New-York daily tribune., 1851-05-29

nositiOn, they should nave Ooeh a'Viu0N u"
fact Of the entire dispersion OF interest IS very
evident from observing that the left OF the
canvas. cut out and circularly framed, would
be very pretty picture, and the right d very
rre,tv one-of different kind. This fact IN
dcates the want Of artistic perception OF Nature
which is simple and direct, and always proml
nentlv presents upon the canvas the focus oi
interest in the scene or the OBJECT represented
What IMPRESSION does the mind BRING away from
the nicture1 Is it a clear image OF scene rep
resented in manner artlstIcally adequate OF Is
there general confused remembrance Of castles,
boats. shrines. horsemen, and the veins and shape
of leaves This vagueness Of interest as II me
artist considered much more his own adroltness
than the faithful severity Of Art, is great iaui''
Compare it in this respect with NO 5ol' hdiis-
ing near bv. There is smphclty-not poverty OF
arrenness-directness, large and dehned IN
,ression. q treatment so skillful that the most
tborough knowledge is implied as well as SUM-
c;entlv nerceived. and the profoundest sentiment
NJ Nature But neither is the eye tickled nor the
memory confused by this painting. we 90 ho'
saw. how wonderfully well the grass IS drawn
or how separate each hair is IN the tan OF the
horse but we say, what GOODNESS, what beauty
what repose II is poem which pieases' not
from its iingling and dainty words, but from us
sweet and sonorous sentiment For, IN All OF
evorv kind. it is the idea which the mlnd de-
| mands. Children may be pleased to count the
wrinkles on the face or TO read the titles upon
tho document in portraits and statues Of Demos
themes. or Chatham, or Washington. But the
pure Greek fire, consuming OpPosltlon-the sena-
torial stateliness opposing patriclan PRIDE, ana
the heroic grandeur of principle, are the objects
the mans search in those representations.
In the pendant of this picture No 36l' there is
almost greater detail. Yet, notwithstanding the
lavish labor of the rocks, and leaves, and grasses
unon the left, thereis very little feeling Of nature
Reside. ifthe spectator is in a position to see so
clearly the details of the castle wall, the crevlces
| in the rock, &c Of the middle ground, the COWS
unon the hanks fthe stream are either very much
| too small or else very much further beneath the
point Of the spectator than they are represented
Altogether these admired landscapes smack OF
| the studio They have an air of composition on
| the small scale They are finlcal and frivolous
sure TO fascinate the supcrfclallty which
e. doe, nj pretend to be cultivated, but kno~s
,,bo, nl,ases il "-and for whose satisfaction and
| enloyment Michael Angelo, Raphael, Titan and
| the other Fathers of Art, most decidedly dld not
| work
We have allowed disproportioned space to
our remarks upon these pictures, which are not
American, in the hope of avoiding the obligation
| Of devoting any room hereafter to the American
| consequences OF such pictures. But 1t is hardly
TO be avoided The first test applied by an artist
| ically uncultvated mind to a picture is the lml-
tation of detail-not the truth of detail, which is
| a world-widely different thing. We saw lately
picture of a washerwoman. 1t is an atroclously
| good picture in its way. Such teeth, such wrln-
| kles, such wringing clothes, and soap, and tub,
| and pals, and miserable minutia. 1t is another
triumphant tin-pan But when we leave the
| kitchen and soiled linen, we also leave this plc-
| ture quite invieibly in the rear
II is really refreshing to turn from this whipped
syllabub to something nourishlng, even II coarse
and crude MI WILLIANsoN's AZ, Autumn
| is undoubtedly of this character, and lacks guam
ty. as does his 90, Going to ScOol" But they
| show good vigor, and pure, although crude,
| color. In this room Mr.. HEINE's 20 and Mr..
| WARDS 81 are very bad The size of No. 20
| should not have secured 1t so prominent posi-
tion, unless our sins are venial IN proportion to
| their extent. MI MILLERs l3, Table Rock
| with portion ef the Horseshoe FALL Is much
better worthy its place, but is not very inter-
esting picture
Mr.. WElR's 364 a Sea Shore" is fine IN
feeling. The stately phantom-hke ship looming
large in the evening mist as it drives athwart the
| moon, is effective in the manner Intended but
the water is not water; 1t Is the traditional wool
" substance called water in pictures, and is most
caustically criticised by the Vet water OF No.
37l. Mr. PEELE's 390 Mountain Stream
Catskill Cove" would hardly serve as an at
tractive specimen brick" Of the natural charms
of that region most travellers would even turn
little cut of their way to avoid seeing such
passage of landscape. 1t is crude and cold and
uninteresting But Mr.. PEELE does good things
in another way In Mr.. GIFFORD's 397, A
Scene from the Catskill," the foreground is sin
gularly undressing but the glimmerlng, luml
nous haziness upon the mountainous distance Is
very beautiful In $50, Echo Lake, White
| Mountains" by the same artist, there is hne
| freshness OF feeing-a vigorous attempt ana an
admirable sense of hight and discrimination IN
foliage His l3l, Landscape Composition is
too cold and coorless perhaps, but there is tine
feeling here too and the Indian gives great solltarl
ness and character to the picture. We cannot
but feel great deal Of promise in these works.
Mr.. CHAMPNEY, in Nos 60 and AIS. shows
pleasant sentiment of space and quiet rural life.
| The hay field in the latter is little impertinent
from It's selfish claims upon exclusive attention,
but there is breadth and health in both pictures.
| Mr. RICHARDS Nos. 1877, l22 and 90, are con-
elusive proofs of most patient and accurate
study. We should hardly criticise them as fin