The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-20
THE ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
Some of the Gems Of the
Present Exhibition.
THE HANGING COMMITTEES WORK

public see with qualification the marble palace
which adorns the corner OF Twenty third street
and Fourth avenue at last fulfilling its ap-
propriated mission. We do not purpose
championing either the Academy or the
Hanging Committee against the grievance
mongers. Many OF the complaints are only too
well founded, and, on the other hand, the gricv-
ances alleged against the Hanging Committee are
acts that in the minds or all liberal minded per-
sons. viii meet with approval. The rejection OF
over 200 pictures has made as many soreheads,
who see In the Hanging Committee only so many
bloody -minded executloners, bent on sacrificing
aspiring genius TO their own and friends
advantage. of course people who know
David Johnson, Irving and Brandt viii
refuse TO believe them capable OF doing
intentional injustice to any brother artist; bur
tns viii not save them from the fiery darts OF ridi
cule hurled by the disappointed. We are inclined,
however. to believe that no picture was refused
which could fairly claim place on the Academy
walls. We judge SO from the number OF works OF
no particular merit which have been admitted
without having any real claims to the distinction.
STILL the number OF poor works. compared with
former exhibitions, Is small indeed; and for this
we are much the debtors OF the Hanging Commit
tee.
HOW THE COMMITTEE DID THEIR woRK.
The arrangement OF the pictures, too, IL ex.
cellent, and, with the exception OF q few cases..
every effort has been made to harmonic the col
lection 30 that the whole shall form one vast,
pleasing picture. Most OF the works have been
hung with special regard TO the quality Of light
which they required, and especial attention has
been paid to so place each picture that they re-
ceive aid rather than injury from the surrounding
works. This il o most important consideration
for artists who often md their works Injured by
being placed IN proximity with others with which
they do not harm0nize But even where the COM
mittee have been most thoughtful they have not
always succeeded In satisfying the exacting views
OF the artist or his trends
TELESCOPE vIRws.
picture is placed in an admirable position,
and so arranged that its beauties are
heightened BY its surroundings, but some
Ovcr-oficious friend comes along and finds that
he Is "shipwrecked against heater' In try.
ing to get far enough away TO examine the work
through telescope. or course it is very sad that
people have not sense enough to avoid SO
patent danger as "shlpwreck on heater" but
are the Hanging Committee TO blame for it, Then,
the Hanging committee have put their own pic
lures on the line, while they put much bet
ter works away up In the clouds, where
only people armed with telescopes can see them.
All that be said this score is that it Is hui
man nature and, though not in the best taste,
sti IL is very common falling to look arst after
ones own personal interest. This being SO. we do
not desire TO be too severe on poor artists. who
have to take care OF their own Affairs like otHer
men.
MERIT OF THE COLLECTION.
Something over 400 art works make up the
exhibition. and their general standard OF excel
lence is far above that OF any previous years.. Wis.,
itors will be pleased 10 md works from artists
who have long been missed in the annual exhibi-
tons. Prominent among these win be noticed Mr..
Church. who contributes a large and important
work OF much technical merit $500.
CHURoE's STORY OF THE PAST.
II gives view OF the building in Petra known as
Ell KhasIe, che Treasury, called from the ira
dition that one Of the Pharaohs hid in 1t a
large amount OF treasure The building is seen
bathed in yellow sunlight through q dark, rocky
pass that remains STEPPED in shadow In the pass
group OF Arabs are crouchng, evidently watch
ing the approach OF some unwary traveller. Like
most OF Mr. Churchs later pictures the interest OF
this work is chiefly monumental. Those ruins OF
the present call IN to the mind wildly the story
OF the past and help us to recognize something OF
the glory OF q civilization that has passed away,
leaving monuments in presence of which the
monuments we build seem rail and pershabe
indeed. In this work the sense Of loneliness and
desolation is increased by the calm quiet OF the
sunshine playing on the facade OF the dead temple
as 1t might on the petrined face Of a corpse II Is
perhaps well that we'have some one to preach to
Us amid our feverish Lie the sermons that lie
hidden in stones.
TIE NORTH ROOM.
Here we have clever painting by Elihu vedder
Q35), .rste ch0napetre IN the days when men ana
women were worth painting, and had not reached
and sun hats and other modern abominatio
Just over 1t is an important landscape with
figures, from the easel OF an American artist who
has made an excellent reputation In Europe, and
has now returned to his native land with artistic
honors thick upon him. "a Brookside in Nor.
mandy" u36) is the unpretenrious title OF
work by Crawford Thorn, full Of ten
derness ana sympathy with nature. The CON-
position Is so unobtrusive that the scene an.
pears Photographic in it's truthfulness as II the
artist had transcribed some bit in nature and put
1t wholesale on his canvas; and yet 1t is strictly
a studio picture, only the work Is so
well done that we do not perceive it. There
are o breadth OF treatment and an atmosphere
OF reality, coored by subtle sentiment, that we
do not find In any other canvas in the exhibition
There Is something more than the usual tree and
water and bit OIL sky in Mr. Thom's work-a COM
pleteness and harmony which is
THE VERY EssENog OF ART.
"Mlles Standish and His Men, n51 is not a
new picture nor is It in the best style OF Boughson
Whatever value 1t has is historical; and, though
the group OF pilgrim soldiers is wen painted and
strongly. there is neither mastery drawing nor
absorbing dramatic interest to give value to the
work.
painted, but the violet landscape In the back
n qaf afa ulcfoN
the Erie Road" u6l IS the title OF one OF David
Johns0n's quiet pictures 1t is a pleasing bit OF
road and sky, with q little more color than we
usually find In this artists work. wil,iam Hart
has two poetic landscapes, IAN Autumn Enect,
u6s and "Morning In the Mountains very orill-
liant and pleasant to look upon, with sucn gor.
geous tinted trees and leaves and shrubs as we sell
dom see IN nature, but having a charm peculiarly
their own. The two works OF most Importance
In this room are marine subjects, "A New Eng
land Coast, /" by Richards and morans "Tempeat,n