New-York tribune., 1870-05-09
FINE ARTS.
FIGURE PIECES AT THE ACADEMY.

| Roth i'm respect of numbers and character,
the figure pieces are always tho weakest part OF tho An
nual Exhibitions. The is obvious this order OF
art puts to severest test tho technical ability OF the
artist In porraure, tho first question raised toucno
the fidelity OF tho work likeness supernc'ai anu
evident resemblance to tho original, which may easily
be produced forestalls criticism tho artstic mcl'" "
defects Of the work. II tho likeness be one ,na'
the careless eye the picture Is pronounced goou, s
of grave imperfectons OF treatment H. Oh 'o o'n''
hand tho likeness withholden from the casu shno.
az In tho best portrait painting II Is, the p.'o, NV
wthstanding great merits Of handling, Is cohne"on
In landscape painting, mediocrity finds other muihR
places and doors OF escape The devices oi sroups'
composition, generalization, tho conceaihg ns'' I'o
covering twilight tho Of Auumnal tints Immense
field open to choice in the selection OF seasons hou'
objects OF Nature may all be used by skfu but ihco
artists TO conceal their lack OF thorough training
Tn tb moreover the artist has the matter
very completely in his own hands, for they VINO arc III
the habit Of observing Nature closely are the very ew
most of the visitors Art Galleries never having studied
the aspects OF natural scenery and being wholly unable
TO tell whether the painting is well done or not.
But in figure painting none OF these illusions avail
Here the artist works in full view Of intelligent people,
paints objects that all familiar with and many are
experts in describes situations that are constantly Pc
sened and critically observed,in word tells some
story OF life and experience which to most OF his critics
is twice told tale Here 1t Is absolutely necessary tat
able to paint carpets draperes coarse and fine stu ne
must possess to certain degree, dramatic talent skill
in arrangement, combination, grouping Nothing VIII
atone with him. for the want of thorough training In tho
rudiments Of culture
Now il it precisely at this point that American art Is
weak When one goes from exhibition OF even
secondrate foreign pictures into gallery OF the best
native art ne is sensible of change from better to
worse Modern European artists Of the second and
third grade possess nencss OF taste and tact that very
few Of show. Their pictures are inspd 10 DO
sure but their finish perfect The story may not DC
worth telling, but it is exceently well told-aways
with ncety and often with airy of manner that
gives to poor sentmentality charm. These artists
have sure gone through severity OF discipline
TO which our own are strangers-no from caelessness
or ideness but from sheer inability 10 acquire Iho
culture they need The most successful OF our arists
in this department have either been educated or have
studied abroad.
In the present exhibition there but two or three
genre pieces that compare well with the productions OF
the modern French, German, and Dutch schools 1.-The
Little Waitress" by Eugene Meeks looks as il it came
foreign gallery. Angero's Orange Girl has the
mellowness of mature talent. There is French dant
ness in Pratt's "Young Amateur" "The Reluctant
Bride" by j. g. Brown, though wanting In grace and
ease Of style, is carefully drawn and finished. r NJ.
Staggs small pictures show the easy cultivated touch
OF trained hand His two genre pictures, 4S and 49,
are worthy Of apace in any public collections but OF
nearly all the rest 1t the simple truth that they are
defective either in drawing orin sentiment Whittakers
| Priscilla" in many respects an admirable piece OF
painting, is less pcnsive and longing than the ustra
| tive lines suggest. The maiden should be sit
ting at her wheel, not standing by window,
| ard the window should not look out on the sea-
Eugene Bensons Study Of Figure" $50, on the other
hand is full of character, but roughly flushed "ch
ing Times" by Thomas Noble, again. is very strong In
expression, but in handling is crude almost to the point
t1a has
every quality except that of strength The still life III IT
painted with OF care-bed, table, carpet
chair, costumes, drapery, little articles OF ornament
have than justice done TO their form and material
but the spirit of the whole is not much feeble as un-
true The figure Of the nurse is s The mother Is not
| an invalid, but blooming matron, who should be
| ashamed to be lying in bed at MONDAY. The woman
who allowed child to sit tho edge OF bed and
hold newly born infant in its lap would deserve the
sterncs rebukc from wellwisher Of her knd and
the infant that could continue in sch lap must pos
extraordinary power OF resisting the law OF gray
taton Here the execution beyond the intention In
Samuel Verplanks two pictures, the small one, called
The Grandmothers story and the larger entitled
"The Party" the intention goes behind the execution
the motive surpasses the performance. 1f J.. W. Perry
improves much in the coming five years he has in
the past five, he will hold high place among our cabinet
painters. His turn is for close finish OF minute details
but he to be deficient in sentiment while it is
sentiment that his pieces especially require. Did Ezekiel
find udy scorching before such blaze OF fclighi or
was himself such smuacrum as he looked at hcrf II
the story Of the Tiles had 50 little interest for the boy
was worth his sweet mothers while to scorch her
pretty dress in telling IL 1.-THE Contraband Of Peace
has its good points but it is not calculated to excite in
terest in the young negro who falls asleep instead Of
minding his duty
1t is pleasant say good word at last for Oliver j.
lay young artist OF most Jealous industry, and asp
ration worthy Of genius. AS he brings his ideals moro
within the reach Of his grasp the improvement in his
productions IL manifest. His "ThOughs Away to Sea-
though somewhat rigid in expression and hard of
face earnest piece Of work His copy of the Venus
OF Milo in the Corridor is admirable as study. He has
portrait too, which year ago 1t would have been
impossible for him to paint and the best part of it is
that the Improvement appears in those respects which
demand labor in the school The pictures become
less and less ambitious, more and more sincere.
Mr. Boards "Bar Room Politicians" we have seen he
fore. 1t is unpleasant subject. Satire in art is al
ways unpleasant. Caricature should have no place
among the fine but the caricature that consists in
representing any phase Of human life unworthy of
human beings is dsconragng to the nober sentiments
which art should enaeavor to keep alive There IL fine
humor that detects the germs OF human qualities in the
lower animals, and makes them sympathze with the
better instincts OF men and women But the hlmor that
adopts the opposite method of reducing men and women
TO the level Of the lower animals do not appreciate.
1t il the distressing To Mr. Beard do this, be-
cause he is Of real Imagination, several Of his
paintings prove and his skill draughtsman, composer
and coOrst renders him competent to deal with poetic
and fine themes
Mr.. j. o. Eaton appears to greater advantage in his
painting called "Thc Sacrifice than his three por
traits. The theme is not that home to the
American mind-a poor woman selling her hair The
less of natural hair ladies have their heads the
better they pleased. The cooring Of the woInans
face is chalky and there is brick dust in the red tns
Nor Is the feeling OF the picture all IL should be- The