New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-09
FINE ARTS-MUSIC-DRAMA
FINE ARTS.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DEsIGN PRIVATE vi

FINE ARTS.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DEsIGN - PRIVATE VIEW |
FORrY-NINTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION.
II Of late when, IA even its best friends must al
nit there has been but little to attract lovers OF
art m the YEARLY exhibitions Of the Academy, the
crush NJ the Private View has been too great for
comfort what was it last night when, as well I'M
derstood beforehand the artists had laid themselves
out TO make an exhibition of which no one how
ever exlcting should be able to complaint Inc
evening was full of real enjoyment. Inere was no
particular attraction elsewhere, ana, IN spite OF
fine shifting rain. people took full advantage OF
the invitation to get first look athe plctures, not
as rreanuga first look at pretty Spring toilets, but
ful Of faith that they should find the art as we'll
worth studying as the people The usual decorations
gave festive look to the handsome yestlbule where
flowers and music greeted the arrivals but the pest
decoration was felt to be the welltllcd walls, when
for once it seemed pity to hide by rose-hedge OF
pretty women. Every one of the four rooms, anu no
less the vestIbue contains many pictures as can
be hung in it with advantage; and when we add
that the artists have worked with energy ana goou
viii to make an exhibition worthy OF the Academy
we have said enough to send thither all our readers
who care for pictures and for American pictures IN
particular.
The general public, no less than the artists them
selves, is to be congratulated on the new depar-
turer which this exhibition shows, that our paint
ers as d corporate body have taken. few eAhiDl-
tons more and very few, like those that we nave
lately had tine uncomfortable duty to descrDe-ahd
there can be little doubt that the Academy must
have ceased to exist Indeed, there had been much
said of late az to the dangerous condition of affairs
and to many persons there has seemed Dut hItio
hope that the institution could survive the decay of
- ,lnrs audit hl lDss nf
est in the exhibitions on the part of the public.
The display of attractive and in many cases OF
deseryedly attractive foreign pictures in the gai-
lerics of our printsellers and colormen-a display
continued az a rule through the whole year-has
weaned almost everybody from the yearly Academy
exhibitions; but powerful still as an influence
which seemed to many-both artists and laymen-
damaging to the Academy, is the practice so com
mon of late among the artists of sending their pie
lures when finished, to the Clubs-the Century,
the Lotos, the Arcadian, and the "UniOn League
where they have been studied at leisure by wealthy
and cultivated people, and where they have had
tho best opportunities for meeting purchasers we
have never shared the opinion OF those VINO nave
thought these Club exhibitions injurious to the
Academy much less injurious to art. The trouble
has been that the artists wOuld not keep pace with
their increased opportunities and instead OF making
the Academy exhibition the great show Of the year.
and striving to make all thet Club receptions mere
side shows to that they left the Academy to dnit
away and break up like abandoned hulk With the
wind and tide
Ii seems TO us, judging the matter merely as
worlds people, that here the way for the artists
Of the Academy to get their institution free from
all associations with mere business and money
making. Let them-we would have sad-take adj
~. lI,,..f d and hal luh
receptions to show their pictures to likely custom
ers but let them keep the best of the years work
for the Academy exhibition; let that be made
true exponent of the best we do in art and our
word for it they will soon find that no money is lost
by the operation.
This wear at last the experiment has been fairly
tried 1t is longer than we like 10 remember since
there has been full and fine exhibition. Welook
forward with pleasure to descrbngt for our readers
in detail. There can be no drudgery in writing
about such pictures as c. Coleman has sent MS, or
those of yedder, in describing Rchards's magnii-
cent sea-plece, or Lambdn's flowers fair as ladies,
or his ladies fairer than flowers. Pages two
portraits this year bring back his old time; and
Huntington and Baker are once more on their
native heath. Then Eastman Johnson has two pic
lures that will tickle children and young mothers
and Whltredge also two, of which is fine in his
Ola way, anu Tue OlLoI new way O. H.
Clifford exhibits several pictures that explain the 10y
atty of his friends, serene and sunny memories of
Italy, and McEntee is here with an important
work which can't however, make US forget the
pleasant old But is not our intention to tell
the reader more or what the exhibition contains
than will make him reasonably anxious to see it for
himself. He will hardly fail when he does see it to
agree with in thinking 1t exhibition that does
the artists great credit, and credit too to the gentle
men who have worked with so much spirit to make
it successfulto Mr. J. Q. A. Ward, the accomplished
President, Mr.. w. Whittredge and Mr. Sanford L.
Clifford. 1t may not be amiss to mention that already,
before the exhibition is fairly open, pictures
have been sold on the walls than at the ten
last exhibitions taken together. This the public
will call success, but the exhibition is not only
cessful, it deserves to be successful.
MUSIC.
NINE. DI MURsKA AS LINDA.
"Linda di Chamounix" has not been very