New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-04
FINE ARTS.
THIRD WINTER EXHIBITION AT THE ACADEMY.
Third Arielel

Third Artielel
The unamiabfe critic inspecting the art on tho
walls of the Academy. forgetting what these paintings
mean TO the men and women who executed them. for.
getting that artists have put their life into this canvas
and have done their for beauty, fame and bread.
may find plentiful occasion TO indulge his satircaI
temper Even the amabe critic, remembering what
the other forgets and wishing TO do justice
TO the work before him, must draw on his
forbearance he enters the West Room turns inined.
ately to the left entering and begins Low TIDE,
by Winslow Homer, first attracts notice Conspicuous ~
the foreground several pairs Of boots painted TO the
life. The owners very much taller than the boots
are dabblng in the water few rods of, apparently.
There is Of distance TO justify the snaness OF
the figures the unwaerishness OF the Nothing
bat evident honesty Of intenona purpose TO paint
just what the eye neither more nor lesssaves the
painting from being slightly ludcrous This does The
picture has the merit OF sincerity The Romance" BY
Taggart has charm Of expression is defective in
finish The portrait OF Dr. Hodge is excellent like
ness but like most portraits looks as II 1t had only
thin surface Of paint Miss Koock's I" Sunset" Is
pleasing. Miss Granberrys November does not Justify
the fine pencil that is everywhere IN the hover and
fruit pieces that the gems Of the collection The eye
always rests with satisfaction these. We happy
to see Mr. o. j. Lay, pansaking artistemergng from
the gooms OF dismal fancy into something IKE legit'
mate art the head OF little girl IL gives promise or
better work to come Passing by number OF pieces
which awaken special emotion, we reach Mr. lry-
ings Group Of Children" 1t has taking air OF natural
ness is carefully painted and Of the best figure
pieces in the gallery Two landscapes by George Inness
are attractive Of breezy tone in the one and
ideep glow OF light in the other. Both have genuine
feeling in he TO give them character though these are
not by any means his best Iris" represents dainty
lady trying to paint rainbow, but afraid 1t would seem,
OF getting some Of the paint her dress having OF
rainbow about herself than is consistent with close
devotion to work. Easter offerings" is remarkably
fair and buxom lady in ecclesiastical attire Offering
dainty piece Of flesh across priedieu. The "Deers
Head" by Beard, awakcns agreeable emotions; not
merely because it is exceedingly well painted, but
because it holds hope that the artist has been
converted from bears to something better and
has ceased working, for time at least his I'M
pleasant vein Of erotesque humor Leaving the room
and crossing opposite gallery torn again TO the
left. Another expressive picture by Inness. Family
Group" by Henry Inman OF style common In the last
generation and interesting example Of the method
Of landscape painting before American school
came in. Wandering Thoughts" is by George Bough-
ton II is beautifully executed, like all his works, re-
arkabe simplicity Of treatment and that purity OF
expression which gives appearance OF transneency
TO and figures. BY the side OF tho Ed0uard
Frere that hangs it, the TRANSPORTED look OF Bouge-
toms medtatng damsel, together with the excessive
neatness Of all her accessories seems prim tribe over
DONE perhaps but the picture excels where most OF our
painters fall in the eaboraeness Of detail East.
man Johnson has wee bit Of presenting little
girl sitting on big sofa-one OF her feet In wooden
shoe-and porlng book OF prints. 1t Is painted as
johnson always paints, faithfully and feelingy, and
though tre is dainty one. lie Clears two portraits
have the merit being good kenesses but they do not
iyet or hold attention you all there IL at glance,
and turn away disappointed that you not better salts
fed 1t is as the artist more In the face or his
subject than ordinary may see IN passing; and
that is not enough Every face has more In IL
than the casual acquaintance perceiyes and what this
we expect the artist discover and interpret We ask
him for the character not the mood There should be
portraits the Academy that show hard study,
insight psychological perception tie sympathetic conn.,
prehenslon Of mind 1t is not fattered portrait OF
our friend that want neither Is 1t portrait WHICH,
without being fattered makes our friend look his best
We do not want friend as the droppersin al
his office or his shop see him, him In some
passing mood with face bearing usual expression
The artist should be an interpreter; q seer In hlf
way. II he paints rock ora tree he should tell us
more about it than knew before. II he paints land
scape he should reveal beauty In 1t which the nasty
observer detect without his ad st more, when
he portrays q human countenance, he should be abls
to search mans character bring the soul TO the face
make the features tell what is within so that even they
who are most familiar with them are made acquainted
with something there they had apprehended. some
thing that out they gaze, aud dlseoses theh
friend TO their hearts II is fault In any portras
that the resemblance is at once by everybody Tho
best portraits require and study reveal their excel
ence They disappont at rst They upon us as We
grow They suggest many things to the mind They a-e
companions for many years permanent priced
by generations of Work like this Is not to be done
lightly 1t Is so serious In fact 1t involves such ne quail
tiles OF intellect such trained power OF manipulation,
that the pretty pictures Of ladies and gentlemen
dressed mp like dolls for show made to look their hand
soonest smiling and simperng, staring and scowlinR.
yex our patience than other bad species Of art
An inexpensive landscape be borne with, IL 1t
literally represents material forms. An uninter-
estng or illarranged fgure-piece can be toll
Grated, If the drawing and color good but
an insipd portrait Of man or woman, an unmeaning'
shallow, pretentiOus picture of human countenaneeH
reflection on human worth "a worse than an oppor-
tunity neglected.: 1t Is an opportunity abused
But TO continue survey. Often, must presume,
such Morning Light Mr. Shattuck has painted Hoods
the earth at opening Of hot August day. making
the water glow like molten gold the hills resolve them
selves into masses Of amber cloud the ships CLEAN like
luminous phantoms the spires shoot up like tongues Of
fame but to paint il is enterprise almost too au
iacous To those unfamiliar with such scene 10 VIII look
unreal and oversated To those familiar with It, 1t ap
pears deficient in glare and heat The master does not
live among us who paint on canvass u world noatmg
In light world In flame it rs on gorgeous Summer
Nothing else in the gallery requires special notice.
naltY In conception execution. t tells no story and
suggests none ITO the Front IL spirited, ana WOhd
hal Good hut for the shapeessness Of the most con-
spcuous of the horses whose hind feet, refusing to fol-
low the fore feet, seem 10 be dragging out the poor
beasts body TO an inOrdnate length.
On the whole. to speak candid opinion, IL would be
wiser for the artists keep the Academy closed than 10
open IL for the display OF such paintings as now
hang walls They cannot but give To strangers an
idea Of art in Americas they provoke
on the industry talent and resources OF artists
that are neither generous JUST they call attention 10
nm ght 10 be concealed as much posSble they put
visitors upon trains OF speculation IN regard to the iuturo