File:Great pictures, as seen and described by famous writers (1899) (14598306317).jpg

Identifier: greatpicturesassx00sing (find matches)
Title: Great pictures, as seen and described by famous writers
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Singleton, Esther, d. 1930, ed. and tr
Subjects: Painting
Publisher: New York : Dodd, Mead and Company
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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not the largestof Paul Potters canvases ; but it is, at least, the only oneof his great pictures that merits serious attention. TheBear Hunt in the Museum of Amsterdam (supposing it tobe authentic), even by ridding it of the retouches whichdisfigure it, has never been anything else save the extrava-gance of a young man, the greatest mistake he committed.The Bull is not priced. Estimating it according to thepresent value of Paul Potters other works, nobody doubtsthat in a European auction it would fetch a fabulous sum.Then is it a beautiful picture ? By no means. Does itdeserve the importance attached to it ? Incontestably.Then is Paul Potter a very great painter ? Very great.Does it follow that he really does paint as well as is com-monly supposed ? Not exactly. That is a misapprehen-sion that it will be well to dissipate. On the day when this suppositious auction of which Ispeak opened, and consequently when every one had theright freely to discuss the merits of this famous work, if
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THE BULL 257 anyone dared to let the truth be heard, he would speak verynearly as follows : The reputation of the picture is very much exag-gerated and at the same time very legitimate j it is contra-dictory. It is considered as an incomparable specimen ofpainting, and that is a mistake. People think it is anexample to be followed, a model to be copied, one in whichignorant generations may learn the technical secrets oftheir art. In that again they deceive themselves entirely.The work is ugly and very ill-conceived, and the paintingis monotonous, thick, heavy, dull, and dry. The arrange-ment is of the poorest. Unity is lacking in this picture,which begins one knows not where, does not end any-where, receives light without being illuminated, and distrib-utes it at random, escapes on every side and runs out ofthe frame, so exactly like flowered linen prints does it seemto be painted. The space is too crowded without beingoccupied. Neither the lines, nor the colour, nor the distri-bution

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