New-York tribune., 1875-02-26
This gentle COX had in his governance seven
hennes

This gentle cox hadin his governance seven
And as Chaucer describes the hens lovely the COX
is noble, we hope the fair ladies whose graceful
fower-peces are perched little lower down than
Rose,z Will not be offended il Chaucer made us think
OF them well. II were TO be wished that Rosetzs
fearful wild fowl would down little nearer eartn
for WHILE that the beautiful painting OF his feathers
might be moro fairly No doubt Agassiz or
Audubon would assure us that every feather
Is in its place and that every scale on legs
and feet has been counted. and that IL he
could only be persuaded TO make the effort there
reason far appearances why he shouldn't cry
"Cluk Cluk" and fly down from bis perch and stalk
ing about the gallery looking for gentleman who
will be good enough tread the tail of his coat II
the japanese were only able TO paint men and women
as we'll as they paint BIRDS and flowers and lfeess
things tho discovery of their art in this generation would
have made O revolution instead Of having merely set
fashion.
There are a great many fowersubjects 10 the present
exhibition and is natural enough. the majority Of
ladies' when they take up the pencils ask their sisters
to sit for their portraits But few Of them ann higher
than certain prettness and at the best shut up in
measureless content apparently II they achieve deco
rave panel. The painting this year is better
than usual, but only Mrs. Stman and Miss Mcdonald
made pictures out Of their materiathe rest have
made only vgnettes species which is neither picture
decoration and the proper place for which is not in
a frame, but portfolio. The artists whose work
rounds drawing by the japanese Rosez Of
them at least capable of making fower-pictures;
but let them ask themselves whether they 90
not think the purchasers of these well-studied,
carefully executed flower stalks will probably weary
little by their unsuggestive isolation after they have
hung their walls awhilei Miss Teresa Hlggss
Flowers" both No. and No 100, noteworthy per-
formances: they scientific in their accuracy, and
poetic their treatment and very sku and dcxterous
execution. But then, they suggest how good thing
would be il rich person were to commission the
lady to make series OF studies Of some particular
flower family for his portfolio, for the Scientific
Hall OF the College, which, II he be like
rich Americans in general he most likely
runs-in his own honor. The drawings do not
at all tempt us buy them and hang them up on our
walls. They would MT harmonic with anything, but
would make uncomfortable spots on any wall with
mind Of its Mrs. Bisss "Poinsettia" and Gala"
are more scientific STILL and Christine Chaplins pieces
are neither scientific nor picturesque, but only chnzy
and pretty. We believe We have said 1t BEFORE but
there be no harm in saying 1t again: we hope
the day will como when some Of the skill
now wasted in making pictures that nobody
particularly wants will be made useful in filling
the panels OF cabinets, slde-boards, piano-fortes
with decorative fower-painting. Perhaps we must wait
until the millennium II hope for day when It shall
be considered the inevitable thing for pianoforte
TO look like q bOw-legged megatherium. There was
time when they were not 10 look at wnen their
shapes we're well-designed, and they were not
demned to one monotonous uniform of polished
wood but might be Of any colored wood their maker
pleased and when tho panels tho keyboard, and
sometimes the inside OF the cover decorated with
painted flowers, with landscapes so that alto
gether the pianofores for In with tho
pretty girls that played them. But those days
long gone by, and the girls have it all to them
selves now. Among the vignette nower-pieces
here We note OF special delicacy-
"Hepatica. No. l57, by Ellen T. Fisher Mrs. Stmans
"Lacs and Roses" No. 277 is interesting from its ndi
vidualty and unconventional way Of looking at the
fowers-these flowers almost seem to have perfume.
Miss McDonalds "wild Rose" at which the artists in
grand style up their Renaissance ney
ertheless worth their looking at. Albert Durer wouldn't
turned up his at Them but would have praised
their intimate study Of nature, their sweet COLOR and
the delicate precision Of their drawing. Slapd may
possibly be good thing. but dash worth having
was that didn't out OF root Of patient
study like this Miss Mcdonald may never reach tho
glory Of slapdash but she has at least deserved the
praise that due to and sincerity. This Is
beautiful little drawing.
We are glad to SEQ that Mr. Henry Fsrrer's drawings
have found purchasers. which that his sterling
qualities being discovered. He has several draw
ings here far In advance OF any work yet reached by
him. and yet he must go still further before his work
become really enjoyable. He does not get the
into his sky. the either and there o gem
erAl want Of life In his drawing that produoss an.