New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-21
THE NATIONAL &C. C.ADEMY EXHIBITION
COSCL' cDING ARTICLE.

the exhibition, we observe many pictures in the de-
pstment Of laAdscspe which it is pleasant 10 pause
before, but which must pass without pointing out
There are, Of course in so large collection, many
which poor, and might be criticised without
mercy but our purpose has been and Is to direct al
ten.ion rather selection OF the good pictures than
20 those which are bad Condemnation is very
easy and the critic who more for lively than
for Just comment is very easily betrayed into It. We
have not much sympathy with, and still less respect
ior the spirit which condemns everything American
merely because il is and while we are as far from
pretending to any unlimited measure Of patriotism,
we have no patience with the supercous air OF gem
tlemen who have walked through the Louvre and
the Pitt Palace, and rendered thereby incapable
forever after Of seeing any merit IN the Nv
ing art of their country. We ae all ex-
pected to bow irstnctively TO that superior
wisdom which is satisfied with nothing short OF high
art, and are to take for granted in duty bound,
that where such critics nothing 70 praise, there
can be nothing praiseworthy. But sometimes, let us
modesty hint, that which seems wisdom is only a.
sumption, and it is easier to blame without reason
than 10 praise with one. The difficulties which artists
have to encounter in this country, and the dscour-
agement to which they must necessarily submit are
quite enough, without adding to their burdens bya
HppaDl VI hh uhJuSb JIubhA'he. h"' ""' f"-S' "
would rather encourage than discourage any of them.
There are not many to whom, at some period OF their
career, kind word, if deserved, is not service
and TO those who need rather be told that there s
not in them the stuff OF which the artist is made,
the truth is likely enough to come, sooner or later, IN
way perhaps quite convincing, and not quite so
painful, as in a newspaper paragraph. We try to
crtcise in this spirit noticing some of those paint
ings in which we see much that s good, though 1t
may be, also, something that might be better; and
passing by, without comment, that which is merely
poor, unless it happens to be Extensively pretentous
Let us glance now at few Of the other works than
those of landscape.
Almost the first and almost the last thing that meets
the eyes of the visitor entering and on leaving the
Exhibition are two pictures by ID. NJ. Carter-No. 81,
A Legend of St. Michael, and No. 733, The Death of
the Baron De Kab at the Battle Of Camden. The
first is original in conception, the second is not but
both are ambitious, and neither is pleasing. The
Battle of Camden suggests, in its treatment,
Trumbulls Battle of Bunker Ill., but is without
even its spirit. The Legend is certainly original,
that be merit the idea Of the "revolted angels in
middle air. is evidently happy adaptation OF an
Indian war-dance to express the torments OF the
damned. Mr. Carter is not without ceverness as
coorst, and he evidently works with care. But he
does not excel in depicting human angelic passion
or suffering.
No. I25. Venus Stealing Cupids Last Arrow by
s. s. Osgood Mr.. Osgood is better in portrait than
in ANYTHING of this sort The whole picture is crude
in color and cold in expression in everything but
the attitude of the young god which is quite warm
enough. The face of Venus is inane and blank.
Louis Lang exhibits three pictures, all of the tragic
sort. In two, at least, No. 237, The Temptation OF
,rlo n - ocI Ilootr
Cenci, we see much to praise, but both affect us
as being rather nearly good than absolutely So
They are excellent as interiors, Mr.. Lang gives
great sodity to walls and effective in the dim
light Of dungeons but he fails where he means to be
most effective-in his human figures, in which, of
course the interest of the pictures centers. The Maid
of Orleans is not flesh and blood, but may have been
made up either from the material of her costume, or
the stone-walls about her, little do they differ in
handling and tint. The Cenc is not lovely and
suffering woman so much pallid doll Nor is it
portrait Of Beatrice, as it should have been The
figure beside her is woman; but why shOuld she be
in the traditional attitude of the stage, with finger
lpl The jaler and the priests are better, though
oil have struck a stage attitude. This last picture is
one of the largest in the exhibition and its defects.
therefore, the more conspicuous. The Blind
Nidia No. 2j4, has the fault of teebleness Of
figure, and the ndecisiOn of the blind girl might have
been rendered without the evident and painful want
of sight in the eyeballs.
Don Quixote and Sancho Panza No. 263 by Thorn,
is marked painting in the second gallery, and is not
without good points. The Squire, obscured by the
dust of his own raising, is the best figure but the
Knight-the halffool andhalf-madman of the popular
Don Quixote, in whom we do not believe-is weak
caricature. There is another Don QuIote of the
same sort, No. SSS, by EiliOt-a vagary in which
hope Mr. Elliot will not often indulge himself, a. he
should be satisfied with his supremacy in portrait.
There no head of his in the exhibition that is not
fine and none better, as a mere head, than No. G2O,
a portrait of ex.GOv. ThroOp.
Partisan Gamen, No. 2SS, by Yewel, is worthy of
notice for the excellence Of the attitude Of the boy At
its left large painting by Geo. c. Lambdn, No. 296,
is without in the catalogue, but tells its own
story OF The Dead Wife. 1t is in the best style of this
artist. The lovely face of the dead woman, the hardly
visible form of the PROSTATE and stricken husband,
the visible gloom OF the chamber of death, the
glimpse through the just open blind of the strong and
glorious sunshine full of life, outofdoors and all
the minor accessories of the picture, admirably
managed rs to take from it the air of commonplace
into which the artist in treating such subject would
be likely to fall Its position, however, shows sin
gulsr want of feeling or of in the hanging Com
mittee, who have put below it drunken orge of
sailors, appealing only to the lowest sentiment,
side the boy lighting his cigar and on the other
rsg gpicker goating silver spoon found in heap
of garbage, the for this place because it is well
painted, all presenting painfuy-violent contrast Of
common life with the stiffness of death and despair
which in the other is so well portrayed
BY common consent, believe, the works Of
Johuson are acknowledged TO be the special attraction