National Republican., 1883-02-02
THE WATER coLoRs.
The Sixteenth Annual Exhibition In New
York Already "a sucocss--some OF the More
Notable Pictures.

The Sixteenth Annual Exhibition In New
York Already u succcss--some OF tho More
Notable Pictures.
NEW York, Jan. GA mimic battle was
fought here at the National academy Friday
evening. The participants wero the water
colorists on tho one side, and on tho other n
host of critics, moro or less in tho guiso of
Journalists, club men, and men-about-town.
"Fizz-pop !" went many bottle, like minia-
turo guns. Puff puffW answered the veri-
table cloud Of witnesses" with their cigar
cites and weeds. Tho smoke at length clears
away. The artists have won.
OF this, the sixteenth annual exhibition Of
the American Water-Color society, it may in
general be said that it is strong, and that it
shows an advance over the exhibition of last
year in point of earnest work, tho growing
use Of transparent colors, and the extension
of figure painting. Indeed, IL Is in this last
direction that tho strongest work has been
done. Winslow Homor's fish women are no.
table for their charactorful drawing and the
expression in the faces. His "a Voico from
tho Cliff" and Inside tho Bar" sold at once.
Il. A. Abbey has for the nonce joined hands
with Alfred Parsons in o brilliant work en-
titled Along the Shoaro of Silver Streaming
Themmes," Mr.. Parsons making tho land
scapc "a sward of vernal green, reeds, and
trees by the river bank, in the near distance n
low-towered church), and Mr.. Abbey introduce
ing two white-clad English girls, one seated,
plying the needle, the other erect and holding
n fishing pole over the stream. The work is we'll
ont Of doors. The figures arc living ones.
Walter Shirlaw, another accomplished artist
returned to America, displays all his usual
strength in work called Crumbs" n young
girl feeding pigeons. Frederick Freer sur
passes himself In u number of large works,
htu HfFftVp Of Ia % Am la
Laurie" "What Shall tho Answer BE, Tho
Dream Window and Innocence" showing
good drawing and coloriug, with poetic feel
ing. A number of other flgure-painters COM
mend themselves, particularly A. Kappes
in his Country Church Service" and
Grave of u Colored Woman's Chile" Err
nest Grisct in his sketch of q Sleeping Lion"
Frederick Dielman in his "Old Time Favor
ite," Dc Thulstrup in . work entitled "Sun-
day in Dalccarlia," G. II. Turner in largo
work, "Sunny Days on the Beach," +. s..
Church in the Lion in Love" and "Conh-
dencc," and the brothers Leon aud Percy
Moran.
Ono marked feature of tho display is tho
bold attack of the impressiOnistS, headed by
j. Frank Currier The work of tho latter
grows in tangibility from the artists point
of view, in successful treatment.
1t is difficult, however, for the average per-
son to be won over TO paintings whose mean
ing form can be guessed ut only by closing
the eyes. Corot, in France, and William NJ.
Hunt, in this country, did indeed paint I'M
prcssions, but they never carried their prin-
ciple TO the extreme affected by the younger
men of that school to-day. These men have
strength there is no doubt, but it is rude,
barbaric, lacking in subtle mysticism and re-
fined suggestivencss. 1t Is interesting TO note
that, by natural evolution, their works are
slowly but surely becoming moro certain and
defined
Between the impressionist on the one hand
and the old school with its grad dioined love of
facts, facts and only facts on the other, is the
| set of younger mon who use their facts to eX-
press feelings. These are tho life of Ambr-
can art to-day, cnterprising, susceptible to
new ideas, adroit mechanically, always clever
in composition, and true in coloring and
drawing They form large proportion of
the Wator-Color society, and are consequently
well represented at this exhibition. Here are
| Lungren, with capital studies of Partisan life
| Blum, with tho Venetian fever still on, and q
characteristic bit or two from his travels in
Spain last summer; Bolton Jones and Bruce
Crane with their out-of-door winter scenes
j. Francis Murphy, whose twilight land
scapes, phantomliko and cobwebby, if you
please, are the embodiment of Grays lines
Now fades tho glimmering landscape on the
! sight, q y. .y- y...sI.
And all the earth solemn stiffness holds;'
Alden Weir, with his beautifully painted How
ors, followed by Mrs. and Miss GreatoreX and
Miss Abbott; George II. SmIllie, with an inter-
esting transparent water color of polards by a
swamp L. Hopkinson Smith, with studies
from Seville, Amsterdam and Venice; Carle-
ton Virgins, with number of foreign sub
jects, all showing talent; Percival do Luce,
with two excellent figures that need but a
touch or two more TO make them alive
George w. Edwards, with well conceived
work, "The Wood Nymphs' Call" not sutli-
ciently worked out Henry Z. Smith and L.
X. NJ. Renu equally successful in their
marines w. Hamilton Gibson in picturesque
wood and meadow views; Il. IL. Blashfold in
a romantic work depicting the early Floren-
tine style of dress; and j. Carroll Brekinth in
studies of heads posed with Partisan chic,
Other works there are that, with these al
ready referred to- mako up display most
satisfactory in its general average, out OF
the l05 works hung las many moro were re-
turned) some sixty have been sold already.
The private view" held to-day would un-
doubtedly have increased this number had
the weather been other than wet and dis
| agreeable In connection with tho water
color exhibition is being held tho exhibition
of the Now York Etching club two rooms be-
ing devoted to that purpose. The principal
etchors contribute works. G.. +. X.
THE ARLINGTON CASES.