New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-04-27
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF De- SIGN.
fSscoBd Arislai

Exhibition. They are, In fact, very scarce, and to
discover them one must search noog the portraits
and Landscapes, Of which the EXHIBITION Ia almost
entirely composed. We must, therefore, conclude
that our artsts find but small encour agemsnt in this
ftld-s fact which leads to prsctics observation,
the correctness Of which Is to be depIored, nsmiy,
that Art, Is yet Is not esteemed by 10 proportion
to the dignity Of its inspr atoms bat merely accord
ing to the graticat they afford tastes or our
pecaiinities.
Our cities have no pubic galleries their financial
statements exhibit no funds appropriated to the en-
coursgement Of Art by the purchase oft productions.
We aim at the useful, not at the Agreeable. Prot
essnt permit no pictures in their
tusres nor do State Legislatures sdoru their ospols
with them. Hence the ant Of religious or historical
paintings Our wealthy citizens are, in general, In
different to the value Of picture. They prefer 10
bring back mediocre copy from I'aly, to show that
they've been there, to acquiring original painting
by ellowcountymin Hence the scarcity Of
genre pictures. For not more here than in Europe
does the artist live on his fortune; more frequently
he depends on bis pencil for his daily bread. and en-
ploys it in the way which pays him best. Nov, hu.
man vanity Is so constituted that every man derives
secret pleasure from tho copte nplatoD Of his msxe
fixed on Canvas and bis grsti6 ,a,i IN is much the
more lively as the resemblance is as,tered. The
crock backed likes TO zee straight figure in his
portrait whoever has blemish on tbs left side Of
lis feoe csjoles himself with contemplating the
right ado In an immaculate profile the mer-
chspt will put bales Of cotton around his fest,
and ships ia the diftance; The savan. will sur
round himself with books from his library;
the cantatrice will have herself represented
with piece Of music in her hand, IA fsvorte piece
Of her own and often the very one most resded BY
her audience the suddenly rich wonaa viii pile up 10
her portrait whole cargoes # diamonds they are al
ways genuine ia the pcture,) of bracelets chsns and
ripgr; the literary man will make hiinssh pedestal
of his works. the Of which the painter is often
Instructed to diplay to the public; as for the aoit'
clan, no cannot atudinze otherwi,e than as an IL
spired genius baraoguiDg from the tribune. And so
with all The rest. Hence the eIubefant abundance
of portraits. When we come to the Landscapes we
will explain how and Why they ought to be numerous
and Of comparatively superior quality, in America
To return to the genie pictures. BY far the best,
and without possible comparison in the Academy of
Design, il that Of Mr.. p. + Ro:herinel, numbered
129. We have bat one fault to find with 1t, AMI
that s It's false title in the catalogue; for 1t repre-
sens an Amateur Of EnsraviDgs, and is called The
Yirtuoso,' al Italian word which Iseans musical
amateur Apart from this verbal blander, which has
rothirg 10 do with the mer Of the picture is work
to be prsised spriDgDg at once from good under
standing OF color and true EXPERIENCES o. pencil.
On this little canvas which prefer to many others
Infinitely larger, there is that h4ppy distribution of
light and tina, harmonious combination OF tiots
which produce successful effects. The bright
chimney and wall are set off to advantage by contrast
with the large chest buried in shado9. All the ac-
cessoies are in their places, and arranged 50 as to
contribute powerfully to the effect of the dreamy old
man, who turns the pages Of an illuminated
manuscript in the midst of wilderness, Of pspsrs IN
which his passion is seemingly absorbed. There Is
an excellent feeling in the head the attitude s natural
and true ard the color Is treated in an ample man
ner which der otes hand familiar WITH liz secrets.
Urder Numbers l20 aud 1872, Mr.. j. w. Ehn'nger
exhibits two small pictures which he calls Sunshine
and Shadop An old mariper-in one scene engaged
with Ills BON, ye~-s '-s Of life ""d vigorous
health ON the sea shore--in the other, before the
desd body Of the same SOD stretched on 'or taken
ftom its hinges at the entrance of his cabin The
youth hfter living on the Ocean in his hsh'no boat
has perithed by the Ocean, in wreck. ihis mourn
f,lly philosophic idea is rendered by Mr Ehnlpger
with an unstudied simplicity which We ADMIRE De-
cause il belongs to the subject, and because "
derives its effect rather from the fa'th OF 'he
artist than the resources of the studio Mr. Ehninger
ia naturally coorist and it is to color that no APP
niles himself with most INTEREST," III s"io iS'P@~r W
well as in respect of composition and preston, we
prefer the Shader to the Sunshine.
We equally prefer 1t to his QnOdl'tet, mo- 1911
sketch Of lady in which the dress Is veil DONE Dat
where the aerial perspective is utterly wanting The
head IL stuck on to the background; the panes OF
GLASS are MT visible In their frames and in the land-
scape which is seen across the window, s neither air
nor distance.
The Snor Scene of Mr.. b. vautier is smoothly
painted and cleverly managed. The children are
trea, cd with care which does not forbid holiness
The parsonage whose shoulders and hat arc seen,
does not retreat far enough IN the distance
The Sir ToJy Beleh of MIR. Geo. ii. Hau Is rendered
with expression
The Politicians, Of Mr.. Eisenhower, NO. So IS
a rough sketch, flung of from the pencil with an et
feet which has become vulgar, though executed
with spirit, and subject given up to engravers
to be hung in bar-rooms until the Maine Law saah
have closed them. There lie in such pictures more OF
professional trick than serious study. There Is
always the Same eve,l utipg check mate, the inva-
risble reading Of that invarable newspaper, and the
inevitable ars and lamp which never goes ont Tire
some by their familiarity.
TIE principal merit of the Country Conaoisscurs
NO. 100 of Mr. j. A. Oerel consists In the fidelity
of its attitudes expressions and details. The truth
fulnss % of the scene and the bumor OF expression
atone for the faulty coloripg, which is gray and
.ithout sufficient relief BesIdee, the very nature
Of the picture demands that It stould be exam
ined from point Of view less exclusively artistic
in order 70 do Justice TO the evident ntsnton OF the
painter.
IL. r q. Of vic