New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-05
TIE n1TER-COLOR SOcIErE.
Fo1.GrrfNrH ANNUAL rxnIBIT1oy.

| prOblbly no one would dispute the award
that should give to Edwin ~ Ahbey's The Sisters
No II, the arst place among the hgure-ubiccts this
year Unless perclancc. should propose the
same ar i-s Autamn," 40. 299, for this distinction
Fgdrclbjccts are. he, fewer this year than
usual Or important fcur'-pieces there are certainly
few, and this mag be thought to mske Nh Abb'y's vic
tory easier Tno truth - hogtver. tlat two such draw
lt5 a. thcs, s'llpn seen IN any eNhbi
ton of orr homework and matter
who mi ght have been his npat-Or this among
our own mon, these drawings would have been among
the chief works the exhibition. There is something
attractive m the very honesty which ms lei Mr. Abbey
in his sisters" 10 discard tie charms with which
other artist wouI have underworld the fancy
captive, blind the judgment Of the soectator Two
very plata young women OWNS rs 10 ther uncpmor-
ably chn-l practising duet for voicc and
piano one Of the girls sits at the instrument. ma
hogauy pa,r grand Of Iorty years the other stands.
halt leaning asals chair They ina 10 ntv, low
studded roo H. win a sagsins ceiling. and the trying
HIGHT tdlt HluHinl'cs the picture comes
from long window that faces the
spectator and stretches nearly the whole upper
half OF tnc back round The light from the window is
tempered by thin mu,iu curtains. AMI isstll further
filtered through the leaves of a rowOf gcranum plants
which, parscly blooming, ranged along Tie window
sill There little OF the decorative clutter, much
affected by artists nova lays N their pictures ~ could
desired by any Puritan Quaker. There is no brica
brac ami the baroness Of the is only relieved at
u
cold water prevailing love of things" there is
dlny in urlY bronze pot second cousin
apotheciry's mortar. and il certainly plays no
ornamental part in the composition, 30 it is dhcdt to
understand how It be useful II any concession
would appear to have been made by the artist to
the conventional laws OF the stulio it is in
the device ny which the straight line Of the base
Of the picture is broken by sheet Of music
that has fallen the floor in such way to
define light triangle against the dark tints Of the In
dian rug The open Of floor at the right is also
"relcvcd," according to the canon, by spray
bossOmng shrub which looks fatally ike Il mere studio
property" still OF the slightest,
aud do weigh against the general straightforward
ucssof the wlDe treatment i evident in this
drawing Mr. Abbey has set him-elf difficult problem in
the study light aud that he attempted its solution
in an earnest and intelligent spirit II may sound like
paradox to say that the artist had crowded
with objects had covered his walls with pictures and
drawings, casts in the corners. AMI hcaped
mp tables and stands with ana OronZ7, books and
ornaments, his task might have been made easier
Yet it really true. for with such arrangement it
would have been possible to scatter the labor that is
here concentrated upon the single duty Of presenting
tins room and the few objects il contains truly
possbl their o,ncu relations to thc direct food OF
light that Eliminates them. doubt his drawing gains
i'm %? the unity Of motive. II the method
Of an tuc masters in plintn, until a master like Yero
ucsr came to charm with the pompaud splendor Of
marble poIcOcs, and daU1,ked SUITS aud vessels of
gold and silver. and 10 show how to conceal the
sab'cct Of our picture. even when that subject the
Lord from II Iyeu under cloud Of worldly luxury.
Aud Mr. Ahbey's drawing would deserve all the
honOrs due distinction If beside being
clever in drau.htsaan.nip and victorious IN its strug
Gle with The problem Of lighting il had also contrvcd to
interest character and fortunes tho two girls
are, after ALL for the puDic its real subject This,
however the artist has not been able to do Ii Is pre-
ciscy III the painting of faces that his technical
skill has failed him. and his brush his palette knife.
loaded with white has worked the modelling until
they look like bits OF rough east wall or coarse. We
shall not be understood Directing the want of physi
cal beauty in these faces There is something far more
interesting than beauty, and Nj Abbey has tried to
make us interested in the character Of his hcroues.
And if he could have painted their faces well he
has painted the sunlight shining through his gerannm
eavcs the Indian rug the floor, hr wOnid indeed
have contributed masterpiece 70 the exhibition Ash
il, have only drawing most clever IN parts and
which makes Us expect Of the artist excellent woib IN
future.
Next TO Mr.. Abbey Mr. McCufchcon is perhaps the |
most prctcntou- contributor 10 the urc-subiects Of
the exhibition But this gentleman il certainly mis-
taken in his JUDGMENT OF what will please the public If
he thinks TO please il by ongfaced subjects the
SUNDAY Morning Toilet" aud the "Emlerants' lCun |
ion" Both these drawings make the uncomfortable |
impression ON the spectators mind that the artist has
been hunting hard for a subject and the still more
uncomfortable impression that having found one |
he did not know what to do with it. Year after year
il il said that an artists picture to be his way Of
saying something that he really wanted to say just
pocln ~ ht TO make feel that tie poe, could not
have avoided writing it If he could. Why il !
MIR Abbcy's picture interesting TO every |
body who comes before ii Because 1t |
looks a. il the artist had TINS effect OF light irrad
ating perhaps TINS very sccne and H. felt that woud
be delightful to try ana paint it, And 1t 10 evident he
has put himself INTO the work Besidc-but this is an
other matter dra wing tells its story and needs
no intcrpretor And why Mr. McCutcheons dra wings
to nobody spite OF the hard work he has
evidently expended upon them! Because the impress
sion OF he whole IS unreal and what Is worse, ncompe
tent: beside that nobody maze ont, OF himself,
Whist the scene is that enacng before HIS eyes. In
No 357 there TO fad the construction OF this
young mans mint in hs ilco are We any better
able translate the young wumans face ct Their Have
these two first met by oh1nce unusual way
they just about part! And how heavy, aud totally
uniniercstng from the artistic side are ia"
drawing and cOlOrng OF these works,
Percy Moran has light and graceful touch, and
Leon Moran. tac TWO often working II WAYS puI-
Zliugy alike. Thus who tel Stl lne NO lOl, by
Leon Moran, from S Lie, No lO1, by Fcrcy 'lOrau
And who on looking "IeieciOla,' No. ), ny Percy
Moran would afterward. coming To the Flower
Markct-thC Madeleine, Parlr,' No. III MINK llal
Percy and Leon did " Both these artists clever,
and they the happy favOrtes OF the hO1t, but We
could pra-c them with safer COnAclcntc II mere were
They have nuch the air Ina hcr drawing Oi ha
inc been taught TIE way To do It,
Mr. Knppcr l. greatly disappointing TINS ycag. We