The New York herald., 1870-12-09
ART NOTE s /.


The winter exhibition OF the National Academy OF
Design Is not fai ~ to be judged as representative
exhibition Of American art We have already ex-
pained why this the case. Nevertheless II offers
several excellent pictures-most ol them, indeed nv
foreign artistswhch either singly or collectively,
far ore than compensate fer the trlnng admission
Zee. In due time IL viii be wei TO abolish the ad-
mission fee altogether. For many reasons the
Academy exhibitions should be free to the public.
Conspicuous among the pictures 10 which ailuslon
has been made Is q landscape By Troyoa, belonging
TO Mr. Bierstalt 1t strlsDgly illustrates how mulh,
II not how almost completely, the merits OF a
work Of art depend on treatment alone. As
character conceived by the dramatist IL but
lay figure In the hands OF enc actor, wnile
II becomes instinct with life and passion
In the hands OF another 50 the familiar grove and
pasture and mountain or winch an ordinary artist
could make put an Indifferent copy are mere repro
drced and ideaiized by the oold mastery treat
ment OF Troyon. Herzog's "Entrance 10 the Har-
Dor OF 0send" Is good and pleasing specimen Of
the Dusseldorf. school. In the performing Dogs,n
BY DC Vos, the chlafo oscuro Is happily managed.
Rcsnaalt's athlete struggling with Two Horses"
displays careful drawing ald considerable power IN
tne hsnfe OF the me.l, but tue horses are Impossible
Pursued by the luries belong, 20 Mr.. Avery. II rs
an sniultios WORK, very hshy prizci by tue artist
nimsell; but althsuxh evtacing ms acanow-
LEGGED skill IN born drtwnI ana color and,
moreover, extraordinary dramatic power, H. Is so
acadeinical Or conventional that we cannot hep
re2ardnS IL as less sal.4actOly IN IN many 0I his
less AMBITIOUS works. BierstaIts .'Emerad Pooin
Is on aige canvas out ait the laborsus details of
tle picture ia 10 make iG great us wioe, even in
the duhious sense winch some mcdcln artists nave
tan mt u TO attach 10 ''greay paintings" tne
"Enerad Poop does not man iest the sLiAing
scenc elects VIII cii have contributed 50 largely In
bIe stadtS previous WofhS 10 make ms name
famous. Samuel Iolnlau's ''Enl grant Tram Gross
lns Il Creek snons the sime conscientious care
winch cllaractclzes MS Other productions. William
HurGs last Gleamh we haVe ready hdd OCCASION
TO pla sc as q nhe instance oI tue e.icchenc9 In
composltion, urdWlny and color OF his
lauuse q. es The ''0cJpatraD ot II. J.. Gray,
President or the AcadeMJ, While revealing the iona-
ness oi TINS artist or tht mellow aad finished tones
o. certain Italian schools. In no wise atiests u ~
milnlit with tue many interesting etAno .ogicai,
pns sl0ogicgu aud psyche ogical researches wnicn
Egypt ,lueea aud Aaoly 81 hl5 uccaslouei. MIR.
Gray pictn.e Is no portrait of e,ther onaK ,peareis
S,eopatra or olor5's Many of The aca,ie are
rpIanfeteAtsa VI lAs WiaiY sx lDion, ont y is 60
prelsrhy 10 make sucn display III the sprinE cS.
bfotion as shall justly the most sanguine exp ecta-
lions Of developments and progress in our ia nal
art Meanwhile, tae engagement OF Mr. Wimarth
as professor or drawing, and ri Or. mmer as
Lecturer on anatomy ana the nouncemenI that a
lie sciool Wll soon be opened at he Academy, IN.
couragingy Indicate serious intention o.. ma uart
OF the acaaemiclana to justify the t8 OF their In.
rss~s