The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-10-08
The Mechanics Fsir-Paintinss Exhibited.


The paintings exhibited at the Mechanics
Fair last week, were much more numerous and
by greater number of artists than we had
anticipated seeing, and as a whole, these works
are of high order Of merit. We had prepsr-
cd brief notices of these paintings for this
morning's-paper, but we find most Of them
much more fully and satisfactorily no'iced in
Our city cotemporaries of Saturday moruing,
and We, therefore, prefer adopting their crli-
cisns, as far as they go, in lien Of our own.
A correspondent of the Gazette who &C
kaowledges that he uses the brush himself oc-
casionaIly, aud may, therefore, be presumed
competent to pass Judgment up Il the beauties
and faults OF such works, speaks rs follows OF
some Of them.
To begin Systematically, for we ere told by some
great man that without 81 stem We eau do nothing
rightly perhaps the hest way will re to maine the
artists ia alphabetical order far u know them.
la tis OF Ter Miss Bang tails first un4cr ohser-
vatiOn. And here the writer wUuli ali the
fair competitors Ia the field of ait that he recog
nzes no sex among artists, however gallant he may
be when any other question Is discussed; ~ the
resent Case, however, he will not have 10 undergo
tie pain OF treating vita severity the works OF
lady who certainly shows decided talent. There
Wa one among her collection which struck as
superior 10 the rest-a female head ia profile lhe
expression OF the face Is pleasant and is good ia
drawing aud "taodeiace" ~ the French call it, and
though The coloring lacks brliaacy, and the shad-
oSs are not sufficiently transparent, the cumbina
ton is harmonious, and will always please
am told that Mis- Bang is pupil OF Mr. Dury,
and we congratulate that professor on having smong
his students young person who has not ouV the
taste, bat The talent 10 profit by his Instructions
At the lett on entering the ball. are placed the
productions Of Mr. Cooper, the elder. Mr. Cooper
Is the oldest porratIsc in the city, and the speci-
mems be exhibits likenes~Cs Of several Govern.
ors OF the State, having at their head one Of Wash
iugton, and one lHrge lied canvass, representing
portrait nearly full LENGTH which is remark adj, for
force Of execution The painting are hadly light
ed and hung TOO high 60 admit OF our observing all
their beauties but at any rate | suppose Mr. Cooper
Is too well known in the cts for our feeble jadg.
ment 20 have the power OF either augmeusing or
diminishing his reputation Ms an artist
At the lower end of the hall, On the right hand
side, the wall Is covered with the paintings OF the
younger Cooper, an artist who in addition TO some
years Of labor in this country, spent some time in
Paris, pertectiug his studies in the divine art
Among bis large collection, / specially remarked
tOur,-d bust OF female, child among some
leaves, q copy OF the Holy Family from Corregio
and a copy OF categorical or m, theological scene
remember to have seen some here, but the name
OF whose originator has escaped me- The female
head pleased NE sufficiently in tone and cclorinc
! know lot whether il s portrait or fancy piece;
If portrait the lady certainly has must extraor
diuWy neck, and America alrealy boasts Of a
i" black swan, we Can DO no better than dub her
- the white swan" by way of contrast and dIstinc
tiou-if fantasy it only be said thai the artist
has committed fault in proportion and consequent
ly IS defective in drawing. IL only by a great
effOr. OF Imagination, and after much serious re
ile ton, that thought athomed the idea convey
ed in th- second picture-that Of the iuiauL amidst
the pale green leaves | hope thai nv sagacry Oh
this occasion will inert the praise of my readers
and that they viii not fail TO compliment me on my
penetration. But how explsin the sublime idea ?
There is il difficulty. 0ut with IT I" a. nv grand
mother Used 10 exclaim when I seemed 10 hesitate
ABOUT telling any thing-sO then out with II ~
The artist has striven to immorlaIz. the innocent
little fiction gotten up by nurses for the benefit Of
those curious and indiscrect Chi iren whp persist
in X owing where their little brothers and sisters
come from. he has represented the infant emery
ing from cabbage head. As to the ID have
nothing to saF, only Onecting TO the color uf the
leaves, which TO me seem almost TOO pale a green
| ike the copy OF the ." HOLY Family :" tie color
in2 ~ warm AID the toiae ensemble il fine ~ d
good ke ping; hut of all the work Of tbs ,rlst
the allie, orical subject is decidedly preferable -
ing appeared to me correct ana ;he drapcries,
with ltIle more care, would have a pliancy and
ease truly admirable
Mr.. bury has placed on exhibition two female
portraits; that at the lower end Of the gallery, |
found the best. Nj D4.y IL a conscientious artist
who works with great care, perhaps 100 much for
10 il p,o"ahls that ty being less CAR fu be could
render his style more bold ami forcibls II. follows
the German school most rigidly anu though pure,
his h,sh ColoTs lack that Transparency which s so
essential to give Natural tone 70 the comp xion
Query. Was il Mr.. DGry's taste which pla, ed upon
n robe 'f pale sky blue, heavy shawl OF a deep
rcd Colo?
After Mr.. Dury comes Mr.. Rob't Gschwndt
This gentleman, besides several sketrhps IN btcf
crayOn, has contributed seven oil paintings. among
which / onec at large size, already pok u Of in vrry
high terms 10y the various papei- of Ia. city
Among other "Orks OF this artist ali of which pos
sess great merit, | vas struck with the portrait of
the Creole lady Of New Orleans. What equisite
finish in the psu'rgl what a delicious and It,yii~n
ing expression in the face and how truly Cr,oEs is
the coquetry and uonchacnce Of the anitudr Much
has already been said Of Mr.. Gsch wudt and great
deal more could still be said, but it be 20 e,.
dent 20 all that has works are lcomplraby supcr
or 10 any others Oh exhibition THAI il is hardly nee
cs5ary tu call attention to the fact
Let Us pass Oh then, 10 Miss Morgan, who i next
in order. Iui. lady, remarkable for the large mum
bei u Htl NVt ~, must ptiuL Win great
she has exhibited variety of styles and OF course
could not do tllatim Oossibity--exce in ALL There
i landscape and head lar superior 10 the rest.
especially the coloring, the style OF which The ar
tiss would do well to follow altogether.
writer in the U,,ioH, who seems to speak az
one having authority" ~ do SO IN euch matters.
criiicises M. Gschwindt painting as follows:
Robert Gschwiudt enters seven specimens Of ri,
skill, three Of which portraits three fancy nj
aud one argr painting representing tie n,embers
OF = family in this city.
The Original painting representing q studen, IN
che act of taking sArJ,h under the Inspection NJ
an ihsIl uctcr has many points Of excellence. but
there is Que which deserves special notice th. ia
the hands of the student. 10 this generally consid
cred the most difficult part in the KecJton If Dor
traits, We think Mr. GschNindt has attained to a
degree Of perfection rarely net with. The large
picture however serms 10 take the eve Of the mul
tituds. for duHg all The hours OF the eEbibi.ion so
great il tue numoe OF peraon crow ding round the