New-York tribune., 1873-04-15
FINE ARTS.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY or DESIGN
YOETY-EIGHTD ANNUAL EXIuBITlON-RKOgI,IIoS Az


YoETY EIGHTH ANNUAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Az,
PRIVATE vTEw.
The annual receptions to which the artists
composing the Academy Invite their Friends and their
friends friends have always this pleasant feature t,
are 10 these handsome rooms in tine cour..
OF the long evening goody representation Of tbe intel
ligent, earnest and the menof native gfts and
culture, who make the true g. best society" Of our c.,
It is neutral ground where opinions OF all coors IN re-
gion and politics. people Interested in various scheme,
orhe bettcriDg Of the world and people who better tho
world By their being n It, come together by main
raj affinity hoping 10 GDd the muses. but, case Of di
appointment, very well able 10 make bright breezy
sunlit ohatty Olympus out Of their own resources n
we had grumpy. misbeheying foreigner on On,
hands-though this class Of ou;landsh people 4.
almost extinct nowadays, and ,in ts plaza
there II sprngng family of gushing toursts fuI of
enthusiasm for America, and swallowing us whole with
bland eOntenment as IL were Oysters-but II W,
! should have one Of the wholesome, old-fashoned
grumpy kind our hands, really do not know whers
Csupposing him 10 be Dodo OF open inelgeu nnn
we could take him with greater certainty conyne ns
him at a blow that not a nation Of Colfaxs.
and Jay GOulds. ana Fisks and BarDards and Wander
bnts than a reception at the Academy Why. we be,
eye that even that biersweet fruit OF the tree OF m
much know ledge, Mr.. RuskiD himself who has lately
expressed an amiabe wish to have the City OF Nev.Yo
burned TO the ground would in the essential good
" III
deputies sense and ughticeling, and desire for excel
| Ience and achievement Of excellence sent 10 Il.
Academy last night-seize q Babcoek extinguishsr
! aud stand ready TO put Us out II once We should
| catch fire. rather than bear the brand himself
But when IL TO the pictures we afraid tho
show the walls Of the Academy cannot be looked
upon as fairly representing American Art Our Aeade
miclans pursue plan-h 1t be plan-drectly opposite
to that pursued by the artists Of England and France,
NJ he'd
well as those who have not yet achieved greatness
ARE both eager to send their latest work 70 the e1ki
bition and they strive with all their might 10 mako
their latest work their best. No Frenchman vino h4s
painted picture that he believes viii do him credit
consents to sell ir except the condition tha. It
be sent to the Salon. And the rule IA
followed in England. But here, Of late years esps-
cialy il has come to be the for artist soon
as he has assured paying reputation, 10 withdraw
entirely from the Academy, or II he still continue 70
exhibit there he sends pictures that would never have
him repue, and that yearly weaken the repae be
has already The result Is not far to seek For the
last five or six years the Exhibitions have been steadily
| deterorating until now 1t "a our unpleasant dutyp
declare that as whole do not see how lower depth
could well be reached than has been reached this year.
To-day, however, VIC viii not dwell on disagreeabe,
but try TO find something TO say cheerful word about
1t puts one into good humor In spite OF depressing e
plents 20 see large an assembly OF people
/ as gathered last nlgm couslnR unNes
riedly through, the in happy spirits, fun
| Of confidence that somewhere they were sure
to come across something good Here, including water
coors crayOn drawings, and architectural sketches
there 323 pictures, not large number h Is tue
for years Exhibition, but still large enough to makeOp
portUny TOR plenty OF good work And though the god
Of Ill proportion 10 the poor bad, and Indifferent
vet there few good pieces Elstman johnson SENDS
three pictures and OF them, lady standing befors
mass OF holyhocIs and admcing the beauty OF oned
the flowers s quite delightful in color picture sure
be much admired Another picture by him Is IN yea
altogether dferent-a mother is giving her DaDypys
bath in 4 woodland pool; the chid's elder
sister lies the ground and delights In
the plump little fellows mingled fear aud pleas1rt.
Eastman johnson a remarkable painter Of children.
and il real pity that could not all have beenL
lowed to see in this exhibition picture he has recently
finished representing little ir giving her dolls tea
party What, IN the hands Of almost any other OF our
meu would generate into carcature or would become
insipd is turned by Eastman johnson into the sure
Interpretation OF touched oftener With delicate
humor than with pathos. II some Froncbmm or Ger
man-sone Edouard Frere or Meyer Won Brcmen-in
happy hour had painted such a picture as Johason'
portraits OF Mr.. BIS family, where the little gr
rapt in delighted wonder over the dancing OF puppt
mad painted such picture this or Sunday Morning.
or Fddling His Way" or any one fhat dozen othef~
we should have heard tall Growing FROM the morning
been shown alongside The Lady and the Holybocxs'
we should have able point out how much brighter
chord of color Mr.. johnson working 10 than be used
TO employ. Mr. Page has only picture, aud that's
not the Shakespeare he has long been working oye,n
we hoped 1t would be. The present picture Is portrss
OF Mr. Page himself, and is not very pleasing. st Ike
everything be does IL is not TO be lightly passed oyerH
is an individual work and the colors have been mxd
with brains, which always tells. Either this head.
only rubbed in, Else Mr. Page is changing his metS0a
perhaps only trying an experiment
Neither Mr. Tdany's work that Of Mr.. Swain Clifford
Is good as the work ne had IN the Water Color Exl
ton. Mr. Swain Clifford has no important picture, oS
Mr. Tiffany has one Of considerable size" 1ansers ouF
aide the Walls but Is what ought TO hayeA'a
from Mr. Tiffany. artist who has made 20 manJse
mrers that he ou sht 90 do best always and nOnf
here. we think. shows him at his best. Mr. Jef's
McEntse has two large landscapes, enc OF whch,h@
22S il full of his we'll known feeling but there noSas
monoionous nor conventional in his treatment oi t0'
subject. While McEutee Is thoroughly Americas
painter and while every American recognizes the uD"
10 our landscape OF hi, pictures 1t Is remarkable SO'
strongly his pictures recall Of the coicmporI,
French landscape But By no means initiates the N0'
OF anybody IL seems to US thoroughly Oughai Au''S
dyldusl, and II McEntee be to-day the Amefi'i
landscape painter highest IN favor with thonF'"
lovers Of nature he is think, not 10 lose aA
the ground he has already gained. nor 10 part VIA
inge friend. And among the men WHO make up :" "
strict academic circle, do not know one Who "'
compare with McEntee for mingled poetry oil iec"1s
aud knowledge OF the lovely but limited held 10 S''
he has chosen 20 work. -.
Mr.. Geo. C. Lambdln has sent two cr three oi -
nower.peces he has been painting recently ana W.
are BY far the best work he has ever DONE lhe''
ects are essentially decorative and is pity iaa'o~
furniture and houses did not offer some field IN "heH
could find q place appropriate than shut up
formal frame Mr.. Iambdins flowers are paln'euN W.
remarkable accuracy aud with ample detli' Du. Jun,
artst's enjoyment 20 be found 10 tDe coIO1 -