The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-26
FIN & AR T s.
The Galleries and studios OF New York
American Artists and Their Works.

L
more powerfully to the imagination than painting
We cheerully concede 10 music the trad ona charms
with which the poet invests IL: but then the mind must
be trained and cultivated 10 appreciate and dscrmn-
ate between the subimity Of the German school and
the trashy salon music which unfortunately prevails SO
much among The rudest intellect the contrary,
can feel and admire the bold sweep delicate touches
OF the artists brush the Therefore painting
| has in every age ranked the highest of the arts
among the nations Of the world whore letters were
unknown. When Cortez and his hardy adventures
first appeared the astonshed Tascaans and Chouans
the minute description OF the strangers trans
mitted TO the Aztec capital and Montezuma formed
much better and truthful idea Of those hlbustr
| ing heroes from the pictures which his messengers
brought HIM than he could from the most deliberately
| written dispatches There numerous examples Of
the power OF painting the Indians, and many
art st has saved his scalp by sketch or drawing Of
brave in full panopy This great art has been long
neglected in America rather Americans have been
fond Of looking Europe alone for the best paintings
ignoring in most instances talent OF the highest order
their very midst. With the exception OF a few who
bravely struggled up 10 distinction and forced reuc
tant adm ssion Of their genius from unpatotc and
appre atve capitalists and so-caed connoisseurs, the
great mass OF American artists until lately were
| suffered to remain In obscurty and poverty
At every exhibition sale ~ works OF art the names
OF Rubens Correggo Titan Murilio Col Van Dyck and
others Of the medieval and modern European schools
are paraGed before tho visitors and purchasers many oil
whom unhe-itatingy swallow the bait Of those great
names Now moments reflection ought to convince
any reasoning mind Of the absurdity OF believing that
more than one out of every thousand Of such pictures
is genuine First, IL we look the catalogues Of
paintings sold within the last few years, will find
works accredited TO Of the great masters in
Europe than would have been possible for them
to paint in life time In the second place, the originals
can be copied, and those copies prepared in manner
which would deceive the majority Of Wanted con.
nosseurs. We know Of many Murios and Raff.clles
this city, which their creduous possessors bought at
an immense cost aud which painted by obscure
artists in the employ Of the statesmen Again. the works
OF the great Italian Flemish Dutch and French artists
guarded with the jealous by their respect
i've government and the stringent laws enacted
prevent them being OF the country
which they belong It Is but short time since the
British government purchased Correggio. The pr
thirty thousand pounds and the utmost difficulty
encountered by its agent in eectng The purchase why
then will merchant princes lavish fortunes
copies and poor limitations which the monogram of
tit an Rubens is forgcdS We arc glad however that
a truly national spirit Is being shown by the
patrons Of in this city present such Bier
sadt Church, Huntington and Walker are creating a
school, which hope will in short time
Csabuse Americans Of the idea that nothing IA worthy Of
ar; which does not come from Europe Vanishing and
subject cannot have It always pamod off ON croduous
buyers by INSCRIPTIONS statesmen. Regarding the abli
~ of many of tn connois that In tho employ OF
those statesmen, example will suffice We heard one
OF them the other day in popular gallery up town, ex
patating the merits OF Mr. Bersadts fine picture OF
''Sunligh and Shadow" crowd OF admrng hearers
around the painting, Will he endeavored TO show
master touches OF the artist IN 1t Imagine his cha
grim when the proprietor OF the gallery Informed him
that It only chroma from Bersadt's picture Dur
ing the few hours which we spent among the galleries
and studios OF the city we noticed the following pictures
the best specimens OF art
At GoUru's,
No 7T2 Broadway, there il exhibition one Of the
finest marine paintings that any O. the modern schools
could produce Il Is "To the Rescue" by De Haas,
whom may now claim as our own. II represents
in the English Channel, AN American ship am
the breakers with her nag flying union down. and life
boat struggling through the waves TO her rescue The
clouds pied each other in masses, and seem to
scud bel the gale But the great feature IN the pic
ture water which snrpases the best efforts of
other marine painter o. the present Day Each wave Is
| a perfect study. The sa green TINT so peculiar
| to the Channel, is admirably shaded On the
right We see rugged boulder rising out OF me
seethng caldron and IN the background the aim out
lines Of those stately ellis which guard the coast OF Eng
land The cloud OF spray that dashed over the waves
by the force Of the hurricane the bold sweep OF mas
| ter hand and limorous touches which in many ma
rine make tho foam look for all the world like
crumbs OF bread pasted on the summit OF the waves Al
the opposite end Of the gallery l. marine picture OF
widely opposite character called ''The Norwegian
| Pilot by GUIDE. The u just sinking below
| a horizon Of angry pillows, dark masses Of waves,
| which Characteristic Of tho Norwegian
| coast Ths fra, primitive craft and the hardy,
weather beaten pilot are strongly outlined against
! the rcd honzon The gloom and solitude that
nervade Tho enfre scene are lei by the behoer and an
Involuntary feehg of sympathy and alarm the dan.
