New-York tribune., 1872-03-21
FINE ARTS-DRAMA-MUSIC
THE BROOKLYN ART ASSOCIATION
CHRONOLOGICAL ExuuBrrIoN.

4
the rooms Of the new Art Building on Mopta It, have
been crowded by appreciatye concourse o. ydtors
Drawn together by the double attraction OF q good
Spring Exhibition and curious and valuable coiectioa
OF paintings exhibiting the historical progress OF Amer
lean art from the earliest times down to the present
We are forced TO say that this collection though OF very
great historical interest," bas very little else to recon-
mend It, Netther in genre portrait landscape were tho
pioneers OF our art able to stand comparison with
They not the founders OF Scarcely
any suggestion Of them remains in the work %
their immediate scholars. Still less do they possess any
Of that positive and impressive which distinguishes
the early masters who opened the way for the mmorals
OF the Renaissance. Their pictures are, as general
thing merely bad pictures and nothing more entirely
without national character almost destitute OF ndiyif
uaI character They very like the bal paintings
which inferior artists making at the time
EnglaDd and had nothing OF the technical skill and gen
uine though degenerate feeling which marked the do
caying art OF Germany and France. There little
for painters in that rude and coorIess civilization
There nothing in the air soil at that day 10 give
nOurshment to art and the country lacked the wealth
and the leisure which foster costly exotics.
Yet OF historical interest and certain charm OF sen
ment and reyerie the exhibition IL full. There IA
thing altogether touching in these souvenirs Of century
ago and more when the dumb striving Of something like
artistic inspiration could arrive at nothing better than
this and taste and culture wanting that these
efforts Of native imported genius greatly al
mred The very earliest Of the masters were from tho
mother island and doubtless with the instinct Of weak
ness led from competition to the colonies John Watson
q canny Scot, who opened shop for painting por
traits in Perth AmbOy NewJersey and accumulated gold
and lands by his pencil HIS works happily. rare.
but this exhibition has secured The most consider
able OF John smyber pictures also here through ths
kindness Of the Faculty OF Yale College. II grouI
Of portraits OF the family OF Bishop Berkey and
stiff ana unnatural a collection of lay figures as one
could wish TO The best portrait in the lot s that
the artist himself who stands mOdestly in the back
ground and holds scroll in his hand. "Why he does
So" IA the Snowman observed describing the habits
OF the African POo Bird, Heaven only knows Theirs
are eight portraits by Smyberts famous pupil John
Singleton Copey the first name IN the antereyolution-
ary history Of art He OF the best portrait
painters OF his time. ana when lie left u.s. about the be
ginning OF great struggle he settled In London and
enjoyeda certain for nearly half century longer
Hi, son became the celebrated Lord Lyndhurst-
Il ia pleasant 10 read in one OF his letters, OF
the prices paid to the first portrait painter of MS
tune lie painted portraits for IL guineas, and consid
cred himself rich with income or 300 guineas yeac
Benjamin West who afterwards became President of thS
Royal Academy in London used 10 pant the placid facei
OF the Phladelphians for two guineas and half Bui
when he came to NewYork he found so much more eI
preston in the Manhattanese physognOmy that he wa'
compelled to double his prices. He soon grew rie1
enough to travel and settled in England several years
before the Revolution, where by singular sort OF iucs
which It is now very difficult to understand. he gained
great standing and popularity, IN time when keyhON
and Gainsborough and Others scarcely inferior To them
were living 1t was evidently Of those instances or
engoueet which We have recently seen paraiieled 10
the case of Meissonner and other court painters There
are several specimens of MI Vests work in this exbibt
ton. which are nothing than awful warnings
To the liberaty of the Faculty OF Yale College the
Brooklyn Association is also indebted for full and in
teresting representation OF the works Of Trunbun
There has rarely been singular cOmbnatonoi
good aud industry without one ray OF genius than
is found the paintings OF this accomplished gentleman
and soldier. His portrait OF Washington was painted In
Philadelphia in 1872. He had known HIM long and inti
matey had the opportunity and the capacity 10 ap
precate peculares and the value OF thai
character But the result is one Of tho most
nspld portraits of all that have been painted from life
IL stands comparison with the received AMI rccog
nized picture by Stuart. which is sober and workman
like piece of painting picture 1t easy to trust and
ieye In thoroughly, with that far vivid and
characteristic head by Rembrandt Peae which Is
more the Washington of the future than any otber
Stuart gives the Virginia country geneman with al
OF the dignity and Of the stiffness OF h class
man capable OF leading sober AngloSaxon revolution
and of managing a hourishng tobacco plantation. But
the Washington OF Peae hero OF history-and of
nance II you please whom you mi ght easily hnag
the lberaor of people. IL you did not renembei
that nobody libcratc English people except them
The portraits OF MaDDne falr specimens
his exquisite refinement of sentiment and delicacyo Of
touch The pictures by Jarvcs and suy al,o woIu
careful study well for their own sake for tho place
they al in the progress OF the history OF at.
Washington Aston was born at the close ot the Last
century and may Justly I've regarded the earliest
OF positive Importance in American art. IL may be
questioned whether his place Is properly among Amen
can or English paiuters he went abroad while Sill
very young and made his 4u lies principally in England
and in Italy. His most considerable WORKS have always
remained England. though one OF his very best the
Elijah" reccnty bought and presented to the Art
Association Of Boston Dy the wife and daughter OF the
member of Congress from that city, and his jeremiah
WAS some time ago given to Yale College by Prof Morse
He was the of artists who made genuine
and serious study OF color, and HIS achievements in
this field have seldom Deen surpassed by his
SUCCESSORS. The President OF our NdtIens
Academy his recent admirable lectures, pays nearly
and appreciave tribute 10 the science and the Inssm
of Alston colorist Mr. Johnston has lent the Exhi
btion his precious portato Of Aston by himself PAINTED
in his youthan admirably free and spirited sxetch OF
striking aud impressive face The other pctdres o TINS
artist are Opening the Clske" from the Merchantd
Venice; a pcn-and-nk sketch, called mother ans
Child" and "spoIatro's Vision Of the Bloody Hand
which is chiefly valuable as piece OF mastery cmsr
oscuro In expression and grouping it is as theatrical -
the novel which suggested It.
Three of the largest pictures In the room FORM oeelne'
one of those series OF acgorcal landscapes III "hon
Thomas Cole 80 delighted. The first represents two Pill
grims starting away from the foot Of mountain VIII"
green velvet slopes and peary gray peaks. one eo~
tue WAY OF the World. and the other the way oil ho
ness The world pilgrim certainly exhibits the greater
wisdom If his object is agriculture. for bis pain leans
the direction OF sunny open country. gently rohns
and weltimbered." while the aspirant after holiness
takes much more unPromisng path This seems the
inevitable ailegory all morass, although experience
| and common sense alike teach us that the good
man has much better life in all respects man
the reprobate. and the Scriptures INFORM uS tha'
the WAYS of wisdom are ways OF plelSahlness.;
In the old mythos of the Choice OF Hercue, ~ i pah
haLl Ll..rIt In Xlnll A