New-York tribune., 1878-11-06
AMERICAN ARTISTS ABROAD.

poI'GHTON, HENNESSY, AND "DART."
an. BoU6HTONs WORK AND RANK UNDER REVIE"
N TART '-wuY HE IS NOT MEMBER OF
THE ROYAL ACADEMY-THE sCANTINFss OF THE
AMERICAN ART DISPLAY AT PARIS EXPLAINED
AIR CARR ON ONE OF Mr.. UENNEssYs PAINT
ISGs.
,,poM ruE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LONDON, Oct. SIN the current number OF Il ar
tOctober o.. NJ Saint-RaymOnd continues biS
ncconnt of the Historical Exposition Of Ancient Art
AZ the Trocad6ro The collections of the Rothschlds
occnpv tho whole paper, and might occupy many
yolnmes for that matter. The illustrations OF tDe
namber are quite up TO the average Oh
excellence and prOfusiOn which have gwen Uhls
paodical place by itself in the literature OF arr
n place which il has maintained now for some four
years without any signs OF decadence' anu WIN
Inany fresh proofs Of energy and genuine deVouOh
N art This number contains full-page etching
by Waltner of Millais's well-known portrait OF
Madame BischoHsheim, now in the Paris
Exhibition. The painting IS not one oi
Millais's ablest performances; 1t is rather
Dorirait of Madame BischOffsheim's brOcade gown
than of the lady herself so strong is the handing
of this oyer-shOwy costume. But IN TINS DllnahI
etching a truer proportion between the parts OF the
picture is restored, and Madame BlschOtishelms
faee-somewhat idealized withal-gets its due share
of attention from the behoder. Mr.. g. ii. Boughtons
"Green Leaves Among the Sere" Is reproduced on
wood by Swain, q full-paRe block, with sufficient
fidelity and Mr.. Boughtons work and rank
as an artist occupy the greater part of con-
clndinp article by the accomplished English editor
of p1rf, Mr.. J. Comyns Carr. on the Royal
Academy Mr. Carr, who is among the first living
critics of art does justice to Mr.. Boughtons talent
and with courage only too rarely shown IN Eng
lish print, does justice between MIR. Boughton
and the Royal Academy. The American friends
of this admirable artist have asked before no"
why his admission to the Academy has been so long
postponed Mr.. Comyns Carr-writing for an art
periodical which goes all over the world-ofers an
explanation:
"Mr Boughton has for some years past stood IN
the front rank of English painters not belonging TO
theAcademic CLIQUE Though he never misses the an
nua exhibition az Burlington House, be has obtained
none of the rewards which the Royal Academy has
IN its gift and its neglect of him is manifested with
asystematic obstinacy which astonshes good many
people Their astonishment is of an artless klnd'
and they know little indeed of the tendencies and
habits of that interesting institution mat MI
BOughton's talent is too marked to be passed over
Is fact about which there is no shadow OF doubt,
but that is only one chance the less in favor of his
election. Originality is far from constituting q
claim in the eyes of the Royal Academy; which Is
less conciated than shocked by works indicating
that man has mind of his own. That has proved
reason enough for refusing to Mr.. BoughtOn the
hOnOrs Of admission"
Mr.. Carr points his meaning by the remark that
among the present members of the Academy, II
would be difficult to mention a single painter who
has much influenced Mr.. BoughtOn's style. lie has
taken nobody for his master, and he pays the
pepalty of his independence by his exclusion from
n body of men whose ruling idea of art seems to be
that all there is best in it must be sought within
their own ranks. Would they resent this as
calumnyf Possibly; but they can hardly deny
that the existence of such idea would account
for neglect persisted in till il amounts to proscrip-
tion. and that it would be hard to account
for it satisfactorily in any other way.
Mr.. BOughton stands in the estimation OF
the public and of critics, head and shoulders
above some of the men who, during recent years,
have been elected associates Of the Academy.
These successful medlocTlties have clung 10 the
skirts of one or another of the aoademcal coterles
which dispute among themselves for precedence,
but agree in shutting the door IN the face OF every
artist who does not attach himself to some one OF
them. Mt. BonghtOn has chosen to paint In style
of his OwD and to acknowledge no one OF the men IN
vogue at Burlington House as his master He has
made his way, not only without help from the
Academy. but in spite of the encouragement
which attends the hostility of a body so power
ful. The Academy was organized to promote
the interests of art; but it may be doubted
whether the influence lately uppermOst in its
councils be the spirit of favoritism or the spirit of
the shop. say it with all respect for the honorable
minority which would like to bring about better
state of things.
Ihaye heard different question asked about Mr.
Boughton viz: Why did he, an Am ercan artist
exhibit at Paris in the English sectiOni To this
also there is a sufficient answer, which had the
means of making when was in Paris last Summer.
had not circumstances prevented The facts were
known to many persons and came to me from vaTi-
Ous sources and what l have to say vail meet the
cases of other artists beside Mr. BOughton. Neither
he nor anybody else, let me say, excepting myself,
Is responsible for my statement; which goes to the
extent of accounting in some measure not only for
Mr. BouRhton's absence from the American gallery,
but for the quality of the exhibition of American
pictures.
The original fault lay as in other departments of
our show with the late hour at which apprOpria-
tion was made, and at which our preparations tcOn-
seauently) were begun. The American Art Com
missioners only formed themselves into body at
the very last moment. That body consisted-be it
said with all tenderneSS-Of a somewhat lukewarm
and inexperienced lay element. Unsy1npathzed
with and unsupported by the public-the same
public, which has since complained of their efforts
they went to work. / say nothing in disparage-
ment of their good intentions, but the method they
adopted was not perfectly calculated to inspire
fdence in artists or in the owners of pictures A
circular singularly deficient In exact information,
reached some of the American artists abroad only a
fortnight or so before the last day for sending in
pictures. Mr.. Boughton had been applied to six
months before by the English Commission to con-
tribute to the English exhibition; and in the doubt
then existing whether America would have any
gallery at ALL had done what every man Of sense in