New-York tribune., 1879-04-26


the Of artist. to rival Mr Harnett. Mr. Guy. Mr.
Ream. Mr.. Huntington himself the painting Of ex-
ternas, There Is far much Of this merely external
painting IN Academy. tins painting by recipe, OF
which the critics complain and in their complaint only
give voice 10 the discomfort Of the general pubic
When are called on by duty to study an eX-
hibton OF American pictures like this IN detail, We
are more and painfully Impressed with the
mechanism Of execution. the matrrialism OF the
tIiukng-and how little here des,rycs the name OF
"hnsing"-th.t covers the walls We hear on AT sides
complaints that American art is angushng for want OF
support that people will not buy American pictures,
that the dealers do put American pictures in
their galleries We do most heartily and sincerely wish
that this not much OF it true, aud that it might
not be much longer But we are sure
the fault is In the artists and not
IN the public We know that the problem
largely commercial one, and that, in all other
matters in the matter OF art; tho race is to the swift
and the battle 10 the strong Our artists for the most
part keep after painting down to the pub
lie instead OF forcing the public mp to higher level by
determined efforts give them the best work they can
produce The trouble il that what our artists VIII not
do, the artists OF foreign countries do, and these
educate public 10 the loss OF our own
No doubt, much injustice Is done by our picture
buyers VINO lump American pictures all together
but tins Will not account for tae tact we are all COM
planning Of II Il not lack OF either, for we have
seen the Spencer collection a gallery OF picked petures
selling I'm these so-caod hard times for over $4,000
wlile Academy Is suffering from neglect, and
al devices fail to attract buyers or to spur mp m
wiling II does not take many days spen, III these
galleries to explain the difference.
That tie public Graves something better than tho
artists Of known rorute choOse give It Is shown by the
interest felt IN works that promise new departure
If on closer acIu ltlneo they do not altogether
mdl tie promise Thus Mr. George Fuller cXcitcs
much and increasing inerss: by his pictures. which
with all ther mauncriHn and ircompleenesS do insist
with upon their ght 10 De respected genuine a.
tempt, &c crlncr Of individual thinking We feel that
Mr. Fuicr interested ia bi. work, without caruG
very much whether 20 Will interest uther people. W.
Do think that he r2iut tie "EOmany Glrl,' bu'
that u because. O. our t'nug he cannot conceive tho
Romany Girl." Yet nc - moved by the poets lines,
ne feels somnthineu himself that sympalhizS. and be
trr, to express BIS icCiiHg. The result is picture that
IN spite of ITS s.ch.y color. its weak draw
ins and s.n 81 amltrur.sh air. really moves and
deeply interest great many lovers Of art so with
hi, other p tu,," And she viz H." No. f2l, Our
experiences that fcw lass il without stopping,
anu that many return 60 again and again. Granted
t11l tns ia measure due to the qleerntss
oi the whole thing, ourcrncss OF tttc queerncs' oi
painting Guscrucss OF the WY the story il told, ii
cauror ah he due 10 this, for The effect OF
mere qurrruess wears away. No. the artist Is
| syApaih.tlc with liz subject, he has painted
h, picture Of hls heart, the tragedy IN It Is
uOimng theatrical, but very Straightforward aad sin
ceTc ana their merits the crude monochrome OF
the painting. tley give force to the strong, unconyen
oua drawing OF the figures. But interesting as these
pictures arc nero would they DC in gallery where the
strongest o the living artists OF Europe were dssen3ed
! They are so weak ia techulc that they could
not stand comparison with many third
rate Frencl German painters work and they are not
thought ot with determination and decision enough to
! stand aou ,,ilo the seconl-rate men.
M q Homer,
! who sends his picture SundOwn" into assembly
such as this Is supposed TO be- and what 10 say OF the
Academy that gives 1t conspicuous place upon the line
! IN the best room Are Mir Homer and Mr. Sanford
! Clifford No. $50, East Room, running a race
| to see which can afford tho public the most
amusement Mr.. q foTd has more humor than we gave
him credit for 1t was odd notion to fancy the chill
dren of the at the beach gone home to
bed leaving their jonted sawdust dolls behind them 10
bo tossed and tumbed BY the breakers, and play at
bathing like their It's true, the dolls are painted
very we'll for dolls The absurd color Of the usual pink
| gingham bodies Is correctly caught, and the little
mapuiuns arc iontad with uncommon stiffness, but the
ncdept Il so trivial we can hardly think the artist JUS
titled i'm giving It so pretentous setting. He ought to
remember that some malicious person might think lie
| meant us to take these dolls for real people
There can however, he doubt about the reality Of
Mr. Homers young woman. How, on beach that eHi-
dcutly, like all other beaches, slopes down
~ the water this uncommOn.y heavy being
can sit with her back TO the break
ers where she got on beach hereabout-and she is
no doubt IA hcreabOut girl, we take her for 10 gay
creature oil the ccmonta pearl shell Ike ths these
and some other questions come naturally to the mind on
seeing for the first time this most extraordinary per
formance II is 81 unnatural, so ugly, so wanting III
taste. in sentiment, in moaning Of any sort
oud-rerc's the rub-it might have been so
pretty, or beautiful or grand, according to the
artists mood capacity, that we have no patience TO
dlscussit Only, when artists complain OF the puDhc
apatny we must point 10 this and hity other pictures
here that Justify much than apathy. We say moth
ING of,Nfr uuntin tous Portrait" No. 32s with its
shoc-no iucomretence OF drawing, and like too many
~ the Presidents portraits, regretaby wanting In liie
or Mr. Thomas MoEaa's stage scene OF " Ponce de
Loon" according to the catalogue, but OF any
thing the visitor peases picture so uh-
real and cap-trap as TO carry Us DaoA 10
tho Academy OF the Lauss and RossI.ers 'of twenty
vears ago; nor of-but why pursue the mouTniul
themel We must get wha: pleasure Yo can from hr
McEot.es Clouds" where the intention Is sweet ana
pure but the execution too neat ana thn from MI D.
g. Browns vigorous sketches OF seaside people; from
Miss OsLey's Sleeping Child,' which II It nave much
other uveterats carclcssnos has also no lItle clever
pes, and direcnoss-au artist, looking at H. says IN
our hearing ''she has tho touch OF = man; or from
Mr. A. W. WIZARDS Jim B.udsoe," tho hero OF
Colonel John Hays ballad painted Wi'h tho Knock
down force OF jim himself as interesting "nd as crude
ssif il were the work Of Rcd Indian. but We should
like t see some Of ts salt sprnAied over many "orAs
hero tbst think themselves much its bottcrs
Aword IN closiug about Mr. oln L. Warmers small
bust. in the sculpture room. ono ol t-eso IL parucuat
Eo 600 Model for Bronze Bust" u IN truth very
small ~ SIZE. but II large ia treatment ana 30 ful'
~ lie and expression to make some OF the larger
hu.t4 near il quite invisible. Ar Warner has now made
dozen or SO o these portrait sketches, and they nave
opspel ND new and delightful prospec. into
the possibilities Of portrsituro in sculpture At last we
can have orr friend in little and yet with such ART WIN
sucb sense ~ form and almost Of color, IN the work
,, ,r,py,rs may enjoy il for the s.ke alone. By
..u-.,.. A. Nrnrrrr Ing mada Ma 10