davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

of massey pile, as impressive as some
Egvptian ctatue. The pictures in this
room are, taken all together, admirably
arranged But We wish the Rembrandt
in question might nave had larger
area to itself. 1t is an heroic compost
ton. Isolation would but enhance It's
dignity.
The principal supports, If we may
use the figure. for this wonderful pict-
ure. are TO be found in the "Bathshe-
ba" and three or four of the portraits.
I'm the "Bathsheba" Rembrandt employs
some of his most arbitrary eXpedients,
pouring the light upon his heroine
with theatrical urgency and enveloplng
everything else IL penumbra deten-
sible only on the ground of success
There is no questioning the success.
The nude CLEANS, palpitates. and al
most, if not quite, beguiles US INTO for
getfulness Of all else. II is only on
calm reflection that one notices the
queer values" and even then one
comes upon passages of painting full OF
beauty. The other subject picture, the
"Pilatc Washing His Hands, Is one
Of those productions denomlnated I'M
portant" by the historian but passed
with something like Indifference by
those less pedantically inclined. o.
course. it contains some magnificent
painting. But as a whole IL - dull.
That is a word never to be applied 20
the "Rembrandt's Sor Titus" or the
cold Lady in an Armchair" or the
Lady with Pink" or the "Hendrikje
Stofels," or the young Man Called
Thomas Haring." These are things Of
unalloyed beauty, of colossal ability
exercised with perfect ease, of realism
raised 10 a higher power by pure
genius. For reasons which have been
made perhaps sufficiently plain the
Rembrandts are not, as body. TO be
regarded as overshadowing the print
tives in the collection. But the best
Of the Rembrandts are among its most
respondent glories.
About them we have to reckon with
Flemish and Dutch paintings Of the
great period Of expansion in that part
of the world, which vary good deal in
point of strictly artistic value. The
two Van Dycks, for instance. are both
highly significant Of his brilliant ia
cility, but the "Marchesa Durazzo," Of
his Italian period, fine as it is, seems
almost nerveless beside the bravura Of
the Lucas Van UfIelen," bravura ac-
companied as il happens, by all the
fastidious quality which Van Dyck
could put into mis- work when he chose.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
SLEEP ONLY A HABIT.

A specialist who has pursued mis-
studies with devotion announces that
sleep is mere habit OF the human
mind and body that may be thrown or
completely through gradual relinquish-
ment. II is his view that the average
man may add twenty years 10 his con
scious existence by disposing Of ms
sleep habit.
The cult has progressed TO the extent
that many men are now Ia way 70
eliminate their hours Of repose, with
some show of success, but there is vast
complaint from their families during
the preliminary stages Of the cure. The
man who has been sleeping eight hours
is not enabled 70 shade the interval OF
rest 10 four hours without seriously
disturbing his household. One who re
tires at midnight and arises at o'clock
in the morning awakens other inmates
of his home, both on retiring and aris-
ing. There is some inherent defect In
human nature that leads one 10 go
laundering about a house, knocking
over chairs and shaking down the fur
mace, when he should be preserving a
deep silence. For this reason the home
treatment OF the sleep habit is not
likely to be popular.
What should be done. for the pro-
lection of normal humans, is to hive
the sleep-habit patients in barracks
where they may strangle sleep at will
without disturbing others. To curious
strangers the barracks would be a
show place, where the lights would be
always shining like bescons and where
the activities Of life might proceed as
at noon.
There is some demur 20 the sleep
treatment for the reason that il adds
one meal day 10 the requirements Of
the patient-a requirement that is
practically prohibtive to msny.-Sest-
tie Post-Intelligencer.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

