New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-24
national ACADEMY of Design.

We sometimes think that the Academy should
appoint critical committee to decide wlthoutmer-
cy on those paintings that deserve place In the
public galleryfor exhibition. The many daubs we
meet with certainly injure the reputation of the
young artist. 1t is no credit to man to beknown
soon, if heIis knewn as poor painter. years OBJ
livion is easier remeded than year srldlcule For
instance, the painting of John the Baptist, IN the
first room, will injure the artist than very
excellent painting could benefit him. Take away
the cross, and it would make capital Italian beg
gar boy So No 49, the sketch of Brig General lie Bcum
fort would do very well for sign board with Col Pluck
written the Bgadiers chapcau 1t is the greatest car
feature of the Philadelphia riots have But there
good paintings around this vast quantity Of bad
ones. No. 49,. An Old Mans "Reminiscences. by Durand
has all the completeness and exquisite finish of that artist
Durand has excellence over Cole His pictures will bear
the closest scrutiny in every part There is harmony
throughout that it pleases much in detail in the
effect OF the whole Mr.. Cole the contrary, Is often
very unequal in the same piece. He will produce finer G
tecs than Durand-wich upon YOU like bursts of
sunlight then leave you In comparative shadow 1t
he exhausted himself grew weary in producing
splendid effect and hurried the rest Of the picture.
No. So byhm-'vew Frenchman's Bay from Mount
Desert Island, Maine after sQua exhibits his peculiar
excellence The mist driving inland from the seathe yex
cd waters and the spray shooting up from rock and
the deep green of the all true to nature and
sesm like remembrance to one who has witnessed such
scenes.
But No. 81 by him. Elijah at the Entrance OF the Cave,
we must pronounce failure. Indeed, 1t is not to
be painted by any one, and least of all by Mr. Cole The
abrupt ard terrific not in his vein The exquisite and
beautiful hamonze with his whole nature and the delicate
structure of his mind unfit the which require
bold and dashng pencil Bnt perhaps he has done this
as well as any one would ao H. r Wy representation must
fall far below our imagination The grandeur of the scene,
as the Almighty heraded by the tornao and earthquake
passes before the astonshei Prophet be represent
ed in one aspect 1t is the succession rapid and awful
that stares u.s. The blast the shower and the earthquake
readinc in each others footsteps cannot be represented
any more than the still small voice be painted
No 10, Italy in the olden Time by Mr.. Hicks, pos
sesses great merit though wish to take another look
before we speak fully oft.
No a. THE Forest Fire. by Cropsey, may do very
WELL for those accustomed only TO bonrcs in Canal treet
but to who has the flames towering in the black
midnight over the Of mountain, and shooting toward
heaven from hundred aged trees, blazing like many
beacon lights along the hill tops it will seem very tame
representation. back-woodsmnn would tell you it did
rot equal the burning Of a common fallow.
No. 63 Portrait of Fashion, by r. c. Clarke, exhibits
the qualities of fine lnner and in the rnnuteness and
perfection the copy of nature reminds the younger
weir's paintings.
We shall refer to some of the others at another time.