, 1880-02-15
ART.
Some New Pictures by Col. James Fair
man.

lection of eight oil paintings, mostly land
scapes. from the easel of Col. James Fair
man. q New York artist, who for the last ten
years has made his home in Europe, study
ing the methods Of the different schools.
Those of our older .artrlovers
who were familiar with 1.-THE art
receptions at the Crosby Opera-House,
in the ante-fire days will doubtless remember
several contributions by this artist,-mostly
moonlight effects. During the Colonel's resi-
dence abroad he has devoted no inconsidera-
BILE attention to the study of the connection
between the physical sciences and the pic
torial art, aud so firmly has he become i'm
bued with the idea Of their close rela-
tionship that he is now regarded as
the head of the new school, which
he modestly calls the Eclectic. Under
the direction of Bunsen and other distin-
guished German scientists. he devoted him
self to thorough study Of the laws Of color,
light, and meteorological effects, making
numerous experiments with the spectroscope
and other mechanical appliances for the
analysis and combination Of the direct and
reflected rays. The results Of these studies
and experiments, SO far as they relate to
the art Of practical representation, he
pictures Which he now has on exhibition.
In purely technical sense, they have I'M
doubleday been Of great value IN enabling
hm to depict With mere 7aaadna than aidnaGy ~ g
the direct glare Of the monday sun.
His shadows are not black. Each one has
an individuality of color which it receives
jects. This IS particularly NOTICEABLE in hls
nictlres of the "ValIey of Charnounix,"
Wherein the DETECTED light jumping from
crag to crag illuminates the mountain-stdes
opposed to the direct rays of the sun, so
discern the quality. and texture Of the
rock formations. In this respect the eclectic
method, as Col. Fairman modestly calls t.,
aS mRaFSf| poSit{xsa onnsa charm to the works to
In following out this method, however,
there is DANCE Of going to an extreme, anu
capped it. The application Of the unvarying
laws Of light and the realistic method to
their fullest capacity has s+,tf tendency my
he dead copYist Of the camera, provided he
be an accurate draughtsman possessed of
thorough knowledge Of perspective. In
other words, the tendency lies to the photo,
graphic reproduction Of Whatever e. natural tu1ad
against. The result is an absolute realism
without the slightest suggestion Of the
ideal. It robs art of its poetic feeling.
The pictures have no suggcstiyeness. There
is nothing left for the mind Of the spectator
s'yellow primrose BY the rivers bank" tits
nothing but the primrose. There are no
longer sermons in stones. They are but
mass of grant, gneiss, OF sand, These re-
marks are applicable TO he lhterio5 ob;e', q
is brilliant in color and architecturaiiy
faultless in drawing, but in artistic effect is
absolutely expressionless. The sense of OBJ
seryation Is so much taken up with the per-
opportunity to mentally imagine the minor
"Dunblane Church" largely partakes of
the same mannerism, and after careful ex-
animation the beholder turns away with the
beautiful effects in the fixing Of light and
shade. ,, T. n, :.
bination of realism and poetry. In the dis,
is the chnreh IN whlf9 arS enSfddden hidden
f9 fo9reeround % is a ID stretch Of meadow,
on the fu1thest border Of which is here
and there the simmer Of thu. River Avon:
Close in front Of the spectator IS bunch Of o.
l REPRODUCED With tile fidelity Of the photo
graph. The nose Of one Of the beasts IS
actually dripping with water. Cui bono :?
| We are not, asked to make % an 1nsPee-
ton of the hb%odeT bGV11eS s Inc sszea Go'eff6 e.
direct lis attention is the, churcE, in
the half distance. Around this should be
| thrown ali the wealth of sentiment which
the artist can command. In one conception
Col: Fairman is excesulngly happy, and tRat 1a
burial-place of the great drannatist. An eter-
! nal unbrolen silence Is In perfect harmony
with the central thought Of the picture. =
The handling Of the rocks in the yiew Tne Of
nS Bold doaSi and ae raggea }hey stand solid Against
sky. The veins and assures, with the trans
parent shadows here and there, are earnest
| Studies after Nature. The. waves gently
breaking against the rocks IN the @ mld-ais, rs
water in the pool in the immediate fore
ground fails to Indicate the feeling Of wet
"Jerusalem at Sunset is :. yjeW n;;,a Of the the
Holy City from the Mo4t Wn1e' OF Oi1Yes1oe ~
Bathed in mellow light are the, tops OF
towers. mosques, and churches, while here
and there caught up are reflected rays OF
| rosy hue Frightening up the gradually,-deep-
ening shadows Ihe Is o qs m
"Sfeirose Abbey by Moonlight" is the gen
Of the collection, The noblest ruin IN Scot
stands the Tea 6f u @ooT easee
a. a flood o5f light through rift in the clouds
paints in silver the exposed sides of tht
Structure, and through the ruined win
dows and other openings shoo
pfnei enc ody @ and 1G S5kR sse%s
which the light OF. day can only, dtssipate
The intense solitude seems to be the same a!
inspired Gray when he wrote his 'Elegy,'
The meadow in the foreground, broken b!
two hedges. is bathed in light which, how
o,..r .,C,,.e ~ Iafirft color If ia A mage n