friend and adviser Of Mr.. Altman. de-
wribing 70 the present writer his
methods as a collector. cited one Of
lis sayings in illustration Of the ardor
with which he pursued the perfect
hing, regardless Of obstacles. "Of
course. know" said this shrewd mer-
chant, IN an almost plaintive tone,
athst they Will ask me an unreason-
able sum for this picture. But I sup
pose III pay. I've got 70 have it." IL
is said that, like most men with
hobby. he made his early MISTAKES. in
tsrested himself in certain phases Of
an, only 20 outgrow them. But when.
late In life. he settled into his stride
he sought masterpieces of the golden
age and nothing elcc. That he found
them. too has for some time been
known. yet the full measure of his
success viii surprise most of those
who attend the private view next
Tuesday evening or the regular public
opening on the following day. Nothing
hitherto published has quite disclosed
the dazzling brilliance Of this collec-
ton.
Though the present installation is
only temporary. pending the erection
o. the museums new south wing. il
might justly be made permanent. with
some slight notifications One Graves
little more room for the porcelainS
and the substitution of another color.
in better taste, for the green wall COW
ering in the first Of the FIVE rooms.
But ir general the arrangement is
ideal The paintings have been beau
tifully hung, and the smaller objects
preserved in cases are displayed 10 the
best possible advantage. Most crafty
Ing Of all. perhaps. is the large room
given 10 furniture, sculpture. textiles
and 50 on. This. with its dark blue
background, is a triumph Of decorative
judgment. No catalogue is as yet
available, but an illustrated hand
book has been prepared, which should
prove even more useful
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
AND OTHER MATTERS OF FINE ART

GLIDING tea sets, porringers, punch
bowls and replicss Of historic pieces.
Next Saturday there will open at
the Anderson Galleries an exhibition
of Part w If the collection Of prints
and other relics Of the Revolutionary
and Napoleonic periods, formed by
william J. Latta, Of Philadelphia. IL
will present portraits, caricatures'
coins and medals. and one special feat
ure will be a remarkable assemblage
of the Autographs Of RaSet. The SAFE
is set for the afternoons and evenings
of December l and 2
Tomorrow there will be open at the
Merwin Galleries an exhibition OF an
tique historical lamps, old English
silver, china, etc, collected by the late
Edward L. Stevens, with some objects
from other sources. The 259 items will
be sold on Friday afternoon.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
Sculpture, Enamels. Porcelains and
Other Objects.

Other ODlects.
The Renaissance painting in this col
lection is matched by the Renaissance
sculpture, and though we cannot trav-
erse it i'm the same detail on the pres
ent occasion we must at least glance at
the subject. Donatello, Mino da Fiesole,
Benedetto da Majano, Luca della Rob-
bia, Jacopo Sansovino, Alessandro Wit
toria these are the masters represent
ed ln statues. reliefs or busts IN mar
BILE on terra Gotta. They figure chiefly
in the room where the decorative OBJ
jects are placed. but sculpture is dis
played among the paintings, too, the
Rembrandts looking down upon pieces
by Houdon. Falconet, ClodlOn and
Pigalle-a rather odd juXtaposition Of
schools, by the way. Among the por-
traits and religious subjects there are
some remarkable bronzes IN another
category, andirons and the like. Tapes
tries and Renaissance furniture COM
mingled with these things include
many objects 10 which il will be inter
estIng 10 return.
The three cases in the room where
the Italian and Flemish Primitives
hang are given 20 the rare old French
enamels, the vessels and other objects
in rock crystal and, among other rarl-
ties of craftsmanship, the celebrated
Rospigios cup, attributed to Benvenu-
to Cellini. Plon, the noted critical biog-.
rapher Of the Florentine master, ac-
cepted that attribution. but Mr.. Gust
in his recent edition of the "Autobiog-
raphy," cites the judgment of late'
connoisseur, Mr.. S. a. Churchill, to the
effect that the cup is more probably
German work" The idea is plausible
Whatever its origin. the beauty of this
cup il not equal TO its repute. If some
modern man. like Lalique, had the
manual adroitness TO put forth work
of the kind and send it to the Salon
everybody would marvel at il, but no
one would dream Of crediting it with
the beauty characteristic of Cellini in
such a masterpiece, say. as the great
salt cellar at Vienna. The she'll which
forms the cup is handsome and some
of the ornamental details are effective,
but the general style Of the decoration
is in the most egregious taste.
There remain the porcelains, pro-
digious array of single color glazes
and decorated pieces. As in the fields
of pictorial and plastic art Mr.. Altman
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

