DOI Heft:
Nr. 149 (August 1905)
DOI Artikel:Frantz, Henri: The Thomy-Thiéry collection of paintings
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20712#0205
The Thomy-Thiery Collection of Paintings
THE THOMY-THIERY COLLEC-
TION OF PAINTINGS. BY
HENRI FRANTZ.
When, two years ago, the Thomy-Thiery collec-
tion was bequeathed to the Louvre, in accordance
with the generous provision of that genuine lover of
art, the opinion was almost unanimously expressed
that this gift filled a void in the history of French
painting of the nineteenth century ; and that now
certain men of genius might be fully and properly
appreciated, who, though they had been represented
at the Louvre, had not hitherto been seen under
all their different aspects. As time goes on, the
conviction has only grown stronger that this col-
lection has been quite an exceptional contribution ;
and now that the eye has become accustomed to
all these beautiful things, one asks how some
masters of the Barbizon school and other artists of
that period could for so long have been judged
simply from what the Louvre formerly possessed.
Let us take Decamps, for example, the painter
whose works are first seen on entering the new
rooms. Is not this a real revelation ? Before this
the master’s Bataille des Cimbres could, indeed, be
seen at the Louvre ; but howr far removed is that
picture, wdth its somewhat confused execution,
from the true spirit of Decamps, as shown by some
of the exquisite specimens in the Thomy-Thiery
collection ! We have here an almost unique
assemblage of this master’s pictures, such as can be
found in no other collection. We find him to be
a painter of unequalled force and vigour; his
pictures are always solidly constructed, with strong
contrasts of light and shade, with richness of pate,
and with a zest of colouring which few artists have
been fortunate enough to possess. Like Chardin,
Decamps was a witty illustrator of some of La
Fontaine’s fables ; and it is delightful to see how
the artist often completes the thought of the writer.
Decamps was likewise an accomplished animal
painter : his Bassets/ his Valet de Chiens entrant
dans un Chenil, and his Conr de Ferme are works
that have never been surpassed in their small way.
THE THOMY-THIERY COLLEC-
TION OF PAINTINGS. BY
HENRI FRANTZ.
When, two years ago, the Thomy-Thiery collec-
tion was bequeathed to the Louvre, in accordance
with the generous provision of that genuine lover of
art, the opinion was almost unanimously expressed
that this gift filled a void in the history of French
painting of the nineteenth century ; and that now
certain men of genius might be fully and properly
appreciated, who, though they had been represented
at the Louvre, had not hitherto been seen under
all their different aspects. As time goes on, the
conviction has only grown stronger that this col-
lection has been quite an exceptional contribution ;
and now that the eye has become accustomed to
all these beautiful things, one asks how some
masters of the Barbizon school and other artists of
that period could for so long have been judged
simply from what the Louvre formerly possessed.
Let us take Decamps, for example, the painter
whose works are first seen on entering the new
rooms. Is not this a real revelation ? Before this
the master’s Bataille des Cimbres could, indeed, be
seen at the Louvre ; but howr far removed is that
picture, wdth its somewhat confused execution,
from the true spirit of Decamps, as shown by some
of the exquisite specimens in the Thomy-Thiery
collection ! We have here an almost unique
assemblage of this master’s pictures, such as can be
found in no other collection. We find him to be
a painter of unequalled force and vigour; his
pictures are always solidly constructed, with strong
contrasts of light and shade, with richness of pate,
and with a zest of colouring which few artists have
been fortunate enough to possess. Like Chardin,
Decamps was a witty illustrator of some of La
Fontaine’s fables ; and it is delightful to see how
the artist often completes the thought of the writer.
Decamps was likewise an accomplished animal
painter : his Bassets/ his Valet de Chiens entrant
dans un Chenil, and his Conr de Ferme are works
that have never been surpassed in their small way.