New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-24
FINE AR1S.
NETWORK CENTENNIAL LOAN EXHIBITION.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
rThe Morgan Collection. North Rooml
The pictures numbered in the catalogue from
to 81 belong to ex-Gov. L. d. Morgan; they Ill the
North Room and ow into the Corridor and into the
small room usually called the Sculpture Room This col
lection Of uniform excellence, and contains pic
lures by French German, Roman. and American artists
There are less than three portraits OF gentlemen
by the late Charles L. Elliott OF New-Yok, to VIII IN,
when living the honor Of being strongest painter OF
male heads was arded by consent. aud since
his death no rival has appeared to dispute bis title The
Portrait OF Gentleman" No. 2, which we believe
that OF Gov Morgan himself Is strongly painted HE
like head but prefer to it, as piece OF pantng NO
So over the door at the other end OF the oom When
m see these vigorous portraits executed with so much
freedom aud spirit but valuable only as studies OF NE,
where tie artists skill shut in for all scope and
exercise to the narrow field OF the face-tEe dress ana
accessories giving opportunity whatever or acc
oratye effect or for the charm which makes so many
PORTRAITS OF the old time delightful possessions even 10
those who know nothing whatever about the men ana
women who sat for theinwe feel how great dlsauFd
iagc the modern portrait painter labors under as COM
pared with his predecessors OF the picturesque times
large part OF the attactveness OF the sixteenth anu
seventeenth century portraits-the Iitans the ih'o
eos the Veroneses the Brouzinos the Velasquez-con-
siss in their decorative character the rch costumes mo
details OF architecture and landscape the Introduction
of animals and this much In the portraits OF men rs
ia those OF women so that when we come to our mod
en portraits where the cleyerest painter Is put 70 MS
trumps to add any external Interest, we are apt
to tnd the necessity OF fixing our attention
upou tho mere man. unwelcome, and " Portraits OF
Gentlemen" have q hard time trying 10 please
world that likes above all things to be amused Tie
modern portrait painter has therefore much harder
task than the old had. who lived In time when Tor
men as well for women, there was such thinS rs
costume and picuresqueness and We think OF tns we
shall give more honor to man like Elliott VINO painter
so we'll whatever face he liked well enough to look deep
into and study that his pictures as rule make Us con-
tent 10 do without accessories
Mr. George Halls Raspberries" is o good picture,
by an artist who might have made con-
adorable reputation AZ fruit painter ne mao
confined himself 10 that speciality. The zuier-
player" by c. Macca Of Rome, Is so badly hung that IL
is not easy to Judge fairly but II looks lively piece ot
action though IL te bold in the catalogue-maser TO
call II IN the style Of Rubens" The dress reminds one
of Rubenss me aud perhaps that all that was meant
but there Of the great Jennings richness OF
coorng in the stuff and certainly none OF his coorins IN
the flesh This looks IN color-or, rather IN no Color
like one OF tue sad Munich pictures when are now
young Americas models-t never can have been pro-
duced under Roman sky The visitor may Judge for
himself since directly under II hangs picture from
true Munich palette" The Winning Horse" by Franz
Defregger. We should think Mr. Ruskln had been made
Chancellor Of the Exchequcr in Bavaria, as he once ss
gested he would like be in England, aud that he had
used his power to tax cOors high as 10 make IL E-
possible to buy them The Munich lists would appear
to have driven by such calamity ~ use SCOT
and dirt paint their pictures with Defregsers picture
depends for its interest entirely the ceyerness with
which lie has told bis story, the play OF expression
IN his faces and the naturauess Of the grouping AID
Of the individual action The horse is eXcelenty painted,
and while the owner caresses II and expaiates oil It's
merits ard the boys stand about the friendly creature IN
an admirng group, and the join in the chorus ii
NJ a
the beasts ,S child III its mothers arms Is more ie
ighted with the brightcolored tag Of the pfocesoh'
and leaps and crows to that
Vannutclli's " Intrigue an nl-chosen hahe' '.'
makes the picture more puzzle thanh heea Oe cou'N
much clever execution OF sort getting 10 0" r'ner YIN
yentional and easy these days. but the genera ehe'
is unpctoral and unpoctic. The famous arcade OF e
puca palace is scant justice 70, and the doves par
TAX, of he general want of life and feeling man Wuo
offers to paint Venice may want almost everything W"
poctlc sympathy with the place. That he must nave
without Il ne makes OF that embodied dream we 'an
Venice nothing but collection OF statistics ou' VI
gazetteer - AZ
There are no less than three pictures ny M,
Elinu Vodder in this exhibton-twe Of them III '"'
North Roomand they are ALL not little Disappointing
There was q time when Mr.. vedder promised 10 DC s""'
thing better than painter OF brica-Drac ana iiHi
which is all that hnd In these works; the n!uio'
all exceedingly clumsy and hatfooted But the eo'O'
Is pleasant and We feel that the artist may o' CIV
only stiff and formal principle, aud not because
unable TO put life and movement into his people
The Spanish Birthday Festival by A. Alvarez s'e",
TO us the capital picture In Mr. Morsans colee'oh aA
one Of the most interesting III tho exhibition
tremely well hung. and is set like cheerful sun IN vs.
middle OF the north wall, where radiance stream" w.
from it on either side or course 1t does not 40 tue
lures near 1t any good. IL makes Luther SaN ,l,
formers at Marburg" look very grum, which no' i'
"A lnther. at least would have liked well enough ~.
hay. been I'm this saloon listening 10 this singing ~.
then the Reformers have always been treated mus.
by German painters. And, besides this being sno'n
those Munich pictures, and painted Ike al tno
SCOT and mud. it would DO easy for mucn 30. ali
| .,o.s of cheerf,luess much more Artistic p'o'"
than this portrait group Of schmidss-'aiss 'l''''