New-York tribune., 1878-03-16
THE NEW EXHIBITION.
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARTISTS.

To the Edftor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The pictures by bir. William NJ. Chase in
the present exhibition have the good fortune to please
alike large part OF the general public and the artists
themselves. The public cares for the subject the arStS
care for the treatment the color the drawing the an
ling; and So happens that whenever the gallery Ii
full the Ready Tor the Ride" aud the Apprentice
are never without their respective groups OF admirers
Another point TO b. noted in regard to these pictures H
that they by diff rent hands, so free are thty
from nannersm individual trick and tins l. so rare
a quality tiat 1t is not strange 1t Should be
much remarked Which OF these pictures Is
more interesting is not 10 be decided on
hand. Each visitor must Judge for himself as 10
this since the subjects are unlike that they appear 20
quite opposite tastes, while paintings they nteu 10 pe
studied with entire Independence oil one ah"iher i"
GIRL who the hall approach, on hcr way ~
take her afternoon drive Is no fashionable beauty d',
a Ia mode, and taking either with tie grae's OF
fashionable society, with some trckery OF fcas'h h
the painting. There is, indeed, certain aino'", VI
lckery in the throwing back to the end oi the last
century G195) for subject. but nothing couu wei NV
imagined less dependent its printed title In the ca'
loue for whatever interest it have than this gure
As the visitor will remember. the composition If o. 'e
simplest The figure OF the lady, llie-sze, ara seen al
three-quaiter length, is hardly relieved against diik
background. She ridiughabit, with stahdlhs
muslin ruh and on her hcau "a dismal felt hat win
broad brim and pointed crown. her whole makeup
distinctly and unpeasan y recalling that In which cur
fancy Is accustomed to paint the witches OF Old New
England times.
This nat comes down so low upon the ladys head as
Only 20 allow little of her frizzcd reddish gold har 10
escape. As she passes, sne turns and looks ~ u.s.
strongly drawing her right hand gauntlet as she goes
the lett hand holding the other glove ana her silver
headed ridns-whip Here are grace and movement ana
the Charm OF active lie but the meaning of the picture
is not in these pgs is in the girls face win itS
sensitive. UNCOMMON, beauty It's penetrating lntell-
gcncc IFS innnaiion ife all apart from the every
day world A. have said. the picture does rol ato-
ccthcr please "a hfst; there faults IN 1t that ea,y
catch the eye-hc OF relief, by winch 1t happens
that 10 iSnt in winch It has thus far been
scrn ~ the lady'S figure v detached from the monOt-
backer ,uHd cannot ak all round tris hguTe
= yOu can round tha; OF the man "hO SITS upon Tie
ground III Mr.. Pcarces picture, near 1t, No.
IS Then there = tAe ugly drtss. of which
have already spoken these things are draw
backs, aud III the case OF some pictures they
might prove serious defects But, here. they only adh
cry and pqudncy and give just Tie necded accent
TO hc face wuicH Is. after all. the whole picture la
ths age of costume CiufcS 4 Is good To com" upon one
lat shows n artist thinking only of the character be
has to present putting all h, strength into the face, aAd
even there less intent on showing ms skill with the
brush than ia subordnating himself and lis skill 10 the
highest aIm ol Ggufc-punting Th- l. woman when
Mr Chase has cOHutoi ~. not lay gure nor hred
model, but II real woman, one wLo mas hTe1 AMI SUI
icrcd and stron-. II she BE- not "a" heroine of
some romance she might b., and We weave foihihces
and poems about her We 80 In the twilight and
study Ter face. Though different, she makes us thnA o
Blowniug's GIRL
Hone could have that lrte head Of hers,
Painted upoha hac aground 81 p1ie goii'
Such as the Iuscan's carly dft prccfsl
This lady y gbor. the Apprentice" l. at the other
end Of the social ladder. AMI looks II he never would
climb to her level would desire to. Yet his
character just clean cat and individual as hers and
the art shown IN the painting OF Tie one as full OF prom
se as that shown IN tho other. Only, IN the Apprcn
tice" we see In progress what In the Ready for
the Ride" perfected. Artists cannot have tie
monopoly Of enjoying the " handling," the technique
the modelling" TINS picture Of the Apprentice"
there one however little taught. vino will study 1t
with determination TO It what all the artists
adirng. who cannot share their pleasure The Ready
for the Ride has been purchased by the Union League
Club, OF this city / wish the " Apprentice" could be-
purchased by the Society Of American Artists, rs the nu
c-us of such collection as either they OF some one else
must sooa begin TO form. If would be breeding artists
here at home.
Mr.. J. Alden Weir Is the next caudidae for donors
among young society perhaps may BE- safely said
that by the artist. Themselves, ole Of these cNhhi
tor. - reckoncd gighcr promise than hc. or
Mr. Chasc's work ~ far more taxing There Is no DIM
Guilty at all IN adm'rug that. but Mr. Weir'- work Is not
with good deal become tired Of good deal before
he can take rea pleasure these lOw-tOned unkempt
heads aud recognize IN their surcncss oi touch.
sincncss aim, ana absolute dependence on truthful
ness tho spirit ~ genuine artist Apparently, Sir.
Weir very little yet for beauty and less than
nothing for what 4, known popularity as hnsl;" but
he does care study. and e is bent on usug his own
eyes and We may conf eutly wait for the results
of ms independence aud his study. II Is to bc
feared that his want OF feeling for color may prove con
genital nis father Professor Robert Weir. Is absolutely
devoid of all oi color aud his brother Professor
john Wcir sense Of color than the father
This second gyo- little promise of departure
from the family peculiarly, but young man hardly
more Than turned OF VINO takes hold of his art In this
straigitiOrward manly fashion, VINO knows himself 80
we'll and strikes with sure an aim, may attain to
excellence whatever with lime aud patience. " There
s no difficulty" said KOssuh. 'to him who wills" The
best OF Mr. Wors exhibits here is the Study FOR PJr
trait" No sS but the Portrait" IL, No. 81, has
grown greatly my liking with repeated visits On the
same iuc with this " Portrait by Mr. Weir, study
OF Head" by SIR j. G. Beckwitn No. So which at hrs
seeing much striking than Mr Wers "fortrait."
Nevertheless, III solid qualities No. 81 Is far behind No
81 A clever artist said In looking NJ Mr Beckwths
work. 81 don't see how mere painting could 80 much
further than this"
Certainly, III a sense, this IL true. Bu, how little,
M far as II may, painting ayails unless there he an
artist behind the paint II Is in painting IL is IN
poetry We often puzzled by tho poweressness Of
pericct rhythm, faultless rhyme, clear composition,
strong oxprcsson the presence OF all extcrnas and the
apparrnt presence OF gifts of the sprit-o con-
vince lis that we are reading poetry. man who can
construct verse in which all these merits 10 DO found
will sometimes be heard 10 grOan-"Oh, why don't the
world acknowledge poet :" but the world knows too
much to be caught with such makebelieves. SO In
painting Shallow people and unaugh people not shall
low are taken with snoothness, with painted sunbeams
and ranbows. with archaeology with th that aud the
other pui-oG for art. but the world n the end.
gives all these the goby, and recognizes the real thing
II were asked for what appears TO me proof that our
small part o; 1t mean that cares for
art-has made strong stride forward In It's power TO
md In mil