Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-13
EXPOSITION NOrES.
Correspondence of The Evening start

be at once q surprise aud a pleasure TO those
who are aware OF the brief period during
which thai branch of art has received much
att6htion in this country. That the public
now takes q warm Interest 10 1t. and that
this interest Is justified and fully met by The
proficiency already reached by the artists
who are working in that field, are shown at
once by the throngs of people who constantly
Oil the gallery and by the excellent quality
OF the pictures hung upon its walls. A CON-
psrison BETWEEN these and those of the same
line in the other exhibits establishes the
gratifying fact that In many respects our
water colorists are quite up to the marx o.
their foreign brethren. 1t Is not pretended,
OF course, that With their ina tequ ate training
facilities and shorter experience they are
equal to the best efforts OF those who have
spent lifetime in that field the m sters OF
IN, me Enslish school, Tor example; nor ought
deficient In tire strength shown by the fore.
most English artists; but In the qualities of
truthful representation of nature, much of il
will compare favorably with the examples
or most OF their brethren abroad In land
admitted our American artists are CO lsit-
eTably behind the best In Europe, whether in
Oil or water colors. But, take the two col
lections together, and considering all the
circumstances of the case, they form an
excellent exhibit, in themselves, snd like
wise show progress In art OF which A mer-
ASoAS hoy nSA 10 Piouu.
~
The large number OF persons who dote
upon earthenware under the various Inn
pressive names of ceramics, faience m 9joli-
ca, etc., because that sort OF thing Is fashion,
able jdst now, and is popularity supposed to
be evidence that they Buow something above
the common, will find in the Main Building
plenty TO go into raptures over. With this
wild and consuming admiration for crockery
am AFRAID do not fully sympathise. Such
things are doubtless well enough in their
way, and even valuable, in moderation, as
accessories In artistic furnishing aud decora-
ton; but when 1t comes TO CHASING them as
high art, and subordinating to them other
more important features, as many people do,
must beg TO be counted out aut allo xei ID
walt awhile. II there Is anything lntrinsi-
cally beautiful or elevating in having rows
OF cups and saucers on a shelf, or q lot OF Old
plates screwed against q parlor or library
wall or on q strip OF board, as old fashioned
coJutry merchants used to show Off their
queensware at the side OF their doors, aud as
many OF them still do, 1 must confess I
cannot see 1t. the fashion has, In truth, no
foundation in solid art as permanently
elevating and rehning influence. 1t Is
nothing more than passing high pricei
fancy, and one that, In the very nature OF
tblngs cannot last long,-that is, com para
like the passion for Dutch bulbs, and several
other shor Elived whims, aud like them 1t
viii soon pass away. 1 recognize the fact
however, that 1t IS the "a &c; aud appreciate
also the folly OF trying 20 stem ths tide OF
fashion when 1t sets in any given direction.
so shall keep out OF tbs stream, and let it
low on. But since Its present current is IN
mistakably toward pottery, IL is r. ii pleas
ure TO see the displays in that line SO large
and beautiful as they really are. or course,
China, Japan, France AMI England are tae
principal contributors In this branch, and
many hours many be pleasantly spent In
examining the numerous and widely diversi-
CntnrG IN
Where there Is SO much, and the range so
broad, 1t would be idle to attempt to describe
or cTlticise. Each enc VIII Judge betwec1
the exhibits for him or herself according to
his or her own taste or ideas, a nd one will ba
a likely TO be right, In general way. as an
otner. But tne countries named should not
minor exhibits are richly worth examination;
and OF these il is doubtful whether any viii
OF Denmark. Not SO much on account OF its
merit, perhaps, as because We are not accus-
TONED 70 look for any thing Of the kind 10
that quarter. Yet the work Is thoroughly
good, and creditaole throughout. II IL doaJ
not on the one hand show such strong and
characteristic designs some others neither
GOES IL, on the other, offend goot taste and
violate the proprieties alike of art and life
by furnishing for household use articles that
are essentially grotesque and hideous IN
form. and rendered still more repulsive, too,
Dy the representation OF reptiles and vermln
as ornamental accessories. Toe Danish pro-
ducts are nearly all modelled pretty closely
IN rorm nat after the antique athonsn there are
country In ceramics. They are, however,
mostly strictly classic, both in design aud
decoration and as The clay is ne in texture
uniformly good, the general effect is re-
markabiy pleasing: The exhibit of Spanish
pottery is also well worth studying. 1t IL
hardly so attractive to the eye as that OF
Denmark but what IL lacks in this respect
1t makes up In being more decidedly repre-
sentative and characteristic In material and
II an L.
OF the origin and progress Of the art In that
country, and many Of the articles have an
interest aside from mere exhibition pur-
some extent the early history and primitive
customs Of the Spanish people.
&**
One of the most interesting OF the pictures
In the English collection 10 Vests "Death
OF General Wolfe," lent to the Expositiea by
Her Msjesty the 'Queen. Although 1t does
not rank among the great works of the ar
fist, In respect ofsize, 1t is really one OF his
greatest in point OF merit, and it has an ad-
ditional interest from the fact that IL may
be said to have created q new era In English
art, by the substitution OF modern for classic
costume in historical representation, or
rather, perhaps, in q broader sense, by the
substitution OF English for Greek and Roman
subjects In interpreting the heroic element
In art. 1t was this famous picture, also,
tDat 8fterWard became the occasion OF q Gu
rious and memorable passage between Lord
Nelson and the eminent artist, at An enter
tainment given in honor of the former, Just
before he went to sea for the last time. They
sat together at the table; and after express
ing to his neighbor on the other hand his re-
greet that In his youth he had not acquired
some taste for art and some power OF dis
elimination, Lord Nelson turned to Mr..
West, saying: "But there Is one picture
whose power 1 do feel. never pass print
shop where your Death Of Wolfe is In the
window, without being stopped by It." Mr..
West, Of course. made hts &C acknowledgements,
painted no more like It. because, my
lord, there are no more subjects." "D-n
IT," said the sailor, 81 din't think Of that"
and asked him 70 take . glass OF chsmp lgns.
"Rut, my lord" added the artist, s'I fear
another scene; and, II Il should. shall GER
tainly avail myselfof It." "Win your said
Nelson, pouring ont bumpers, and touching
bis glsss Violently against Wests-"wiil
you, Mr.. West? then hope that I shall die
In the next battle" The gallant hero called
10 few days from that time, and fell Ia
bs tile shortly afterward, rs all the world
fc To- -