New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-01

fondness or from want OF enterprise he plays always
one string We forbear to anything of Mr. McEnee
painting though his persistng In 1t after two
three years amabe silence the part Of the critics
might make rem0nstrance just enough Mr..
McEntee could have painted figures, perhaps II he had
begun early enough, but he cannot now, and when
we see the ladys great misshapen hands in
this picture, called "A Song of Summer" and
watch her painful efforts to please, sympa-
thze with the girls who shrink in the corner they love
their aunt so but wish she would MT sing As we have
said, however. over and again, there is no
one who paints his one picture better, more
sweetly. or more strongly than Mr. McEntee
The gray sky Of an Autumn afternoon with its
clear loophole in which tho gathered light may gleam
the halfbare trees with their rain Of falling leaves the
brown pools with their reflection OF the sys bright
ness, these things this artist can exquistey portray
With ii all there is certain poetic sentiment which
gives the pictures charm too among American
works not to be welcome.
Mr.. Charles II. Miller whose pictures make another
group Of landscapes succeeds in giving the impression
OF more variety than Mr. McEntee, who faces him upon
the opposite wall, but hardly Of much originality
sincerity. Mr. McEntees pictures come out Of his own
feeling first and out of his studies afterward and
they are true to the artists experience rejecting also to
all OF the nature know. But Mr. Miller is nothing
If be DO not somebody else. He would parody the old
in the song "H this be I. l
hope It bent" He takes American themes and
from Newtown Creek" and might be Havre or any
French seaport town with its peasants and streepeo
pie but French town painted by some who had
been studying Turner. Then there Brushburning
Long Island" and Old Mill at Springfield" which
French landscapes by this that, the other
Frenchman. Not that Mr.. Miller is not clever, but his
teaching, which believe, though we do not know,
must have been French dominates every inch of his
canvas, and takes salt and SAVIOR out of them
Prominently has not been good for Mr.. Homer either,
who has four large pictures here all ABOUT the same
square which in spite OF the great cleverness OF all OF
them, would be hollow square for ALL II II were not for
the brilliant masterpiece In corner, "A Fair Wind"
or the other three, one calf leading negro boy by
string called "A Cattle Piece and another, calf lead
ing soldier, Zouave by another string. called Forag-
ing are only capable OF interesting painters who Ike to
see how do it," Another over the Hills, two girls
stuck bolt upright in the middle Of barren canvas.
be interesting to nobody, neither to painters nor lay
men 1t is Mr. Homer when he has nothing TO and
persists in taking big canvas TO say in The Cattle
Piece" aud the Foragng' subjects that could not
long please people whose business 1t is 10 eaten
calves and make end OF them. aud painter would
soon exhaust his admiration for the sklul manipua-
ton. But not so with "a Fair Wind" No eye
that delights in salt water, and in the sight nj
least OF q sailboat bounding over 1T and
no eye that can take pleasure in seeing the human body
painted with master hand with absolute truth % ac-
tion with energetic restraint Of muscle, with the free
dom OF life not 10 move. ana all as III III pa!
but must admit that there picture In this cXbiilo
nor can we remember when there has been picture any
exhibition that can named alongside OF this. 1t has
been said that strength coming II does directly
against La Farges decacy Injuries the picture OF Tie
latter artist but to thinking though neither suits
the other much yet Mr. Homer s II anything the sui
this uNtapOsiton. The fault We arc conttaned
to find with his pictures in general is the coarse
ness Of their execution; We often wish for
him the one grace Of refinement OF line
and Of color But his gift OF painting from the
first intention Is precious when II results II not
always and not often, does in work like this, OF which
we dare affirm that there Is not anywhereat home. III
France, in EnGiand-a painter capable OF its
mate. II has always been reCkoned difficult task TO
paint people boat and from Raphael down the fail
urcs have numberless yet hero 1t done TO
perfection and the people, for all the difficulties OF their
attitudes placed with such and yet such certainty
.hn, We make one with them and cut the foam rs glad
as they great thing when painter can not only put
his own his boat but constain the spectator To
20 along people before this inspiring picture,
one praises the boy who lies his back braccd against
tho motion of the boat yet yielding to every lurch
and sway Another will praise the boy who sits
on the boats edge and stays himself with hls
toes Another thinks best OF the boy who sits
on the stern-deck. but is ready to praise any one
of the others If his attention called to him Some
Fever tired of piasng the water that IA not theatrc
wal r. whether of the pastcboard kind that makes
how the Keel can cut 1t, OF the green baze
knC That excites equal wonder to why the boat
does I 90 down like q shot. These waves can give
and take and the boat the boys know it, and there
Is wind in the sails and shifting sun that now hides
now shines and this for painters canvas Is
life on the wave!