, 1880-04-25

tion, force of habit, or what covers III Wasi
ington SO many similarly unjust procedure:
monopolized by the, "old wheel~horses" Q
American art. All honor to these pioneer
who have cleared the way. and so mad
American a art possible; but it is PITY tha
. sist in obtruding their works on. the publ
eye III, such conspicuous positions: Thi
falling through divers roof. 'is gettln'
, never could do genuine work, either of draw
ing or of coloring; others; honest worker
once, have lost their grip and weakened int
mannerism or feeblelless: There are brigh
names ''on the line" comprises many which
make the judicious grieye to see there,-a lis
which will not shock the souls Of Philistia
by giving, held in reverence as they have
their aoorks shall ye, know them,--none o1
them very bad, placid mediocrity being their
cdchct,-the only aggressively and gratuit
onsly dreadful one being the so-called "Tur-
quoise Sea" Of Bierstadt.
| 1t Is pleasanter to turn to those which have
DECIDED MERIT,
and OF these there are not few. Prominent
among them is Eastman JOhnSOn's "Cran-
berry-Plcklng," charming work, worthy
pendant, iii Size, subject, and merit to his
faMeas ,CornhSnsklno 1ow in the Metro
distance and atmospheric effect, There are
good specimens Of Hubbard, Whithedgc,
MeEntge, Wjnslow Homer 4; e. Wyant;-
Improving ,Ilg: every very year,Iof Rell9ws, now do
English friend puts it; Of Arthur Quartley,
who dcvotes himself to our bay and river,
therein setting 4 good example to those who
have no eyes for the good In their ow1. Naza-
| reth; OF HenneSsey, who sends, from his sea-
side home i'll Normandy, one OF his pensiye
| and picturesque coast scenes.
But a large proportion Of the canyases
Which attract and interest one here are
| THE WORK OF THE YOUNGER MEN,
and it IS of them, and Of their other works in
Artists, now also open, that wish to speak
more fully. The Society was formed, as
| many of your readers au co1rn7lt with these
matters are doubtless aware, over three
years since, less in opposition to the National
Academy than as a protest against it,
against its undue conservatism, its cast-iron
prejutlices. and, above all, against its pecul-
larltles OF h hanging, to,wllicE have already
referred: 1th These younE men, returning from
pluck, and new ideas, at once sent a SILVER
down the backbone OF all that is venerable,
and respectable, and intirm i'll the National
Academy! It was only the other day that
heard one, Of the most aged and feeble OF
these academicians express himself most
vigorously as to the new Society and its cx-
hibition: ",They are, a set of the finest
specimens Of blatant lunatles extant, sir!"
nylnph OF heli. sir: nothing eiseI" Perhans
our friend was a trille enthusiastic: Int let
him speak for himself, to show the drift. It
was out of this feeling of holy horror, which
for lie more practical reason tl,af9 these
Young men fol1nd a certain monotnnV in Ia |
Ing pcrsistently rejected or-worso Still |
- ''sky-ed" by tile Academy Committee. The !
counts some Strong men m lis tist. and tn
tie YEARLY exhibitions others-even 4 strav
Acatlelnican above petty predjudices-
their thiri, and IS Of % grcat interest. i oIbeit It
disappointment has been exnresseI in cer.
tain Guarters. # il saI-and not withont
justice that the day Of promise Of perfected
work for this new Society has gone, and that
few members law " themselves IN . open TO to e asi.
verse criticism by sending in oiI stndiea
hastily finished canvases and even some
unfinished ones. It is claimed that thew are
saw: that thew are even humntions and seat
to bose as Neyaneeiists nf nrt y. and their
detractors even object to the mutual adnlira-
tion among the members. fonndpi + must
be owned on genuine md d.
served admiration of each others enn1l
nnalfics 1Vhat THE sociatv Hee c,,;atH3'. ~" ~
euar AGAINST is the s ond 10
Of which they Justly complain in the Xcai-
society to keen free from Thar ia n" S.'tcha smch
bigot as 4 liberal it has been wail said IN 70.
ligiouS matters, and this holds equally true |
Ill art. Let them beware of this extreme | .
Rnd they will haye all the success which we
gu wlsh them. Ihere is room for them and
[or I[e Acadelnlc1anS too; and their friendly {
rivalry Will only benefit both, and the outside
4bllc, as well, IN its results. 5
certainly there is much to excite attention +
ND admiration on their walls; certainly there :
$ little that is trivial or commonplace. It is !
PLAIN that these young men are in dead ear 7
lest; that they are not contentwith the tradi-
ions OF the moldy. past, except in so far as r
hey may seem to them to be good; that they .
|re striking out into new paths, pushing F
ahead, notafrai1 of paint or Of using e
hey mean to make spoon or spoil horn. :
he public-ttat part capable Of Judging, I
hose who speak with tongues Of wisest cell- Il
ure-haVe discovered all this, and now I
cknoWledge, that young American sgo" n
nd originality, on a thorough foreign n
raining, make a mighty good mGlange. I
hey may even in time conquer the forces n
I Phillstla, and convince them that young y
IAN. may study for years in Paris and ~
lunlcli and not become all abandoned Bo- r.
enl!ail,, and that there is 10 necessary con- n
ectlon between talent in art and shocking a
at and trowzy beard: Poor Philistines! Al n
lost i'll their last ditch Of art crinuna 1itora 49,