New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-20
NATIONAL ACADEMY or DESIGN

FiFTY-sxrH ANNUAL EXHIBITION.
Two hours of gas-ligbt were generously ac-
corded last night the Newspaper writer's 10 sec anu
digest the Academy exhibition which his TO OVERCOMING
The 1--WE rooms and tue corridor on the gallery moor
Whatever may have been the for this action on
tho mart OF tho Council we to express the hope
that II may never lie repeated. II Is impossible 10
suuh n short time, TO do more than take
passing look ut tho pictures, ana inc
pictures themselves, fresh from HarnlShlhg'uaS'
are l-seen by treacherous Gasght All tbat can 90
done then Is to give general account OF the contents OF
the exhibition aud to hint at tho impression which u
makes on tho WAY farng critic who has TO read as he
nus.
Itmay be said in starting that there are few important
names Of members OF the Academy unrcpresented On
these walls while there also TO DO found not ale"
works by artists belonging the rival society whose OK
hIiuton opens next week. In the South boom'
Mr. Albert Bierstadt occupies tho place OF honor
at the east en- with large picture OF tue
Yosemite Valley g. like tho old remembered canVases
that QUE has To rub his eyes 10 make sure nc Is not KIP
Van Wlnkle In tho North Room Mr. Eastman Johnson
has an picture OF two gentlemen in the cohVen
onal studio attitudes Of tkers Other places OF honor
are occupied by Mr. lnness, Mr. Huntington MI Crop
sey Mr. Belows; aud indeed tho old well known names
meet us on every side ana completely swamp
lie few sirungcrs-Or would do so some
OF them had not secured themselves against ODhVion
by sending canvases CT pOrientous sze We do not re-
member having seem IN any eKtDllOh Vi TIC
Academy at ouce 50 many large pictures aud go many
very small ouea And sad Il Is 10 confess H. We DO not
remember any exhibition that Oh first Wow has made
so depressing Impression. No exceptionally hne
portrait landscape OF marked excellence OF beauty
no historical subject, imaginative sul1rct-not
even any piece OF egerdemaiD IN painting Is there 10
tighten up for tbs visitor the dul mOnotOny
OF commonplace We yak ourselves encouragement,
n this lie the outcome OF the years work OF our best
men, what Ia to the future OF our Orti Hero arc the
men who are king up the record Of cur time, ara now
are they doing III
OF course all Is equally bad; all IA not equally
fame Me- Maynar,l's Portrait Of Mr. MJot" Is, or
up,ars Ia be- for being 30 high and by gassht,
we answer for nothing-a welpautc1 aud pic
turesgue treatment Of the subject There IA also
n small portrait hung on the ho0r In the
Ean Room, by Mr.. Mllet, we believe, which looks TO
have ZONE merritt has vitality ut least But tue same
artists large Portrait Of Lady" MISS Kate Field ia
the South Room value In our judgment. except
in ito head which a very Insignificant part OF the
colnposiuon Mr.. George Fuller has one OF his man
uered, sbadowy. morbid pictures, In which, however,
there IL more sweetness and lno IN tho face
than no usually succeeds OF late In getting.
Mr.. POrter's Portrait OF n Lady" In the
South Room IL n grievOus singing backward" from
his rst promse Is not painting but only cnamer
ling and excusaby bad DE- awtngthe face quite out
and a look In his Of treating his sitter as II nc
were getting paint from one model. Mrs Anna Lea
Merritrs Portrait On the wall has much swcst.
ness aud plcturesqneneBs, and would deserve much
higher praise II the head not little uncertain
The best head the gallery the whole, that OF an
old lady the East ROOM by Mr. Mari. II Is no doubt
exaggerated in b shadows, but 1t Is strongly painted
and full Of life.
The landscapes too, are Disappointing though Mr.
George Inness holds his with his large picture IN the
South Room and in the little Northwest Room. Mr.
Hubbard too has pictures with unusual strength In
them but VIC cannot remember many that we feel
we must see again. Mr. Murphy il vapOrish and
nered as usual Mr. Thomas Moran as many sided, and
Ike as many different people as Ia his wont Mr.. Wyant
IA nothing parcularas not bis wOnand for the rest
they make, as we have said, no impression whatever.
There is remarkable absence this year OF dOmes
tic scenes and bits OF senmentaism that generally
Uyen the Academy walls. Mr. Bellows paints two chill
dren reading book-Or, rather, n boy reading TO his
sister book which seems 70 move her childish sympa-
thios. THIS shows decided advance OF
the artists practice, and IN the dearth OF
higher work will doubt hnd many admirers Mr..
Gilbert Saul puzzles us 30 much with guessing Mt the
subject q Old Beau that cannot look ut the
painting Mr.. Beard droller than usual with his ami
NAL carcatures and childish uusal In his painting
We venture 70 say that Mr.. Beard had from the first
gwen himself up to etching or some other black and
white process, aud had reproduced his quaint
and wholly original conceits In some such
medium he would have made a notable
mark on the minds Of the ground.
ings But bis paintin has spoiled all No doubt when
come TO see the contentA OF these by daylight
We saw night We certainly hope So for the drench
ing "a IN that washed the skes az the was
dull retence that filled the room within.