The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-23
TIE WATER COLOR ExHIBIrIoM

suits, the sale OF over ono hundred pictures. a.
variety OF interesting and profitable discussion
OF n kind that has not heretofore prevailed. and
certain candid avowal and disclosure OF prin-
cplcs and motives oil the part OF people OF
imprcssional tendencies and practices This
Inst result has been chiefly brought about by
the contributions of'Mr. j. Frank Currier. nm
American who has for some time been living OF
Munich, and whose work has elected great
diversity Of criticism and the expression Of.
opinions Of different degrees ofviolenco. Artists
and lnymen have equally participated in the
controversy which has been ono Of unusual
warmth. and which has COMO to tho length OF
arraying lot OF people against eaeh other with
apparently irreconcilable convictions.
Ofthese. one class hohls that Mr. Curriers'
pictures more or less approach the sublime;
aud the other that they are possibly the worst
pictures that have over been seen. and that they
afford an example OF the periodical insanity OF
hanging committees. Between these two there
Is very broad ground whereon the judieious
may select safe walking without much difficulty.
The advantage OF all this discussion 10 TO be
discerncd in the fact that the pictures have
served to make clear to a great many people the
real distinction that exists between the best and
the worst methods Of using water colors-bo-
tween the narrow, the pretty and the Intellectual
and the broad. tho comprehensive md tho
thorough. They suggest the possibilities OF
aquarole as u medium for tho expression OF
the broadcast and most complete ideas. but to
different persons they bring wholly diverse con-
yictions Regarded simply upon their merits.
and laying aside all considerations OF method.
they are of no particular value They are In
coherent and capricious oxploitations OF color.
without form or refinement Of purpose. full OF
accidental contrasts and rich values OF trans
4. a .N.as...
o. rational motive. They are incomplete things.
unworthy and insincere, peryaded by certain
vague and indistinet ideas. and bearing the
Same relation to q rational and satisfying
achievement that a pile Of building materials
and scaflolding do to the completed edi1ce.
They show simply a bold laying In Of color and
a treatment OF color relations which. however
purposeless in u general sense. do convey with
great force and emphasis the possibilities and
lc availability OF the medium.
so far as there is a lesson In this Mr. Currlor
has been ablc to enforce it with his productions
as no other contributor does with his: and ho
has also been able to quito fascnate md en-
thrall many who were susceptible tosuch teach
Ing. new and unexpected as it was to thcm.
while at the same time he violently repealed
those 10 whose training. habits. and sympa-
thies his work was obnoxious and repugnant-
because what was good in 1t was obseured to
them and perverted by the more obvious defects
Just described.
just az present nothing could be more desir-
able. within certain limits. than the dissemna-
ton Of such ideas. Hero is an instance OF their
application: An artist wholly opposed 10 Mr..
Curriers' pictures. and himself well-known,
capable. and effective worker within the linz
itations Of n narrower method. expressed
his disgust at the pictures, and ridiculcd
them generally. unconsciousiy ignoring every
thing but these same defects. He said he
would show their worthessncss and general
deprayity By initiating them and producing
like work with absurd and disreputiible ease.
He abandoned his Opaque color for the moment
and with drenched Whatman paper. sponge.
and largo loaded brushes he disposed himself
to domolsh Mr. Currer. Tho result was un-
expected. He produced rich. luminous. and
exduisitey transparent picture, with more form
and delnlteness OF motive than Mr.. Curriers'
IA picture with better color and more depth.
variety. md feeling in IL than all his own work
in the Academy contained. Il was Just "a much
Ola revelation to him as the pictures themselves
have been 10 those people who have yielded to
the conviction that they SEQ in them unu'terably
good things. Az long rs they eif0ct useful ro-
suits they are to DC appreciated and respected.
but we could appreciate and respect them much
ulott II tticl fOhNtltN iAlttS tntl were fpAtItuk
and rational. and II they we're less suggestive Of
insincerlty and afTeetation. These areth quail
| tiles that make them 10 misead and confuse
and that defeat with 80 many people any adc-
! quate apprehension Of the better things they
! imply.
Fortlrcc weeks they have been tho subject Of
interminublc discussion and controversy. from
/ which alone any one may infer that they pos
! soss very positive qualities ~ some sort or
! other a prominent artist hts purchased one
/ Of them, perhaps the least ncoherent OF the
/ lot. thereby showing himself To be amcnablc 10
impress iouai influences. which in his par
! t'ulnr case is an excellent sign. On the whole.
| they have bpen usoiul. and Dir. Curri &c Eau
afford to regard the very thorough and un-
reserved condemnation that they have incurred
without any very serious chagrn.
The Black and Whit" room WIS n very in
terestiuE feature Of last years exhibition. but
on this occasion 1t shows an even more MARKED
advance then the former did over It's pre-
decassor. Among tho otcllings are some al
mirabie examples OF recent work by Il. Swain
clifford. JAMES u. Smillic. Horny Farrer. and
c. II. Miller. Mr J. NJ. Falconer also con-
tributes ftame OF c'rhings which are la singu-
lar confirms, with his water colors. than which
they have infinitely more color and merit gem
{ orally. Mr. Chords are tho best showing
much bodncss aud freedom aud great taste md
discretion in the lines employed. All. how
eyer, AFRO mors or less technically deficient
Some poriioLs Of tho plates have been exposed
too long ID the bath. aud others too short q
timc, and Mr.. FArrcr uses q vertical line all
over his ate thut makes tnc effect ard and
mechanical. Ia some portions lie Gittins &
great deal % soitnoss and dolicacY OF effect. lu
his trees hayo pr,m llagrHo ~ilcrt that is ox
tremey hard and artn'R. The ramincatlon,
are all ON the sam" plane. So that each tree sug
gcsis that IL i. kcd at sideways IL would up
pear as u straight line. This j. even NOR
apparent In his water co,ors than in his cich
iues, and particularly SO ia his October" (Nc
1866.
The Nessrs Harper anl s'r.bncr Co. ex
hiht i.ylnc5 OF Wo0i1ut proofs that are yer'
interesting mi Instructive. especially So in sucl
Instances as those ia which they ure placet
In luNtapoa.tion th the artist original draw
ing THIS coniers an opportunity Tor studyin,
!ho true qualify OF tine cnctayers art. and tn,
peculiar SIS U roluirrl Of him when ii is nect >
sary that h' should interpret by lines TN