New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-08
FINE ARTS.
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.
FIFTY-THIRD AyNCAL ExHIBIHoN.

have come 20 the pessmist conclusion atter an IN
spection Of badly stuffed body and her Kd arms
kind Of mild establishment stares out OF her
however do not capable OF movement hS Is sehei-
ally the ease with the eyes Of such hghprced dos as
she and establishment mixed with laughter sares at her
in rp from the eyes of all beholders seeing such an in
ane image ms This not only accepted by the Academy
bu allowed usurp to itself the whole end oil the SIDE
gallery Of the corridor Not that Mr. Anderson Is an IT.
redeemably bad painter; BOr, indeed so pad as SONIC
others who vet have made themselves name
The trouble with Mr.. Anderson Is, that he is
TOO ambitious and Jumps at bars he ought TO know
he cannot take. such a picture as this fu-length
OF lady In an evening dress OF light silk and Lace Is not
task for an artist whose work. thus far exhibited TO
Tie public shows him still begnner-there are few
painters anywhere who are equal to the demands OF
such a work upon their learning and skill
Mr.. Huntingon's portrait of Bishop Potter has very
much the same anatomical weakness that Is found IN
some OF his other work-thcre too little
sense Of a body underneath the clothes. AS
rule Mr. Huntington cOnceas his deficiency In anat0lnl-
cal knowledge by making great display Of clothing;
thus IN No $685. put of with the prodigal
spread fur coaapels and cuffs ana with gorgeous
rings ON snowy hands, that don't for a long time
perceive that this is not Portrait of Gentleman
but Portrait OF n Port-Thanteau." In the two
portraits have just spoken Of however, the costume
is so severe and deprived Of ornament accessory
that faced at once with their weakness in point
OF drawing
The present exhibition is remarkably poor In pOr-
traits. Not only do they much fewer IN number
than usual. though comparison with the catalogues of
former years might show mistaken but they are GER
tainly less interesting than IS common s there are
few good pieces. Mr.. J. Alden Wcir's Portrait NO.
49, does not well did the original sketch for
in the exhibition Of the Artists Association, but it IS
strong work. and way unworthy Of the artist. or
Mr.. walter snrlaw'5 Portrait" No, BIZ, We have
already spoken in high praise His large work in the
Norhwsst Room, The Bather" 80. 66l, Il too anDl-
Ous, prOyokes the easy. hut none the less true
criticism that the dog Is better than the man. There Is
skiluly painted head OF lady, No. 49, IN the East
Room bY the distinguished French artist, NJ Leon BOnnat
which we should nave been glad to have had nearer
view Of but being the OF distinguished foreigner.
1t has been Hospitality hung by the Academy too far up
over one OF the doors to be seem
Ia the North Room there is ar excellent head Of
lady Mrs. W. D. Brncy by Mary :. Cassatt, n new
to us, but this Is work OF much promise There
Is hut lftlc painting in the exhibition that Is better than
this Mr. D. H. witt, who had a portrait in last years
exhibition which, though hung out Of reach was plainly
enough to be worthy Of better place. returns this
year with a portrait OF n ltto girl painted
with considerable skill I'm n rather commonplace
style. 70 is very much hurt rs n picture
both by the child's bright colored sash, and
by the pcrklng intrusion Of soiaeud covered with
most dsagreeably shiny striped material OF sickly
color. n artist has had any training az ALL ought
he impossible for him to make such pictorial mistakes
as this. When q young looks forward TO being a
writer, he knows main condition Of success Is That he
should enter early the company OF the best books
aud live among them nay, without perhaps, knowing
the necessity or thinking about it, he takes that
young man who means 70 De an artist, must do the
same thing with regard 10 tho great painters; since arr
was every artist who hns achieved distinction has fed
hugely M the table Of some King Arthur and his Knights
before he felt strong enough TO 20 out and WIN name
for bimsof II Mr. Witt who certainly has stun In him,
were 20 put himself in the way OF seeing the works Of
the greatest poTtraparrers and living in their nme-
date presence for time, he would come to wonder how
he ever could have painted such crudty is this pOr
trait, with all its undeniabe good points.
Mr. sartain with his Young Italy," 40. $40, and Mr.
Wyatt Eaton. with his Portrait Of Miss Edith. @t six
years." No. 3O2 both disappointing Mr.. sartain is
responsible TO the friends OF Italy for much de-
preston Of spirits at tho prospect Of the for
tunes OF that young Kingdom falling Into the
hands OF Il generation Of puddingfaced people
like this few stu1iO-properties In the way OF
hats aud jackets. and tips Of feathers cannot mako
lumpy little Daily Ncw-ecs" NewYork Arab into
representative Of the hope aud aspirations OF great
people We dare say nobody could do this. and there
fore let the name go; criticism shall dwell rather
on the fact that Mr. Saran has shown here no power to
put life, intelligence sparkle, into face and all the
heads Of hs painting have have been rs want
ing in these essentials this one. HIS architectural
studies are better hut they have similar defect; lac
avoids all signs Of e his Hight doesn't play, II comes
down with thump, as I'D. meant business.
Mr. Wyatt Eaton is more disappointing than Mr.. sar-
TAIN because have expected more from him. But he
too seems to want the magic power to nfuso life, speak
incnc-s into his heads surely is not wholly this lit
lie girls fault that she looks pouy aud tired Sitting
for ones portrait is tiicsOme thing FOR grown people,
but for cdrcut Is wearisome indeed, and man Is to
show them to just they look when they under
going the naryrdom OF sitting sti he may expect the
result 10 agreeable as IL lie were TO show them sit
ting in the dentists chair Something is wanting here
the union Of tact and fancy that us Sir Joshuls
lovely troop Of smiling girls and boys As painter by
the side Of Mr. Eaton, Mr. Stagy IA nowhere but he Is
much more sympathetic In his dealings with child
nature and rs we have before taken occasion TO
saw nc wants nothing but to have fallen In the begin
ming I'm place where there art, some oppOr
tunity OF seeing good work. some stimulus to study-to
have accomplished something excellent. one is a
bit ashamed OF prasing such ncbuous little boy as
Mr. Saigg painted in No. 35 STILL II the two men
were both beginners, should expect much moro from
Mr. staigg in the way OF portraiturc than from Mr..
Eaton # We had only these two pictures to Judge by.
Mr. John Wers Portrait" No. 437, easy and
natural enough in pose in execution 1t ia most
comfortably hard aud like D coored photograph. How
can man who has had the opportunity for study that
this artist has enjoyed not perceive for himself that this
IL not csh he has painted here, but eaherf There is
neither the color the texture nor the variety OF nesh
Is modelling. There Is absolutely moth
ing 20 distinguish this portrait from one OF
those cleverly colored enlarged photographs on
canvas which please cheap patrons Of art with the
notion that they have got big oil painting for little
money. Looking directly across the room from this
Portrait" by the son, see the Microscope" Of the
father and while tho work OF the elder artist
is far from agreeable I'm color II, indeed, It may
be said to have any color at all, yet there Is
a degree Of llfclkcncss in tie faces and gestures,
especially In that Of tho child seen nearly
IN full. with its pleased expectancy, that re-
deems tho picture from commonplace. But IT Is evident
from whence Mr. John Weir inher- his hard dry STYLE