent oppor-
unity 10 the discerning amateur
r. c.