New-York tribune., 1869-04-14
Art
PRIVATE VIEW OF THE SPRING EXHIBITION
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.

PRIVATE VIEW OF THE SPRING EXHIBITION
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
1t would not be easy to devise anything
peasaner than socaled Private View Of the Spring
Exhibition OF the National Academy OF Design which
took place last evening. The were crowded at
very early hour and from $50 o'clock till TO- 1t was df
cult to In any Of the rooms seeing the pictures was
not 10 be thought Of The only use OF the pictures on
such occasion would seem TO be to afford starting
points small talk which very soon forgot beginnings
and wandered of into various fields The Private View
has in fact long become purely social affair. and
has no relations whatever to except that 1t is an en-
eranment given by artists in their own picture gallery
And as We have said, 1t this occasion partcu
larly pleasant affair there seemed to be universal
spirit OF enjoyment; people came early and stayed ate
and the stiffness and formaty that, not seldom have
these meetings were entirely absent from
this one Mr. wights building, although eIcellenty well
planned for the main purpose for which it was in
tended-the exhibition OF plctures-has one defect
which makes itself felt the occasion OF any
large social gathering like that of last night.
The gallery, corridor, as we believe 1t Is
called Is much too IL is the common entrance TO
the four exhibition rooms and 1t commands the stair
case with its ascending and descending groups. IL is
beside used as place to hang watercoor drawings.
architectural sketches, and miniatures so that what
with the people who think avoid the inside crowds by
passing from room 10 the other along tho gallery;
and the people who from this excellent position delight
to criticise the comers and goers; and the people
who are trying to the pictures that
hang upon its walls, this pretty gallery is blocked
up the evening through with q nearly solid
column. and proves itself anything but chapel.Of
After all, we do not know how Mr. Wight could
have betered the arrangement with the he had at
command but IL Is certain that the gallery ought TO be
least wide again rs IL Is. From what could
of the pictures last night under the Disadvantages OF
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the conclusion that the exhibition, though perhaps
better on the whole than those OF the last
two years, is yet very far from being what
could wish. There Is not any very striking picture
nor any one that We could see which could even be
called noticeable. But is indeed hardly fair to say
much this for daylight and leisure may show many
good things Still heard all sides complaints that
few OF our notabes have sent pictures aud that the
task OF keeping up tho Academy exhibitions
ia thrown too much upon young and uutried
shoulders. Perhaps the most noticed picture
Of the evening was Mr. F. B. Carpenters
portrait OF Mr. Horace Greeley which occupied the place
honor at the end OF the large south This picture
has been painted for THE TRIBUNE, and Mr. Carpenter
has spared pains study to make 1t the best portrait
OF Mr. Greeley that has yet been painted That 1t is
striking likeness everybody must admit the general
feeling seems to be that 1t is wanting in force But
It Is painted on low key that IL cannot fairly be
judged when by gasllght and We prefer TO
speak OF It, as indeed Of the whole collection,
when we shall have had time TO examine 1t to advantage
Mr. Hicks has the post Of honor at the opposite end OF
the room. with full length portrait OF gentleman, and
Mr. Ames Of Boston has striking but somewhat theatr-
cal portrait of Mr. Clarence Seward. Mr. Page has
picture OF Mr. Beecher which thus far to be the
worst that has been painted Of that much peron
Mr., Eastman Johnson sends portrait group and Mr..
Ritche murders Mr.. Lincoln over again in picture
which we tako leave to hope Is not to be engraved.