166
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
and characterized b}’ a depth and wealth of color, little in keeping with the faulty execution.
Very rich and varied in color are the pictures of Isabe}', of which he exposed several. Hardly more than suggestions of pictures, very sketchy, the figures forming themselves out of an apparently confused mass of lines and blotches of color, few contours, no attempt at finish, the pictures are nevertheless full of interest. The forms are suggested with a vigorous touch, and the action strong and well understood. For an example of the whole, take one of the long, narrow panels. It is Breakfast in the Forest. The lords and ladies in their most brilliant dress, hobnob at a table on the left, cooks and scullions stagger under the weight of steaming dishes or huge pots of food. In the centre, the fire, with the fat attendants, and to the right, the esquires and servants drink and carouse in their boisterous way. All is movement and stir; the woods are full of figures, and brilliant costumes, shining armor, the blaze of the fire reflected on polished dishes, the foliage and all the beauties of the forest make the picture a bouquet of rich color. Isabey’s figures are so small that there is a temptation to class him among the liliputian painters; but he pays so little attention to detail that his characters are grand in their breadth and vigorous action.
With Gerome, who was represented by some of his best w r orks, size does not always remain a necessary attribute of his productions, but he is always best seen when his figures do not exceed a certain very small stature. His Slave Market , a life-size picture, a sort of studio combination of a naked girl» a crouching negro, a parrot and a few accessories, has little to recommend it. Then there were also shown one or two rather hideous subjects, where decapitated heads and cold' blooded guards told some story of Eastern barbarity. Finished with more than photographic nicety, the details are rendered with such exactness, that you are almost sure that there is a miniature jporte-monnaie in the pocket of each of the diminutive personages. There is, nevertheless, a skill in composition, a knowledge of costume and antiquities, a considerable truth of expression and strength of color that pleases. While