conceived and charmingly painted, ~
like direct echo from the once potent
movement" Mrs. Norman has been
stimulated by the pages of Fiona Mac
leod and testfes TO this influence IN
number of her designs; but we are ess
interested by her ideas than by her
graceful expression Of form. The ex,,
hibition includes studies Of she Is and
butterflies. little landscapes and deco
rations, by her young son Godfrey. lie
has a pretty sense of color and Is I'M
mistakably precocious in his drawing.
In the next room there are some
"water color woodcuts" by Mrs. +, G.
Austen Brown. French. Spanish, Vene-
tian and other scenes are delineated in
them picturesquely, and with the sim
pie disposition Of masses Of tone essen
tial in work Of the kind. Mrs. Brown
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

Halls. at the top notch Of his virtuosity
in "The Merry Company and the
'Yonker Ramp" is in his truest vein
charming as well as exciting only ir'
the smaller. quite unpretentious Youth
with a Mandolin" There are painters
in thi. part Of the collection Cuyp.
with his luminous young Herdsmar
with Cows; Hobbema, with his beau
tifully composed Entrance 20 a Vii
lage": Terborch. with his Lady Play
ING the Theorbo. whose ministrations
we would not have otherwise, whose
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

Whistler would eagerly have achieved
if it had been possible. Both these
portraits reveal Holbein at his best IN
the handling Of pure color, and EXHIBIT
him, too. imposing upon such powerful
craftsmanship as Memling's a mum
dane elegance all his own: 1t is a little
disconcerting to turn from him to
Durer on this occasion, for one must
deal with the question Of color from
an entirely different angle: The Nu-
remberger was pretty nearly faultless
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
The Italians. from Fra Angelica to
Titan.

Mr.. Altman's early Italian pictures
must have been the hardest of all for
him TO assemble. since he aimed at the
kind of work ordinarily accessible as
rule, only in the great public gal
leries of Europe. Now and then 1t is
true. he had to he content with some
thing below the highest: In the main
be had his usual good luck. His Fra
Angelica. for example, THE Cruel
fxion," is one of the noblest OF the
Florentine's paintings anywhere m the
world, possessing in their finest bloom
the traits which give him his rank.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
The Primitive Schools, Northern and
Southern.


FOR one great master, Rembrandt, as
VIII appear below, Mr.. Altman had
special prediction. But he had a
catholic taste, and, incidentally, a
strong tendency 20 acquire the picture
mat simply gave him pleasure. 1t is
sac Of him that nothing could induce
nm 70 add 10 his collection a work
which he did not like. He would re-
leci the rareSt Of prizes if it did not
SATISFY his own instructive sense Of
interest and beauty. And how broad
mat faculty OF appreciation in him
was Is shown by the range Of artistic
tradition Illustrated in his group OF
scarcely threescOre paintings. Rem
tfandt may prevail, numerically, but
strictly speaking he is of less I'M
lortance % the gathering as whole
than are the northern and southern
~lmltlyes. In the United States it IS,
after all, easy enough TO come at
Lotable examples Of sixteenth century
Dutch art IL is not so easy TO find
such specimens of the early Flemish
school as Mr. Altman brought to-
gether There are actually four SUI
perb Memlings on the walls. One OF
them is a religious composition Of the
INST order, THE Betrothal OF SAINT
Catherine" which shows US how this
simple master of Bruges, addicted IN
bis portraits TO the baldest prose,
could rise, when in devout mood, to
Heights OF exquisite poetry. The pict-
ure Is a miracle Of technique, Of jewel
Ike color wrought 70 an extraordinary
point Of polish; but Memling was
never hard. One way Of frightening
enjoyment OF his special note is 70
contrast the "Betrothal" with Van Or
lty's Madonna and Child IN the
same room. The latter is a brilliant
piece Of workmanship and is not with
CUT It's due strain of tenderness, but
7 is d bourgeois production beside
Nemling's composition. II is the dlf,
ference between man of talent and
ole Of genius, between painstaklng
Manipulation Of details and creative
Inspiration, which sees a subject as a
whole and is swayed by its spirituall
meaning Van Orley's background OF
architecture and landscape is labori-
ously worked up. Memling grandly
Nsualizes an impossible scene and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

