New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-04
FINE ARTS.
MIR. THOMAS MoRAN's "GREAT CANON OF THE
YELLOWSTONE"


vsv that Young and almost unknow WI American artist
was hard at work painting large picture OF the "rea
Canon OF the Yellowstone River. We heayed ha'""
Sigh and tried to resigned We took for granted IA
our haste, that 1t simply new chapter III 'ne ""
story Another acre Of 10 be spoiied III IN
attempt TO prove that Nature, In CONSTRUCTING '"o
American continent, had gone clean oai'' anu
forgotten her own laws; somebody else was groai-
ing and laboring over mountains '""' "'''i ~"
would turn ont ridiculous musS' so"io o'"1l
mighty landskip was 10 be boiled down 10 "eauei'o
glue I'm a Dusseldorf saucepan We bad meekS hopeu
there had been turn in the tide we were Hesh Irom
contemplating with not unjustfablc pleasure the gno
unious downfall OF certain pretenders who had 100 long
abused tho patience good men, and whose Tricks ana
manners were enough TO make the MUSES. turn IN tner
collins; and it was not welcome thought that there
were others standing ready 10 take their places anu
make the old nuisance eternal
Thursday evening we found the auction'room OF Mr..
Ieavitt in Clinton Hall, well filed with people Vi'eu
to look at the new picture for hour or two before
should be sent away to Washington The artist, mod
est and Withdrawing man. who had painted MS picture
in earnest solitude desired that, Ike spoken WORDS
il was no longer his it should be placed in the fullest
light OF publicity but II impossible TO linda room IN
which it could be shown for any length OF time. Al
length after much searching, hoptabe door turned
on its hinges and for few hours 1t was gwen she'er
In the dusty auction hanked with two tables hued
with a fororn collection Of miscellaneous books waiting
their turn TO be knocked down TO the lowest bidder
There was none OF that professional festvy that has
come 10 the expected thing at all picture exhibitions
In NewYOrk. There flowers. no birds In cages
no delcately printed programmes, no tin tuOes' no
drapery Jealous friend, going TO the hall IN tile after
noon to how things getting on, was troubled IN
spirit find the picture in its bare frame standing up
against back ground of noingness. Generous efforts
made this nakedness with Few hg-ieaVeS
Of upholstery but it too late, and quaint bit OF
stuff like blanket in the alarm OF fear caught up nade
satire Oh usual paraphernalia OF such occasions
In TRUTH there Deed Of any decorations OF al
Iuremens. The people who came 10 see this picture
came from curiosity interest and the picture kept
them there by its own intrinsic truth, sublmlty ana
beauty Next to Churchs Niagara for TO that noble
picture the first place must long be given-next to
Churchs masterpiece Mr. Morans "Great Canon OF the
Yellowstone will, be received by the best
iudces in America the finest historical landscape yet
painted in this country In its origin no less than by
Its actual achievement t deserves TO be placed so near
to the famous picture that has as yet come out OF
an American studio Mr.. Churchs picture was the slow
result the abundant stules there never was
picture painted anywhere to which went more earnest
more devoted more Joyous labor And the earnest
ness the same supplemented, sincere devotion, the
same delight labor for its SAKE have created MT
MoTans CaiOD 1t is true that 1t was palhteu many
hundred miles away from the scene 1t represents Dut
that was not to helped All the multitude OF sketches
and studies out OF which it has been composed were
made on the spot and study and observation have so
Elled the artists mind with the scene itself
that it does not need the testimony
Of learned biologists like Mr.. Waterhouse Hawkins and
Prof Hayden to convince lof the truthfulness
Of the result we feel that truthfulness appeal
ing to our own consciousness for continuation An
eminent geOOcist said last night al have never been 10
to this place will vOrch for the scientific accuracy
of this picture any place like it, but
know from this picture that 1t exists l nave seen
famous pictures of the Rocky Mountains that knew
he suCl mountains exist, exist.
This scene is stranger grander more abnormal than
wen the Valley the 70 Semitic, but Mr. MOrans picture
makes doubts Of its possibility impossible PIof hay
den in mprOnptu description of the picture given at
he request OF many persons present showed point by
pont the artists devoted adherence to facts. Color
,orm space proportion, all were true: the ;ure had
other merit 1t had this that mine OF scehtlhc Illus
tration is to he found IN it,
But the artist for other sat sfactiOns In pie
ture entdc accuracy he can find in photographs and
surveyors maps here in work of art he asks the added
charm of beauty the light Of life. And no one VIII be
disappointed who seeks these on Mr. Moran's canvas
for before ho was a scientific observer he artist.
and il is with the eye of Imagination, the desire for
,eauty that he has fingered this majestic
The composition is arranged with great SKILL and there
is sim pie reliance upon tie intrinsic value Of the lines,
md forms cOOrs that lay about him, without resort
% sensational tricks, that feel most grateful for The
;reedrawng most satisfactory and the variety, the
richness the deicacy Of the color must surprise those
learned from other artists that Nature in those
parts is dressed mostly in holden gray. There Is an ex
Ilse passage of color in the stream as appears In the
ENTER Of the picture below great fall, and again
.ieh chord the rocks at the right stained with the
crushed wine of the hidden ores and vailed with the
cream and gold Of the sulphur deposit 1t is indeed
extraordinary spectacle to which the artist intro
iuces U.s. but while stand lost in the wonder of it,
feel that there q weird beauty about ii more impress
sve and more abiding.