New-York tribune., 1870-04-23
FINE ARTS.
THE PORTRAITS IN THE ACADEMY.


come to their beauty when the sunbeam shows them of;
and the coorless which tho gasburners lent
artificial glow return to their ghastliness The land
scapes look better by daylight the portraits not 50 well
We counted in all the rooms, corridor included, nfty
portraits eight of which are in crayon They are
Of all styles, full lengths half lengths, heads, fesize,
cabinet size miniatures Huntington has six; Joseph
Ames, three Fagnan two; j. o. Eaton, two stasg,
two Carpenter, one 10 Clear, two Gray, one Hen
nessey, one Page, Others are by j. ID. Barrow,
Hyatt Eaton, Alonzo Pease oliver J. lay Alexander
Lawre, F. T. L. Boyle g. B. Sutton, F. +. Martinez,
F. Angero w. f. McMaster, A. II. Rtche, t. c. Rucke,
j. Whitehorne, j. b. Stearns John Pope s. F. b. Morse,
W. Cogswel VIM. o. Stone, NJ Wilson, James Boyle, G.
H. Story L. Pagan, Edward Mooney, w. W. Scott, Julien
Scott, Oscar Kunath Miss ROndel, Mrs. Edwards Most
Of there distinguished by particular quality and
claim particular notice. Some are distinguished by
their demerits among these may be specified FagnanPs
portrait of the Rev. Dr. Tying, which shows talent for
bad work Of every description that entities 1t to medal
for ineriority. Whitehornc's Portrait Of Child" Is
another remarkable piece OF ldeserying. Others are
weak, inexpensive, characterless. Some-W o. Stones
portrait Of child, for example-are artificial In treat
menthe separate parts being well enough, as far as
they go, but tho whole totally wanting In
earnestness. Mr.. Eaon's portraits we try to think well
Of but They are hasty, dashing crude, In
the poorest Of very poor word, sensational
There Is no serious study OF character but only haf
open eye to immediate effects. There is not in one OF
them delicate touch OF the pencil fine sense OF
color The portrait Of the Rev. Mr. Hepworth for in
stance could not well be unfortunate than 1t in
every quality that goes to make good portrait With
Mr.. Hepworths face We are not familiar. But we have
1t often enough to know that has many expressions
and that the unpleasant the artist has caught II not
the least characteristic, is the least habitual There ia
about all Mr. Eatons work. too air OF sefsatisfacton
that removes it from the category OF true art.
Mr. +. b. Carpenters portrait Of Alice Carey hardly
improves on acquaintance though it should certainly
title him TO place In the Academy, II places III the
Academy given to merit or fidelity. But the pic
ture not the artists best performance In the effort to
throw peculiar expression into the ladys face, an ex
preston that is hers he has too much neglected the
drawing OF the neaments Miss Carey has for several
years been a sufferer from i'll health The paor Of the
countenance and the rgidity Of the lines about the
month may therefore be imputed to the subject and not
to the artist, Mr., Carpenter might possible have done
more IL he had tried to do less.
Thomas lie Clears Portrait OF the Rev. Dr. Vint0n,"
and the same may be said Of his Portrait of Palmer is
among the best pieces Of this kind on the walls or the
two the former is the best; but the merit of both is
sincerity They perfectly simple in arrangement and
are honest studies Of character
OF Hennessey's picture Of Bryant there is but one
thing be said and that has been sad in effect already
1t CHASTITY. The whole thing Is ghasty. The atmos-
phere suggests plague. The light is neither that of morn
ing, afternoon, nor evening. The season is neither
Summer nor Autumn. The poet is struck with mildew
and Is decaying while his bereaved family searching
for him everywhere but the right place. The gazer
feels moved to raise the cry Of discovery friends
the lone spot and silence conjecture by disclosing the
melancholy TRUTH that the sweet poet has exhaled amid
his own shrubbery
X. NJ. staigg's portraits interesting. Staigg can
paint more than picture; adapt his treatment to
his subject His two pictures here wholly unlike but
are both strong and original The likeness Of Brig Gen.
Stevenson is piece of work that will stand criticism.
and this is more than said of other men,
whose fame higher than his Let glance at Of
these 1t shall be Mr. Huntington, the aforetme Presi
dent Of the Academy He is represented by six paint
ings all portraits and all conspicuous. They all bring
before people eminent for wealth and respecabiy
gentlemen and ladies Of good society The air OF self
satisfaction breathes around them They wear the finest
broadcoth the richest Silks the costest laces they
sit in handsome parlors, damask seats they are
surrounded by articles OF luxury. These things
Mr.. Huntington paints admirably. The pomp
and pride OF the world find in him their artist He is
painter of accessories, telling how the man lives and
dresses leaving the character to be inferredr such
things OF the woman he says lttle OF the
boots and gloves the coat and shawl the breastpn and
fam the marble and the lapdog he has great deal
to say portrait of David Thompson here Is remark
able for the absence Of any OF these conventional
aduncts That is simple but all the rest are studies in
conyentionaty Mr. George Trimbe would seem to be
poor subject this mode Of artistic treatment His plain
Quaker coat and absolute innocence of ewelry offered
the minimum Of opportunity for the display Of such
technical skill Still, all obstacles may be overcome by
talent II has possible to give an airy look to the
old gentemans hair and whskers and by putting in the
New York Hospital I'm whchinstitution Mr.. Trmbe was
deeply interested the impression is conveyed to the ur-
initiated that the fine old building embosomed IN trees
was his ancestral mansion
The Family Group is thoroughly characteristic per-
formance. They handsome persons who compose 1t
doubtless well kept in every particulars but why they
happen be that spot together or what they are do
ing there will perpex the ordinery observer They have
nothing in common and they know it, and betray their
consciousness OF the fact They posing, and striking
attitudes every one; very artificial attitudes they
Col George f. Belts is another OF the same kind, the
only individuality being that OF position in his chair.
The portrait of Dr. McCosh Of Princeton College, by
A. H. Richie, has the same commonplace character,
though much less pretenous, than those just referred
to- Everything about 1t is well executed There is no
complaint TO make OF careessness or unskllfulness
there is no incorrect feeling taste The quality lack
ing strength individuality, original perception, force
OF mind. DIR. McCosh is a very remarkable man-one OF
the leading phiosophic minds OF the country he has
done hard thinking and done it well; but no one would
ever suspect this Mr.. Rchie's portrait From that
no one would take him to be anything more than sleek
holiday divine, who rifed with books ana was Always
ready to receive company.
We turn pictures like this to VIM Pages portrait
of Ex Gov Fenton. 1t IL not handsome or graceful or
especially attractive. There is neither elegance nor af
fectaton Of elegance. They would have been out OF
place. Page commissioned to paint the pubiic Of
cial man his business cabinet; and there he is stiff,
honely angular precise standing as it was his wont to
stand when receiving dsmissng delegation. There
IL not In the picture spark OF Imagination or ray Oh
sentiment or blush Of color than the subject re-
quired But 1t is the himself, not his simulacrum.
The work is solid work 1t has taken time. The re-
sources of art have been spent it. Sincerity itself is
not more than It s The artist had an unnteres
ing subject and instead Of trying to disguise it, to make