New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-04-05
NATIONAL ACADEMT or DESIGN.
FIFTY-FOURTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION.
SECOND ARTICLE.


that Mr. j. H. Witt had sent TO the exhibition only the
Portrait" No l4s, IN the North Room. For IN that
case we could securely enjoyed TINS bright OK
presslye piece Of painting invoked by the msIHu"-
lions Of its three companions that, after ALL us
suuerlority themselves is only an accldent that
the artisi has ms way Of doing it, and that IN THIS IN
nee the recipe worked better than did III the others
IL is true the artist seems have but one way oi
painting flesh and makes 1t would appear, no enOrt To
vary his manner But IN his 1t makes no difference
because he puts so much and sparke into his faces
that we do think much, If We think at all ABOUT MS
methods Certainly il compare this particular
head this No l4s, with tue other portraits in the
Gallery we shall find but few able 10
bear the test: Mr. Porter's little GIRL No. 90; Mr. j.
Carroll BeckwithS fun length Of lady No 3iO, SCUM
Room; Mr. J. Alden Wor's Portrait, No45l West Room
Din spite Of certain queornes that ecits great many
horrids from people who judge OF pictures as seen
with the right left eye in passnc). We cannot now
recall any other heads in this exhibition that do not
looka little dead when compared with Mr.. Wits viva
cous Portrait" No harm would have conceive think,
of making the ruff round the ady's neck tIhr less Ike
spun glass little like lace it could not have
been an artistic held the artists hand seeing
with what sparkling touch he has painted the collar
OF bugle,
Mr. wyatt Eatou's Portrait Of Miss Ella NJ. ""
strikes the opposite note to Mr. Wits Portrait" III
its sombIe expression ana its Spotty way OF painting
We have already remarked on the resemblance between
his manner of working and that used by Mr. Eaton III
bis atey shown cgayon heads. In spite Of The sim
| yliciy OF the composition 1t dcpriyes the pic
| lure OF the breadth the artist has plainly
aimed at, and stops freiung al a surface Of mot
lied lights aud muddy shadows. sun, there = always
! something IN M Eaton's work that makes II worth
examining looks as If II came out Of serious puT-
pose and that is much, IN these frivolous days, mat
we do not care to dwell upon wish that the art.sl
would lc,s often attempt thins beyond him. This pie
ure has aDJrcd air the touch is that Of tyro, not
that OF q master and as in the crayOn heads, IN the
! struggle with methods the life has disappeared.
Not go with Mt Portcrs little GIl who has life enough
1 for two three. How light the attitude, how
| speaking the expression, how free the drawing
| and how sure the touch; yet why is u
that with all these merits. the picture does not make
artistic impression Al least does make such an i'm
preston upon does the same artists more amh
ous portrait" South Room, No. 80. Very clever
this work IT, hut il does not appear In sense 10 come
OF tue artists conviction, or the necessity for
pressing himself think, after every new picture he
shows us this is only accomplished mans way Of
| abusing himself ana lie never amuses him
! scf twice the Here Is felt tho di-
| ference between Mr. Porter and artists like Mr.
| Wyatt Eaton and Mr.. Alden Weir, who, in spite
Of all drawbacks, do really Introduce as to something
deeper and real than the surface and that Is
oyeIm0re striving TO make Itself felt. Mr. POrter's
pictures Oh the other hand show ali they
IN tli5 respect lc reminds Of John Everett MiaIs,
artist with Tho sort OF mechanical ccycmess carried
great deal further but, saying more that sesscnt
| with MS much than Mr.. Porter with BIS less. MI
! PoIjeT's little girl reminds too strongly OF
| Sir Joshua's children. result partly due TO
| tAo all c,a.9n Of the mob cap which helps give
the pretty child too old aud selfconscious ar. The
hands remind OF the story told OF " Reynolds
portraits Of children, which the little lady sat with
hands her lap the fingers iuterlocked and turned
lady looking at 10 asked SIR Joshua II the child
wos holding bnd's nest she took the fuger-ups for
-dgugs. Sir Joshua who took cverybody's CTiti-
csin- sooI-humorcIly (hc was TOO much Of
10 snub people for speaking their minds, saw that the
lady right. and changed the hugeT-tps into Knot
yinJwers. Mr. Porter draws too cleverly make it
| possible to misuu derstand his Intention.
Miss l. l.. Boot's" Head Of An OH Roman Peasant"
No a. il hung high to be secn and her only
other picture, Girl with Cat" No. 225. East Room.
The ladys name also spelled Booth" wherever il
occurs IN the catalogue Although tho expression OF
pniOu has TO be repeated every year without far
having made any Impression upon the Hanging Com
u.ttoe. shall probably keep on saving, year after
year, while tins machine is to u.s. that If artists
work worth accepting At all II Ia worth putting
can be There i. logic in the other course and
no arts. treated with this want OF confederation
would prefer TO have been rejected out and MIS-.
Boots name heard for the frat time she la, tai
cut and this Head Of deserved better place The
Girl with CI is somewhat bet seem but doe. not
appear ~ be picture of much merit.
MI WIN MJrgan's " Portrait" No. ~, is = rather
imposing work bu' Z, does improve acquaintance
he colorng is hot aud gives tho picture the look OF
oeng lighted by artificial means, and the paint IS
laid IN al unc0UfOrttby oOlruslye way In spite
however Of the TOO much cO.uno ana the genera air
Il here l am, como look ut me-" this picture
Las some reality in II, aud makes by no means
Il pleasing prossiOn. Mr. j. Carroll BeckWitLs Por-
trit near H. No l52. Is quiet and gniGgi work buf
we cannot what Is gslGed for srOr for pOrtrature
cthcr-1y putting on 30 large canvas much body
AID 80 little head. We struck with ths dlsyro-
portion IN the OF picture ike Hr /. Duvonccl.
Portrait" No. 20, Corridor, whore have a vast can
VAS with lto round heod AT the ton and nothing else
but a sinudgy hand down IN one This vcrv
cheap way OF painting iueugtbs. and except that the
owner gcts 80 mueh moro usHSpsce covered
up DO not that the IL JUST
fed. Even IN MI Beckwiths other Portrait" No
$40. South Room. think there canvas than 10
well used. All below the knees il throNn away for
The dress is commonplace dosgu. the color Is de
tc-siIg. and the perspective go manased that the
lady stand the rug. but the We could
not truc spare the left hand, soft AND welroundct
with ingenou~y painted effective ring but the Pie
| ure would have lost nothing essential had It been
| cut OH at the urceQuartcr line. Pictures Of this
Kind intended, among other ends, 10 play
thcir part IL the general parade Of o richly
furnished house, or a splendid gallery. and
e opportunity IL gwen in fuii-length 10 entertain
dazzle the eye with Tch costume drapcIies and ma
niGccnces IN general all familiar with in ,
French batteries Of LOUIS XIV, LOUIS XIV Louis XVI
ana Marie AntOiuete, portraits painted quantities
and presented To loyal cities aud towns or 70 courters
and mobiles 10 decorate public buildings and private
paiaoes. There good specimens OF tn. official
style in our own Metropolitan Hu'.um-portrsits OF
Maria LOUISA. aud OF JOsepbine-sli the Rrsoos aud
spieHdors Of tho toilet displayed 10 make a show
piece. Az costume has pretty nearly died out OF
tbs world, the artist commissioned TO paint
full length is sadly put to it for material that shall
satcr The eyo tho dress OF best women has become