New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-11
MIR. S j. ours LATEST PAINTING.

4 FRIEND COMES TO HIS DEFENSE-THE PICTURE
L,UDED AND TIE TRIBUNE CRITIC ABUSED.
70 me razor Of me Tribune.
SIR: Some years since remember a cor
respondent writing from Paris was pleased 10 tell U.s. IN
commeutin gupon commission gwen to aFTench painter
by Alr A T. Stewart for q picture, " that DIT Sow
art know more about o-coths shan OipainnSs." To-
day lIr Vanderbilt gives Nj 8 J. Guy commission 10
the amount of some thousands Of dollars, and your
art critic assais the exhibited work rle National
Academy through a solid half column OF The IRIBJ NJ.
Now. when n wealthy man gives COMMISSIONS ne Is
open 10 criticism ike any other person, and ought 10
have It hot aud strong, II deserving OF IT. Dut would
respectfully submit that the remark about stewart
could 80 that genemans taste not particle Of benefit;
it might be smart remark 1t might be true but IL was
unactca altogether and had better have had the pen
passed through IT, For art tender plant IN thls
country that when q wealthy man gives THOUSANDS OF
dollars for picture. II rs an event ana strue uuu
even If rich man las bought bad picture ana SHOWN
no taste II is certain that rival millionaire wtry
presently TO show that he too can spend money ana
show taste that Is beyond reasonable caVl Now mere
IA Mr. V.nderb.lt's picture, painted by the man 70
whom Mr Belmont famous collector himself, through
Mr. Vanderbilt seeing the work, sent the message
that he Ir. GUY is the greatest painter IN America
and Of which Mr.. W. Page the suDtlest!anu most
learned OF our artists, said, It Is Guys best WORE
And it's Since Macise painted his Hamlet there has
I
It's ri ghtful subordinaon, splendid color tone decacy,
finish force BREADTH briliancy depth and composition
OF line and object up the void which that inventive
perceptv genius showed he aspred to- Every picture
has its faults there is picture without thenl nor
ever was but reading your criticism on IT, II that Is
criticism would you, candid man. say thatn was upo
a work Ike this that your contributor eomulens rIs'
IL is declared that the judcious must grle'e "nen
they behold it, tn at the artists heart IS rg1 ou' LIS
perspective is wrong :" and then all the VIII ana
mind Of household brought 10 bear 10 slnk
tho p,cture-'Eg gboiers" and "Bridgets' ahu pills
evervthinc that can brought by practlced scribe
into notice that can leave Ill impression and sting
il ngentously made use OF 20 annoy the family repre-
senred and to hurt feelings and the reputation OF
the nainter The marvelousy painted gasburners the
only thing half-praised are trick AS II all art were
moi trick representation OF round surface by nat
one "A yaculty by a solid bOdy. Art requires all the
re.nurces and n thing IL truthful II IL right II II
comes short Of truth cOudemn II You please but
don't leave an impression. like assassin, that the
paiuter has done something dishouOrable and ms
character OF this crique, and OF that complain Tue
canvass nye feet square aud IL II sild 10 DC
covering 10, face with ia hands" Now, the hahds ana
the heads Of picture are where the great painters put
their strength There twenty uGuIes III thiS
picture and none OF the hands are any bigger thdh
good-.ized mans nail they cannot cover SIX inches OF
surface altogether and all toned down anu properly
subor,linatei How can this expression possibly De
true And n the hands were the gas,DurherS u oouu
| Iardiv he They are capital hesh Ike tho portraits
| winch eyerybody recognizes and which snow an the
reyrrat painters sk Ia variety OF Sual@NNV4t ue'N"J