New-York tribune., 1876-02-12


49, ,.ua. showa as in all tho other drawings In this
.xn..,,n the possesslm OF certain very desiraoe
rualities in an artist who has undertaken to make
pajnted diary of his travels. He has no troune a a
with his way OF painting He has got by long pacucoa
way of drawing, way Of laying on color way OF co-
posing that satisfy him completely and he has no mis-
civjnrs that they will not satisfy everybody else He is
moi irving any experiments. nor is he liable TO any
arti.tIc moods Le never very much depressed
nor il he ever very much exalted. His Muse Keeps
ON the even tenor Of her way. looking neither
10 the right hand the left she IL woman OF Dus
meas and has about her. Whoever LOOKS 10
Mr. samuel Colman's drawings for anything imaginative
or fancifu FOR any revelation Of raturs beauty whe'
communicated by inspiration gained by close Ooser'h
top: for al. my in short but conyontiohaiy pio
turrs1ue arTan cm-nt OF bis meteri"l VIII "9S'
look 10 vain Mr.. ColmGn's art ia ingram lhd'toi
and h. has too much respect for the large P'r'
matterof met people and for the settled piih'lce VI
art as he uuGcrs ands them, TO put an more lue" ,O
hi, r;cres to he thinks the most OF us can pcar' ms
,,od the, IA, first the comfortable basis that hc
knoU. Whit he is abOut; and next tha hc "ho"' "
tho public likes; that 1t is pleased - nave O' o"o
n, time to attend to, and tnat il likes It's one u
oootad pIa;p He Is not wanting III moderate eip'
,oent of color but indulges In vaSari'S III u ~
cord and he is willing TO be picturesque as &c 'As
he can venture to be without giving rlst 70 on't VI
eccentrcity c,s A.. ,,,o
Mr. Colman occupies corner o. the ue'u VI AT ii'o
Ann
to remain for any long timetho painting " are itec'
hioct II, s.rnp, to have made Prou; and Harding MS
oJs onl to have studied The subject carefully Tor NM
self; he has worked ont his own manner ana MS ui""s
only resemble those OF his masters ana on "h" VIZ
difference His drawings executed with care ana UNI
renee they are studied with considerable Ia'tnu nosS
we sneak OF those with whose subjects we are I'h"i
sna bs b, act 10 select good points of view IN most al
.sos so hat he does Justice to his subjects 10 the extent
of his ability He is not deficient III the s'INo VI hS''
and he can give IN impression OF the relative s"~ OF he
buding he Is drawing. But here our pleasure IN MS
work makes q stay. ard feel that ii"nt has dohe
little for him beyond giving him bent and few hints
ho to flo IT, yhilo Nature has hardly helped him at
oil II no ha5 asked her advice at all 1t has Dech
like most askers of advice, Win no intention Vi
following it. Almost all Prouts WORK is eI'lc
i'm bl,ck-and white. photographic drawing done Oy 'he
artist himself upon the drawn with the reed
pen and the upon paper or if be used coior a HI
WAS merely that ho transfused his drawing with some
fnt-rcCdsh or brownsh. to get little variety N"w'H
Mr. Colmau hal bccn content WITH L. we nave ho
don the public would have had reason To be cohtehen
foo and though We might not have nad another fiou''
which il not to be expected-nor dc'iitn-" we shoul'
bayo had very good tling in its way. But M comm
felt moved to go further add color 10 hs lines. and
here Nature puts her tte claim for da 1.'s ehe ASKS
where are her variety her mdlvidutiN LeF my yst'fE'
her fertility OF She comIlM th 'hc artist
makes Rome look like Qumper and Etreta Ae the I.i'c
a
else The test fOr those that love me really saws
the Dame is that while they remember al they learned
Of INC u studying my beauty YESTERDAY theJ come to me
today with fresh eyes for the beauty Of to-day don't
like TO he painted by recipe.
Mr. Edwin A. Abbey has had the pleasure OF giving the
public a real surprise His work is very little known'
excepting that which he has done black aud white for
tbs wood engravers Some his best pieces have been
published in Scr;bnors Mogazine. aud they have had
merit enough attract toward their author good deal
of expectant Interest Not little ot TINS interest mas
come from the that Sr Abbey Is more interested IN
drawing the Gsuro than IN drawing andsca" ana we
have so few figure painters thai any ~" one - sure OF
Welcome much more If he show clear cs Of talent as
Mr. Abbey does His drawing In this exhibition The
Stage Ofce Is very far IN advance OF any oiher "orh
of his with which acqua nted Inc COMPOSITION
shows that he has learned the value OF simplicity and
il he have vet mastered the arr OF elihg stOf nc
"a on the way to it. and may sec that his
method viii be direct and unadOrned. The shape or
the drawing Is long and but the actual length
of tho field painted on Is apparently shortened by
standing figure OF man at the almost extreme rght'
whose feet nearly touch the lower edge. whlle the
Ton of Lis hat all but touches the upper edge OF the
drawing Mr. Abbey has already shown lisng Tor tall
standing figures and II will be Interesting 10 note
whether With him. with many othcr artists hkns
for some one way OF doing things VII follow him al
through the prOgTe stages OF h7 wA - ar as We
can make out the story OF this drawn, u rs chy OF
,oung woman ot our g1andniotheIs time Vuo 'fcrdless
snd alone or may be- only leaving ied' i' 90 ou'
into the world, seated in the stage ihce, walt
ing for the stage, while tail, stout, ve!i-ied
elderly gentleman enters the room, ana sur
xevs her with curiosity she sits lost IN
thought and not very happy In her thinking TO our
mind If the tall intruder the left could have been KEPT
outside few minutes longer. say ntl MI Ahpey had
finished his drawing the compositi1n Wolh rave been
greatly improved ard the story woud No. have 3nhIe"
at all All ho left hand twothrds o.; 10 picture Is The
hat mart OF a. and is very pleasant took at and to
study Mr. Abbcys eye FOR color seems 10 IL 70 have
been hurt by his too-much drawing III bacE-ar-"mte
though il may wel be he has eve for color ct all
colorist would 10 thing 10 be thankful for but gcod
draughtsman, thoughtful composer, and man Wb"1e
wheels not IN the ruts is blessing IN these days no
10 be despsCd.