New-York tribune., 1912-01-13
ART EXHIBITIONS
Old Masters at the New KnOedIer
GaIIery-Union League Show.

GaIIery-Union League Show.
1t was happy idea for the old art firm
of NJ Knoedlar & 60. 10 signalze the for
NAL opening OF its fine new galleries BY
holding loan exhibition Of paintings by
old masters, accessible on payment ~ an
entrance fee, the proceeds to be given 10
the Artists Aid and the Artists Fund So
cieties The show, which will he visible
through January q. occupies the three
rooms on the ground floor of the new
building on Fifth avenue, near 46th street
1t comprises fifty canvases, Of which
dozen are by artists Of Continental Europe,
while the rest are of the British school Of
the best period 1t IS, in fact, sort Of re-
Irrespective exhibition that has been as
sembIed here, for it consists wholly OF
pictures that have been sold 10 their pres
ent owners in the course OF the last twenty
years or 50 by the Knoeder firm. In the
high character Of these paintings. as one
looks around the walls, lies a record that
may well be respected.
Heading the exhibition in point Of interest
is the portrait of Philip ", known as the
Parma Velasquez. It is too well known TO
need more than a hint of its quiet potency
of pose and treatment The face, with its
characteristic height of forehead and length
Of chin. looks out from its frame OF dark
auburn hair, and its modelling is so nat
ural. its tints so akin to that OF life, that
the observer will he apt to pay TO these
qualities the high tribute Of not thinking
about them. The arrangement of color mas
the familiar distinction; its dominating
factors are a red doublet Overlaid with sill
Yer embroidery, white sleeves and collar
and q large black hat. The whole canvas
breathps a spirit Of harmonized power u
does not contain a single accent thdt seems
more or less than Just, and 1t Is never as
sertive. yet it holds the visitors gaze oy us
sheer mastery and the clarity OF lis ttle
to aristocraCy in art.
m the same room are two fine Rem
brandts. portraying. respectively an eiuelN
man in an armchair and a young rahol
wearing a black skull cap. IN ea'h 'hT
master is represented typically ana well.
Tho first one eXemplifes his way ol treat
ing somewhat formally subject ot impor-
,anca There is a certain Difference in the
attitu9e Of the artist. disCernihle IN his rem
dorirg Of the pose and expression Of this
nersonage. In the likeness Of the rabbi TINS
note is replaced by what was evidently the
painter's interest in his subject, rather thah
what might he his sitter's opinion OF the
portrait wnen finished. Each Is admiraO'e
in its own way. Neermeer, ot Delft Is see"
twice in this show Of old masters. ana the
lusciousness of his textures Is dehghuuHH
in evidence Not likely 10 he overlooked u
rich landscape by Hobbema. FranS haIS
is seen in a repressed mood in his portrait
of a middle aged woman; II Is noteworthy
for its exact delineation OF a subject not
cspecialIv interesting. vet endued nv inc
nainter with vitality and character.
In the pictures thus far noted ana IN
all ~ the English works the canNaseS are
entirely characteristic. excellent specimens.
rboro are two canvascs here however thar
denart enough from the usual aspects "l
,boi- roqrectiyc artists work. while remain
ing we'll within the range of their tru" OK
nression 10 be termed collectors examples
and prized corrospondinGly hv those WIN
value the distinctive or the uniamNIaI' '''
NJ these IS n AIurillo portrait of.a cavalier,
a ricture Of patr!cian restraint In Color anu
5frcctue-s Of statement. The other is
Van Dvck OF tho italian period, p"r''"'.
OF the Countess Lcrcari. fun Of warmth anu
the exuberanco Of youthful energy.
OF the English pictures the impression
as a whole is emphatically pleasing
Glance round the rooms recalls anew The
caro- taken By these skilled artists OF tho
eighteenth contury TO give 20 their POI
traits beaufy as we'll as character. whether
the subjects were or were not "c'4aHE
Gifted with comclluess. there was general
effort on the painters parts 70 attain
certain level OF agreeable appearance. IL
pevnoIds could not persuade himself or the
observer Of the a'tractiveness or WON
ans face. he sought go acceutuate TN" dell
c,c,. or fncness OF texture OF her hands.
and II this was impracticable. the gown OF
.,rc accessories were studied with a view
to pIorjacation II Gainsborough could not
make an cffcc, IN one day. he did IN al
o,bor Romucv could be trusted 10 sing
,be loycluegs of his feminine patrons ana
d. ,big .vfibjtipa there are specimens OF
hts simply composed and scnsuously beau
,jC,l rortraitlrc. Raeburn shows here at
his fuu value. # is TO his serious. straight
forward work that admirers OF the English
scb,ol arc more and more looking up. lie
.,oul5 he tender as well as strong, nothing
g, tho show, is more apprcgidtlyc OF a per
sonalitv, more respectful ana l'' more
redolcnt OF charm. than bis portrait OF tho
Ii,tIe ton-year-ol1 Ein Isabella Brown.
And for the other side Of his art ono
may look AT the masculine and vigorously
handled likeness Of Dr. CraiRio.
IIoDpner and Lawrence ar" both shown
bcro the former 10 more advantage than
his colleague OF the landscape works. one
MAJ, single out the fine salisbury Cathe-
.dral" hy Constable, and also ih" Turner
picttIre Of the burning Of the Houses OF
parl;arrc1f. There are other canvas's 10y
each of these masters, az we'll as a large
0ld Crome and a Gainsborough pastoral
scene.
II NAV he said again that the exhibition
IS one not 90 ae overlooked.
The Union League Club has on exhibition
to-day nearly score OF paintings by
Americans. and also a group Of ludo-Per-
sian picturcs, these being lent by Ralph
II Thomas. The latter ar" of an uncom-
mon sort. BY "a Persian Of the sixteenth
century is drawing Of two elephants,
done with the love for detail that persists
in much Asiatic art. yet having regard for
unitv of effect II is. IN fact, a rarely dig
nified and impressive drawing. Such work
as this has its counterpart IN the more
familiar manifestations Of the Persian
genius that one finds IN the famous weaves
that have come out of the Shah's country
the rugs that were. in every essential.
works of art. Here, too, are pictures made
in later times, including the nineteenth
century. The fine spirit of the earlier work
j. not reached in what IS more recent, but
- a. Il. ts- FrvI4 a.
oroup is supplemented by a loaned series
inrlud-