Evening star., 1941-11-16
Works of 10Th Century French Artists
Make Pleasing Exhibition at National
Loan From Dale
Collection Shows
Painters at Best
By Leila MechHn.

much in praise and appreciation OF
the IS paintings by French artists
of the 10Th century which, through
the generosity of Mr.. and Mrs.
Chester Dale of New York. have
been placed on view for an indefi-
mite period in the National Gallery
of Art Not only are they repre-
sentative of the painters at their
best. but they seem to have been
selected with rare sense of es-
thetic values. Individually, they stir
the emotions pleasurably; collec-
lively. they bridge the gap between
the art of the past and that of to-
day.
During the past century there
was extraordinary change in the
form OF art expression through the
medium of painting in France. With
amazing rapidity these innovations
followed one another. but through
them all the great tradition was
preserved, the laws which had be-
come immutable remained in force.
The garment in which the artists
was IlOlllCo NoS dlJSINd.
renewed, but that was all. To an
extent. however, this has led to
misunderstanding, the superficial
being mistaken for the substantial.
the real, the eternal. For this rea-
son, the opportunity to become bet
ter acquainted with the works of
the masters who led these new
movements will mean much to
many.
Far From Antagonistic.
It is a long leap from Jacques
Louis David to Paul Gezanne, but
the formers neo-classic portrait
of Nine Hamelin and the latters
Still Life" which, by some, will be
called post -impreSsionistic, are far
from antagonistic when seen in this
small but comprehensive exhibition.
And so 1t is with the works of the
romanticists and realists and the
impressionists. Almost without ex-
ception the painters represented
went In early youth to Italy and
studied, even copied, the works of
the great masters; they drank
deeply at the source. but without
injury TO their own originality. The
changes which resulted came nat
urally-the stream was widened,
that WAS all.
David, like his confrere, Ingres,
was a great craftsman. and the line
in his portrait of Nine. Hamelin is
very beautiful. To some the paint
ing may seem cold in color. and in
the statuesqueness of the figure, but
rarely has such subject been more
skillfully handled. Nine. Hamelin.
the creole wife of Partisan banker
was said to be a rival of Nine
Recamier. whose portrait by David
in the Louvre is world famous.
Delacroix, the great romanticist,
Is represented in this group by
rather unusual canvas, a painting
of Christopher Columbus and his
son Diego at the Monastery of
Santa Maria de la Rabida, near
Palos, supposedly seven years be-
fore he discovered America, which
Is souvenir-and very notable
one-of the painters trip through
Spain in 1882. 1t is an interesting
composition, but the chief charm is
the manner in which the arChitec-
tural features have been rendered,
q manner which savors somewhat
of that of the painters Of Northern
Italy. So conservative is this pic
ture. it is hard to believe that a few
years earlier the painter was ac-
cused by the followers of David and
Ingres of establishing the worship
of the ugly" to which he retorted
that the whole world could not pre-
vent him from seeing and painting
things in his own way.
Between the clasSicists and ro-
manticists came Corot and Dau-
bigny. founders of the Fontainebleau
School, which attained great popu-
larity in this country. Corot is rep
resented in the Chester Dale Col
lection by three important works,
'Forest of Fontainebleau, canvas
approximately by feet in dimen-
sions. which was painted shortly
after the first of his three trips to
Italy. Classical il style, it is strongly
presented and has in its composition
certain features which became
habitual in his landscape transcript
tions. So we'll did the painter like
this picture that he Is said to have
tried to buy it from its purchaser
In order to give it to the Louvre.
Shows Italian Influence.
Smaller, but perhaps the more
lovely, is his View Near Volterra,"
by which he is also here repre-
eented. This was painted In 1888,
during his second sojourn in Italy,
and it still shows Italian influence,
modified, however, by a feeling more
distinctly French.
Corot is more often thought Of as
. landscape than figure painter, but
in recent years his figure paintings
have increased in appreciation, and
certainly his "Agostina,' full
length figure of a peasant woman in
italian costume, is powerful
piece of painting-a little hard, per-
haps. but bold and impressive.
Next to this handsome figure, to
the right, hangs a landscape by
Daubigny. entitled The Farm
which is thought to suggest Corot S
influence. but in grave simplicity
and dignity more nearly parallels
some of the landscape etchings by
Rembrandt A group of farm build
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