New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-28
ACADEMY OF DESIGN.

INTERIORS. ANIMAL PICTURES, sTILL-LTFE, ETC.
There are only five pictures in the exhibi-
ton which properly be called "interios," and one
of these s apparently tho crude work Of beginner In
fact not easy TO mako interior interesting except
In architectural sense unless the artist discover
element Of association which stirs general sym
patty with his subject We find two such instances yet
differing widely from each other; is Mr.. Yewel's
interior of the Senate Chamber in tho Doges Palace
Venice No 354 which suggests long period Of roman
tic history and historical romance-the other is Mr.
Whtredge's "Interior Of an Old New-EDgland House"
o 524, which appeals to the memories Of every Amer
lean who IL fortunate enough to have had ancestral
home. We think Mr.. Jewell is successful in his
interiors than in his fgurc-piecee; he has the
necessary delight In details which include
color the patience to represent them faithfully,
and the intelligence which Is able to combine all forms
In rich, quiet unity. His Senate Chamber deserves
better position it is faithful in every respect to the
orignaas 1t ought to be yet 1t is also picture to be
enjoyed for its depth and richness OF color In the West
Room, there are two interiors Of the Church OF
San Marco Venice, taken from nearly the same
point Of view one by Mr.. Yewell, and the other by
Mr. Benjamin C. Porter the painter Of those two charm
ing portraits in the South Room. 1t is interesting to
compare the difference OF treatment Mr. Yewells has
greater precision Of form, solidity simple
truth Mr.. Porters gives deep glowing effect of
color with less sharpness OF outline aud less exact per-
spective. They should been hung side by side for
they illustrate instead Of dsparaging each other We
believe Mr. YewelPs to be the rucr method yet We ac
knowledge the sensuOus satisfaction which may be
attained by Mr.. POrter's.
In sentiment and character Mr.. whittredge's interior
is like Longtellows poem The Old Clock on fhe
Stairs" The tall, quaint chest Of drawers" the long
chintz curtains mahogany toilet table, oldashioned
chairs and the mellow cOlorng Of age walls and cell
ing,-cven the silence and desertion of the rOom,-
breathe OF associations that passing away, thus
simple AID delightful that feel all the keenly
singular oversight In Its proportions, when we come to
examine 1t closely. The eye Involuntary takes some
welknown object IS the standard OF dimension and
applies it, uncOnsciousy TO other objects Th3curios
hgh-backed chair in the foreground gives us such
standard, and find that the seat must be
either within foot Of the floor the ceiling
must be nearly Is feet high. In the former the
quaint oilcstand would reach a little above the knee
and then the mirror could only be used by very
tall person. In the latter the hight OF the room IL ont Of
all keeping with its character and the upper drawers Of
the chest scarcely be made servceabe wi hOu using
ladder 1t may be said that chairs and toilet stand
foeshortencd by being below the level of the but
this is moi managed To indicate tne rcla W. proper
tons Even In Interior the point OF view dare not be
fixed too near at hand: The artist must the
forms, in hs Imagination, until they reach the piano
which best expresses their reality
We do not rank animal painting q form Of art,
tbec study of animal it should.-it must
press character through subtler II simpler methods than
In the OF human nature. mere copy OF an ANIMAL
giving only the technical qualities OF FORM hair, fur,
feathers requires skin than the painting of metals
or woven stus but every living creature has its dis
tnct individuality its pocuiaritcs OF habits and charac
ter Thus very naturally this branch of art has come
he d sicd intO two modes Of reDresentaOnhe first,
which Paul Potter and Landseer good excmplas,
aiming 10 give the whole expression OF the animal as Il
is caught from 10 ing acquaintance; while the
second first employed 1--WE beeve) by Tenieis aud other
Flemish painters, sbsitulcs animals In the place OF
human beings, and saiirzcs the attor through them.
This Is idea caught from the writer's OF fables, ead 1t
requires deaf OF huinor and worldly wisdom to DC made
effective. IL is not easy. cvcn reach thoroughly
comca gr0esquc 5u without seeming to force the
animals out of their usual ways and attitudes.
One best examples of this kind exhibited som
years ago by Mr.. ". H. Bsard-a cat pungiDg at full
speed into an overturned c0Tn-basket while rat cs-
capes through hole In the bottom Of il. Since then,
however Mr. Beard has devoted himself almost excI-
siycly to bears aud monkeys, and he seems TO have
nearly exhausted The comcaI possibilities OF the former
His Dancing Lesson no. i6o) IA probably not meant
IN illustrate expression OF posture OF acia beafe:
the animals resemble phlethOric negroes with bears
heads and the young dance IN decidedly human
way There should be sufficient fun and Of unsnis-
taxable character 10 justify these liberties; aud may
perbaps be fault that WE do not find 1t.
"T1c Eagle" no. 243D, in the Nurth Room, IS strong,
honest portrait The noble bird But he should have
been perched upon blasted pine with drels OF noun
tain SKY hchnd him instead Of these blurred Autdnal
trees Mr. ]. II. Beard has also two animal pictures.
Blood will tell" go. 1881 and Consultation tNo.
i77) Both belong the portrait class. although the
dogs in the latter grouped IN order 10 represent,
animal emotions i'm the manner OF Landscer The SICK
skye terrier and his three grave ana ANXIOUS COUSINS are
very good in grouping and expression IN the technique
they are satisfactory Next 10 the form, the qualify
of hair and hide characteristic OF dog: it Is
nat of bis individuality. must be painted with the
utmost truth. Mr Beard gives the masses ana lusterS
OF the hair but not It's oosc free texture In hs other
picture this partly hidden by the rat and the nSto
era Tic coat tic black lndtaD who has the right ai
tude and expression and lacks only that intensely Keen
sparkle of the eye which belongs to the action. "The
Artecha,nler" by hI Doph il a refined and agreeable
picture OF animal life be has done justice to the quiet
gcntlcmanly head OF the expectant sfas-hound
MI Abbot Thayer, whose capital pictures of horses on
fcrry-Joats the Exhibition two years ago. VIII SIN DC
remembered sGns four contributions from Paris where
he Is studying Thus far. do not fud that lao hts
improved much upon his former work. except IN draw
ing and IA certain freedom Of handling his material Heap
pears TO be going through phase Of transition wherein
his real ablifyis partially hang between two methods
His "subborn Donkey" So. 191 is an example OF tins
The donkey very well painted: nothing could he better
than his quiet. unconcened head and the simple way in
whchh has planted his orefect to-ethcr But there IL
no real intention OF blow in the body. arm on
whip of the boy; and the cart. with It's canopy of
artichoke leaves, the child the gGrdcn'wall, nave
the dmness and mcaliDess Of a pastel background.
We do not need to apply the same criticism
to Mr. Thayers Cloudy ay in the Pasture tSo $780,
in the South Room. which deserves to be hung where
could be satisfactorily The cattle are thoroughly
good in drawing and attitude; and although the land
scape relief may first inadequate closer study
of the picture will show to be sufficient The distance
Is dim and hazy rather than distinct ana soiocr as IL