The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-11-28
Art and Artists.


After bsiDg exhibited in New York in 1876
where "it failed to make the impression ex-
pected, ," it went to Boston, where 1t created .
great sensation and stirred up an eager and ve-
heuent controversy. A Boston correspondent
was 60 kind as to send me some of the long let
tiers Published during this period of active hog
tilities which proved that our American cousins
can take very lively interest in artistic mat
ters. The following opinion, expressed by IN
intelligent and accomplished American Artist,
Mr.. George Inness, is interesting for its frank
ness: "Turnei's Slave Ship is the most infer
nal piece of claptrap ever painted. There Ii
nothing in 1t. 1t has as much to do with hu-
man affections and thought as q ghost. It is
not even fine bouquet of COLOR. The color 10
harsh, disagreeable and discordsnt." This is
severe, and think Its severity is partly due to
reaction against Mr.. Ruskin's eloquent praises.
On the other hand have observed that some
Americans seem to think II q sort of duty to ad-
mire Turner, aud to become enthusiastic about
even his least important works. May I ven-
ture 10 observe, both to American and English
readers that nobody Is under any obligation to
admire either the late or early works of Turner;
that they are as much open to criticism as
tt ose of any other artist, and that the best way
to judge them fairly is to look at them as If
they had never been either praised or censured.
The warm controversy at Boston about the
slave Ship was caused By feeling of reb l.
lion in some minds, too independent to accept
dictaiion from an English critic, whilst others
defended lne picture as. the work Of man OF
genius who had been roughly treated by the
press. An antagonism of this sort is good for
the fame OF an artist, because Ii makes eyery-
Dody taik about MIN, bat truth dsengages IL
self only when the noise has ceased and the
smoke OF battle has passed away. 1t Is not Of
tne silgntest use TO argue about color. From
MIR. Ruskin the color OF the slave Shin" calls
forth no harsher criticism than that be thinks
the two blue and white stripes ob the
drifting flag OF the Slave Ship in the
lass desree 700 purely cold." aud he
est passages Itis ono of those compositions
IN which Turner used the most brilliant of all
his pigments. A iurid splendor was his pur-
pose, and ne hesltated at nothing for its attain
ment II Is 1ardly possible for any painter to
ueal Win Vermllllon and lemon yellow, in any
qdantity, without falling into some degree Of
cruoity. III you compare even the ITEM eraire''
with the rich harmonies Of Titan and Giorgi-
one, You will feel it to bs relatively crude. Bot
are merry sunsets never to be painted? Formmsy
% argued about moro positively. The wave
iorms IN the Shaver are original, but they are,
believe, carefully observed. The com paratiyely
hat or simply swelling space between the ridges
OF broken sea have often seen in nature and
lne sudden lespns Of the spray is no doubt
also reminiscence. The introduction of the
sharks, msnacles, and human hand aud leg
was artistically awkward to manage, and is so
horrible that the mind revolts from these de-
tails. The thoroughness Of study In the sky
may % Judged OF by the raiu-cloud engraved
from it by Mr. Army age under the title, the
Locks OF Typhon." Our sense Of the decacy
OF this piece of work may be heightened BY the
exquisiteness of the engraver's performs ancs,
oat the painter must have worked delicately
aiso'-H amerton.
the Paris Exposition, receives this critical
mention from writer to the Nation: 81 have
1t in memory that as long ago as 1860 said to
Mr.. RuskiD, speaking of Millas, that his artis-
tic career would be rapid and would degenerate
like that of Raphael, to mere display Of techni-
cal power, purposeless, and utterly disappoint-
ing to all who measured his future BY his early
achievements. Not that 1 should compare
him to Raphael in his powers. Millias has
very limited scope. Beyond portrsiture, moth
Ing he has ever done has other than phenome-
nal value. He has no Imagination, no ssnti-
ment, no power of composition, even, and the
intensity of elaboration with which be began
his career was precocious flame, which few
years burnt out, the precious touch he &C.
quiE6u W III l6SVlHR ntus however, W08L ne IL,
the most remarkable master of the brush. e.,
the greatest executive talent, in the strictly
limited sense-that England possesses; some
thing In the vein of Velasquez, though by no
means nor in any quality to be compared with
him. nor, In high powers OF execution, with
Sir Joshua. As portraitist be 10 unquestiona-
bly, the first of the day in E0glaud, but beyond
the surface be sees nothing. What he sees he
can paint as bat few man living Can, If be will;
but the highest merit his portrait has Ia that of
mirfor-no sentiment, no reading (briDgipg
0uo OF character, only what any man who has
good eyes can see in any other man at first
sight. But to do this we'll is not so common as
One might think; to have done it well will re-
main Millais's chief merit"
Herr Makart, by birth Austrian, but trained
under Piloty, is imbued with the romance and
voluptuousness of Venezia. He is, in fact, the
Veronese of Vienns. 1t is more than doubtful
If Paul Veronese had not enthroned "venice
Crowned by Glory, whether Herr Makart
would have ever painted "venice Doing HON.
age to Catharina Conaro," grandiose compo-
sition which when displayed In London, was
looked upon less as grave history than Is
phantasmagoris. The painter, as seen in the
great exhibition OF Paris, becomes still more
formless and horic when he embls IONS the
festive Entry of Charles ". into Antwerp.
IL may be feared that this triumphant artist Is
hurryng to his fall No amount of genius can
pardon i'll drawing or, excuse an execution
which from bravura passes into effrontery.
Herr Mabart Is one OF those seasuous painters
n0w-a-days becoming numerous in great cities.
who, carrying to fruition the desires of luxuri-
Gus living, decorate their studios up to the
high pitch of their pictures. The door opens,
and at once it is seen that the former ausSerity
Of German manners has given place to the al
lurements now admitted in the "Paris Of
Eastern Europe. ."-Porifolio.