The New York herald., 1922-01-05
Barbizon Masters
Dominate Peacock
Collections on VieW
Paintings Usually Reserved for
Museums i'm Exllibition-Rarc
Chinese Art Also Shown.

Art Association. 1t includes the well
known paintings OF Alexander r. Pea
cock of Pittsburgh, the Chinese treasures
gathered by A. w, Bahr, a collection of
valuable jewels, laces and furs, and also
the American and British marine prints
of Capt. Harry Parker of the Royal
Geographical Society OF London.
The Peacock collection of paintings has
a suong Barbizon flavor. White the
Barbizon masters are not actually III the
majority and some, including Jean
Francois Millet, are not represented at
all. nevertheless it is clear that the pic
lures were grouped together by con-
noisseur who had formed his taste under
Barbizon infiuences Even the Ameri-
cans chosen by Mr.. peacock, George In
ness and Alexander Wyant may be
classed as Barbizon without too great a
stretch of the imagination. Mr. Pea
cocks concern as a collector. it is evil
dent. stopped at the moment in history
when inlpressionism began.
AS the, Barbizon cult always has been
the most powerful one to date in this
country, it follows that the dispersal OF
these paintings will be watched with
general interest. The word "connois-
seur" has been applied knowingly to Mr..
Peacock, for he knew how to obtain ex-
amples that exhibited his favorite paint
ers at their best. The Van Marcke, the
Jacob Maris, the Harpignies. the Jacque,
the Bail, the Cain and the Rosa Bon
heur are OF the quality that is usually
reserved for public museums.
Paxturage,' by Van Marcke.
The Van Marcke is his ''Pasturage."
a fine example of this masters style.
1t shows a group of cattle arranged in
a composition that is at the same time
sure and natural. The textures of the
furry cows, of the rich turf and dark
trees have been accomplished in the
most able manner. 1t is an admirable
Van Marcke "A Bit of Amsterdam"
by Jacob Maris shows a canal in the
densely settled part of Amsterdam.
crossed by bridge similar to those OF
Venice. If II be true that Mr.. Peacock
stopped just short of impressionism,
tnen he stopped with this picture by
Marfs. 1t contains much of the sug-
gestive kind OF painting that Whistler
was to popularize, but it was more unct-
uous and moro solid that the airy
Whistler was apt to be.
Spring Flowing" by Rosa Bonhcur.
IL very Barblzon in feeling. IT is one
OF the most spirited and intense of this
artists work to appear in our auctions
THE straining cattle at the plow. the
toiling farmer, the haystacks and the
solid earth would have interested Millet
exceedingly. "The Gossips.' by Joseph
Bail, is an interior. and the two women
who gossip are drawn with severe ease
and also with some sarcasm. The still
life in the picture, as is always the way
with Bail. is admirably managed.
THE Pool at Uen'ison" by Harpignies
is painted with great decision. In the
picture one looks through some trees
and across a pool at a group of houses.
The shadows are massed in so surely
that the decorative effect carries to a
distance. "a. French Farm Early Eve
ming" BY Cazin. shows the farm build
ings by a river. with figures seated upon
the river walls. II is brushed in with
sparkling clcverress BY Daubigny there
is a large painting OF the River Marine
and by Corot there are two character
istically pearly landscapes. L'Hermttes
"Harvester's Midday Meal Is a sym
pathetic and stylistic transcript from
peasant life and Anton Mauve signs an
able picture of horses upon a towpath.
a picture that makes historical appeal
IS the study of Napoleon and his little
son. the latter In his capacity rs the
king Of Rome" receiving the obeisances
os some imposing cardinals. Il Is by
Yibcrt There also are notable canvases
by Bouguerreau. Adolf Schreyer Zien.
Thauow. Diaz. Jacque, Israels, Henner,
Alfred East. Boudin and Turner. The
sale of the Peacock collection will take
place at the Plaza Hotel on January 10.
Rare Chinese Antiques.
rr..- W 81.
art is surprisingly full OF beautiful oh
jects. although possibly the surprise will
not be for the connoisseurs. most of
whom have known Mr.. Bahr for many
years. In the course of "a long residence
IN Shanghai. Mr.. Bahr learned the hid
ing places of many rare Chinese antiques
and combined with this skill Of discovery
the knowledge of just which phases OF
eastern art were interesting to west
erners
He was one OF the first TO appreciate
Che Ancestor portraits which the Chin
csc were, for religious reasons peculiarly
averse to part with. and some that he
brought here a few years ago made a
sensation. In the present collection there
IS again a group of these rare works of
art, the portraits being subtle In char
acter and drawn with the skill of a Hol
bein. There also Is a group of ancient
paintings, including one by Lu Chi. a
great Ming artist. who expends amazing
skill upon the delineation OF some red
ocaked birds upon q river bank. An
other decorative painting is OF "a branch
~ apricots, treated in a most charming
way.
The galleries resound with the 10y
Gus songs OF birds who have been lodged
IN some particularly beautiful cages that
mark ono OF the greatest refinements OF
Chinese art These cages arc constructed
OF all sorts OF artistic materials and the
fittings are of precious stones intricately
carved. These no doubt come from cast
crn palaces. as the necklaces of man
DARN beads In a nearby case. certainly
DO. The more important OF these neck
laces are actually worn only by the Em-
peror and his mobiles. the Chinese officials
not being allowed TO use the highly
valued precious stones OF the rulers The
present examples were obtained from
Impoverished members OF the old i'm
perial court
Tho display OF iado carvings in Mr..
Bahr's collection Is most imposing. for
81 seems TO run the gamut in this form
OF art, not only IN the brlliancy OF the
varied jades but IN the extraordinary
skill OF the carving. The tiny snuff
bottles. also. ere wonderfully carved and
some OF them came from tire impe-lal
court. The Blsnc-do Chine figures. the
rich OK blood vase. the specimens OF
fsmifle vcrte and famille rose. and tho