New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-08
CHURCHS "HEART OF THE ANDES"
F,or tn. London SATURDAY. Rer,,v.

From The London Saturday Reriev.
1t does DOT need prophet to arise aud point to the
Wet in order TO proclaim in what direction we may
lock for a young and vigorous school Of art Those
who the horizon auguf great art future for
America and regard with prcuar interest the har-
bDgers Of that new ctool which we anticipate. Ii
would be impossible TO predict the direction which 1t
may take, az there too few works Of American
artists Known in TINS country to justify any opinion on
the subject We know the reputation gained by the
Transatlantic scu'ptors who have studied in Rome
but kI positively nothing Of American pictures
beyond few landscapes which found their way across
the Atlantic, wheO, last year, Mr.. Churchs hne pic
ture Of the als of Nisgars showed that art Was
not limited TO Europe, and thst was not necessary
for genius study any school but that OF nature. Il
would be superhuous to do more than alude to pie.
ture which generally seen, and which was fully
scknOw lodged as great achievement. Mr.. Churchs
ar unexamplsd aud marvellous treatment OF water.
II he failed to give all the beauty of color, he sue
cee6ed in rendering the motion Of water-ts endless
variety, It's weight and irresistible force-Elth the in-
tense truth that only genius can attain. Here was
young artist who had mastered one OF the very great
est difficulties of landscape Misrepresentation OF
wafer in motion and 30 perfect was the rainbow span
nIg the Fss that at first sight appeared an optical
oe.usion rather than a creation Of the painter. 1t
seemed ray Of light rejecting on the picture the
prismatc color Of the glass through which IT passed
The line of low distant landsc ape and sky was we re-
member, less satisfactorily treated. Great WAS tho
expectation Mr.. Church aroused when he sent sec
ena picture to be engraved in England for, may be
observed, IL le Only III "hg va pueincoo sh1s w
have chance of seeing his works.
The Heart Of the Andes" is now shown by Messrs
Day and Son, in the German Gallery In BOND street.
with all the pomp and circumstance always attending
works exhibited separately and With special object.
If no one had recorded canvas such mighty scene
Of water the Falls OF Niagara, we have al seen
mountains noby crawn, and so nave stahdati 10
Judge by. Here may say that II 10 no 10 De ass led
that the elev alton and siZe Of mountain proportion
aly increase the difficulties which artist has TO sur
mount and therefore there is gres, merit IN truth.
fully rendering the Alps as the Adde'S MI. Cnurchs
picture il panorama on vast scale IL does not im
pIess one at first sight, and il 10 only by examination
that full Justice will be done to the remska Die quail
ties it exhibits. The spot selected is on the Eqnaor
several miles from Quito. The artist Is supposed 70
be or high ground. A river, which has broken over
rocks flo M beneath him. and either side are bold
groups Of trees, detached from the forest, which hiss
It's glsdes, secret streams, luxunaut vegetation all
brought out; while IN the foreground are bright Hover
ing shrubs in full boom-crimsJ passion Ito Sers and
other creepers tangng around the trunks Of trees in
the branches Of which we see brilliant tropical BIRDS
Beyond this dexorous and elaborate detail lies tract
Of oountry-hill, dale, village lake. and waterfall be-
ing given with great care. For miles the eye sweeps
on with the plains to the grea! chain OF mouota'ns
which grow out of the distance, and rise grandy tow
the sky, rearing peak above peak III they are lost
in the clouds beyond which the region CT eternal snow
tells white against the blue sky. Two small hgures De
fore little cross near the foreground enable one 70 es
N tie the vast ecae Of this grand panorama There
must be something bold in the heart OF man VINO ts
down deliberately TO paint such scenes but ior all tn'
Mr.. Church has not the pure feehog for mountain
Il, ON and mountain glory is not necessary 10 nave
seen particular mountain TO recognize the genera
truth of its portraiture; so IN the neflcso arl'
mountains We do not doubt the exatude OF tue OUT
line but we miss the delicate subtle hand that would
have hegered endery in tracing the detail OF spur anu
clet ano 10 spite of the srow following the aricus-
top of what has been called the skeleton OF the noun
tain. A blurred sketch of Welsh hills, by DAVID Cox,
sezes on the mind and has of the true elements
of grandeur than Mr.. Churchs ten feet OF panoramic
view Of some of the highest mountains 10 the woro.
A certain mastery OF mspipuaton MI Cnurch no.
doubtedy he's but whether he in the hghest sense
ereat srtist We are not yet prepared to decide Ihe
Heart of the Andes" exhibits his versat'ity rathef
than increases his reputation. The local color Oh
lean scenery is 10 US; yet, argrrg IRON whst we
know the proofs would confirm Ne in the opinion tha,
MI, Church is rot great colorist We know the e1-
quise tints Of American shrubs AMI MOWERS t'ans'
planted from their natural soil, and then We ask why
they should lo.e their brilliant Ia ninous appearance
ana delicacy By being painted 10 the Tropics Ine
paintipg might have been expected 10 DO Startling 10
ne vividness yet, the contrary It IS op iqae-ihe
texture reminding US of German painting ON copper
IL is Summer. but there Is no wsrmtn-tnete Is sup,
hut il IL simply light, without heat. The nouht'lns
are ieadep ike the clouds-the sky has no luminous
ness There is no tender dying sway OF TINT, wtnoa.
which Mr. Ruskin has said there is no good 10 rSnI
color. We much regret that MI. Chnion mas ho'o
h,ep in Europe-bas never seen the masterpieces OF
his Art Nor for the present. Is he likely 70 DO So ior
be is now devoting his ambitious energies 10 painng
cebergs in Greeblard. 1t is impossible however that
20 determined and adventurous man shouiu ial "
soheve success with yoCth, talent, and discipne 10
bis favor His fellow countrymen admire ani app'sud
him because ne . sticks az nothing. lie suou' iCi
low n bent Of his genius, shou' forgetting MS
real pubhc-men with eyes and besrs traned 10 me
s,ndy Of the nobesi works Of art. To them ne mast
lock TO win his highest prase-higher thsn the al
mirstion of the untraveed American eonoosssur' we
Iook ON Mr.. Church as the probable founder OF a
school of landscape painting. Something grana ana
revolutionary in art SHOULD, one might expect, o.
or;sina,eo by the influences Of nature on a grand
ns1a Welding the minds of those who siudy tue Sc
crets Of her beauty yet this Is not necessarily the re-
snlt If we may generalize from particular instance,
ecnls,e whether it is a. true Of people as 1t IS
of an individual that the FIRST flights OF genus are
y,rely very original. There is an Oh way OF trying
vines 10 feel bow high they may soar
Transatlantic literature has as yet scarcely pIoiucsa e,
sIy great national work The best esTA' orc, ~,
The moot part founded on European moaesI,ne mos.
original are Wild shoots grated on the 9ia M0sg
stock. Will IT be the same IN ar as In nsS'.s.t
Shall We see gradual development, or shan We %
startled GU, Of ali precedenis BY true Amenssn ar
Mnsrvshke, spripgng fulgrown into the sS.on,snea
,vo,ldS Tha Ealls of Niagara by M. Snutco