New-York tribune., 1919-12-11
Chinese Paintings
To Be Sold Here
By Correspondent
Fred'k Moore, for S Years
Representative of Associ-
ated Press IN Peking, Dis
plays Fine Collection
By Royal Cortissoz

For more than FIVE years Frederick
Moore was the correspondent of The
Associated Press in Peking. At the
American Art Galleries there may be
seen to-day the fruits OF his leisure
hours in China. He devoted them to
collecting old Chinese paintings, and
he assemblies now about q hundred ex-
amples which possess, quite apart from
Their intrinsic qualities. certain in
terest.
Oriental art as it was first introduced
into this country was confined almost
exclusively to the Japanese print, to
Eastern porcelains and to those tiny
cabinet pieces-sword guards, snuff
bottles and SO on-which illustrate
pure craftsmanship. More recently the
painting of the East has appealed to
the amateur. The late Charles L. Freer
gave it the utmost Importance in the
collection which is to be shown perma-
nently in Washington. Other connois-
seurs have latteriy been devoting them
the schools Of the East will be as en-
Enthusiastically collected as the schools
of Europe by discerning Americans. We
are just entering the field. In view
Of that fact the dispersal of q collec-
ton like Mr.. Moore's is a modest but
genuinely significant event.
1t offers precisely the right oppor-
tunity for the beginner. That is to
say, it is not gathering of prod gious
masterpieces, but one Of good and
sometimes striking examples. Best Of
all, it reflects different schools and
modes Of the East; it has the variety
of art that has still to drive its roots
deep down into the broad Western con-
sciousness.
Small Landscape Studies
A valuable feature is the sprinkling
Of these small studios of landscape
and kindred motives in which Oriental
naturalsm is exploited for it's own
sake, giving US the truth reinforced by
nothing save technique and decorative
beauty. A perfect specimen is offered
in The Cormorant Fisher" (No.
53), by Hsieh Pin, of the Ming period.
Forain is his nearest modern analogue,
which is but another way of saying
that the design is bit Of consummate
craftsmanship. The catalogue al
ludes to the quality of humor in this
drawing. 1t is there, obviously enough,
but the merit Of the thing lies alto
gether in its clever, flashing notation
Of form, in strokes as eloquent as they
are swift. Much of the landscape work
here is in a sedater and, perhaps, more
delicate vein. Mr.. Moore's souvenirs
in this category are charming. That
they are not brilliant hardy matters.
Their quality is good enough to enforce
the lesson of Eastern landscape art,
its fineness Of touch and its beautiful
synthetic approach.
The decorative genius which achieved
positively monumental effects with sub
jects in no wise heroic is reflected in
some Of the best Of Mr. Moores pic
lures, in the big Geese and Grasses"
NO. sly, in the similarly spacious
Ducks" (No. 104) and in the hand
some Eagle" (No. 96), but we can
imagine the collectors turning with
more zest to another type of painting
exhibited. We refer to illustrations Of
broad tonality like the Mist in the
Mountains" (No. 1917, and to such a
study the figure as the anonymous
Ming full length of Chang Ouch, the
Controller of All Evil Spirits" (No.
T5). Such a painting as this last pro-
vides peculiarly serviceable point of
departure for those who would be init-
ated into the art of the East 1t is
Chinese in its macabre sentiment and
in its style. But it is modern and
Western, too, in it's sweeping realism
Genius Crops Out
All through this exhibition there
crops out the universal genius which is
characteristic of great Oriental paint
ing, its simplicity. its truth it's ancient
use of the idiom which dominates the
finest art of all periods and places.