The New York herald., 1870-04-24
ART NOTES.
National Academy Of Design.

wide range OF productions, from many very good to
number OF Others execraby bad. 1t Ia matter OF
melancholy w0nderment whether more to deplore
the concert or to be ast0nshed at the audacity OF
many who put their names TO certain works. We
see pictures the mere looking at which almost brings
blush or shame to the brow, TO which are attached
the names OF authors. most cOnspicuousy, and we
may say baFeiacedly. This, as general rule, from
the least known and least important artists Is proba
bly, excusable from their extreme impatence and
the rem0teness OF the prospects OF their ever becom
ing either the one or the other. Two features are
prominent throughout the exhibition. In the frst
place, as 10 not unusual actual merit appears to be
In largely inversed ratio to Its supposed existence
Several OF the most pretenti0us works are embla-
zoned with the names or men whose concet would
be insufferabe were 1t not pitiabe and ridcnlous.
second feature Is a careessness and growing
disregard OF truth, which is evident in weak SEN
tlmentalism and false imagnativeness destructive
OF all vigor and true character in art. Only com.
paratively small proportion OF the pictures seem
to have been studied at ALL The others we are
obliged to conclude must be either from hopeless
aspirants or from those negligent in study. The
latter IL the charitable conclusion, not the
more true. We select this as being by far the most
important element. To represent, one must first
know and understand, and to know, one must learn.
Hence to study carefully and faithfully is the fun
damental principe which underlies all art There
Is nothing, even inspiration, which can take the
place of this most important work. Cheap and
shallow effects are most aimed at. YoungIpainters
very apt 10 forget the primal importance OF form
and drawing, and carried away by their enthu-
siasm run riot In wild debauchery Of exaggerated
color as false and Injurious 1t Is sh0wy and mere
tricous.
Few have more splendid advantages than the
American landscape painter, with fresh and
greatly diversified nature from which to study; and
Ss % a 1 an ,hs
especially deplore TINS careessness In study ana
efforts at false effects.
careless men excellent points and materials, when
may yet make good artists. painter must sow
ings in a crude imagination and reacnngs aIter the
unattanaDle that the true artist comes humby BACK
10 the feet OF the True and the Beautiful.
THE CORRIDOR.
This hall, with the exception OF some very few
finished works, seems to be manly sort OF lumber
room for sketches ana what are rather amoitiously
called stud,e5n as their chief CHARACTERISTIC seems
to be total disregard for nature and an utter ab-
sence OF anything AKIN to study. One stands COM
pleely mysthed as to the OBJECT OF sending or accept
ing such rubbish unless 1t may be 10 establish sort
OF relative standard OF judgment
t85.) SEPTEMBER NOON,
represents quantity OF sheep firmly planted in the
dark green shade OF heavy tree unknown TO
botany, and mournfully regarding some daubs or
green pant with which 1t would be impossible to
nourish anything but very diseased Imagination.
tns unhealthy appearance OF the animals. The
whole effect Is one Of moral indigestion, from the
heavy, wooly foliage and mysteriously purple dis
tance to the Irresponsible nut ia foreground.
t67) TWILIGHT IN Tue WOODS.
Ine painter OF 60 Is it w9ntd SEEM seem must nave
thing too dreadful even to speak Of; for surely
nothing but sulphur or birthstone, with little
nitrate Of strontia could by any possibility produce
the light which shines through the group OF un-
happy trees the artist has SO painfully distorted.
With the strong tendency TO sensatonalism at pre-
sent however, II is not Impossible We may yet come
even TO this.
NATURE.
Several pictures by this artist are in the exhibi-
and conscientious study. IL Is refreshing TO see one
who thus goes himself to the feet OF the great pre-
ceptress-Nature-and lovingly thoughtfully studies
her. There Is thought and meaning in tins foliage
which tells more than simple effect. IL teaches
the great lesson OF overrung watchfulness and care
hed 1t teaches In the truth OF detail the keen per-
ception OF the beautfn through which alone the
artist can rise to the understanding OF the whole.
He gives its life and meaning TO every leaf and
lower not in the close copying OF needless trivia
teS but III the lul character and feeling OF each.
There Is a most excellent mead OF an old man, to
which the artist with modesty as laudable as un-
usual, has neglected to attach either name or num-
ber. There Is in IL character and power which
presents a strong contrast to other distorted and
unhealthy portraits OF the present day.
THE ANNUNCIArION-F. AUGERO.
This we already noticed while on the easel. IL is
placed too high but in good light, and appears TO
some advantage
NORTH RooM.-(le3.) JOB THIRTY.ErGHrH CHAPTER,
NINTH TENTH AND ELEVENTH vERsEs-gDwARD
This is one of the most powerful pictures in the
exhibition. The idea is very bold One The ARTIST
has chosen not only grand suoject, but great
truth to present through IL The WIND and waves
the power Of the elements the rocky barriers
the power which restraints them. The IS difficult
to represent any or Its phases, as is duly atested
by the bottle green waves crested with daubs OF
white, which seem to be the highest conception Of
not not. M few OF our marine painters. Among the most
declared His power TO Job in various ways.
He now describes, IN the simple, sublime language
OF holy writ, the subjugation OF the mighty
element and the setting up for it bars and doors OF
earth's solid masonry. Mr.. Moran has thrown much
subject requires Their lines, as wen az those Of the
clouds above and the rocks, are slmple and majes-
tc--powerfui In their very simplicity The waves,
too, are not the weak, transparent water merely
crested one 80 often sees IN representations OF
waves, but they have evidently been lasned into
their ceaseless dashings against the impossible
rers till they crouch in their mpotent rage abecty
at the threshold OF the rocky gateway.
The garments OF cloud and swaddling band OF
darkness have been rendered somewhat too literally
and materially; The thick, dark, heavy edge Of
cloud to the right Is rather painfully convincing OF
paint The edges Of rain clouds dischargng and so
near the surface OF the water are fringed and always
lighter IN texture from the falling ram than toward
the centre With this exception this picture is q
most noble and vigorous treatment of a powerful
subject.
QsS.) THE POET OF OUR WOODS
Mr.. Bryant, In desperate fit OF the blues, for
which the artist is entirely responsible, is repre-
sented sitting very close TO tree with apparently
somewhat the same determination as the devoted
Mrs. Micawoer came to IN regard to her husband
never to leave him." In which case Mr. Bryant
would be rather more literally "the poet Of our
woods" than Mr.; Hennessy may have meant
(l95.) NUTTING TIME.
The artist seems to have taken rather shabby ad-
vantage OF a small figure with q basket going
across the field to make him responsible for toer
ably good sized picture.
(214.) ROADSIDE NEAR MUNICF-CHARLEs II. MILLER.
Few American artists have arrived at such an ex.
cellent understanding and management OF color as
IS manifest In this very excellent work. IL Is well
drawn AND studied. and there are freshness and
depth OF color, with well varied harmony which
render this picture OF the most pleasing OF this
Kind OF landscape ia the academy.
SAN GloRGio, VENICE AND TlvoLL--S. r. CLIFFORD
The former OF these we noticed before 1t had left
the studio and can but repeat what was then said
OF what we consider a very remarkable picture. No
one not thoroughly familiar with the scene can
fairly Judge OF the merits OF the work as faithful
and beautiful representation OF nature. OF the
other it seems to US less can be said. AS whole,