gcTous situation Of the old pilot caught thus at sunset
the Wild waste of waters Is ca SD in the heart The
other noticeable pictures in this gallery are "rhc Duel
by James Tissot Revere by BOugnict; "a Roi,
by willems, and "vcw Of Sorrento" by G l. Brown.
At rus STUDIO or Mr.. JAMES WALKER,
| No GA Broadway, enjoyed The luxury OF seeing
| some pictures that were Of an entirely opposite
character TO the old conventional school Mr Walkers
large painting Of "A Raid Into Virginia lS0l' IS ad
mirablc in piiut OF gro ping character aud color
large dctachm nt uf Union troops ~ returning from
success al forny nio Rsbeldom carrying on with them
snos IN tho shape Of cattle horses negroes and
prisoners In the persons Of thc r T. " aud number Of
| incnds aud retaincrs The perspective in the long
| nnc Of troopcr. 4, admirable no deviation being
the srrtest rules Of this branch Of art But
| the character that is imprinted on each face-the
naughty planter the yindicve OvcTsccr, the mythical
gro Who faithful 10 his master tho iairarcha
darky with his white sioyepipe hat and black band
horses the ~ duty that seems TO animate
the captors and the obiuraie uncompromisng hatred
OF the North that CLEANS 10 the eyes Of the caprred-
this u tue great merit OF IN painting Two spIltea
battle scenes Lookout Mountain aud och ckamauga
and a very Inc portrait Of Major General j b steciman
Of Ohio, are also favorable evidences o. NJ walker
| gen In this line Of art Nr walkers paintings are
really remarkable tor their magnificent aotice snd
studcd and careful detail His LANDSCAPES ar given
with PHOTOGRAPHIC fthflBess and the detail filled In
with great Accuracy One would suppose that an arts,
who PAD much attention 10 detail would lack IN spirit
but with Me- Walker The central ngure % the
Lookout yountain battle scene mounted artillery
oricer-though given In miniature h very hnc and Iul
Of life We knos o. artist who paints the American
soldier Mr. Walker does His four years study Of the
aud the soldiers and the pecuaritcs of locality and
character has given him material invaluable 70 him aud
the country. not ony for its variety and quantity, but
tor ts accuracy and importance.
| Next door 10 Mr. walker studio IA
THE GALLERY or MA. y. p. AVERY.
The gem q his collection 10 Twilight on the Shawan
gunk Mountains" by whiitrcdge The wonderful union
Of strength aud tenderness IN the rendition Of noun
tain rock foliage aud ky h rarely found In some Of
the most Wanted Of European landscape painters In
Mr. whtrcdgos pirture the union % these qualities ~
harmony Itself The warm yiow Of the sky, and the
rich, transparent hood Of golden light that poured
over the valley beneath. show something more than
| mere pcdantry OF treatment The crisp leaves OF au
tumn 20 drop IRON the aged trees and the spirit
| Of silence broods all unvivned by The cheerful
| group Of forcs,ers around the IRE. The War Sum
| mons, BY q. Leslie and Angels Watching over the
Infant ises, by @. DOre are also very Che sorkA