New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-27
FINE ARTS.
TUE WATER COLOR ExuIBIIloS.


Perhaps no drawings in the present exhibit
ton have gwen tho public taken by and large. more
pleasure than those Of Miss Fidea Bridges Yet we
should think lady would be little scared at seeing
every OF her drawings with the yellow ribbon in It's
button hole bearing the fatal legend, "Sold." Miss
Bridges should read again the story Of Poycraes and
while there Is yet time throw some OF her luck over
board. Just now her work IS IN its perfection her
drawings simple transcripts from nature caught in
her poetic not her statistical mood the handling-ind
vdual and freeseems Just suited 10 the character OF
the subjects and II mannerism be suggested Is only
as one OF the possibilities Of the future. II our exhib
ton catalogues wereedted the plan OF those OF the
French Salon he frequency OF mistakes In spelling IN
them makes question they BIO edited at all ., in
which, beside the name Of the artist, his place
OF BIRTH and the date OF hts honors, the
name of the master with whom no studied
his art 10 also glyen-should we not learn that Niles
Bridges has been pupil Of Mr.. VIM. i. Richardef II
not she would appear to have, somehow, come under
his influence We think she must have borrowed from
this artist his kingsfor bodyeolor, and his fancy for
putting all his drawings into Quaker-drab-a fancy
much to be regretted. Good white paper and water
color pure and simple can DO all that o painter need
desire to DO and II is not good augury for the pros
perity Of watereolor drawing among US that 80 many
OF the who taking 1t up have shown disn-
clnaon TO practice the art in Its simplicity. Drawings
in bodycoor or In dstemper have really little more
q
paintings would have. And wish the Society had the
will and felt strong enough to insist on watercolor
alone being admitted TO its walls In that case,
should hope to see the drawings Of the body colorsts in
the Academy.
In the East Room'and in the Corridor there draw
ings Of architectural subjects-bts Of Veniceby Mr.
Eastburn Hastings which ought to Interest as faithful
memoranda Of travel specimens Of the right way Of
work one wishes to make useful record of ha' which
strikes his eye IN foreign places Call these drawings
"msps" Of the spos II the reader WILL OF least they
are faithful maps, and better worth having than the
fancy sketches too often brought home, where
mans work and natures made TO play secondhdde
20 the artists theories forced into guilty compliance
with his way OF doing It," When master takes the
brush reconoled 10 seeing nature Turnerzed or
Proutired. or Hardngired but II is pity to see her
subjected to the whims OF smaller The art that
men Of ordinary skill put into their work Is best
used In giving much literal truthfulness as they
can. We take pleasure In slipping about Venice In
q gondols with Henry Nowman-whose excellent last
years should surely have been represented in this
exhbiuon-than IN the company OF any secondrate
painter Of fancy Veniees Mr. d. Maitland Armstrong;
peDcildrawngs OF Italian architecture are efforts at
faithful record but the subjects not very interesting
and their teralDess has therefore little SAVIOR In IT,
STILL this 10 working TO better purposehumoe as Is the
AIM and uDpcturesQue the resulthan the painter OF
Noe 2s and 2ss sst Room can be credited with These
works OF MI Dobsons and those of Mr.. Paul Marry as
well, boned architecture, as Mr. Row bothams draw
ings are boned landscape.
No 500, " Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came"
by f. Burne Jones Is not a satisfactory specimen Of
this distinguished artists work, but until the rich
amateurs OF England have enough OF his drawings on
their walls. and willing to give tho work a-day
world chance we shall hardly q better. The de-
sign OF Burns Jones lie almost always penetrated with
graceful staeliness and In illustrating the poets his
mind seises upon the romantic, sensuous elements,
deals best with these, aud translates them into rich
color and ripe luxurious form lie oscs far moro than
Dante Rossetr by being presented In black and white
for no ls less original thought and has loss power
over taold oTpressiop. ITO H. drst OF all. psoter