New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
sur ATLANTIC MONTHLY February. 1'eAnoi d

S.,n.e, and his Works." will hardly mud re-
snop,e in the ert-ciTcles OF this city, "nele 'De
.a.r;t. ~ the American artist who was without
v+va, IN the union Of beauty Of imagination
eth severity Of taste have TO avery great degree
Assn lost sight Of amid more showy and popu-
bar titles TO public favor. We commend the study
of this article TO persons who are disposed TO coll IN
question the originality of Mr.. Allston, ana WHO
have failed TO recognize tho power OF u'o uu'
artist In the ehaste and modest loyehnesS u 'us
style. at is now 80 long ago as sesf' says tne
writer, "that tho first exhibition OF pictures e' 'No
Boston Athenmum took place; and theh elu UNIV
Gid Allston first become known to hls American
yublic. Returned from Europe after iong ao'
sence. he had for some years been living retired
sven recluse life. was personally known 10 few
stsnd,. and by name only TO the public. The ex'
libition of some of his pictures on this occasion
made known his genius 20 bis felow-citizens; ana
Who, having onco felt tic strange charm OF tha'
genius but recalls with joyful interest the happy
hour when he was first brought under its iniluehco
lwell remember, even at this distance IN tine Inc
mystic, charmed presence that hung about the
,Jeremiah debating his Prophecy to Baruch the
6cribe.' Beatrice Tho Flight of Flonmcl, The
Triumpbai Song of Miriam on the Destruction OF
Pharaoh aud his Host in tho Red Sea- and The
Valentine l was then young, and had yet TO
barn that the quality that attracted in these
Dictures IT, indeed the rarest virtue in any work OF
Axt,-that, although pictures without imagination
Gre without SAVIOR, yet that the large number oil
Aose that are painted destitute o. that grace
snd that, when, in later years, should visit The
principal galleries Of Europe, and geo tho master
pieces of each master still should return to the
memory of Alston's works TO something more
precious and unique in Art have alec, since that
emo, como to believe, that, while every sensitive
hehoder must feel the charm of Alstons style, its
intellectual riponess can be fully appreciated only
hy the aid of q foreign culture
The influence Of the Venetian school on Mr.. All
ston's manner, has never been denied by the con-
aoisseurs most familiar with his paintings, and is
yell set forth by the writer in q few significant
words. "Passing through Europe with this impros-
zion of Allstons genius IN the Venetians first roc
eenised his kindred; in Venice found the school in
which no had studied, and in which Nature had
fitted him to study: for his eye for color vas Ike
his management of it,-Venetian. Ills treatment
Of heads has round, ripe, sweets uness which re-
ninds one Of the heads in tho Paradise Of Tin
toretto,--that work which deserves place in the
foremost rank of the worlds masterpieces. The
great praise implied in this comparison is justly
One to Allston. The texture and handling of his
work are inimtab,e. Without any appearance of
labor all crudeness is absorbed; the outlines of
objects orc not so much softened empted Of their
color and substance, so that the light appears to
pass them. The finishing is so judicious that the
spectator believes be could SEQ more on approach
ing nearer. The eye searches the shade, and sees
and defines the Joects at first concealed by IT,
The eye is not sstiated, but by tho most artful
means excited to greater appetite. Tho eoloring rs
DOT 80 much harmonious as harmony itself, out OF
which melodies OF color play through tho picture
In way that is found in no other master but Paul
Veronese AS Allston himself expressed it, he
hked to echo his colors aud as On echo IS best
heard where all else is silence, the pure repose OF
these compositions gives extraordinary value TO
such delicate repetitons Of color. The effect is,
sue might say, more musicai than pictorial. This
peculiar and musical effect is most noticeable in
Che landscapes. They are like odos, anthems and
symphonies. They run up the scale, beginning
With the low-toned Moonlight through tho great
twilight piece called After Sunset the Forest
ecene, where it seems always afternoon, the gray
sMountain Landscape world composed Of stern
materials, the cool Sunrise tho Mediterranean,
sp to the broad, pure, Elysian daylight Of the
italian Landscape, with atmosphere fun Of music,
color and perfume cooled and shaded by the
breezy pines open far away to tho sea and the sky
peopled with opalescent clouds, troopine wide Oh
their celestial enands."
remarkable class Of Mr.. Allstons pictures,
probably little known beyond the limits Of Boston,
consist of ideal heads and figures, called I" Bea-
trice," RosaIie," Tho Spanish Girl,' "Niriam,'
eThe Roman Lady" and others Of similar chGrac-
Ger. OF these, we have an admirable general de-
scription. "In these smaller ideal pieces Allston
seems 20 bayefound bis own genius, 90 peculiar are
they so different from the works of oil other masters
and so Irvine in their expressive repose 1say divine
IN their repose with full intentioni for this is
rspose, not idle and voluptuous not poetic and
Creamy, but repose full of life, repose which
commands aud controls the beholder, and stirs
Sithin him that idealism that lies deep hidden in
every mind. These pieces consist OF beads and
figures mostly SINGLE distinct as individuals, and
each heaven Of beauty in itself Tie method Of
Ghis artist was 10 suppress athe coarscr beauties
which make up the substance OF common pictures
10 was the least ad eapta.dUm Of workers. He
svoided bright eyes, curls, and contours slancing
lights, strong contrasts ard colors too crude for
harmony He reduced his beauty 10 her elements,
% that sn inner beauty might play through her
features. Like the Catholic discipline which pald
The face of the novice with yigils, soeluson, and
ksstino and TINS makes room and clears the Way