New-York tribune., 1869-06-15
THE FINE ARTS.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
rORTY- FOURTH ANNUAL EAHIBIIIUN-IH VIZ
ROOM AND THE CORRIDOR.

we must call them so-which bring dscTedt alike upon
him and upon the Academy In the last Winter ExhiD
tiopwhch one OF the Council admitted was no cret 10
ANYBODY but excused ground that headiesmust
have place TO meet and chat you know MI Benson
relieved the monotonous misery Of the display by two PIC
ture so nexpressby udcrOus in their badness tha IN
one sense they may DO allowed the credit OF having
saved the enterprise from the failure 1t deserved on othe
grounds He has not done 80 well by this
exhibition, but, perhaps, he was exhausted by
that effort. stl, 1t is only frivolous
person who can take any ongcontnued pleasure IN ex
bbtons OF this Sort and confess that the time has
long since passed when capable Of anything but
disgust at MT Bensons performances on canvas There
Is no such ignorance Of FIRST principles In all The Academy
as be displays in Mr. Langs picture or in Mr.
Rosster is there worse drawing less power OF facial
expression There was time when We thought that this
erst had something TO tell u.s. and that with study and
training he might come to tell it pleasantly and skill
fully; but 1t is long since he has painted picture OF
which even little this could be sad-tba there was
hope in it Of something better.
Mr. Louis O. Tfany's "study," No. S35, was
hardly worth exhibiting, either for the sake OF
tho subject the execution. Whisky TASKS meer'
sehaum pipes tobaccOboxes and the backs OF booAs'
are stupid enough things to contemplate ~
the reality without our being obliged 10 looA az
their badly painted kenesses The same arts1s DocA
Scene at YoDkers No 8e7 CWhy do Americans call
"wharf "dock" D is much better picture IL is very
crude but looks as If 1t had been painted Win some
reference to Nature and with some enjoyment OF 'he
actual scene There thing In the whole picture
that ia satisfactorily painted, but there is pleasant
effect secured and the artist now that he has learned
the rudents would consent 70 work out the rest OF the
problem for himself and trust to Nature rather than to
studioteachng we believe he Will in time make good
painter He shown judgment in his choice OF sub
ect for the wharYes and piers Of the older villages and
towns along the Hudson River always picturesque
and interesting wonder they not oftener painted
they and the brlck-yards well, and the boating
that is always about them, loading and dis
charging freight There is inexhaustbe fund OF sub
ject waiting this quarter for the coming lover OF the
picturesque, who shall bring the students hand to aid
the poets eye.
Mr. j. Ames's "POrtrait of Lady" No $50, In this
ROOM is the best OF his not very valuable contributions to
the present exhibition This artist labOrs under the di
Guilty Of not being able to paint people so that we want
10 know them personally. He has done Mr.. Clarence
Seward grievous wrong In this regard we are per
suaded Mr. Ames says dn olpaint that this gentleman
looks like smike rehearsng the part of the ApOthecary
for Nicholas Nickleby OF course Mr. Stewards friends
resent this and they quite right in doing So Why
again, should the artist choose to depict person
Just at the very moment when an attack OF cry
sipelas has reached its crisis, as he has done In
the case Of No 37l 1t not necessary to the under
standing Of aI persons character that we should
know no sometimes has erysipeas. The young
lady Of No S3 however has been more fortunate and
her picture proves that Mr. Ames has ability Of some
Sort or had it, start with. But then Mr. Ames Is not
go bad as Mr. William Hunt, and there ought to be COM
fort that Whatever his people look like, they do not
look as had been ujectediwith bitumen' and
their bodies hung up to dry Why Boston should tire Of
Mr. Ames and show tendency stop buying his Tepeti
tion OF his portraits Of Rachel and Daniel Webster and
should yet keep calling for more Of Mr.. Hunts
equally bad work-H indeed. 1t does call for them,
or is only strenuousy SAID TO do so-would be more
Of marvel than it is, If we did not occasionally
open the wrong cosetdoOr and upon that
were not intended for the public eye. OF one
thing We are very well satisfied. 1t is becoming
less and less easy every to make the pctureOyDg
public like make them say they like that which in
their hearts they do not like. In country believe,
In day, has much of what be honestly called
by no other name than humbuggery been practced by
artists aided by their friends upon the public as here
Some OF it has been harmless enough some Of it has
been largely coored by raseaty, and good deal OF 1t
has been what, in Wallst. is called successful II
were to make clean breast Of it and tell all know
and all that the p1vatepubc knows-the open secrets
of the studios in short that talked over when men
get together and unburden their pocketsore heartswe
should strip away good deal Of the that sings
itself about But there need Of doing
this We may safely trust to the Influences Of education
and travel, which every year are making regulations
ike those these have acquired by digent pufey by
small kuaveres by social batteries by impudent self
herading, but never in any case by modest silent
appeal to the pubc-mOre and more difficult 10 obtain
Mr. W. d. Washington's " Chief Cook" No. 3l2 is a
creditable study OF fat goOdnatured negro better
subject on the whole than this artists ordinary rehash
ing OF French genre pictures supply him WITH but hardly
worth painting after ALL How curious would be the re-
suit il every Of our artists were 10 write down
on paper to the question Why did you choose
painting as profcssonP What object did you propose
to yourself when you painted this or that picturel
Miss Fidelia Bridges in her Winter Sunshine" No 3t5
has secured very little OF the effect she aimed at but the
careful way which she has painted her picture shows
well enough that she did aim at something Things Ike
this studies however after all, and II they
painted well Rembrandt did them, they have little
interest for human beings They Invaluable to the
artist stepping stones in her way 70 technical excel
lence recorded observation but they nothing but
stepping stones, after all.
Mr.. A. f. Tairs birds not enjoyable they once
were They grow harder he paints more Of them and
whilo cannot be said that be slurs his work.
allowed that the labor he expends becomes and
more mechanical Mr. Geo. w. FOrdhams prairie
Hens" No. 37S painted with more freedom ana with
quite much Mr. Taits. The Prairie Hen is by
beautiful the Mallard Duck but then Mr.
TAFT has done justice the Maard, and Mr. Ford
ham has, thlnk made all out Of his Grouse that they
capable Of We hope, however that he is not intend
ting to settle down 70 suppcrs for the rest Of his life
II he for such food let him paint away at 1t
and learn all he about dead birds and their feathers
while the 1T Is on him. but If he finds II lasting six months
lot him be he has an indigestion and consult med
ical man. There lived great artist who did one
thing forever An artist should exercise his skill upon
everything he sees, and keep at this work till he can
work no longer. Once let HIM tic his leg TO hens or
dogs or horses, to landscapes and he loses
ali interest in the world and the world all interest n him.
Just what Nj. La Fargo doing would be puzzng TO
tell His "Yew over Newport" No. 3l9 is bad enough
but where TO find words for tho badness Of his "seepng
Beauty No 3lOl II he says that there is at Newport
neither light air. that the clouds are basted on to the
SKY and that the sea is made Of the soup that is not
eaten at the hotels shall gfva