Evening star., 1944-06-18
Bv Leila MechIin

Among the National Gallery o1
Arts most recent notable acquisi-
tions are two French paintings -oi
the 10Th century. One Is "The Eel
Gatherers," by Corot. the other
"The Stream" by Courbet, both OF
which were at one time included in
the famous Havemeyer collection
and have been given by Mr.. and
Mrs. Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen In
memory of the latter's father and
mother, Mr.. and Mrs. H. o. Have
meyer Of New York.
No two people could be more op-
posite in character and conduct
than Corot and Courbet, but in
these examples of their work there
is curious and unusual similarity.
Both have pictured woodland in-
teriors, dark and shadowy, en-
bellished by free flowing streams OF
clear water.
In the Corot, the stream-where
the eels may be gathered, is move
ment almost imperceptible leisurely
making its way through tunnel of
foliage to the sunny fields beyond,
while in the Courbet, wherein the
trees are darker and denser, the
water tumbles boisterously over
rocks to dash its self on the forest
floor.
Carrot has, as was his tewont,
peopled his landscape by the intro
duction of five figures-presumably
a family-suggesting a logical rela-
tion between nature and man, but
Courbet has evidently found nature
SUFFICIENT in itself-an epic of his
own discovery and Interpretation.
Mirror to Nature
It has been said of Coubet that he
was never twice the same--tl1erefore
his paintings are uncommonly 'di-
verse in character; whereas Corot
painted most often in the same
mood, for which reason he has been
easy to copy and initiate. But in
these paintings Courbet Is more
gentle than usual and Corot less
stereotyped. Neither displays in his
composition deliberate patterning
through design, each, as it were,
simply holding up a mirror to ma
ture. And how fascinating is the
result in each case! In such dells
as these the fairies dance and the
''Nttle men" make their homes.
Corot and Courbet were both of
humble parentage. Corot's home
was in or near Vile d'Avray, where
the landscape is poetic and pictur-
esque; Courbet's at Ornans, where it
is rough and dramatic. Corot's life
was full of happiness, loving and
beloved, adoring nature and eager to
share his enthusiams freely as the
generous finder Of untold treasure.
Courbet's disposition was utterly
contrary. He was tempestuous,
made enemies, delighted in contro-
versy-was boastful, conceited,
trouble making, self-seeking-and
yet as an artist he was sincere and
true to his ideals. When he was
awarded the Cross OF the Legion of
Honor of France he rudely refused
it to prove his independence and
cause sensation, in the latter of
which he was completely successful.
1t was he who coined the names
"realist" and realism" to describe
himself and his art in connection
with a one-man exhibition held in
Paris. How little did he think that
before many years they would be
outdated by those more radical than
he ever dreamed of being.
"Abbefire for Fame"
Leoncs Benedite, once curator oil
the Luxembourg Museum, said that
Courbet had IAN enormous appetite
for fame" an appetite too thought
1essly humored. He delighted te
shock and astound. But there are
limits to which such conduct can &c
without catastrophy. Because o1
the part Courbet played in pulling
down and destroying the Vendomt
Column in Paris during the Com.
mune, he was imprisoned, impov.
ished and finally exiled, despite al
the efforts that his friends made
tCorot among them to secure hin
pardon.