The New York herald., 1871-12-24

AhT MATTEkS.
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Winter Exhibition In the Academy Of Design.
Owing TO the pressure on our space we were
obliged TO close rather abruptly last notice OF the
works on exhibition at the National Academy. To-
day we resume the examination OF their merits and
dement's, not In the spirit Of criticism, but
rather o; friendly expostulation 1t is not desire
to speak with unnecessary harshness OF the labors
OF any OF the exhibitors and will therefore pass In
silence such works as appear to us TO possess no re-
deeming qualities. IL was our Intention to have
acted otherwise and to have dealt Justly but
severely with such works could offer no just1ca-
ton for their presence; but when reviewing the
collection the prospect OF having to say 80 many
unkind and harsh words "gave Us pause" and
we concluded that silence would, after all,
be the most fitting mode OF condemnation. So
many excuses have been put forward by those most
deeply interested In the success OF the Academy
and the promises OF reform are evidently made
with such sincerity, that we shall wait until the
spring exhibition to see how far they shall be
carried out II the evil continue unabated we shall
feel 1t our duty to call public attention to some
necessary notifications in the present manner OF
admitting works to exhibition. Our last notice
cluded at No. 80 In the catalogue. since then
number OF paintings from American artists In Rome
have been formed into q separate group. None of
them possess much merit A painting OF two
Italian girs-which is the principal work among
them-is well composed and drawn with some firm.
ness, but the color il disagreeabe. These
works have been presented to some American
church in Rome and will be sold for its benefit. 1t
is no doubt owing to this reason that most ridicu
lous prices are being asked for. them. Whatever
the public the critics may think OF these paint
ngs 1t Is evident the artists consider them Of
great merit, view which we regret not being able
TO share.
Leaving No. 80, we find no work which we care to
notice until we reach No. AZ. Here We have pretty
bit OF landscape, With o tranquil stream nowlng
through it. 1t is certainly very nice In sentiment,
but the rawness or the color interferes much with
the tone, which Is cold and dlsagreeable.
No. 47-A study OF q head. painted with much
FORCE but tnere Is an evident aectarien In the way
IN which the colors are daubed on. The artist has
not been successful IN blending them, and there
suits crudeness, which IL rendered more dlsagreea-
Die because more apparent Dy the way In which the
cOlOrs are laid on.
No. 4sA tranquil piece Of scenery, full Of repose
The hills In the distance are well modelled, and q
good deal OF right feeling has been introduced in the
cloud treatment Tne color is very sombre. and
No. ga group In landscape. Tho figures are
very poorly drawn, and are out OF proportion and
bad III color. What we conceive to be trees are
No. 5O-Here Is a SUBJECT thai AFFORDED plenty Of
scope for bold and effective handling but We regret
to say that the artist has utterly Jailed In ILLS treat
ment. The valley has no depth, and . ubbonlike
waterfall meanders down the wall OF rocks
Win more OF the movement Of q brook tnan OF q
waterfall. There is nothing striking or decisive In
fhe picture and 1t would require very strong
o. s @ oorn1 20 MAKE yn us 'nnk Gr
There the less excuse FOR the atness OF the paint
Ing because the occurrence Of the WILD waterfall in
the distance ought TO have enabled the artist to have
conveyed the idea Of great depth. This he has
failed TO do. The wild and prouse foliage has been
carefully studied, and we have the continuously
curing autumn Jlnts-purple. red ana brown-but
there is besettlng tameness about the composition
No STA study from. .life, which has many of the
elements OF an enectlve picture In the expression
Of the poor woman who s seated ~ the
thing whlch appeals to our better nature for
sympathy, she seems so full OF misery. Bu5
to the sentiment The drawing OF the ngure il
BY no means faultess, and the artist has
without support as the step OF the door upon whIcn
she is supposed TO be sitting not In contact with
the flgure the mesh painting, too, Is unnatural, a
served. The artist can do better II he VIII only
work with more attention to physical laws, whlol
No. 52-H this picture were BY any one but an
Academcian we should pass 1t BY It is alncult TO
ture, and sun more wonderful thai having painted
| IT he should ever EXHIBIT It. landscape, with q
%n rocfs parity
| by Q light which is concentrated on one
SHADOW I Which nj e
OF rock leaves the bush beside IL IN deep shadow
cuiiariy; which we never - remember having see seen in
nature. The distant mountains are In deep shadow
under pleasant SKY and plenty OF sunlight, and
there u not even gradation IN the shadow to ex-
press the mountain lorm.
No. 5s-Here we nave landscape we'll composed,
in which the perspective has been carefully Drawn
The picture Is little s0mbre, and the stubble In the
mOwn cornfeld appears TO US as little too brown.
The sky treatment IL wanting IN decision and iOrm
space and atmosphere which more than makes up
No. 6l-A quiet pastoral The cattle slowly pass
ing homewards. a1d the half shadows Of the twl-
lgnt convey the calm sentiment Of evening with
considerable force. The color treatment Of the
% .sunses Alter sSower-and we We have s1 an aqueous
sentiment In the sky which shows close study the
artists part He mas concealed the burst OF sun
hind large tree, and so avoids. or rather reduces
piece Of sensatiOnasm to which American artists
are vers much addicted. the modelling OF the
lous sentiment which he mas succeeded In reproduc-
ing with considerable success.
No. GA landscape with cattle, and c0sey looking
farmhouse among the trees. The scene Is marked
by an AR OF reoose, and Is full OF the sentiment Of
the fields The perspective Is good and the idea OF
distance Ia well conveyed, but the mountains In the
background are somewhat blue and have not SUM-
cient indication OF the ever changing aspects which
mountains present.
Foreign Art Sales.
The collections OF paintings OF Mr.. otto Mundler
were lately sold by public auction at Paris. Though
the attendance OF amateurs was large the prices
realized for the works was very moderate, ex-
amples by modern artists OF reputation. and by
sucn celebrated men as Corregio, Canaletto and
Holbein, selling at prices which would be con.
sidered very low for paintings Of average merit IN
this country. A painting OF st John surrounded BY
angels and seraphim was sold for 1,50of. which
considering that the National Academy Of Londor
lately acquired his "Ecoe Honor at cost O.