Paris has begun to take its annual dose of pictures. This year the two Salons are housed for the first time in the Grand Palais, where, in all probability, they will ind their house for a good many years to come. The Soviété Nationale des Beaux Arts. commonly known as the New Salon, is the first to open its doors, and Sunds was the so-called varnishing day. As matter of fact no varnishing is ever done on this day, and the process itself kas almost entirely gone out of use as far as these annual exhibitions are concerned. Artists are beginning to realise that varhish spoils a freshly-painted picture. event becomes x dirty ye over the surfaces. Varnishing day some of its importance from the ut of view, the two. societies having into the habit of sending out invit: ions for the pre President still come in ge numbers, but the ladies tuiettes and no longer lunch the adjoining open-air restaurants. The artists, however, have kept up this eu: tom. On Sunday morning most of the ies carried prayer-books in their hands.
tuck the Salon as a relaxation after no doubt.
When we consider the immense amount us, talent, and hard work which put forth by artists of all countries in order to produce the marvellous colleen tion of pictures exhibited in the Grand Palais 1 r, it seems rather surprise ing to find So many good ones there now collection is marked by many." ab-for instance, there is only one nse canvas by Delauce. It repre sents the Reverend Pere Cogulin rece ling the artist Léandre, why?
Horrors also noti certainly one or two unpleasant pic-Neither are there any statues rth mentioning, although statuettes purple horses and ne trees. There is, how ty M. Montenard, water is exactly the colour oolie's cotton coat. All lov those first room, and will sigh to think that the master who produced such telling work has ceased to exist. Landscapes, on the whole, predominate among the really good There are some excellent views of Capri by M. Dubufe; M. Pierre has some good winter country scenes, M. Lebourg some pretty ry things, while "huan gives us quays ana entrances to wns, very true to nature. M. Carolus Duran shows landscapes. this year. but lo not. equal his portraits. "Tuee are powerful marine pictures by M. Julius Olvon and M. Latenay.
The picture of the Salon is said to be az Albert Besnard's Féerie Intime."
it certainly is, but not the kind of picture which is elevating cither to art or humani a nude woman died in an arm-chair among, he Asa study of flesh tints in shadows this is an extremely skilful pices of work. The same artist shows eight remarkable cartoons representing Christ in modern snrroundings, and M. Jean Beraud in Christ tied to the column," shows us the Saviour mocked and tortured by workmen, butchers, schoolboys, women and a freemason in his collar and apron, who, the artist says, is the type of the modern French Cabinet Minister. We have heard of, and look for, "Two girls in an automobile," by Mr. Stewart, hit when we find it the first thing that st doz. He seems to smell the whizzes along with paws firmly planted on the splash-board. The bright, English-looking girls show signs of enjoyment too. Altogether the picture is full of life. Another work which well repays the.treuble of finding is M. Collet's "Feu de Ia} int Jean." a powerful, well-executed picture of peasants grouped round a fire. On the whole, the New Salon has gained by compression, though it has few works of striking merit.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.