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Auguste Bonheur’s large cattle-piece, Inness’ “Autumn Oaks,” Corot’s “Ville d’Avray,” Knaus’ “Madonna,” Cabanel’s kneeling female figure, Koybet’s “Card Players,” “Jean d’Arc,” by Bastian Lepage; “The Baloon,” by Julian Dupré; Wylie’s “Death of the Vendean Chief,” Leutze’s “Crossing of the Delaware,” Meissonier’s “1807,” the three pictures of Turner, “Milton Dictating to His Daughters,” by Munkacsy, and Knaus’ “Bow at a Peasants’ Ball.” This list contains the most important works of these collections, and others might easily be added.
More studiable is the vortex arrangement of the “1807,” with its magnificent sweep of cavalry, where the tumultuous energy of one part is augmented by fine antithesis of repose in another. Meissonier’s composition was expanded after the first conception was nearly completed. The visitor at the Metropolitan Museum may discover a horizontal line in the sky and a vertical one through the right end.
Thus Meissonier’s “Return of Napoleon from Moscow,” is a better picture than his “Napoleon III surrounded by his staff in Sicily,” which latter is only a marvellous achievement at painting detail in the smallest possible size, and lacks entirely the forceful composition of mass and light and shade of the former.
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