The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-24
The Academy Of Fine Arts.

eminent ability cast down with the sickness
of hope deferred. who have spoken with bitter
ness of the many disappointments and cares
that ever attend the efforts of patient merit to
succeed; and while we admit that many things
conspire to dampen the ardor of even the most
1 enthusiastic of art followers, yet let them
ponder but moment, and then render thanks
| for the great capacity of enjoyment that
heaven has given them, and think how many
sorrows such Heaven born gift must counter
balance.
In the heat of the summer months, when all
| other classes of professional men are bound to
| the caldron-like limits of the city, where shall
| we find our friends the artists? Why, on the
breezy summit of some New Hampshire noun
| tair, or inhaling the perfume OF Adirondack
| pines. Sometimes beneath the shadows of UNI
brageous oaks the artist sits with canvas spread
invitingly before him. his only care faithfully
render the fleeciness of the cloud that lies in
| the cleft of the far-of hills, to trace with
cunning hand the semblance of the winding
river that glitters silvery here and there, and
| then is lost in distant mistiness.
According to our ideas, a more pleasant manner
of passing the summer could not be devised,
andwe commend our landscape painters to think
| of it, and be thankful accordingly.
| There is a certain secluded haunt in Pennsyl-
| vania where Philadelphia painters go to seek
| subjects and If velvety moss grows greener
| or nodding ferns in more luxuriant thickness,
| in any other country, we know not of such
favored land there indeed the woods
| solemn and majestic, and how quiet! Nothing
| but the sound of few rustlng leaves is heard,
| and now and then the faintest murmur of dis
tant falling water OF this tairy-ike retreat we
notice many souvenirs the walls of the
Academy. Many of them are good; others are
simply mediocre; but of none of them shall we
speak more definitely at the present time.
We revert at once to No. "a, "Sheep and
Landscape in Bavaria" All who look upon
this picture by Hofner, and who really appre-
ciate fine work, will feel how inadequate the
English language really is in adjectives express
sive of admiration. To say it is a fine produc-
tion expresses very little, and yet we feel that
it would be out of place to speak in stronger
terms OF this canvas, whose beauties of han
ding and color must be examined and under
stood before proper conception can be formed
} oftne beauties thereof The arrangement of
the composition, the tone of color, and prec-
sion of touch, we have never seen surpassed
the only work that will compare with it in the
, latter quality, with which we are acquainted,
= is Troyon's large cattle picture in the Luxem-
bourg. A most pleasing landscape, by William
n Hart, ofNew York, will be much admired. 1t
:, is full ofpoeUic sentiment, and shows a noun
II tain.hke expanse of country, with meadows in
the middle distance, illumined by the suns
last rays The effect given of a food of light is
well rendered The sweetness of the shadow
e tones in the foreground is perfectly beautiful
o The preponderance of landscapes in this
=, years exhibition is most marked. In fact one
- would think, from seeing how the majority o
~ American artists are devoting themselves tc
SO that speciality, that the study of the figure will
be altogether neglected amongst us. We notice
however, that j. E. Galvan, of this city, is repre-
sented by three good compositions in figure
painting. No. 20 is an extremely interestin,
picture, and we imagine that if it were placed
s. the line its elaborate finish would be seen L
Id better advantage. The same artists conceptio,
10 of "Evangeline' is treated with much tende
= feeling; the painting of the drapery is to b
~ commended.
u Gifford's Morning on the Hudson" is one {
t. those thoroughly refreshing bits OF color tina
at are delightful to contemplate. What charmin
~ graduation of light pervades the whole scene
This may really be classed as one of the gems
the gallery. Although this class of picture cor
OF veys a sense of repose to the mind, and meri
ir admiration for its fine qualities, yet the sin
s. plicity of subject ana treatment forbids an
% lengthy disquisition thereon. No. so is dixie tn
subject of the preceding notice. from the colle
~ tion of Mr.. George Whitney. The canvas
Ill from Landelles' easel and although the reputI
tion of the artist is great, cannot regard hiI
in as a true religious painter. In an academ
y altogether conventional. An air of pious prett
ne ness bordering on affectation, distinguishes th
composition. Compare for moment the sam
m subject treated by Cimabue Giotto, or any othG
re- pre-Raphaelite and note the result. To explai
nix our ideas as plainly as possible, we shall il
le stance the madonna and Child" (by Giott
~ we believe) that hangs in the Ion
~ | gallery of the Louvre. 1t exemplities the yer
Ne dawn of Christian art. The author was dehcier
), in the very rudiments of drawing and colo
Nv yet his firm religious convictions inspired htI
nd to create work that, after the lapse of Ger
mt turies, stillcontinues TO charm and delight a
Ike who gaze upon it. IL is superior to picture
art like Landelles', from the fact that it bears ev
dence of more abiding faith. The memory
W the smile that beams from the face OF that Mi
lot donna causes us to look with indifference upo
un Landelles extremely pretty picture Wethin
a the age an unfortunate one for this class of ar
- The best Of the religious painters died fe
'" months ago. His name was Flandrin.
nix No. 7"Children Playing In the Brook" Tn
ch is one of j. G. Browns most successful effort
ase Brilliant and sparkling in color and sunlight
40, | deserves and receives the most marked after
- | tion
me Boutelle contributes No 1l8. 1t is pleasir
and natural in atmospheric effect, with exec
an lent manipulatlon in the middle distance.
49, No a ia a IEViaw in the COrdilleras.n ~ DY KI