il offers TO the public But besides
thinking of Mr.. Altman's taste, judg-
ment and industry, we think of his fine
spirit, Of the high purpose to which the
people owe this invaluable gift Surely,
New York has never had more gener-
Gus citizen.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

here kept TO an exacting standard and
formed groups OF black or blue haw-
thorne. apple green, sang de bpuf,
famille verte, famille noire and so on,
which are Of astonishing brilliance
and perfection. They round out col
lection which. as was said ~ the out
set. is only comparable 20 the greatest
of the smaller private collect ms hav-
ing a European fame. Taking leave
of IL, momentarily. we are conscious OF
this singularity that il possesses, and
OF the rich store Of pure delight which
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

is not markedly original in her designs,
hut she is accomplished, and, in quiet
way, entertaining.
The old masters at the Enrich gal
lery have a special interest in the fact
that a very reasonable valuation has
been placed upon them. Nothing. in
the collection is offered at more than
$1,000, and a number Of the paintings
are held at even lower prices. To say
that none of them is worth more than
is asked only directs attention TO the
salient point at issue. This IS tina;
cid pictures are not necessarily 10 be
regarded as the game OF very rich col
lectors alone, detail frequently over.
looked. The exhibition serves good
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
A Great Company
ofPainters. Sculp-
TORS and Crafts
m en-
By ROYAL C0RTlSSoZ.

The Rothschild room in the Louvre.
che Poldi-Pezroli house at Milan
,,sse are the particular, renowned be-
quests 70 the world Of art which are
Jailed by the gift Of the late Ben
;swin Altman TO the Metropolitan
Museum. II is like them in that II
concentrates into comparatively small
s,sce works SO precious as TO make
.ry gallery famous forever A close
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

contributions 10 the ensemble are mere
iy perfect in their different ways. Macs
too. we should add to the company
With Doux dc IIooghe. and even the
incompatible Yer Nicer Of Delft, we
are not so content. Other things OF
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

he has no traffic with the ideas Of an
tiquity. or with those which Michael
Angelo let loose in his vast cosmos.
II is enough that he paints his obscure
old woman in grandiose manner,
gives us in that simple figure a kind
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

Al the Goupil gallery there is an ex-
hibition of oils. water colors and illu-
limitations by an English artist, Mrs.
Da Loria Norman. Her versatility is
shown not only in her use of different
mediums, but in matters of style. Her
free. broad and very pleasing sketches
OF landscape and coast scenes hardly
prepare one for the figure subjects she
exhibits These, executed with some
talent. hint at more than one source OF
inspiration in English art. The Al
,ermath" and the Sketch for Mural
Decoration" both recall the tragic fig
ure in the Love and Death" Of Watts.
More frequently Mrs Norman reminds
Us of the lesser English Pre-Raphae!-
ties, the followers, long way after, OF
Rossetti and his group. The one en-
t'rely successful picture IN the show.
"The Dreamer" an interior POLITICALLY
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

in everything save taste. Deep reli-
gious motion he had, closely allied with
that warm human sentiment which is
as precious as any glow of doctrine to
the energizing of devotional picture,
and the Altman example, the Madonna
and Child with Saint Anne" gives us
an abundantly adequate reflection OF
mis- characteristic force in works of the
kind But We bid farewell here TO the
simple distinction OF Holbein's color
10 his delicacy and beauty. Durer is,
nv contrast. fairly insensitive and
heavy handed. Even his great drafts
mauship and there is not any greater
in the whole range Of arts dimmed
by the want of pure beauty in the
painting as a whole, want traceable
TO nothing so much as to his limita-
tions as q colorist.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

