The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-13
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY.


tlon. The best OF the latter ia by Mr.. ]. Null
vany. No. 1859. 1t Is more distinctly a study
head than portrait. and Ia notable for its adj
mlrable technical qualities NJ well ms for some
incidental delineation OF character and depth
OF expression. II Ia n very pleto and forceful
bit OF painting, and brings to mind the direc-
ton OF the aspirations OF some OF the younger
men who have been trained nj Munich. and who
seek but do not as yet attain, the particular
qualities that Mr.. Mulvany has apparently mas
tered. At the same time II conveys very little
announcement to one to look to Mr.. Mulvany
~ an artist who will produce moro work OF
similar kinds for II Ia several years since he
painted 1t. and there IL a great and very painful
disparity between 1t and other work by which
he Ia unfortunately more widely known.
Mr.. Wyatt Eaton has portrait tNo. 1881 in
the north room which suggests an uncom-
Portable idea with regard To the Society Of Amer
lean Artists; one. too. which Mr.. @. ". Millers
pictures near by do great deal TO confirm. 1t
Ia that several OF the more conspicuous gentle
men OF that guild have two sides. artisticaly;
one for the Society and one for the Academy.
We are the more strongly impelled to this con-
cluslon when we reflect that the only other
hypothesis upon which to explain their work
In that they entered into a deep conspiracy
with certain members OF the Academy 10 bring
ruin on the Society. This latter. however,
would imply such rank troachery that il IL not
to be thought OF for moment. Nevertheless 1t
is amusing to recall the very unhappy and in
different work that Mr.. Eaton exhibited In the
Kurtz Gallery and the calm. unconscious lunacy
OF the landscapes that Mr.. Miller contributed 10
that exhibition. and compare both with their
respective Academy pictures. Mr.. Wyatt Eatons
canvas betrays no very startling ambition; but
IA ,ufnt ali nd hnr u m M Onh
Interpretation OF the deeper spiritual quality OF
a portrait. and 1t appeals to one Immediately
and declares unhesitatngly its artistic value.
1t is one OF those revelations Of character that
one may look into quite deeply in sense tho
reverse Of technical-a portrait with which one
feels as II ono can havo certain quiet conf
dences.
Without straylnR very far from a group Of
portraits Just in mind. II may be said with re-
gard to Mr.. Miller's landscapes that they in
volve a more serious reflection upon the Society
OF American artists II that body desires to
maintain a rational attitude in the public esti-
nation il will have to establish and enforce n
rule that its exhibitors shall make clean breast
OF what it is they intend to send to the Academy.
Only in that way the Society protect itself. II
lie quite evident now that It wrong to laugh at
Mr.. Mller's pictures In the Kurtz Gallery. and
that they really called for graver consideration.
II is impossible not to be convinced Of this
when one looks at his Cloudy Day" NO. 1851.
or his Long Island. N. Y" (No. 1891 Both
these landscapes have admirable qualities:
they have breadth without coarseness. IA certain
poetic sentiment pervades them. and they con-
vey the impression Of having been painted with
a thorough sense Of the meaning aud feeling
OF the changing aspects OF wind and clouds.
and OF sun and shadow. In all this they widely
differ from the former, and little mature con-
sideration and serious introspection may con-
vince Mr.. Miller that they are more worthy Of
him, and that the others imply a very unneces-
sary and supernuous affectation OF a wholly
unnatural and unbecoming style.
Mr.. Julius Schedorn has n rather striking
portrait (No. 100 in the North Room. and Mr.
Eastman Johnson exhibits one tho. 179l which
has all the best qualities OF the oil paintings
that the photographers participate in the max
ing Of. Mr.. Johnson's sitter must have looked
at him all the time feeling as II he were posing
rigidly before camera. Otherwise 1t is not
easy to conceive how he could convey such an
expression of circumstances and 80 little
OF the animation and naturalness that are es-
sential TO the production Of something more
than likeness Mr.. Johnson's work is elabo-
rate and careful. and II is evidently treated in
the most painstaking and conscientious man
ner. Very much the same may be said OF Mr..
b. c. Porter's portrait Of a lady tNo. 3i0l. with
this difference, that Mr.. Porter's management
Of his subject is always artistic and that in his
technical qualities there is invariably some
thing TO admire. He is not inspired by that in
nate spirit Of portraiture that animated Velas-
quez or the Venetans. but he PAL nts we'll and
effectively. and seemingly with a degree Of
satisfaction with himself that leaves little room
for ambition.
or Mr.. p. D. Mnet there was more to be e1-
pected than is to be found in his Portrait"
no. 364l. 1t Ia specifically clever crude. and
Intellectual and has little In il that is worthy OF
notice. Mr.. w. NJ Chase lie indiffcrently repre-
scented by a study which he has entitled A Co
Quctte" mo. 4Sll II contains excellent work.
and is thorough and mastery in It's treatmen Mt,
but 1t is very inadequate to his reputation. and
disappoints many who naturally enough. ex-
pected him 10 contribute a more distinctly COM
petitive and ambitious canvas.
Mr. j. H. Wits " Portraits" Nos 14s and
All. are pleasant trihes. very prettily treated
Miss NJ. X. oakcys Sleeping Child" tho. 453
is n strong and effective piece OF work. 1t pos
scsses some excellent qualities. and is alto
gether the best example of this artist that has
been exhibited in some time. Near II is A. W.
Wizards Jim Bludsoe" no. 4i7l. an ideal
! recklessy immortazed. and whom posterity
will study with deep scientific interest. wholly
! irrespective Of the fact that he never had any
real existence. as an interesting example o.
heroism developed under difficult social condi'
! tons. Mr. Bludsoe deserves pictorial com
mcmoration perhaps quite as much AS the gen
teman Of n remote antiquity who was addicte,
! to arson in connection with Ephesian domos.
At any rate. the picture is very amusing anC
has fine wild quality in It that is consoling ii
these days OF degenerate ideals.
In another class OF work and one that pos
sesses n more distinctly popular interest. Their
are a large number Of pictures that are WORTH
OF careful attention, and several that are NOR
or less instructive. Mr. william McGrath, Mr.
j. q. Brown. Mr.. Thomas Hovenden Mr.. Georg
fuller. Mr. Eastman Johnson. Mr.. John Sar
gent. Mr. g. j. Guy. Mr.. Walter Shirlaw Mr.
Winslow Homer, and perhaps nlty others. up
hold. each after his separate fashion. the homo
OF American genre The purely academic ha
dwindled away into obscurty. and there are bu
rarely to be seen the fine allegories whose lite
rary qualities aud size were wont 70 commcn
them TO the opuent, who, not SO long sine,
an inlfsttncf notion that nrt Nxn