The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-18
F IN E A r T S.
The Critic OF the Tribune. and Poweirs
Painting.


The Critic OF the Tribune. and Powelrs
Painting.
In criticism upon the subject of Powells painting
of the Discovery of the Mississippi published under
he head OF !" The Fine Arts" in the Tribune Of S.
turday last, there appears the following announce
ment -
1--WE have observed, with come surprise, an attemo
made bully the criics who object to this picture and
70 i'm pore oubi; with that the sub
10 approved D. Illus rioos committee Of C)ni ess
and that ih ho presume to differ from the kl riou
Senator's or r. plesentaives must be mis- sstn Nor,i
is un'er'unsiel, use 'hat the judgoeat Of Congress
s,rs comm iee Is exceedingly faib sll quest ons
according to the quantity Of oysters and CHI mpagns nd
mrstertd and tina. on questions OF art 1t gea rally
omposed in about equal degrees of ORANGE and bad
taste"
To designate Congressional committee |" illustri
ous to stgmatise its deliberations the result of
the quantity of oysters and champagne administer
ed" is simply matter Of choice, or perhaps ques
ton Of taste. In what respect either opinion is cal
culated to influence the public judgment upon work
Of art is more than we are able to ses To shy no
thing of the residue Of the members the late John
Quincy Adams, the chairman OF this com mittee, was
man whose judgment was not apt to be controlled
by the quantity of oysters and champagne admin
isteled' while upon questions of art he was unver
sally recognized as man of highly cultivated taste
As to the "equal degrees Of ignorance and bad
taster composing such committee, we leave that
decision entirely to the monopoly Of intelligence and
good taste which characterizes the critic OF the
tribune and IS to the charge of an attempt
made bully" we leave that to be judged o! by the
public, in its estimation OF the language which is
the most characteristic Of that calling.
These remarks would be rendered entirely I'M
necessary, however in this CONCESSION, were it not
for the analogy which the critic OF the Tribune
seems determined to establish between tue mode Of
choosing the subject and the manner of its execu
ton. And here the same spiteful feeling which
deals 30 sefsufhcienGly with the Congressional csm
mittee cbaracferizes in increased maevolence aud
augmented sefimportance the writer's opinion of
the werk Of the artist In this respect, also,' he
says "the artist seems to have been pursued by the
ne evil genius which governed the choice OF the
subject" The same evil genius seems to purau. the
critic of the Tribune, as we shall show In pursuing
him through his cratic course
We are happy to see that the Tribune has been
benefited by the previous historical opinions
written upon this subject and ia respect 10 an
obvious adoption OF some Legitimate views upon
those researches, and repudated BY the critics
whom it alleges an attempt has been M de
to bully" we equally congratulate it upon mark.
ed Improvement in artistic taste. This is much
better than in following the example Of It's coadntors
in denunciaticn, Who after assuming that they have
perfect right and, perhaps. an exclusive patent, to
misrepresent subject because 1t is public property,
deny to others the privilege or alternative OF esab-
fishing the truth Thus, we are happy to see that
the Tribune does not insist that there are ta0 "fat
and sleek eccessstcs mounted upon mules in the
painting, when there is but one lean and aged monk
mounted upon such animal, as persisted In by its
coedutors; and when convinced that the subject is
one admitting Of some historical illustration, we are
equally impressed with the conviction, unlike the
views entertained by those who could not be "bul-
lied" into contrary belief, that 1t has seen some
thing TO change its opinion.
"There are historical incidents which contain
story and have dramatic interest Of their own"
says the Tribune, and "of such" It cites Washington
Crossing the Delaware, the Embarkation Of the Pill
nately for the originality demanded in Mr.. Powell's
design these subjects had been previously illustrated.
The two last sdorn the capitol at Washing ton-the
one in painting, the other in group Of statuary;
the other has been painted by Leutze. "The,e are
not only important events" continues the Tribune
(Which history has planted deep in the affections of
the people, but what Is Of more consequence to the
artist, they have significance in themselves They
replete with purposes their personeges not only
move and act, but act from elevated feeling and
great historical end"
To appreciate this sentence 1t is merely necessary
to analyse the subjects which the Tribune says ren
der them peculiarly suitable for pictorial representa-
t0n." Admitting the dramatic effect which
army crossing river furnishes for the skill of the
artist, where are those great elements of dramatic
power and picturesque effect produced in the other
two subjects which render them peculiarly suta
blei" William Penn could be represented in no
other way than In his plain Quaker suit-which
Of peace with the Indians, which comprise the
dramatic effect Of the group. Weir's painting re-
presents the Pilgrims On the deck Of vessel, pros