New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-16

excellent in harmony and proper balance OF col"r-n
short answering all the obvious requirements OF Art
that we do not immediately why should not
cept indisputable masterpiece But we do not;
and when TO examine the details OF execution
we presently discover the We see that the
artists genius Ia under the control OF rigid system OF
representation; that the grouping and coiorng OF his
figures IL him than their reality that he cen
POUNDS mere technical reefs with artistic entities aud.
finally that his perspective is Of planes and not OF
bodies In other words his figures flat in tead OF
round, and his distance rocedes in drawing rather than
in atmosphere. The harness in the foreground, ON the
right has color but substance the head of the first
old good it need be, but her huge, r
culean arms and hands hold which az first sight
might be taken for thin fleece with head attached TO
it and the sheep undergoing shearng on tie lef, APP
pears to b. only dead but crushed lt by the man.
of killing 1t. The amount OF complementary blue
and orange this picture is agreeable; the reds
whites and greens used in the right Places; the
heads are well cOntmstcd,-yet the work, as a whole,
loses its substantial yeaty the more we gaze upon H.
Its interest however cannot be questioned ana some
thing may he learned from close study of the method 1t
represents
We have rot been able to feel much interest in Mr..
Haes Taken Unawares' (No. 375) since 1t does not
tell direct story and Is marked by originality OF
manner; but in passing from IL TO Mr.. Edgar Wards
washing Place-Brtany," we find that we have over
looked Mr.. Halls Autumn" which is q decoration
rather than genre picture. IA we have already re-
MF.
his fruit prick IT, and sweet clear juice will spirit out
rather than blood. Autumn" appears to have been
painted solely for color effect wherein it ia pleasant
but the naked boys tread rest heavily upon
cloud if il solid earth, the latter might as well
have been substituted Mr.. Wards picture is a very
honest, SOLID successful piece OF work. We may apply
it the general criticism TO his two pictures IN
the North Room it shows both his training and his
power grow beyond 1t. He is fortunate IN possessing
cd deal Of his brothers clear and decided sense OF
the human form the waherwOmen in this respect, are
in marked contrast to Mr.. Shirlaws shecpshearers,
wherein correct drawing fails to give us forms around
which we can walk. Mr.. Wards background is not quite
so good wooly in texture rather than crisp,
and frze higher up the slope, does not prick
the eye quite enough to indicate how prieks the hands
But he rgidy holds his key Of color and gives Us
harmonious reality which, if not quite poetic, suggests
the presence of poetic faculty which he may be hold
ing In reserve.
Mr. Ferrys Young Franklin at the Press" Is more care
fully finished than his pictures usually The action Of
the lure Is correct but not well available In artistic
sense presents only the depth not the breadth OF
the the spectator This inevitable, unless
the press represented from the opposite sde ana
used as foreground. Mr. Lambdn's water Baby
probably gives W. but half his idea: he should have
plunged the child bodily into the water and expressed
reckless, healthy, truant enjoyment instead OF mild
hestancy upon the shore. But unless the baby could be
more clearly detached from the background 1t Is best as
il is. We pause AZ Mr. Chase's " Broken Jug; 1t was
certain to be admired and has already been sold Per
haps the most Of those who admire it do not distinctly
undersaud Why they feel certain indication of power
IN the execution of a simple yet vigorous harmony in
the cooring, and Of something quaint, uncanny easily
remembeble in the single figure 1t mas all these qua-
ties yet stops just little short OF the groesGue and the
disagreeabe. The unkempt creature. with her tragic
CLASP hands, and the prepOserous narrowing AT the
knees and expanding the feet OF her coarse garments
ike al;
base-has nevertheless, promise OF ripper beauty the
sky and bit Of landscape in accordance with her ne
cbancl despair; and the result Is something really
srl1ng-hintue. in fact, OF stronger originality than
it probably possesses. Yet far better picture to I'VE III
company with is Eastman Johnson's dropping on
as sweet and simple summer idyl as he has ever
painted. 1t requires word OF explanation, not even
the title 1t is touch OF honest nature with which all
honest individual natures fall into immediate sympathy
We omitted, the last article, 70 notice Mr. Pages I'M
finished portrait Il lady, and not sure. now
that is just TO the artist to crtcise an incomplete
work But the responsibility, in such cases, rests with
the exhibitor Mr. Page i the most independent Oh our
artists and everything he does proy0kes the interest due
to very earnest if somewhat crratic genius III Is sad
that he usually requires 100 sittings for portrait
and here, we surmse, the subject must have grown
weary at the 10Th. Mr. Page TO create his orms
on the cOsIlical pan,-rst, nebua, then slow Preclp
itation OF the solid matter and lastly organic fe In
this portrait he has separated the elements but not
wholly evolved the vital principle. It Is "a superb
shadow, suggesting a glorious possibility The lady
almost lives, quite and the last fair substance
were add her somewhat ghosty form, we feel sure
that could endure TIE contrast Of the Venus OF Milo
on her left AID the ground OF intensely green tapes
Try On her right Can she not be induced to give the ad
d.tional - sittinssl
Mr. Huyany's Lynch Law" over the door to the
West Room appears to have more than one good quality
and. remembering his picture Of last year. we cannot he
doubtful hut ITS elevation oblgcs u' to pass over
with the simple mention OF It's place. Eastman JohIsons
"City People in Country quarters" is not very fOrtu-
nately conceived. The stout gentleman is not "a tnmG
Of beauty" lie spreads himself against the back
ground IN a way which constantly draws the eye from
the grace fom of the lady bending over the stove ana
tie group on the rigtboth much pleasanter to look az
He should either have been more amusing or less I'M
couth we can neither laugh at him nor admire him. and
yet We can't get away from him. But on the other SIDE
of the door hangs Mr.. Jobnsous large picture, The
Tramp" and in a good place, where il always has ITS
little circle of spectators This work Is so admirable III
execution that recOncied TO the acceptance oI hu
unsayory dead beat" the central figure Tie scene
is the rear Of old farmhouse buried among trees anu
cool in shade against evening sky Of molten god the
tramp con-outs the farmer at the kitchen door, whe
one woman looks from a window, and another huries
child before her into the door Of the stneroom There
H. perhaps, little more alarm manifested thah country
people would betray especially they are not aware Oh
the Misunderstanding confederate whom we see WAITING
in the ackground. But every detail Is so SIMPLY ana
delightfully."- true that the incident becomes subordinate
10 the cool quiet picture OF pastoral life The Vne
trained to make a leaiy pOrticO; the clump OF molly
hooks the grnds,one in its frame the geese Waddlng
homeward in single file and suspicious Of the strangers
the peacocks roostng they always do before sunset
on the locust branches the LOmbardy poplar III the
rear, and the gray ar-ishts" on the weathefoeateh
roof and gabe-each is a feature which could not be
ry,. NJ ms g.1t Y