The Gorham company announces an
exhibition Of small bronzes. the recent
work Of prominent American sculptors
European landscapes by Harold c. Dun
bar may be seen at the Cathedral Park
way Gallery. The exhibition of works
by Leon Bakst and Herbert Crowley,
NJ the gallery of the Berlin Photo
graphic Company. has been extended
20 Noyeml er II At the Little Gallery
there is special exhibition Of recent
s!lyerware by George {. Gebelein, IN
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

terpieces of Italian art, and OF all IN
that art that, on a lower level, still
remains worthy Of the masters
The Italian contingent in the Altman
collection is delightfully."- varied. Be
sides the religious designs cited above
there are several fine portraits. Two
extraordinary rarities figure here, the
vivid, colorful Portrait of Himself"
by Antonello da Messna. and the
Young Venetian" by Giorgione, and
between them lie the "Borso D'Este" Of
Cosimo Tura, the FEDERICO GonZaga"
of Francia and the Lady of Rank as
Saint Bibiana" of Bartolomeo Mon
tagna. Linear distinction is at the bot
tom Of the charm of them all, until we
reach the GiOrgione, which, with It's ro-
mantle glow, withdraw US from Floren-
tine tellectuality into the sumptuous
materiaism ofVenice. After this moving
souvenir Of the beautiful city's most
imprisoned votary OF beauty, the eX-
ample of the chiefest of her many
masters. Titan, leaves one a little cold.
The "Filippo Archinto" is noble pOr-
trait, magisterial study of a schol-
arly old type. But Titan the painter
Of a thousand commissions made it. not
Titan the great creative designer and
colorist.
One receives similarly mixed i'm
preston where Velasquez is concerned.
the only other Southern master in the
collection. The Christ and the Pill
grims of Emmaus" is a fine illustration
Of his earlier manner, the manner OF
the bOdeQOneS. Students OF technique
will be grateful for the lessons embodied
in its simple color scheme and IN its
restrained brushwork. The Villerher-
81 o.
beating tie familiar type of portrait
painted when the artist was first at
court, is distinctly disappointing.
Rembrandt and Other Masters of the
Low Countries.
Authenticity in a collection of
old masters is a great thing but II
does not necessarily imply the pres
ence of uniformly great pictures. The
Altman Rembrandts, twelve in number,
make an immediate sensation IN the
first of the rooms at the Metropolitan.
and study of them, the by one, quickly
enough brings out the fact that there
is not ii mediocre painting IN me lot.
They are all characteristic IN one way
or another, they are all unimpeachable.
they are all, rs the saying goes, OF
museum rank" Yet they are not by
any means all of equal interest an"
apart from the educational value OF
having so good representation here
of the masters different manners
there are few that we would not
miss at all if they were taken away.
On the other hand, there are pieces in
the group which to the lover Of great
painting must remain classics. Az
their head we would place the magnifi-
cent "Old Woman Cutting Her Nails
the nearest thing TO a Greek monument
that Rembrandt ever produced. IL
would be puerile TO note with any dis
paragement the small, repulsive nature
of the subject. The important thing
is the manner in which the artist
transeends his material. He uses form
lust for the sake Of form, uses IT as It
was used in the frieze Of the Par
thenon and in the ceiling Of the Sis
tine Chapel. 1t does not matter that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

purpose also in a circumstance often
ignored By criticism as well as by the
public. It seems terribly difficult IN
some quarters to establish the quite
commonplace truth that hundreds Of
old masters. even some of the great
leaders, were in the very nature OF
things unable always TO strike twelve.
In the fifteenth century, just as IN the
twentieth, men painted quantities OF
pictures in no wise extraordinary but
admirable nevertheless. The Enrich
show provides some illustrations. The
Alfani Nativity" the Cotes "Por-
trait Of Miss Anna Williams" the
Pannini Ruins" the Zucarelli Land
scape." the Licinio Madonna" the
Madonna" of the school Of Memllng,
these pictures and many of the others
are not by any means masterpieces but
they are genuine and interesting sur
vivals Of famous schools and periods.
We cordially commend this experiment,
which ought to appeal to open-minded
amateurs.
George Hitchcock, the able American
painter who died in Holland last year.
left a number of works in his studio.
Forty-two of his pictures, never before
seen in this neighborhood. have lately
been placed on view at the Brooklyn
Museum. An exhibition Of the work
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

of the art department of the Wash
ington Irving High School is going on
in the Municipal Gallery.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15

theirs. seen elsewhere, have given "
infinitely more happiness.