New-York tribune., 1878-04-02
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ART AT TIE ACADEMY.
THE FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL EXHIBITION


THE MEMBERS AT THEIR BEsr-sMAIL PIECES
IN THE CORRIDoR-PoRTRAITs-UNI
FIGURE PIECEs-LANDsCAPEs.
To The Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The exhibition of this year is the
largest offered to the public by the Academy there
being in the catalogue 747 numbers including drawings
and pieces OF sculpture Whether stimulated by the ex
hbtiOn OF the Artists Association which has just closed
moved by their ambition, the members OF the
Academy have done their best to make
good display, and it may safely be said that
we see almost every of the Academcians and Asso
his best There exceptions to this remark,
aud they will be noted in good time; built Will be fOund
Think that the exceptions few, and that for the
first time in many years there seems TO nave been
hearty and honorable attempt to bring the Academy ex
hbitlon up to the mark OF friends ambitions aud the
publc's expectations.
On entering the rooms, tho visitor is struck at once
with sense OF enthusiastic abundance the display
IL like standing the shore at high tide. A the ve
rooms and the corridor are full and for the first time
is apart down stairs for tho sculpture. where
half of 1t cannot be for the light, and the other hall
cannot be for the want OF light In the corridor
there is the usual crowd OF small pieces
which IL takes than ono visit to distin-
luish, but there is doubt much here
that is worth examining Mr.. Winslow Homer has a
number OF subjects in this part OF the exhibition but
they do not make WONDER as they ought to do. how
Robert W. Weir who, great stranger TO recent exhibi
tons appears at this with less than eight pic
lures lust twice as many as his two sons, Mr..
John Weir and NJ Alden Weir, the former OF
whom has portrait, and the latter three
pictures, a small study, portrait OF his father and
landscape. Only of Mr. r. W. Weirs pictures Is OF
importance, however-the composition known as The
Microscope" an old work. but with much cleverness
and one we glad to again.
Mr. Huntington, the president OF the Academy, is out
in m force, his most important pictures being portraits
OF Bishop Potter land " A Young Lady" Mr.. Thomas
Hicks has excellent portrait OF Mr.. T. Addison
Richards-a better picture than Mr. Hicks
has painted for a long time, and Mr. East
man Johnson has also several portraits, the
important being one OF Dr. Potter, president OF
Union College Mr.. Johnson's other contributions are
seriously disappointing this year. Mr.. George A. Baker
and Mrs Loop also present with pictures quite up to
their standard aud Mr. lie Clear may congratulate him
self on having painted In his Judge Dure OF Louisiana,
Of the conspcuousy bad pictures that in the
exhibition. that perhaps, in exhibition.
II WILL think be conceded, however. that Mr. Julian
Weir and Mr. Waiter Shrlaw have carried Off the palm
in pOrtature this year the with the picture OF his
father the other with his picture OF himself The por-
trait OF Mr. Robert W. Weir, Il the study shown In the
recent Artists Exhibition, carried out to lfesze and
completed. Mr. Shiraws portrait OF himself Is half
length. holding the palette and painting.
The nlure-pieces in the exhibition mostly small
and uniinporaut. There Is really nothing In this field
that calls special notice in a sketch like this Mr..
David Neils Study Head No $40, has certain charac
ter which we fear will become IL Mr.. Neil does
not take hold OF life more earnestly. This Is cleverness
and skin, but cleyerness and skill without much
purpose. Mr. Gross seems in the category. but
then both these gentlemen have plainly the power to do
something moro than make studies. We had hoped Mr.
George Hall had done making himself ridiculous but the
Academy owes duty TO the public in these days, and
should give Mr.. Hall discharge. and pension il need
be. His pictures especially his Winter" the only
ones here that carry us back the infancy OF the
Academy.
In landscape, the exhibition Is reasonably strong,
though there Is still much OF the tame and charac
tcrless work OF the old time. Dir. George Inness is
present. we about to say, in force, but his
pictures are SO noisy this year. that 1t takes
"A guet hour to listen to them. Other land
scapes are by Mr.. Wyant, Mr. Quartley. Mr. Col
man, Mr. Edward Gay, and Mr.. Bristol Mr.. Tiffany
has done his best to mako NewYOrk subjects look pic
turesque on canvas, and has reasonably succeeded.
The public verdict the exhibition must be that it is
wanting in spirit The general effect is tame, and
going over the collection again and again, there
10 little TO be seen that wakes enthusiasm.
This however, is almost Inevitable. The collection is
altogether too large We have not talent enough to meet
such strain. Even London and Paris cannot supply so
many pictures in proportion to their population and
hope that they shall all be good The Artists Assoca
ton was wise after all. They had small exhibition,
but there was the minimum OF rubbish The Academy
must come to the limitation If hopes to keep up
to the mark demanded by the times. &C
Netc- York, April 1. 1873