New-York tribune., 1921-01-25


there emerges the emotional tender
ness which accompanied medieval real
ism.
After the tapestries and the glass
there come the sculptures, mostly
statuettes in wood. Flemish, Spanish
and other Continental carvers Of the
earlier periods are represented, naive
workers who portrayed the Madonna
and the saints with touching simplicity
and kind of unworldIy picturesque
ness. In addition to these statuettes
shere is an enchanting group of Italian
reliefs in stucco. The fifteenth CEN
tury painted and gilded relief from a
Florentine studio (No. $500 is one of
the gems in this group. We must
mention also the two by Desiderio da
Settignano and Benedetto da Majano
(Nos. 335 and 1867.
The section devoted to metal work
is very large. 1t includes quantities
Of European brasses, among which the
examples of sixteenth century German
work are especially noticeable. But
sll the things in this part of the col
lection are of high quality. French
and Italian wrought iron forms kind
of pendant to the mass. Finally come
numerous beautiful Oriental rugs, q
brilliant array of italian velvets and
brocades, and collection of antique
furniture that would by itself make
something like a sensation Italian
chairs and cabinets, French choir
stalls and cupboards, Spanish tables
and couple of superb sixteenth CEN
tury French chests. In this category
as elsewhere there is nothing mediocre
The museum level, if we may so de-
scribe it, is steadily maintained. No
sale Of the season can transcend in
interest this one, which is set for next
Thursday, Friday and Saturday after
moons.
Spontaneous Studies
In referring to the works Of Degas
we linked them at the outset with the
ancient vital tradition of French art
and it is tempting to develop this
point. But it is even more importa nj
to indicate the element which gives
and pastels its salience. This is the
personal element, the significance o,
t ese pictures as particularly fresh il
lustrations of a masters character
There are designs here which we can
imagine him as sending forth to take
their places among those works which
he regarded as Finished" But theirs
are many which seem more like chips
from his workshop, utterly spontanc-
Gus studies which death alone released
from his studio. This is but another
way of saying that the exhibition opens
door into the very core of his art.
| 1t is markedly comprehensive. In
the company, for example, there are
period, the period when he was a dis
ciple of Ingres. One, Young Spartans
at Wrestling Exercise" is a painting
of nude youths and maidens observed
a., in the open air. 1t is academic, for
Degas. BuI he could not have been
dry y academic if he had tried. C~lor
crept in, but more than this there was
always his passion for form to lift him
as it lifted Ingres above the routine
and convention Of the Academy.
Again Like 1ngres
1t is exciting to see Degas touched
by the mood Of the Salon, in "La File
de Jephte," and, again like lngres
leaving the formulas of the Salon far
behind him. Some, not all of the
forms in this big canvas are gloriously
m. .deled, as full of kind Of strong
virtuosity as though he had sat at the
| feet OF Michael Angelo. These are the
most obvious reflections of the
thoroughgoing discipline on which
Degas based his art; but you can see
traces of those early studies of his
in the big "Mdlle. Fiocre dams le Bal.
let de la Source" Years afterward
| when he painted the ballet, he was al
| ways making much of its movement
Here his figures are in repose anc
there Is chance for the most careful
delineation Of hands and faces, for ar
extraordinary subtlty of colors. The
heroine is clothed in a celestial blue
We can think Of no other such marica
exploitation Of this hue this side o1
the singing blue in Rembrandt's "Sam
son and Delilah."
For passages of drawing akin tt
those which illuminate this picture tn,
observer should turn to the portraits
| to "The Violinist," Femme en- Chapea,
Rose" PORTRAIT Of Man." and, mos
brilliant of all. "Portrait in White
and portrait of a Lady" The las
mentioned canvas has only one riva
among the works of Degas that we cal
recall, the marvellous portrait in M
Gardner's collection in Boston. TIL
| face is drawn with a precision, an ele
gance, touch of style that would hav
made Ingres himself rejoice. TIL
Portrait in White" simi arly inter
esting in its craftsmanship, is eve
more beguiling as regards co'or
contains more enhancing grays.
The early works cited above point {
the fact that Degas once vas willin
to tell a story; and there IS IN ex
ample of his later period, the big pic
| ture of horse race, in which fal,e
jockey lies insensible as his noun