International studio (27.1905/1906(1906))

The Staats Fort es Coliection

is one of the finest things in the coliection. It
reveals the touch of the master and the mind of
the poet. It is the work of an artist who possesses
deep feelings and the capacity for expressing them
with remarkable facility.
That original and attractive artist Eugene
Isabey is extensively represented by a number of
figure-subjects. It is somewhat surprising that the
coliection does not contain any example of his
marine painting, in which he also distinguished
himself. His figure-subjects can hardly be said to
express the highest form of art, yet many of them
by their superb colouring and admirable composi-
tion are unquestionably good achievements, and
they display decorative qualities of a high Order.
It is usual to compare Isabey with Delacroix, and
to some extent he shows the master’s fine feeling
for colour, but his work lacks the breadth and fire
which characterise the masterpieces of Delacroix.
Isabey’s exceptional skill in portraying groups
of fine ladies and gallant courtiers is well exempli-
fied in his Court of the Chateau in the coliection.
The brilliant colours of the costumes are cleverly
placed in the picture, the bluish-grey tones of the
picturesque old court forming an excellent setting.
Equally successful in its colouring is the picture

At the Entrance to the Chateau, where the rieh gold
of one lady’s costume and the mauve and pink gown
worn by the other are particularly beautiful. The
drawing of the horse in the background is certainly
weak. The Assau/t, in which are seen a number
of horsemen attacking acastle, is anunusually vivid
and spirited composition full of life and movement,
in which the brilliant reds of the soldiers’ uniforms
are intensified by the dark grey sky.
Fantin-Latour’s flower-pieces have become so
populär in England that it is generally considered
necessary to have one or more examples in a
coliection of modern works. Of the few in the
Staats Forbes coliection, the Vase of Tulips,
Narcissus, c^c., is undoubtedly the finest. It is a
wonderful piece of colour, and displays that freedom
of touch which is essential for the successful
rendering of flowers. Stocks, though a work of
less importance, commands admiration by its
absolute truthfulness and beauty of colour. A
small figure-subject by the same artist called The
Tollet of Cupid,, is interesting as showing his strong
leaning towards Romanticism. It is as usual of
superb colour and broadly and vigorously executed.
An even greater colourist, by many considered
the greatest of the last Century, was Monticelli.


“VIEW FROM THE GARDEN OF MR. LIVESEY, BEAULIEU

BY H. HARPIGNIES