New-York tribune., 1867-06-14

corners and in dark rooms, and being almost always
watercoOr drawings small in size and delicate in cOlor
they were put whenever opportunity offered among
large oipaintings and to the blazing daubs OF
Messrs Hicks Rosser possible. Atlast this treat
ment gained its end and Mr. Hill and his son refused 10
contribute any longer to tho annual exhibition
Mr. Farrer was younger when he took his sung IN his
hand and went against Goliath strong and conhdent
"A David himself He came fresh to America rrom mr'
Ruskin's drawing class, and with quiet determination
10 do die proceeded to put his masters teachings INTO
practice. The contest long und doubtful but the
| result such might have been predicted from
40 much energy, and will, and clearness of purpose,
brought to bear upon theory Whatever we may think
of Mr. Farers work artistic product Its influence
ON the methods OF Art in America cannot be denied nor
sneered of sight Beside tho pupils he has directly
formed his proseytisng spirit and the persistent earn
OF his teaching, have obliged the preachers ana
practcers OF opposing faith to burnsh their weapons
and look TO their defenses and 1t Is not little remark
able that not single writer OF any ability or conviction
has found uphold the opposite SIDE nor has any
artist OF mark appeared to establish an opposing school,
For our part do not look for any such movement AZ
for Mr. Farrer teaching there cannot be any doubt that
1t based true principles both of art ana common
sense II Is nothing less than the absolute neces
sity-f man will bo artst--Of steady, unremtting,
unhnchiDg study from nature, begun early and contin-
ned without rest until the end OF life This may seem to
be very simple matter but so far as mere art is con
cerned 1t includes everything necessary The model is
the first thing to be thought Of; 1t is "Naure" The
method is the second thing; it Is Study" How man
shall look at nature and what he shall find in her, de-
pends upon himself his powers Of perception and
but IL he goes TO her in single and belieV
ing spirit OF love and humility. and with full under
standing that the most unsweryIng study VIII never Ok
haust stores he cannot fail TO produce result OF
| value.
Such result Mr. Farrer has undoubtedly produced. We
elv ha IN
have never attered him. For his defects a. plainly
by they be by any one and we have often
pointed them out He works under great difficulties lie
has not Of poetic feeling imagination In his
composition We have often wondered why he ever was
moved 10 enter the artist life But that life has so many
phases and 80 many directions that man may almost as
reasonably wonder looking his garden wall from
among the lilies and roses and honeysuckes why golden
rod and boodroot and asters should think themselves
entitled cover the ground in TRUTH they are all parts
great whole and nature has not seen fit 20 make up
her general garden OF all all asters 30, In ART
there Beauty and Strength Color and Form. Real and
IDEAL Imagination and Statement, and nothinss gained
by insisting that Art Is any OF these exclusively. or
that every work OF Art must include oil these quates
Mr. Farrer then has but little sense OF beauty he Is al
most destitute feeling for color he reaches nor
approaches the IDEAL and no rarely treats any subject
with taste. We hold all these qualities In which he Is
wanting to be very high qualities the highest that can
scssed them. and had been possessed beside OF
tho will aud energy that characterize him who docs not
seo that his would have been very different from
what lt has been Ho has played modest part OF quiet
influence suggesting thoughts Of great value worthy
cogitaons" ho has encouraged and taught many young
mon and women. and has never turned aside from tho
pursuit OF aim which 10 him hos stood for highest
but ~ he had been possessed OF lofter artistic qualities
we should not after years Of struggle SEQ him stand
Ing noary tho spot and eIertng rather less in
nuenoe than when ho began his career.
Mr. Farrers pictures the present exhibition will sup
port the criticism that make upon him. They cannot
DO passed by either with Indifference with contempt
For nearly every OF them has point worthy OF
study. But oyory year convinsos us. moro and moro
srongiy that Mr Farrer has little power TO paint land
scapc. At least. any considerable success seems eR-
oeptiona and not TO havo been expected Tho twoand
scapes this exhibition do not convert US to contrary
opinion In No &c. October Afternoon, there Is good
drawing the elm treo. but the composition OF the pct
ure awkward aud tho color crude and snharmoni
ous that we think OF deliberate and careful
work and have any hope that tho painter OF II
will oven attain any high degree OF excellence
IL would very easy make fun OF this pcture fun OF
tho crows they DO crows, though they arc not like
them fun OF tho who will never get home to DO
| MIXED. for they incapable OF moving as Mr..
ocrtsls fun OF tho cedar trees. that might for their
stiffness and hardness have conc out OF box OF German
but rdiculc is only 10 be used when concet and
emptiness and challenge IT, and when argu-
msnt would DO thrown away Mr.. Farrer. however. Is
serious worker. and believes In what he paints and we
respect his work when DO not like IT, so in No
| 49, Maple Woods Ashned. Mass" ind much more
that can bo praised Especially like the small tree
ut tho oxrome right and the painting OF the distance
The color right than Is usual with Mr.. Farrer-
the green better and the purple Of the reerunk In the
center but the nero painting Ia clumsy and coarse over
tho whole not excepting the sapng which
| A. nd hui delicatelY
aud oven with long looking thero sense OF light
undor the Sometimes this artist does work that
looks careless and slovenly like his Chinese Cup and
Saucer No H. where oyery thing askow; but this Is
| not often. How careful and finished ho can
| be when no will. Is shown in his "summer
Flowers" No. 1856. picture which has perhaps made
him friends than anything no has ever presented
IL Is finished with psnstakDg accuracy IN every part.
and yet II does not look IN the artist had becn bored
by his work II certainly has all the air OF being an alice
| tionate study from nature as we'll truthful one
more artistic study, and In larger style, Is No io6.
"Fleur de Farrcr has done full justice To this
noble flower with large masses and strong curves and
has made much more attractive drawing Off than Ia his
moro protentous oneNo. 27i "Dandelions." whore the
effectiveness OF the flower all lost and neither color
nor drawing satisfactory Perhaps however In this
last the dead gold OF the mat coming up coSe TO the
Of pure yeowfor tho grass nearly lost sight OF
may have something TO do with diminishing the actual
yals OF the color For Mr.. Farrer get true color,
and even delicate color In proof see his Peaches NO.
ioe which contains really beautiful work. while tho blue
OF his plums paint at all. but the
| blue and bloom and softness OF nature herself
While we do not admit that Mr.. Farrcr's success In
painting landscape has been groat thus far We hope
10 see him devote himself 10 steadily and give as little
time as may bo to these studies OF fruit and flowers al
though with his remarkable power OF continuous and
almost unwoaryng labor these studies are really moro
ko play than work But he has done enough In land
scape painting that good to warrant us IN hoping that