"THE FENCING MASTER," BY GARI MELCHERS Source: Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art, Vol. 7, No. 2 (APRIL, 1913), pp. 17-18 Published by: Detroit Institute of Arts Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41934932 . Accessed: 19/05/2014 05:09 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Detroit Institute of Arts is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 193.104.110.126 on Mon, 19 May 2014 05:09:50 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
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"THE FENCING MASTER," BY GARI MELCHERSSource: Bulletin of the Detroit Museum of Art, Vol. 7, No. 2 (APRIL, 1913), pp. 17-18Published by: Detroit Institute of ArtsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41934932 .
Accessed: 19/05/2014 05:09
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
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Detroit Institute of Arts is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Bulletin of theDetroit Museum of Art.
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"THE MINIATURE "-By Robért Reid Purchased for the Museum's Permanent Collection
ADDITIONS TO THE COLLEC- TIONS.
The permanent collection of the De- troit Museum of Art has been enriched during the past three months by several important pictures, one acquired by pur- chase, the others presented by the good friends of the Museum.
"THE FENCING MASTER," BY GARI MELCHERS.
Mr. Edward C. Walker quietly an- nounced upon his return from Europe some time since, that he had purchased one of Mr. Melchers' most important works with the idea of adding it to the Museum's collection, but that it would
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"BACCHANAL" By Walter Shirlaw, N.A. One of seven examples ot this American Artist recently presented by his widow Mrs. Florence M. Shirlaw
not be received for a time as the artist had promised it for exhibition in the Biennial Exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, and in his New York exhibition.
Many good words were said of "The Fencing Master" while it was being ex- hibited in the Eastern cities, at the close of which it was received in Detroit, and makes a splendid addition to the group of paintings, now numbering six, by this painter of whom Detroit is justly proud. "The Fencing Master " adds variety
to the Melchers group, as it is quite different in treatment from any of the others. It is a life-sized figure, exqui- site in modelling and color, but painted with a technique which speaks of great reserve power. It is quiet but impres- sive in tone and arrangement. Com- pare it with the "Portrait of Mrs. Mel- chers" of equal size, in which the col- lossal power and technique of the artist are apparent. The latter is a picture of elusive femininity that required the utmost play of the artist's skill to pre- sent all the beauty of tints and textures. "The Fencing Master " on the other hand, garbed in browns and greys, is a
masculine figure full of reserve await- ing the coming bout, a reserve which the artist caught the spirit of and treated with a masterly technique. The left hand hanging at rest, is a most beautifully wrought detail, but look at the detail in any part of the canvas and you find it equally well done.
How fitting it is that the Detroit Mu- seum of Art, in the home town of the artist, should have a group of Mel- chers for future generations. Even in his own day, no contemporary has out- stripped him in honors, either at home or abroad. His art is of that sane and classic spirit that will be sought for as eagerly two hundred years hence as Rembrandt's, Hals' or Velasquez's are today, and Detroit may be thankful that through the foresight and generosity of Mr. Edward C. Walker it is laying up treasure for that day when to see and study Melchers intelligently, the future critics will have to come to Detroit.
"NEW YORK HARBOR," BY JULES LESSORE.
The largest water-color owned by the Museum and one which in its boldness of execution is essentially a gallery pic-
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