The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-08
THE BROOKLYN ANT AssOCIA IRON AND
THE ART STUDENTS LEAGUE.

Tho fall exhibition Of tho Brooklyn Art
,s.,..iation was opened to the public on last
w,i,os,lay. II includes over 500 pictures.
,,bieh will remain on view until the 14th inst.
THO receptions and exhibitions Of the Brook
l., Art Association have doubtless a we'll
norksd social value; but there can DO little
c,her utility in such displays rs 1t usually
mnkes. and to which tho present Is. unfor-
,nnately no exception. Art exhibitions are
Generally supposed TO have thor uses as eXpe-
d,rnt- NJ education. as occasions OF wholesome
emulaton. AMI IA opportunities for dotcrmin-
ing tho relative worth Of the objects exhibited.
II !. rather difficult to feel that these purposes
arc tp any extent subservcd by an exhibition
IKE this. one may learn from it what bad pic
lures Brooklyn can produce but II is impossible
10 detect In the whole array anything that gives
nromise that what is to DO done in the future
will be- any better. IL reveals n painful dead
level Of helpless mediocrity. which Is all the
moro dscuuragng because It appears to DO
uervaded by no little complacency and self
,atisfaction. People who have characterized In
.disparaging way the condition OF Brooklyn
As one Of decentralization have somewhat
ngraciously urged that this ia the natural end
and limit Of Brooklyn art. 1t may be safely
assumed that this hopeless Wow has boon pro-
yokel by the exhibitions of the Brooklyn Art
Association more than by anything else. and
hat tho 81 art evolution" Of the community is
not retarded by any obstacles more serious than
those that II has encountered in its moral
growth There is no doubt. however that
something far more crcditable and useful
could be attained were the Association to Insist
upon a higher standard Of merit. and exhibit
t,wer and better pictures. OF course, our
own Academy practice makes il rather
sdclicate matter to talk about a standard being
adopted by the Brooklyn body. although not the
least advantage that would ensue thereirom
would be- that the works Of some members OF
me National academy might not thenceiorth be
exhibited In brooklyn Nevertheless II Is quite
certain that The exhibition could be greatly i'm
proved hy the exercise Of ordinary discretion
and good taste. As Il Is now. anybody can get
ANYTHING accepted and hung. and n place on the
elmo appears 90 be rather tho reward Of tact
Man IT merit Nosprit Of emulation is created.
and as is usual where little is exacted little. is
given On the other hand. 1t may not be quite
fair 10 hold the Association In any wise respon 70
tihc ior the pictures It exhibits. Like nearly
oil such bodies. It II probable that Its purpose is
distinctly social. and It's art aims polite fiction.
o. course there are individuals in 1t who know
Tar better than this. and who have an excellent
commercial sense Of its uses and advantages.
These thcy turn to practical account in a
variety % ways. observable for the most part in
Exchanging oi their pictures. in that subtle and
delicate ha'tory Of a patron that is implied in
the public exhibition of his portrait and IN the
opportunities that such public occasions afford
hr the effective diplomacy which precedes n
purchase.
Thcre are nearly hundred examples Of the
~ D f.f Lin. d.
Ink some idea % tho practical working Of the
Institution. Were this work Of a higher order
itwouIl. Ia n measure. redeem the exhibition
ilsci. It would show that. at any rate. there
were influences ut work which were laying the
foundation for future progress. and that. what.
ever might Doe said Of the pictures OF the artists
her effect upon the Younger generation was
not preudicinl. But this student work is pain.
lully thin and unsatisfactory. II is full Of tn,
sort u prettncss that is exacted OF school girls
bytheir drawing master. and aspires to elaborate
cleanliness Of finish and precision Of method al
The sacrifice Of all breadth and freedom. Tn,
drawings are nice. instead OF strong. and a ma.
lority Of them show that great deal Of time has
boon wasted and much industry perverted
The school II not one that promises much. bu
u contains material that deserves a better fate
A. usual. there are n number OF pictures con.
lrihued with which visitors to the Academy OK
hihtions and the galleries Of dealers in this citl
are familiar. For obvious reasons these ar,
not the best work of the artists who hav,
painted thom; otherwise they had not beer
available for exhibition In Brooklyn. The new
pictures Rre few and do not include any i'm
portant works Mr.. Arthur Quartley has sen
two small marine subjects that are very clever
One OF them an interesting little coast scene IL
Maine has with nice discrimination been huns
well out Of sight over n picture by S. s. Carr
entitled For My Teacher" and Of which I
may be said. without any reserve. that il is cx
tremely bad Mr.. J. G.. Brown exhibits a brgh
All spirited sketch Of q boy selling apples II
the street, but. as usual. betrays no sympath,
with an almost invarable characteristic OF hi,
iavorite subjects. and consequently makes hi,
10Y to look too conspicuously c!-rn. sir
Humphrey Moore's La Manola" possesse,
some pleasing qualities. but has been carefully
hung where they cannot be seen; while ne0r by
on the line nre some very Indifferent picture,
Of the same size; notably one by Mr.. Alonz,
Chapel Of " Washington on His Mission 70 tn,
Frou'h Commander" Mr. Arthur Partong
Scotch landscape suffers similarly being huns
above Mr.. Hahn's On tic Cuff at Naples.
which IL wholly without merit Of any sort. Mr.
j. W. Casiear aud Mr.. J. b. Bristol are repre-
s'nt'd bycharactoriste landscapes. Mr.. Georg,
lnno-s has sent q Tiew on the Delaware which
ls worry pleasing In character and Mr.. Georg,
iun SIS. Jr. a study u cattle frightened by an
APPROACHING storm. which is in every respect d
very inferior PRODUCTION.
SKINNER Day on tho Delaware Is rather
tnptaah!e picture By Mr.. 7. Addison Richards
n q. and j. possibly the most amusing land.
s-Ape that a member Oi the National Academy
has ia some time exhibited. II depicts Tity-
rus auI an Amaryllis Of the region in question
r'psins iu tho midst Of landscape which in.
cnd'S within rs wide and comprehensive scope
"yo' variety and proportion Of natures UNI
o''A'ng surface. Tho manner In which the
Nt"r"' are put in, and the poetic purpose that
Nh have IN the landscape. suggest somewhat
u'l the influence Of Mr.. Laiargo is struggling
i'f mastery a Mr.. Rchards's artistic nature
Nr richards 5 treatment, however. 81 the whole
s1'lfi - such that it is impossible not to enjoy
tWuoughy
""" may pass with a certain reluctance from
U' entertaining canvas to one by another
""''nieian, Mr.. James H. Beard. 1t is a
money and dog subject: and. notable as have
N'h Dir Baard'- achievements in this line. II
H"ry doubtful II he eyer succeeded in paint
ING worse picture than this IL. 1t Is not
D' bad picture, badly drawn and abom-
lhlhy painted but il il nbsolutelv ranulsiva