The Portland daily press., 1882-06-17
sociatu of Az Exhihition.


The first day of the exhibition for the beneh
of the public showed good degree of interes
on the part of our citizens.
j. G. Brown, in No. 90, displays one Of BIZ
characteristic old men.
"His face was furrowed DER with years
And hoary were his hairs.
The old man is seated in large old-fashion
ed chair, In his left hand he holds his cana
while his right supports his crutch. The Skin
is wrinkled and the texture and wrinkles man
aged with skill. The expression is good
and the shock-head of white hair is well rep
resented Perhaps one of the happiest features
of the picture is the shrunken limbs outlined
by the loose-ftting homespun garb.
In No. 1913, Arthur Parton displays large
landscape of the elaborated school, q CLASSY
river with COWS grazing on the borders-a
few of whom have just stepped into the stream
to cool off-grassy wooded banks, and sum-
mer sky.
No. 49, William Richards, is picture after
the Sonntag style. a great gorge in the noun
tains, bathed in golden mist, with high
bluffs and bold rocks.
Shiel's Cavalier" No. 81, is an unequal ef-
fort, one-half of it exceedingly strong, the 9TH
er half good. A cavalier booted and spurred,
is seated at long table, one arm stretched cut
holding tall drinking mug. The table is
covered with quaint ware, and q very rich
drapery. Beyond, an open door let's in enough
light to show the beautifully carved oak vain
soothing. The draperyI table equipage. and
wainscotting are all admirable. The figure and
80 II, IL
rise to the Importance of the rest of the paint
ing.
Close by Shieps picture is No. "a, Gaugen-
gigls Refugee" painting that it would
hardly be exaggeration to call worthy of Meis-
sonnier. It is very small canvas, but it will
bear the closest study. A man, evidently of
the days of '9S, is knocking at the door of an
old stone dwelling, and, at the same time,
bending forward and listening intently to
catch the slightest indication that his call is
answered. The troubled, anxious expression
of the young man is well brought out by the
venetian red with which the door is painted,
and also thescolor of the long coat and the white
of the stockings. The clothes look like real
clothes, and the old stone archway and door,
like reality. Gaugengigl lis probably one of
the most promising artists before the country
today.
A picture that will call attention is Miss
Rosina Emmett's, No. $50; a long wharf with
vessels in the stream, and men at their
usual ayocations The horizon line is
carried up very high in this ainting, and the
figures drawn with free hand and Of large
size. 1t is very stong effort.
Mr.. Downes, in the Boston Advertiser of yes
terday, doesn't seem to think from the pic
lures exhibited by our Society, our American
artists show much that is encouraging. He
finds more than half of the pictures in the ex-
hibition are the works of New York artists,
while minority of Boston studios are rep
resented He thinks the figure and genre pic
lures the best in the collection; the good
landscapes few, small and placed in obscure
corners; and the number of still-life paintings
distressingly large. He considers the paint
ings badly hung, and offers The consoling re-
mark that there is much that is interesting in
the display. And yet we doubt if Mr.. Downes
said the same, or gave harsher criticism to the
last exhibition of the Boston Art Club, which
bears no comparison with this in point Of ex-
cellence.
The exhibition will be open each day from
10 a. N. to 4 p. m.
Mr.. Robinson, in last evenings Boston
Transcript says: "The committee who have
charge of the exhibit have labored hard, and
the result is a fine collection of pictures in oils,
water colors, and black and white, numbering
upward of 300 works. The society have fine
gallery in which to show the full value OF
paintings, and large room where are hung the
water colors, &c. These are situated in Motley
block, on Congress street, the building taking
its name from the father of the historian, who
once lived on the spot. The hanging commit
tee have creditably performed their duties
and the public are patronizing the exhibits in
most encouraging manner. The collection
consists of about 100 oils, the balance being
made up of other works"