New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-21
FINE ARTS IN BOSTON.
WORKS OF LIVING AMERICAN ARTISTS

| TIE MUSEUM EXHIBITION NOT WHOLLY sATisFAc
| ToRY-MPoRrANT BRANCHES OF ART MIG
| LEcTED-NEw-YoRK AND BOSTON coNTKBU'
TORS AND THEIR WORKS.
| Iron AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
| BosroN. Nov. 10-The long-expected exhi-
biton Of works of living American artists opened
at the Museum of Fine Arts, in this city, on Tues
day. The collection comprises 252 works Of art. OF
which 154 are paintings in oil, sxtynine IN water
colors fifteen studies in black and white and
twenty pieces Of statuary. medallons, etc. These
varions works are displayed in the main picture
gallery and the east wing of the museum. the per-
| manent exhibits OF which have been withdrawn for
n time TO make room for these products of modern
schools In the wing, however, considerable por-
ton of the works of Gilbert Stuart-whch have
been on exhibition during the summcr-remain
upon the walls. and afford MT little occasion for
comparison with the portraits OF the latter-day ar
fists not always to the advantage of the latter.
Stuart regarded rather antiquated, and as prac-
Using method now fossillzad in the estimation of
some of our local painters, but it is a fact not less
painful than o bvious that his portrait Of General
Knox, which is one of MS most remarkable works
makes both the color and sentiment of every other
portrait III the room seem awdry and cheap
The first impression one gains in exam
lining this collection OF contemporary art is
the prepOnderance of portrait, character and dec
oIatIye work which appears in it. Landscape and
marine views which usually comprise the bulk OF
similar displays. are notably lacking, forming only
about one-third of the whole. Whether this dearth
OF landscape work is to be attributed TO the unfavor
able criticisms of the committee or to the neglect
of our leading landscape artists to contribute, there
is no means of knowing Al all events. the roll of
famous names is limited From Boston we have
only j. Foxcroft Cole. J. Appleton Brown, George
s. WATSON, F. b. DcBois. John b. Johnston. JOAN
j. Enueking, Ernest LOngfeow and Thomas Rob
inson among the landscape painters of repute, and
few OF these are adequately represented. The rep
rcsentatIon from New-YOrk is more restricted.
Arthur Quartley A. II. Wyant George II. Yewell,
William Sartaln, Charles II. Miller, George Inness,
jr. William NJ. Chase, James ID. and George H.
Smile, William Gedney Bunce ana Samuel ).
Mitchell are the only representatives Of metrOpoli
tan methods in landscape, marine. architectural or
stll-lite painting; and look in vain for the
familiar work of Swain Clifford, the elder 1nness,
Shirlaw, Homer, Bricher and the many others
whose hands have appeared in less ambitious eXhi-
binons in this city. Even those who do contribute
are not, as a rule adequately represented.
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM NEw-YORK.
Charles II. Miller makes the most liberal display
of the New-York artists showing four pictures
Landscape and Cattle" No. 10; Landscape at
Queens, Long Island" No. 63; distant
View of New-York City from Weehawken,
n. j." No. 1O0 and Fishermen of Little Neck
Bay No 1877. The distant view of New-YOrk is
the most ambitious work of the four having a glow
ing evening sky and skilfu description of foliage
in rich but subdged color. All of his paintings have
attracted much favorable comment. being produced
IN a striking and original way and quite distinct in
treatment from those of any local painter. Mr..
Quartley and Mr.. Wyant are each represented by
single woTk-the former by marine view, entitled
HOmeward' representing fishermen leaving their
boat at anchor and wading ashore under lowering
sky, which breaks in cold light at the horizon and
the latter by painting entitled Early Morning
in the Adirondacks," which IS a strong example of
his peculiar STYLE but not interesting repre-
sentative as some other works which he has pre-
vIously shown here. MIR. Bunce exhibits large
Morning in Venice" which Is the first Of his fin
ished works ever shown IN Boston. At the opening
of the St. Booph Club, last spring, he contributed
a study of Venetian fishIng-bodts. and its vigor and
command Of color caused much admIripg comment,
while the picture in the present collection has de-
cdedly deepened the good Impression. Ii is broad
in treatment but very full of expression, and pro-
duces in singuarly free and unconventional way
the idea of spaciousness and the illuminated haze of
the sea. TIE huge brown sails of knot of fishing
vessels in the right foreground artistIcaliy in
troduced 10 add to the effect OF distance and COM
pete the harmonious chord of the work.
James ID. Smlllies contribution Is a small but
expressive work, entitled "A kennebunkpOrt Vet
erau," representing huge and solitary CEDAR half
torn by the wind from the rocky to which 1t
clings and mutely protesting in the agony of toss
ing branches and twisted roots against the fall into
the sea below which seems momentarlly to threaten
il. George II. Smile shows a barren sheep
pasture. painted chiefly ia browns. and with stern
realism quite III sympathy with the subject
George lmcss. jr., contributes a painting OF canal
boat horses, wtb q subOrdnated landscape, and a
singular and forcblo effect of light and shadow.
The work, 4 whole is not pleasing; but the ac-
ton of the tugging horse, which is the chief figure
In the picture. well caught. Mr.. Chase exhibits
a carefully painted piece of still lie, which IS
familiar to the art public Of Ncw-YOrk, and has
been reproduced in one of the leading art pctiod
Gals. Ii represents white cockatoo plucking at a
brass dish filed with flowers, beside which stands
large vase in rich tone of subdued green. 1t is
the most noticeable work of its class in the exhibit
ton Mr. Sartain's method is shown IN Tho Kasba
at AlgieIs" No 80, and an Avenue of Trees, |
Montmartre. Pars.D as well as in study for a head,
which will be spoken of further ON. These are all |
The works Of New1ork landscape painters that arc !
worth mentionlng-a meagre display surely. in |
view of the resources OF that city.
WORK FROM BOSTON STUDIOS.
Foxcroft Cole, who is generally admitted TO |
represent the best landscape method of this city,
sends none of those cattle pieces for which he is
especially noted. Indeed, he seems of late
10 have neglected somewhat this branch
IF his art. in few of the pictures
le has painted this do cattle occur. and in
hese they are subordinate and not the principal |
features of the work. He has, however, been devOt-
ing some attention to marine painting, and shows
u this exhibition a view Of Marblehead Harbor,
which is one of the best marines III the gallery He
llso shows large landscape entitled October"
which is generally considered to be by means the