The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-02
FINE ARTS.

xkcEPTIoN AND PRIVATE VIEW AT THE MA
TIoNAL ACADEMY OF DEsIoN-A LARGE AND
FASHIONABLE GATHERINo-THE INFLUENCE
or THE SOCIETY or AMERICAN ARTISTS ON
THE PRESENT DISPLAY.
The art event OF the season, par excellence. is the
reception and private view Of the exhibition paint
ings gathered together each year upon tho walls Of
tho National Academy Of Design, which takes place
on the evening before galleries opened to tho
general public. Tho affair." as II did last evening,
usually brings together q representative assembage
oil citizens, and in which there Is higher aver
age culture than is usual in large gatherings for
similar purposes There Last evening, as usual, on
account Of the comparatively small size OF The gal
leries, somewhat OF crush, and thorough enjoyment
Of the pictures out OF the question
The scene itself was, however, brilliant ono one
turned from beautiful phases OF nature reproduced
BY art which hung every side 10 the living pictures
formed each by the changing groupings Of tho
faces and figures OF danes and demosciies. un-
conscious OF themselves in their admiration OF
the beautiful before them. A brnss band rather took
away than added to the attractions Of the even
ing Passing up The stairs, between which was
q tasteful arrangement OF 1swers and plants,
noting . lew drawings hung on tho side walls,
We reach tho corridor with its wafer colors,
etchings, pen and ink studies, In black and white,
wood cuts decorated tiles and color sketches Leav-
ing these later examination, we pass into the large
south room, and, wandering through and from this
INTO tho other galleries freely the crowd allows,
commence our second examination OF the pictures.
II is usually said OF each annual exhibition that II
Is better than the which imm ediatey preceded It,
This is generally the in moderate degree and
IL should be so. The exhibition this year is bettor
than the last possibly In the display OF pictures
by resident artists. AS whole, however, it Is not
better, and this 10 due TO the establishment OF the
Society OF American Artists, whose exhibition has
Just closed That element OF freshness and IN
doubted II at tunes coarse and crude strength which
last year was derived from the contributions OF our
artists studying residing abroad ana who have
lately returned wanting in the degree which was
observable last season This foreign work. though It
may deserve criticism in its imitation tendencies
wholesome, has commenced to and will thoroughly
tone up and strengthen homo art. We have few,
II any, masters In painting here, ana tho following
Of students their footsteps would lead nowhere, or
NJ least Advancement In art Wo must have
our standard abroad and feel foreign influence;
rs Italy did from Greece Spain from Italy, Holland
from SPAN, aud France has done from everywhere.
TINS year, at least, the now society has hurt the
Academy 10 very appreciable extent Whether II
will next season is extremely probematcal and re-
mains 10 DO There mas been n sort OF treason
10 the camp OF the new society. Some OF It's pro-
iectors here aud the prime first councils
have reserved their work Tor the Acauemy Tho
members from abroad, however, have neglected the
Academy 10 send their best the Kurtz gal
Iery believing that exhibition DO their
interest earneAt Tor It's welfare. The gentlemen
lord Tiffany, Moran ana Minor, OF the society,
but not OF Munich and Paris, desired Its success
and distinctly unders.anded u 20 mean no real oppo-
sition 10 The Academy, sent work which In artis-
TIC merits, If not IN Importance, - much better
in the average than their Academy con,ribu-
lions. II 10 for the above reasons that the
Academy has suffered. rho exhibition last
year was very decided Improvement on that Of the
Nasv I'D haAn pls Ry 4 M
Witharawsiin great part OF this supply find that
the present exhibition has somehow dropped from
the high estate OF last II there had been mono
OF the SOM foreign pictures In the last exhibition
display without doubt would have becn said TO have
beea an improvement on that OF 1875. As this cie-
ment Is weak this year only say the pres
ept exhibition Is Improvement It's predecessor,
aec,Sod manner than he latter was on that Of 1916
This ratio OF increasing excellence may be at
ributed 20 the stimulating effect ON the home artists
u TINS so-calied foreign work.
Munich this ycar shows up but weakly, and Paris is
nowhere, SO 10 speak, Where are the equals 10 value
Of Shiriaw's .'Snesp Shearing." William ~ Chose's
Unexpected Intrusion Wyatt. Eaton's ''Harvesters
~ Rest" Edgar NJ. Wards washing Place, Brit
tany," and his ''Sabo. Maker" DiemsA's "Palr,smn
Lazy and Duveneck's suqnE work, "A lusk.st:4
Pssss" Their pucc - no. ai.sd by Sa.s..xss .'Ihs
Bathor, Chases .'Court Jester kcyinx Up" Scbmtx
bcrger's "Wating for tue Mastsr," HovcndeD's "Ven
dean Guard and Eaton's portrait Of chd. Messrs.
Ward and Duveneck have not even sent pictures.
the representatives OF tho foreign element who
contributed, and who formed Tho now society on
count OF grievance which seemed 10 Thorn TO be I'm
pending, nave been remarkably well treated by tho
hanging Com miIee anu II more OF has ciuss vi work
had been sent we ininK II would have been well
hung as il was last year The only grievance that
these gentlemen possibly have this year will be
In case OF refusal oil the Academy 10 elect rhem as
associates
Now to point our moral by comparison of the
work sont 10 the Kurtz Gallery and 10 the Academy
by exhibitors botn collections will take the
names Of some Of these gentlemen Mr. Shiraw, tho
president Of the new society, has sent tho most i'm
though the fall Is great strengthening pic
ture Mr. Dieman has done the same thing though 10
sghter degree; Mr.. Julian Weir mas sent decidedly
more important contribution tnan either OF his kurz
Gallery pictures; tho work OF MIR. Fuller In tho Acad-
envy lar higher IN artistic value than his mead
the collection OF the society ard Mr. Porter has
also sent his best work to the Academy.
Now, take kessra Wyanf, Colman, lnnsss, Swain
Clifford and Tiffany ant Moran They dealt very fairly
with The society and in some cases perhaps
consciously sent thor best work there desiring 10
be we'll represented aud 10 lend the association n
helping hand. TO our mind, Mr. Wynnps lake picture
st tho Kurtz Gallery moro important aud,
The whole better than either OF his present contr
buttons. Mr. Colman may not think but his Ho-
landisb picture 10 artisicay much better picture
than bis view on Lake Lucerne.
Mr. Innsss' 1rst contribution TO the society OF
American Artists decidedly more OF n picture and
him infinitely credit than do his three
vases the Academy. swan Clifford has sent ex-
trsnely good both exhibitions and ugh that
at the Kurtz GALLERY the mportant tninK
his Academy picture the best OF Tho three. Mr..
1ifapys yiew IN Canal street. Is far ahead OF either
OF his contributions 10 tho Society OF American
Artists. Mr.. Minor has his best pictures in tho
Academy, and finally Mr. Moran did himself much
credit 10 has contributions TO the schism than
lie has In The Academy.
During The day yesterday from eight O'Clock A. NJ.
men. invited by card, and supposed especially
Interested IN art-In the way of buy ink-viscd the
gn'ierics and were shown around by members VI the
council.
ART STUDENTS LEAGUE.
Tho annual exhibition OF students work and
monthly art reception OF tho Art Students League
take pIsee At tho rooms OF tho society. In FINN