The New York herald., 1878-03-10
FINE ARTS.
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARTIsTs-sECoND

NOTICE.
Tho great point shout the present exhibition OF the
Society of American ARTISTS at tho Kurtz gallery IS
that there unusually small number OF bad pic
lures IN the collection There very fcw mediocre
ties represented the major part 0f those exhibiting
being well known men oil proved talent, or youAger
who show from their present contributions very
evident strength II rs with these latter that we have
rncipaly to quarrel for tho sheepish quality which
they, as IA body, display in jumping ono after the
other over tho which bar the way 10 success
art following the heads OF the schools under whose
influence they havo studied. That many OF thom-tho
moro advanced ones--are cropping in mazc OF art
that others rushing after artistic ignes
fatuui of STYLE held by some older and more gifted
hands, is also evident.
Tho great trouble about art students who
studying or have studied abroad is that they try to
soc things their masters do, or as tho artists
deceased or living who arc their ideals do and use
their eyes and judgment but little. II Gabriel
Max paints strong and very effective pictures low,
coorless one the heads with blanched faces and with
local colors very bitumiDous, Nr. Blank thinks he
must DO tho same, ana goes about the world seeing
every thing through Herr Maxs peculiar spectacles
Because vston forest scenes In way, ana In
some very charming way II is, there Is no rea
that should we strongly object 10 doinga
weak imitation o. the same manner by gentleman who
c0ud paint very we'll II he saw things with ms own
eyes WY should one strive to catcu tue trick OF
painting In that Elective iaDtastc way which gives
such cc 10 the pictures OF NJ. Boldini, anu another
&c, up OF Impossible early hours IN the morn
ing 20 hnd ana reproduce charm in tho early
msts Cofot ddp Students should learn handling
aud tecn quo generally from their masters, aud
the Impressions received by them from animate and
inanimate nature; their Impressions should be indi
vduaL Why should these young men IN many cases
lay paint thckly that ont inevitably thinks
oil the length of thor coor bills? Is II because they
cannot reproduce what they sec with less thickness
OF impasto, or is IT because some well known man
abroad long habit caprice, or on account oil his
being able finish got his pictures into the mar
much by this method, ch0oses u II seems
absurd that mon should copy, as they often do The
smallest mannerisms OF their masters, Jecotten in
0 pr iide In leading the public taste where they WILL
We expect TO see the influence OF masters remain for
years WITH pupils, but u should not be ootruSivc We
know, or instance That Messr. Samuel Coman, George
lnness, WyaEt and Il swan Clifford aud William
Sar,aln have derived macn Of Their strength from
foreign study anu trave but ever mistakes at
a distance d Colman lor any other mans pictures,
thinks tnat Inpcss reminds him as whole OF any
body complains of Wyant's want OF Individuality
saws that Swain Clifford paints ike Van Bcest, by
study under whom no derived much VI his breezy
strength, or complains that Sar'ain has moulded his
style upon that OF Bonnat. these men have learned
what IL Is right they should when Students drawn
what they should iron the observation OF greater
mems pictures, ana In each new production assert
NOR. and their individ uality.
In the have Simply used a lew names to
point morAl but tho close student oil the present
exhibition Will hnd many others which wit answer
simiiar purpose.
Returning the Individual examples OIL inc COllec.
ton WIN take up Ia the present article lew OF tho
pictures whicn TO us 10 cali Tor more oil descrp
tlou and criticism ihan were gwen IN Tue hrst ooicc
One of the best vi the canvsses IN the gallery sent
from abroad-sod 10 paiDiins very careful IN draw
ing Lnlraoly grouped, slightly cool, ~ may be salJ
IL color, Out very harmonious in tonc-is Charles o.
Dyers' '.stili Life" Noticeable points the baskc
htcd swold-sho blade and lnv basket nney rsnaercd
tho mandolin the glass the table, the char, tue
open book OF music and The rosebud on The waxcd
floor. .
rirhi N harm m nd
broadly treated has however, some iauts The houses
along the quay are hney II somewhat sketchy gwen,
canal Doals are well grouped aud painted and tho
figures tue shore ana on them are treated with ex
cclicnt eiIoct. Tho ligh, and shade management is
udmirublc the full sunlight ON tue houses 10 the
right, past the bridge mo waer is very real ana The
SKY powerfully treated u s0mewhut c0orIu aud
ing across hc picture SO rapidly as 70 make ono ,nnx
cily The principal fault We hnd IL that tne dock
our side Of the canal seems TOO weakly Treated Tho
ngurcs and the boat going past indstinct and
boldly enough gwen, thus Interfering slightly with
the depth 10 DO sought alter
Milne Ramsey's 'Bird Fancicrs" vs. an excellent
picture, wn,ch, on ''vurnisniug DAY" Was kindly
brought down To the second iuc from high up GU Tue
third onc to wnIcn the hanging committee had irst
doomed IT, II Is full OF very good qualities and win
much harmony oi tone, albeit somewnat scattered in
| general elect from the dnuss motive
The cavaliers who have come 10 select some hawks
well given, especially the ono seated, aud his
bury friend smoking as ne sisnas looking ut the nall
naked old iaDcer exhibiting bra. There IS strong
individuality In tho iaces aud good action The great
number oil acccssorIcsthe deer, RABBITS anu birdsrn
their CsSes, iue hawks on ther prrches Tile TWO raO
bits nlDDllug tli loor and Lue turtle stalking
across are well rendered.
To Mr.. SaftaDs street Scene in Alglers" we are
glad return; Tor II is an excellent little example,
pure every way, In drawing, local color ana tone
the depth, We said before, exceently suggested
| IN between the projecting portions OF tne houses,
proppea up by beams and Jostling each other IN The
narrow passageway called street, and down under
the arcnway beyond. The figures are better lhan II
seemed at 1rst, the wa,cr carrier IN the fcre
ground being well drawn and posed
as 10 Nr Pcaroc's Lamentations over tho FIRST
1 Ra.r ~ Edyn yn Il tlA mara W qfln n
| 1t Is exceedingly unpleasant and coarse, where II
might have been sympathetic aud graceful. An
| Egyptian man ami wOman-or, rather, youth and
maidcu, as they are-in deep sorrow their babe
In mummy case are not necessarily as unpleasant
| objects ms Mr. Pearce has made them. Besides,
we know whether II Is intentional or not but
the young looks uIfty, anu tho tone vi his wies
skin, though real, Is unpleasant tho pose Ol the
male ugurc, win mis- head benz dow u utter dcjec-
tion Ia very natua. ne lower part vi the IeIt leg
seems rather small 10 us iu conf mparison win the
upper leg and tn gh, and the cruui.y with winch the
/ laM arm oil Tho WOMAN. with Lhe 1aah rainQ around