New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-30
ZINE Arts.


boantiful invention il said on all hands that the
doom Of the OLaud-canvas men was sealed ana that
they really had better be looking out tOr themselves
% many tears shed over the prospect OF their M
timely ,ccease and the preliminary obituary was penDed
with more or ess unctOn by the gentlemen who have
charge Of the Oang department IN the journals, daily
aud other good deal of the dOior expended on this
occasion was hearty than it might have been the
paiutcrs speedy deeease thus anticipated had
been better artists hut IL not TO be concealed that, az
for the most them, pretty generally admitted
chat # their time had come, il than they De
served The art Of pOrtaituFe and indeed, art Of almost
every KIND had fallen into mOri6uDd state, ana 10 was
lust wen 10 have end pat TO it's mseries at once
Aud, u It die, how could u die easier than by sun
stfoto9 Gossipug after tins heartless fashion, sat
by the bedside ~ portrMtpaintng and waited for its
dissolution Twas long in dying, however, Charles
Second and up this time il sin shows Signs OF vcor
GUS u somewhat eOuVulsiye, life. The truth seems be-
that photography, like "a good many other things
under the sup fulfilled All its PROMISES and that.
TIC Of portatue especially, IL has failed To satisfy
our wants m the complete and delightful way IT, gave
every reason pect It would Too has always
been looked Tor from machinery, and photography is
exception TO the general rule Ia fact those ~ who
Hal leguu 10 despair hte for the human hand and TO
wonder whether all its delicate mechanism 10 he
superseded and proved superfuous and all the work Of
the world to be done 10y machinery, quite looking mp
Of late, and taking heart Of grace. Acknowledging,
frankly and heartily, all Indebtedness 20 machinery
Wooxpect 4 modest aud admit ;ha in the do
Of beauty and art, there certain effects II
cannot produce certain results it has not the skill to
achieve. IL cannot make lace muslin, nor
carve wood nor onhroder nor darn. dn any al
tisto sense that much term paint pictures
of course expect to hear indignant shouts OF denia
at this point from angry manufacturers. IN winch hdD
hub however, ady's nor artists voice VIII be be"ru
Nevertheless, decline discussing the matter at tnis
time We know very well all that machines ca" do ID
1,npatrng these delicate arts. and AFFORD 10 sleh
with noncbaance to all the hOw-wOw OI hteIes'cu par
ties without attempting any reply Whatever 70 MN
owners sowing machine owners tuSnaiy much more pug
naoous than the sewing.macine makers. or chrome
photographers, quietly retreat or consolation and sup
mort under the II Obouy have raised, To the
delicate company OF women who adore real lace, ana
Deocan musms and enbroideries and who can make an
invisible darn and who still hem their own handkercheis
aud ours with their beautiful hands # they are
busy 20 the artists Who win stand by MS IN our
refusal 10 admit that wood can be carved using
that word IN its artistic by machinery or by red
hot pokeis that anybody with eyes could ever he
found to Ike a chrome however good, as well as good
painting
In photography too, the mistake has been that lom
Dick and Harry have taken IT, for granted that nothing
N necessary 10 be photographer bu TO get possession
OF q sitter "a room. and the necessary chemicals tbs
b now coming 10 he thought a mischieNous delusob,
aud as one, the sooner people tnd II out the bet
er There great difference between photographers
people who can't tell photographers apart, more than
lhCy caa potatoes photographers take your BIKE
Goss such way that You wonder why you ever were |
born and others that you wish you never had been
The greater part Of them do one Of two things they
either ObstiDatey dstort your hest feature or they
bring frightful prominence your worst one. The
Gully good these men have ever done the world has been
so destroy the of the people they have had TO
deal with but may De questioned whether they have
done equal amount of evil by the ruin they have
made Of many, hitherto excellent tempers. Many
young men of passably good material have been rem
doJed 20 quietly desperate first coming out of the
photographers hands and seeing how they really look
oT taken for granted of that the sun cannot
make mistake that they reekessy thrown them
away in the Custom House or some other hope
less career and been lost 10 usefulness for ever
good deal the mischief that has been done Ia this
matter comes from too easy accepting Of the popular
saying The cannot lie Unfortunately, we nave
day experience that the sun cannot De trusted AT All
He needs the constant and careful LOOKING a'eI
Hvrey If the experiences o. last Summer could not con
-, ns of ms untrnstiness those this summer must
lave gone far TO do so. lie has played truant most
shaniefuy and has only gone regularly through his day
duties two three times i'll the last four months NO
oue able TO say of his own positive knowledge, that
dniing an that time the sun has once risen honestly
fairly Aud az for setting nothing could possibly be more
awkward than hs performances OF that simple duty And
this neglect Of larger duties carried into his smaller al
fairs PhOtOg Apply OF them He has violated the most
sacred condolences What lovers has he not betrayed
What merely PLAIN ladies OF middle age has he not made
Modssas of What hand people has he not made 1t
Impossible 10 distinguish from ugly onesi How he de
lights IN bringing freckles and throwing HE highest
lights on our bGdest places
Let the depend upon IT, il Just as necessary TO
lave artist ia the photographers room as III 70 have
iin the easel with palette on thumb Why do people
run 10 Brady and Kurtz, and Quincy with such con
ttancy year after year except because they have fonnd
~ long experience that when these gentlemen have the
hand the cuts up far fewer ddoes than be
Aoes under the whip Of other people that might be
nalnedi Aud what the reason that, for the last SIX
months all the world and his wife have been talking
sbot SroDy as there nobody else but lie could
take photograph worth looking att Why simply, we
take H. because they have lighted upon genuine artist
and they enjoy his work AMI satisfied with H. with
out rejecting upon the perhaps, thinking that
this particular photographer has some chemical secret
that other men are ignorant o. Not bit OIL saIODys
secret lies in his artistic IN ms thorough ENJOY
lnent Of a good thing and s understanding it, Heh he's
HwOndeIfuy acute power Oi seeing just What bis sitter
Is good fo7 be makes tie mistake Of benttng
or u trying 70 exalt $3.50 snyect
into something grand With quick glance, Le sezes a..
tho good points the stters face, Or there Dr. tt one
good point that and then swiftly but surely plis
him IA position which will best enable
"--thoss 10 know who never s1sa b.t.r.
those who -lNsys kusN TO kuos tie more
Then he bas the most deghtu talent FOR costume aud
for drapeyy, ard w have known linn make really plain
tsps quite striking 10y giving the drspeIy OF Their dress
,ue beau ful lines that you quite forgot the
were convinced that person capable Of such move.
u.ent or such a. attitude must be worth looking at
EunDiny Ovei. uontls ago pile Of photographs In his
roo W came o. one squire o; lady almost perfect ia
s.ae standing With hef back % the spectator SLOWING
uotiug ~ her taoe but that subtle line Of brow, and
cheer sId chin which attractive AID yet 20 dIhi-