New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-21
ART ITEMS.


are parcelng ont their property in small sums TO va
rous charitable societies giving ten thousand dollars to
the Society for ameoratng the condition Of the Jews,
and hundred thousand TO found church in Borioboo
a.Gba, would but contribute something toward the
foundation Of building for the exposition of works of
Art they solace themselves wihthe refeconthat
they bad done an act which would cause their memories
to smell sweet and blossom long after they had returned
TO the dust from which they bad originally sprung.
But they don't see IT, They bequeath their money for
the most whimsical purposes, while 70 pracuea and
ryiceabIe an object as the have mentioned is
eutirelv overlooked A good soul who had the kind
est intentions in the world the other day left legacy
Of three hundred thousand dollars to the City of New
York to be used in establishing Agricultural School,
Bnt how can New-York have an Agricultural School,
This is city, an aggregation Of all manner Of arti-
aties and the only art it cannot foster is that Of ag
,ienlnre. The same amount of money bestowed upon
the city to be employed in building hall where artists
could display their works, would be boon indeed.
Yet this palpable need no one will condeseend TO sup
rly. We have an abundance of spacious markets
where market gardeners can display their carrots ana
cabbages and public SHAMELESS in which our butchers
can offer their faed calves for SALE but there no
place where painter or sculptor can display the re-
cult of his labors Are not artists as much emitted 10
the protection Of the corporation as hucksers and pork
Dealers Clearly city fathers think they are not,
and if they were to express an opinion the subject
il would be ike that of the first Of the four Georges,
If beebles will be boets and bainders let sdarve.
But people will be poets and painters and many more
people think It good thing to do so, too. Let those
who doubt the great public want of which we have
made MENTION set out pursuit of the products OF an
LII, xr;u HOY
pursuit will be- 1t ia only by accident that access can
be obtained to artets studios even by those who
know where to find hem and as the annual exhibition
of the National Academy is open but short time and
can admit but limited number of pictures, there must
be vast quantity painted that are never seen BY any
but their owners.
AN exquisitey beautiful picture has Just been fin
ished by Mr. Eastman Johnson exquisite in color and
treatment intended we believe, for publication, being
portrait of the little slave girl Pink, whose purchase
by the people of Plymouth Church hasformed the subject
of great number and variety of newspaper COM
ments. The subject, at the first thought, may not
seem one capable of artistic elaboration but Mr. john
has treated it in such manner as to make 1t BON
real and ideal. Pink is a bright compexioned quad
ro,n with the n black eye peculiar to her race; the
artist has placed her in reclining position upon
foxs skn looking ntenty at pearl ring on her fore
finger The same artist has recently finished another
cabinet picture representing lady sitting in her boudoir
examining portfolio Of poetry 1t is a portrait but
the treatment of the subject elevates it into the re-
gion of ideal art.
In abiding to the reported discovery of photo
graph of Washington Irving we expressed doubt Of
there being any such thing, the friends of Irving
knew nothing of it, and his refusal to sit for his da-
kpouv Ruti
once s two years ago, to the camera and though it
was supposed the daguerreotype had been destroyed it
has been recovered by Mr. Brady, who has produced
from il sized colored portrait of most remarkable
excellence Those who have known Irving in his lat
ter years. will Immediately recognize in this interesting
picture as nearly perfect resemblance OF Geoffry
Crayon it is possible for the Photographic art to pro-
duce from so email model as the daguerreotype from
which this likeness was taken.
1t must be a great satisfaction to all who feel
interest in the of art 10 this country, to know
that the Fine Art Commission for experimenting and
directing the work of ornamenting the National Cap
itol has fallen into snch competent bands. They have
not yet hadan opportunity ofdong anything toward rec
flying the wretched mistakes made by the late Supern
tendent bat by their admirable Report they have shown
perfect knowledge of their duty, and have laid down
the outlines of system which hardly fail to have
important influence in all governmental attempts at
decoration hereafter. The Report bears evidence Of
ats being the work of Mr. Brown, the Chairman of the
Commission. While clearly and forciby pointing to
the and dreadful misappcaton Of the at
bis command made by the late Superintendent of the
Capitol Extension, the Report INDUCES in severity
of expression, but shows the necessity of utterly
tingushiDg all the costly trumpery which has been
fosted upon great national structure and beginning
de radically different system. 1t should be
remembered to the credit of President Buchanan that
the gentlemen composing this Board were of his seec
on and it is only to be regretted that he has not been
equally fortunate in all his appointments since he came
into office.
TIE habit Of imitation Is very strong in our provn-
cal neighbours the plan of artists Receptions which
was instituted in New-York but three years SINCE has
been adopted In Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore,
and we learn that something of the kind is to be at
tempted in Brooklyn. An artists Reception" is
to be held, we understand; this evening" at Dod-
good many artists who live in Brooklyn, and few
who have their studios there. Coleman and Eytinge
have their rooms in the Dodworth Building in Mon
tague Place, opposite the Academy Of Music. Froth-
ingham lives near by, and Williamson, Hubbard, Gig
noux, Falconer and Huntington, all have their domi
ellis in the city Of churches.
1t is good sign for our landscape painters that
they are giving more attention to marine subjects
than they have done hitherto One of the closest stu
dents and most conscientious interpreters Of nature
among our landscape artists, Mr. Sbattuck, we are