The New York herald., 1868-03-14

Church's "Falls Of NiaRara''-Americnn
Triumphs In Europe.


From the London Post, Feb. 27.]
Just ten years ago. In the summer OF 1885, Mr.
Frederick E. Church first made himself known TO
Europe by means Of hts Niagara Falls" wonder.
full picture which made profound impression at the
time OF Its exhibition and opened our eyes to the
fact that great national school OF landscape art was
already founded and nourishing on the other side Of
the Atlantic. The works Of American artists have
since then become frequent guests In our metropoi.
tan exhibition rooms but, excellent as many OF
them have been land II we would remem-
Der how excellent we need only remind
our readers OF Bierstadt's two fine pictures
noticed in these columns little more than month
ago. Mr.. Church still keeps that lofty pre-eminence
to which he Ia entitled not only by his brilliant tai
ents interpreter Of nature, but by the untirng
enterprise with which he seeks his subjects In all
kinds Of remote and difficult regions. Following
next after the first 'Jiagara" Mr.. Church's "Heart
OF the Andes at once established his reputation
as one Of that select few among the gifted many who
highest art. Next came his '4cebergs In the
Polar Sea.n magical piece OF color, lumn-
81 eeous rp e s
coast OF Labrador and next after this in 1865, we
had the "Cotopaxi" and "Chmborazo," two pictures
unsurpassed for splendor OF color, harmony Of COM
position and delicate atmospheric effect. Through
out all these years and with the advent OF each sue
cessive picture Mr. Church's European fame has gone
on increasing, and this because he has all the quail
ties necessary TO great painter He is delicate and
accurate draughtsman patient student OF nature
under her most difficult and perpleXing aspects, q
pure and brilliant coorist and master OF that su
prene art Of composition which can never be taught
and never be acquired, but which is TO the painter
what melody s to the musician and taste to the
critic--a gift an Instinct, an inspiration
This second Niagara" just arrived at that Lon
don home o. American art-Mr. McLeans rooms In
the Haymarket-f II does not tend materially to In
crease Mr. Church's great reputation. will at least
worthily sustain it. He has taken his subject appa
halo Dot t1rA
American side OF the huge cataract known as Amer
can FALL for the hero OF his picture The great Horse
Shoe and Terrafen Tower lie back In the middle
place upon the canvas. wild and broken
wall OF cliff, with shattered pine or two
and some w.nd-tormented bushes clinging here
and there in its torn clefts and crevices closes
In the picture upon the left. Far down. beyond the
plunge OF the torrent, half shrouded In mist and
Clothed with tremulous rainbow, delicate and
transparent like scarf Of coored lights, lies little
group Of granite rocks radiant and rosy In the sun
ons Of e aa aas em y IL a
and broken into thousand swirling. eddies,
rushes headlong away: The The daring with h,, which n
this part of the river is worthy Y observation.
Few painters would have ventured literally
its centre, where, pent and narrowed between It's
banks, IL assumes domed shape utterly foreign to
oil our preconceived notions OF the laws of water
surface. This Is truth to nature, and truth OF most
valuable and important kind. AS for the painting OF
the cataract 1t Is simply beyond praise. We see the
river ABOVE 10 the DTluk, we see IOFce
and vitality OF its first spring. we see how that force
and vitality being spent as 1t goes down. It falls a
heavy mepess @ mass nv s at last by
rush from above. The concentric curves and loops
formed by the water In its midway fall, the frag.
meIts Of spray caught upwards and whirled back
again by the wind Of i;s own notion the
seething confusion o! mist In which II Is lost at Its
last crash the sense OF resistess power Of "sound
and fury" OF confusion and turmoil, given as we
believe no other painter since Turner could have
given them. This IL great praise, and we intend
that II should be II may be that Mr.. Church's
second niagara" will attract many persons less
than the more gorgeous "Cotopax" and Chmbo.
raZo,r and surprise less than the Iceberg picture.
In color II s sober almost fault and the subject
s somewhat wanting in general interest: but II Is
rich In knowledge and power OF the highest order.
II, however as a work Of art the Niagara should
critics than from the general public Mr. Church will
have no reason to be dissatisfied with his success