The New York herald., 1874-04-09
ART MATTERS.
The Spring Exhibition 1T tho Academy
OF Design.

The Spring Exhibition 1t tho Academy
OF Design.
The private view ct the Academy last night was
regular crush, In spite OF the unfavorable
weather. SO many promises Of better things had
Deen made BY the artists and academicians that
tne OUTSIDE world interested In art was anxious
10 SEQ whether or not the brilliant promises had
Deen Iulnlled. In the crowded state OF the
rooms II was not very easy to form any
thing IKE critical opinions OF the various plctures
but the general impression made by the COLLECTION
Is very satniactory. The supply OF works OF re-
spectacle merit was for the irst time suf1ictentv
large to enable the Committee OF selection ~ "a
ject the mere daubs that on former oc.
casions were so o1ensively prominent. Thts
OF itself marks q forward step, for which
those interested In art shave much to be thank
ful," and Is, we hope, only the Inauguration or 4
system OF rigid exclusion Of mediocre works which
win make the Academy q real training school OF
art taste. This Il what ought to be aimed at by
the directors and, though much has been done.
there are many pictures In the collection which
might have been excluded with advantage.
Still the improvement Is 80 marked that
we are willing to forgive any fault OF omission in
this regard In the hope that next year Will exhibit
q still further advance. me public have not been
slow to mark their appreciation OF what has been
done, and over $1,000 worth OF pictures were
purchased yesterday. This ought to encourage
the artists to persevere In making the
Academy truly representative OF American art.
Three important marine pictures, by Moran,
Richards and De Haas, attracted considerable AZ
tention. They have all a smell OF the brtny deep
about them that is perfectly refreshing. In this
branch Of art America stands high, and we
doubt II any European exhibition could
show three marine paintings OF superior
merit. The sense OF motion in the sea and the
transparency OF the water is conveyed with ad-
mirabie fidelity. Considerable Improvement is
also visible in the genre pictures. Beaufrain
Irving contributes what ia, probably his best
work, "The Bookworm," painted after the manner
OF Melssonier, whom Mr.. Irving takes a. his
model Eastman Johnson comes out with very
strongly painted picture which gives promise Of
new departure. This artist has the right notions
about painting, and when he will consent to con-
centrate himself on work similar to "The
Prisoner" he may look to making strong Inn
preston on the public mind. J. G. Brown has one
Of his characteristic child pictures "Hding In the
Old Oak.n The most striking picture in the colec-
ti0n is a fine sheep subject by Schenck, which
occupies the place OF honor. The artist has
thrown into the composition Q strong dramatic
interest," which immediately riveUs attention and
compes us to read the story OF the picture 1t is
not merely representation OF sheep painted with
dexterity, but really interesting sheep story.
There are quite Q large number OF portraits
hung round the rooms but very few Of them are
of much .,npursance. Some are 80 bad that
they ought not to have been admitted to place on
the walls, and only few deserve commendation.
Page has at last produced his long promised
Shakespeare and we regret to say that We can
not consider 1t o success The artist mas built up
new man with the aid OF an apochryphal mask, but
he has not improved much on the original William
with whom we are acquainted. The head
has not even the merit OF being well modelled-a
merit we find in portrait Of an ofcer by the same
artist. The sculpture room is as usual almost
wholly devoted 70 portrait busts. Cushion has
very good marble bust or Colonel W. X. Roberts,
and Caiverly contributes an exquisitely finished
portrait OF gentleman. TDere Is only one liiesize
fgure-a statue Of ST. Agnes.