The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-08
ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
Opening Of the Fiftieth Annual
Exhibition.
AMERICAN ART OF THE FUTURE.
Meritorious Collection OF Art
Works.


ested In art was present, ana the exhibition
rooms presented an animated aud brilliant scene.
Fifty years have passed since the establishments OF
The Academy or Design, and It's value IN aiding
The cause or art In this country can be iairy
rauged by the result as shown by the works on
The walls. On this subject, as on almost every
question or human interest there Is marked
divergence OF opinion. Some do not lall 10 ap-
plaud, and others as heartily to condemn, the In
nuence which this institution has exercised on the
development or
ART KNOWLEDGE
among Americans. IL Is however, something iCr
the friends the institution TO be able 70 point at
results which no opponent can question or be-
little. on the Academy walls this year there are
between 500 and 600 paintings, OF various degrees
OF merit. Not one among them would perhaps
deserve to be qualified as great work, ana lnere
are some which could well be spared from the
collection But though there is absence OF
works oil the highest order there Is no lack OF
good painting. In other years there have been
Dne or two canvases that stood out boldly De-
gond the general pass, bat this year there are
some dozens OF pictures that no art connoisseur
would be likely TO pass by without notice.
The large majority OF the works making up IN
present exhibition are unpretenrlous. ana there
Ii a marked absence OF ambitious efforts. There
he everywhere evidence or a desire 10 fall IN
clever technique Is sought after than any
striking theme. owing TO the discomfort OF
few artists with the RUE forbIddlng the previous
exhibition OF works intended to be shown IN the
Academy several or our most prominent artists
are not represented and others are represented
by works which are coniessedly not the best pro-
duct OF their
YEARS LABOR &t
1t may be regretted that the rule had the eject
a
90 important an exhibition, but there can be no
doubt that the objection urged by the academi-
clans against the previous exhibition IN cluos aud
other semi-publc places OF works intended ior the
annual exhoItion are sufficiently cogent TO merit
the serious consideration OF the artists themselves.
Whatever tends to lower the Academy In public
estimation is a serious injury 10 American art,
and though the new rule may bear somewhat
hardly at first on some artists VINO fnd It 10 their
Interest to exhibit IN the CUBS. there eau
be no doubt that whatever TENDS TO give greater
Interest and freshness TO the annual eXnioltlons
kn the National Academy must rebound 70 the
benefit OF tue artists as q class. one 81 the most
strikiEg features of the present eNnDltlon Is It's
representative American character. WIN the ex-
ceptIon OF one canvas oil toe WORKS are DIV naive
Or adopted Americans. NhHe the oider memoers
OF the profession nola their own, the most prouls-
Ing WORK Is DeIng done Dy the young men. Iae
American artists abroad nave especially done
siYely That foreign travel mas been productive or
the very best results. Magrath, Edgar ward,
SPECIAL MENTION
among the young men. lnelr WORKS snow the
influence Of the best european SCHOOLS, ana tn a
works that represent them would 90 honor TO the
best exhibitions OF Europe. lnness ls repre-
scented BY q Large aud CHARACTERISTIC canvas "a
which breadth OF eject y joined 70 = very happy
rendering or atmospheric conditions Inc man
agemenL OF the nghtsis admirable, ana there IS
impaired a certain dreamy poeuc leehn1 70 zoe
scene that attracts the spectators unconsclously.
Among the Oldest artsts Eastman Johnson, Jer-
w1s. McEntce. Richards, Edward Moran, 1, moran,
j. G. Brown irving, Thomas Moran. L. L. VIII
marrn. J. J. Gus and WANT are represented oy
come OF their best work. IL VIII be seen from this
array that the numOeT Of
GOOD PICTURES
Il unusually large. Notwithstanding the absence
OF any tralY great work blerstadt Is repre-
sented Dy TWO works-one summer landscape
among t1e Ellls. The nazy atmosphere soit-nlng
the nils Is delightfully."- renderet, and the eye
nwels witt pleasure on the Inviting prospect. 30
much cannot De SAID LOT Oh larger NorA. spring
occupied By masses or various colored flowers,
without auy attempt being made TO harmonlze
l. broad and massive, out the whole effect
Of the composition Is Jar from pleasing.
Is but ! transcript rom nature. This may be so.
nut IL N less indifferent art, Tor In pictures
Erapns could supply. BeauIraln Irving mas de-
sldedly made step forward In MS particular
soac ne aims y lmi,st Ini-, Ine nansr o.
Whatever merit thls
deserves - justly ms due for ne is close and
palnstaEing worker. Year by year ne has stead.
~ advanced. and the difference between bis
year. and MS Last oil the Game" wnica orougnt
him into notice lew years ago, IS very
marked. Both in composition ard color THIS
gears work Is far ahead OF anything he mas Jet
produced. Cardinal Wolsey j. seen seated at
saple surrounded Dy soldiers, Trends and court
Iers, aud Mr. IrvIng mas taken advantage OF the
rich and picturesque costumes OF the period 10
make his picture as brilliant as possible The
drawing is not quite no 10 the standasd Of the
competition, Out the finish - careful and eia0o-
Fate. The work Is py lar the best We rememoer
20 have from Mr. lrylngs easel, aud gives
promise o. even better things To come. Msgrath.
young artist, who y not nearly 30 wen known as
ne deserves 20 be. contributes TWO OF the best AID
most pleasing WORKS In the exRio anon. one he
calls
Botn are painted with great Dreadrn and nrmness.
The color y solid ana lmuresses ~ is quiet mar,
mony. rne gray rocks and the scans gfeenswsrd
are painted vita great trutniulness ana vividness.
zine colleen Of the hilf' possesses dramatic IN
Berest which Is wanting Ia It's companion picture,
Tor tine peasant g1rl. BY the sly manner Ia which
sac peeps over the ROCKS At a peasant who IS COM
old as me rock sne leans upon. Between these
two gray pictures the hanging COmmistee have
THOMAS HoRAS's PICTURE
OF the "CaDyona,u which cannot fau 70 attract
attention. the sheer walls OF the Yellowstone
rise boldly from the rlver, ia whose waters
vney are seen rejected WITH the blue OF
the SKY: l6e composition . y rsns ns,a
@ned BY tue Introduction Of an lndian guide
and cavalcade OF white men. The work 10
brush displays knowledge which can only be iuliy
appreciated BY toose wac have seen tue Uild and
PICTURESQUE REGIONS
which the artist happily p0rtrays. Mafnard
pants q scene that belongs 10 different type or
sivlnzation from ours. A group VI French peasant
women praying before an image OF Christ
uuctned. The expression on the i1ces VI tue
women is remarkably Rooo. The handling com.
pines solidity and nnish. 10 - not = very agree
nble picture, out II Is honestly painted.
The interest or J. J. browns ayes or NoO does
n0G depend on is pictufesqueness. IL simply
presents two everyday people under conditions
that are common enough Tue picture u trutAIul
and natural ana II painted win great care. ia ~
we md some or the best qualities Of this artists
style. Neither the marine nor the portrait artists
are - strongly represented as usual; but among
me former klcnarus lad Moran nave Characters
BIC pictures. Richards gives ne a bit Of strand.
vita q stretch Of sea extending 70 the horizon.
Moran has TWO spirited sea picsuros; one repre-
Hents tne ocean
AFTER A STORM.
tnn ads "a IA mn ana