New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-27
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN
EXHIBITION.
fSIcosp NOTIcE.l


for works Of that kind while the money which should
serve in the development Of native talent is absorbed
abroad For instance large sum Of money is to be
spent in the Federal capital but instead Of employing
it in cairg out and cultiyang the talent Of our own
painters NJ. Horace Verne is solicited TO here
and paint something for that sum. The of this
proceeding would rot be so unfortunate were this
distinguished artist yet in the prime Of his vgor; but
he is low in its decline and assuredly shah get
nothing from his pencil that viii reflect honor either
upon him or u. The same money appropriated to
native talent if it did not produce great works would
at least have assisted to preserve national ndvd-
uality.
Again, the money expended for foreign engravings
il 30 much directed against the development of fresh
talent and when we consider that this is mainly the
business Of skul tradesmer who resort to every
trivance such gasghts opera-glasses, refectors,
proofs proof GetoYe letter. artists proofs and variety
of other tricks which successfully planned TO take
in the innocent buyer or subscriber is quite time
that the latter were made aware Of how much better
Il would be to give the money they thus pay for en-
craving in which the artist Is not benefited but the
publisher to the artist for creation of his
mind which would really be addition to the Art,
treasures Of our country We make this statement to
system Of engraving, because a frst-csss
craving rarely pays for itself In order
to pay, it must either be slighted in the eIecu.
ton or have some meretrcious element forced into il
for effect 20 that whatever benefit might be supposed
to result from the improvement of a correct taste is
thus thwarted; and again, no matter how good the
work in its reproduction there ia no addition to the
already -existing mass of ideas and growing taste is
aDpeased which were i moi safisfed Uouid cor
tnualy demand really new creations.
But our school Of landscape whatever may be the
comparative position of the departments already re-
ferred to- certainly tukes foremost rank and we shall
now proceed to notice the works of this sort in the
present exhibition. We must first, however saw a
word of feature which this school is ea,uminp
namely q disposition to finish with microscopy, mi
nueness and accuracy, objects which have an in0i
yiduality in nature but whose botanical geological
character has nothing in common with the sentiment
of scene reproduced work of art. To draw,
with the utmost accuracy, any simple form in nature,
as stone, weed grass, requires only sharp per-
ceptive faculties and the predominance of such quail
lies in work of art is always at the expense OF SEN
tment and feeling which should appear as its most
charming and endearing element. Mere sensation is
the lowest form of intellectually; and, although the
imagination demands, through the eye, cleariy-de-
fined suggestion it also forbids that that sense shall
in any degree usurp its right to mmeasurabe and IN
exphcable enjoyment. For instance, the exquisite
feeling that formerly pervaded the works of Mr. Cole
man and gave them their character, Is now disSpaed
by an effort to compete in useless imitation with artists
whose talent finds its limit in the ability to accomplish
only that.
Even the venerable President Mr. Durand, is not
unsInitten, but at this late day, when his matured
mind should assert it, accumulated power, is forced by
superficial fashionable admiration into careful rend-
ering of mullen stems and chckwecd. With thiseXcep-
ton. Mr. Durand shows no decline of power, although
his pictures this year do not full OF that pasto-
raj sentiment which he has made peculiarly his own
However in No. 49,, "Esopus Creek, he is truly
himself The mellow distance, the stately trees, the
peaceful stream, bathed in the morning-ght of Sum
mer show the harmony of his nature with these lovely
scenes. We wish for own enjoyment that he would
only paint such pictures.
Mr. Church exhibits three pictures. The principal
one, No. 90, "The Andes of Ecuador, in some re.
specs is the best he has yet executed Its fault the
introduction of the sun. This il simply an error of
Judgment since that great ulninary cannot be repre-
sented in painting-a fact let add, the artist was
perfectly aware Of In all other respects it is noble
work glowing in color, and literally crowded with
forms as varied and infinite Nature itself No. 52
''yiew on the Madalena River il cold, black and
opaoue. No l43, "Autumn," is strained and over
done: so much so, indeed, that the sentiment which
sutumpal color breathes is quite FILTERED away.
No. ISL, by Mr.. Mignot, also Autumna study,
although very much like Mr.. Church in execution as
a picture is more pleasngly successful. No. 49, The
Foray" set down in the catalogue to Mr. MignOt aud
Mr. Ehninger is picture of great deal OF interest
II is difficult to tell which is the successful, the
LANDSCAPE or the figures and is faulty this respect
that il is ther landscape with figures nor figure
composition with landscape or it is both. The same
difficulty occurs with Nos 100, Recreation, and
24e, Road to the Mill" by Mr.. Thompson.
Mr. Kensetts pictures have the same pleasant,
bland tone that usually characterizes them. No. 41S
Coast Scene is full of observation aud recalls most
vvidly the exhilaratng sea atmosphere al Newport.
His most agreeable picture, however, is No. 49,
without osentatOn. sober simple and soothing.
No. 20, Mount Jefferson, White Mountains, by
Mr.. Cropsey. This time, however the mountains are
not white but of every other color, from violet to
red. Some passages of this picture are very well
painted but as a whole il is not pleasing. No l9l,
Warwick Castle has the same effect 1t Is Tat and
sharp without meaning. Some of Mr.. Cropseys
smaller pictures far more agreeable.
Mr. CASTELAR, holds the popular admiration. He
seems to 1--we hit warmth of color and indslinctness
of form w&Ah charm everybody. No. ljj is admira-
bic both in its execution and effect
Mr. Heine exhibits six pictures Nos. and ars
the property Of Bsyard Taylor. They weupainted
and interesting picuree showing great improvement.
Indeed none Of landscape painters has achieved
better progress than Mr. Heine
No. los {" Conway Meadows" by Mr. Champney)
is an exceedingly agreeable picture, quiet and unob-
| trusive in its treatment, but full of sentiment.
Ope of the most pleasant landscapes in the Exhibit
ton Is No s." Close of Day Mount Desert The