New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-01
CITY ITEMS.

take up the beads Of that painter Who 10 univerAy aa-
mii;sd be the best and who IN our Judgment Is the
best Of those who exhibit sufficient number oi PoF-
rsiis 10 form prominent feature In the general eject
The pictures exhibited BY ELLIOTT are No y afuli
length Of Gov. Boucs our well known sub treasurer
No I43 bead Of David Austen; No. 20 head Of A. NJ
Cozzens; No. l95 head Of HsHry lnmsn No 200 a
portrait Of lady; No 29s head Of T. Freeman and
No "a head Of lady These pictures al have the
same essential characteristics though PerhsPs the most
pleasing is No. 20. We should DO injustice TO Mr. Il
Hott did overlook the remarkable spirit which he
knosr how to infuse into bis pictures They seem In
.inci with the activity Of life, and wear character Of
their opn which IL not 10 De mistaken They are too
10 certain way evidently faithful TO their subjects
though they bear the peculiar imPreo OF The ARTIST
even the grace and freedom which seem 90 natural IS
pecisy the Gentlemen who pass through his studio
and which perhsps msy In AL eases be - apparent
in their bearing elsewhere 10 doubtless not without m
corresponding reality II re might carry our criticism
lille cut Of it proper we should say that the
more have studied these pictures the more we are
inclined to believe that their author possesses the happy
power OF putting his siers into state OF ease and
gracefulness which they not always accustomed
On fret looking Al the portraits under consideration,
we ger. inclined tor reasons which shall presently
touch on 10 Judge them with good degree OF severity
The very excellence Of which we have Just spoken was
ready for pretty strict intolerance toward their
faults But We now see that though among the worst
because the NEST taking examples Of bad style in the
Exhibition they scarcely to be condemned along
with the msss OF voluntary sins II they err 1t IL not
with the deliberate consent Of the arts, While yield
ing to the influences which have generally corrupted
modern they appear to DO So not 90 much from ori
gna tendencies tor Of firm standing point and
stable support, from which 10 resist those influences
They appear moreover xpermeuts rather than in
stances Of fixed Judging by pretty careful ex-
animation should Say that they were efforts after some
better mode but without any distinct idea Of IL nature
or the route by which ii TO be- reached and must
be said without that sure instinct and religious a'pirs
ton by which even when blindly seeking. Genius Is
saved from wandering far away from its goal.
We only repeat a triie truisn when We say tina, Por
trsit painting the highest department OF the Art In
the first place the phys msn in some sort contains
within bis form and constitution al the Kingdoms OF
Nature while his moral and intellectual life rises above
these aud belongs to higher world. This requires
corresponding insight and power in the artist lie has
10 only natural but spiritual facts not only
form and features but their snmstng soul The man,
with all his affections experiences and hopes his past
and his future u transferred 70 Ohe
would Gag that this easy task.
We have already testified 10 the iielikeness Of Mr..
Erlts portraits this is not however feature which
will bear very close scrutiny To use rather hard
word which in these Notices have already employ
ed many times sgains, wish they are superficial 9
they do 60 back Of the merest outside u we may
coin word every Of these pictures nsnifes,s on
sght at the exterior Of ia subject rather than insight
into real character Indeed with all their iiie force
and apparent siihiuness they greatly deficient In
true individuality They are too much like different
variations of theme when your eye falls on one oil
them the first thought, il that here Is another OF Mr. FL
otis paintings Bu, Nature, be 1t remembered makes
no two things alike and these pictures oi more
perfect kind such identity would occur 70 you but IN
each you would feel the strong impression of distinct
Individual independen, Of all pecuisrties Of the artist
Blu, TO pass to what IL called execution ind here
the same great fault more papaby displayed There 10
no substance soldy In these heads or in the bodies
toWhch they ara attached. They donot seem 20 have
bones OF vital organs even muscles under their sur
sn1 convey the Impression 10, Of men and women
bat merely OF painted sySerheies-
In painting ie.h Mr Elliott i. certainly not fortunate
lie does not seem % uuicrstsnd that open secret Of Ma
ture that the skin s not simple but compound cover
Ing made up several different and distinct membrane
Accordingly he does succeed in giving it the sem
bsnce ofe Although hs pictures generally seem work
cd up with good degree OF attention 10 details 10 this
respect they all look unfinished and would look 20 though
be were to 20 over them thousand times unless it were
done IN different manner. Iii, flesh ia raw and unna
-tura and would be painful had it little more the APP
pesrsnce of reality. We speak plainly becsuse this Is
point which plain speech ia above all necessary
Tae painting Of flesh ia tho ties, of grSat eolors' and
jus; portrait painting In general requires higher
powers than other branches othe art So does the paint
ing Of flesh demand Of the artist than any other
part Of the portrait painter who can represent flesh
perfectly represen, anything else whstever. To
this we call the attention Of the public. lyou wish to
Judge of the excellence of portrait the hrst requisite
undoubtedly that shall be alive with the very soul
Of the subject, but next to that see II the kin has the
qualities Of life, the variety of hue. the so,ness the
delicate finish, the transparency, &c. Put your own
h.nd beside compare with the face OF your neigh
Dor the complexion may be different but hats accident
al in the essential qualities IL ought TO be the same
Above ALL ifon comparison it seems rar be sure that
the arts, sill has much, very much TO acquire.
In another though somewhat the same respect these
portraits will bear the test OF careful and unbiased
Judgment They are more than infected with the gen
/
the whole exhibition. They not brought down to
the strong sobreiy OF Nature but are remarkable among
the striking specimens OF chsklness and weakness
Though said At the beginning not altogether from
the will Of their auhOr believe they painting q
to be exhibited where the strife ia not much for rea
snd abiding excellence 10 make show and catch the
eye Of the njudcious and uniformed mass Of specta
tors A glaring white and unrelieved red predomi
throughout OF tone yellow they ara as innocent
as Choctsw Indian Of the Greek sccenis-snd what "a
be said Of pictures which destitute Of this requi
site
We not sorry 10 say that far a. our humble sbii
ties and the few that we have succeeded n
stealing from the imperative demands Of daily
iourns adequate have done with the faults
the Academy shown by that high standard Of Art whet
sone worthy Of respect Our task has not been pleas
one buit has been conscientousy discharged The
exhibition closes with the present week, after As W
believe successful ses,on il is finally ended W
hope 20 be- able 20 deyois short article 10 the sDil
number Of pictures which form grateful exceptions o
al our structures.
MADAME FLEURT JoLLY.-The prima donna an'
NJ DUBExUL the first baritone Of the French OPeri
Corps Of New Orleans give Concert At the Apollo TN
evening. with very srraeuve bill for the details o
which refer readers to the advertise nent 10 Al