New-York tribune., 1886-01-30
THE WATER- COLOR SOCIETY.
NINETEENTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION

Decorative extremes have been avoided in
this years waer-color exhibition and the pictures are
be without the distractions of studio arrange
ments OF hangings porceains and bronzes There are
hangngs and poroeians to be but they are not
thrust upon the visitor who after passing under ths
light can0pies which relieve the bleak heights OF the
corridor simply conscious that surroundings are in
keeping with the cheerful aspect OF the walls Tho
Hanging Committee have this year adopted tho
plan OF massing tones, to afford sharp
contrasts instead OF aiming at tonic gradaons In
arrangement OF pictures. For example. in the south
gallery, watercoors pitched in high key and framed In
white mats massed upon the south wall, with Mr. f.
| S. Church's "From Fairy Tale A" centre At one
end grouped l0w-tOned pictures framed in COLL
| mats, and white and gold alternate Ia the northern
panels There is pretty little white east
gallery with bright sketch by Mr. Lppncott a CENTRE
and the north gallery is given This
the largest exhibition which the society has held Many
pictures OF ambitious proportions have been hung aud
in consequence the walls OvercrOwded. Such
erOus policy OF acceptance Is well enough waercoors
are to be regarded merely superior kind OF wall
erng But this proposition, although at first sight sup
ported by the charming appearance OF the galleries. Will
not be admitted for an instant by any painter OF
skied picture And stepladders provided for
visitors Such catholic policy OF acceptance gives the
galleries impressive first appearance. bar the padding
of immature and commercial work reveals itself
| or later.
| Nevertheless, despite tue presence OF crude.
misdrected efforts, tho society has made
strong exhibition and improved upon its record.
Remembering that generation ago all the American
water-cOOrs which could be scraped together barely
filled in of the old Crystal Palace exhibi
tiOD aud that fifteen the WaterCoor Society
unable I'LL the space now accorded 10 tho
Etching Club the present comprehensive collection IS at
least encouraging evidence of growth In the earlier
days waercOlOr painters were probably Influenced
most strongly by careful work and fpshed detail OF
English artists, but to-day there is none Of our exhibit
she Us so
artists. in which many and diverse methods
illustrated This year Holland makes itself strongly
felt in the pictures OF Messrs ouartey, Patt and T. H.
Smith, as well as in those OF Mr. Kever. English
influence is still to be traced in the water
cOlors OF Mr. ". T. Richards aud
side By side with figure work characterized by
mannersms borrow ed from FOrtuny aud Whistler. The
vivid sphere beloved of FrancOSpansh artists Is
reproduced for by Mrs Nichols and Mr.. Lippncott,
and Mr. E. A. Bell endeayors TO sustain the peculiar
Munich tradition with which Messrs. Muhrman and
Currier first made us familiar A distinctyey Amer-
school may exist but should hardly cite Mr.. f.
l.. Hcnry's spotty and curious Tho Way South. Fifty
Years Ago." nor Mr.. I. w. Woods "The Helping Hand"
examples. although Mr. Woods wolA. however much
quarrel with his art, is at least racy of the soil
Neither take the work OF Mr. w. NJ Chase OF
Mr. Y. Turner dstinctiyely American In short in
watercOlor painting, in our other arts, process
OF assimilation In progress and yet IL has happened
but seldom that We have had an artist strong enough.
like Mr.. AObey. TO stamp his influence upon Others.
Mr. Abbey, after an absence OF two years from our
waer-color exhibition has sent picture painted with
tue OF accomplished artist and penetrated with
feeling. The setting Of his picture tie interior OF
old English house. with polished floor, panelled
walls hung with scouces musty books above cheery
fire. old secretary surmOuuted by blue aud white
china bowl OF one side and quaint table with
tea the other, has furnished opportunities
still life painting OF which ayaled him
self As regards the essential part human elemeut
the real picture ls only the left third of Mr. Abboys
paper Our Interest centred upon the dropping figure
Of venerable squire who sits the window seat his
back tue light which touches ais right side, his head
bowed. his hand holding the hand of the
good-wte who sits beside him In tho
corner. Mr. Abbey gives a literal explanation
these melancholy musings by conspcuOusly placing
IN the night foreground white robed young woman OF
proportions which we can only view with respectful
astonIshmcnt, VINO Is accompanying The old song
upon gigantic harp The auburn haired short-walsted
musician hardly beautiful but she Is probably to be
taken In all her magnitude example OF an extreme
before the broad win1ow and by dusky curtains
on either side and the dress OF the wife. whose ;lee
really seems younger than that OF the daughter Is or
delicate, pale sreenish hue. Mr. AbDeys workmanship
OF course far less important than tho sentiment OF
the picture aud 1t certainly has sentiment and
truer than any to he felt in much OF the artists work
Other features" OF the exhibition are Nr. +. g.
Churcns From Fairy Tale. picture 10 which char
acter Is expressed as well as decorative effect NJ
lose her present crude colorng IN black and white re-
not he lost; Mr Weiion's iioaiizatOn OF " Incense"
Deaiile's Review of the French Army" lent BY Mr.
Messrs DE lhuls'rup ard Zogbaun. and two paintings
Of generous dimensions by Mr. W. NJ CAase. His "eum-
ner Afternoon IN Holland" introduces outdoor
breakfast table spread among hcongruous surroundings
a. VIII ch sits penslys young cad In white flannel,
clever portrait On the other side have glimpse OF
young liy swinging In hammock. Her figure eau he
accounted for only with difficulty but OF her
lace and feet. In the background Is confusion Of
" alls. doors and red BRICK house walls which
and from each other at angles difficult of eXpana-
ton by any ordinary theory OF perspective. snowy
picture which much clever work mas been is
nls and the may be said OF tie model painted
Jy Mr. Chase "A Madrid Dancing Glr'
Mr.. keyer sends half dozen domestic genres,
Ow in tone. invested with sYmp9tnetc feeling
Mr. Blum contributes figure studies. ana Mr.. A. NJ
Turner sends a picture. Wanted for Adoption" which
conveys pathetic thought. In landscape one can
,hOOse from credtsbe examples by Messrs. CLIFFORD
FarreT Murphy Tryan, McIlheuny aud Ot Others
from winter by MessIs Palmer Baker, Murphy
md Crane There marine and shore by Mes>r
luarticy, Edward Moran. Nicol, W. I. Richards aud
iamton with effective sketches by Messrs Ross Iur-
ler and Chapman. or Ideal subjects. aside from Mr.
,hurchs painting Of maiden attended Jealous tigers.
lis pretty decorative panel ana Mr.. Wedons' Incense.
here Is little Flowers are treated by Miss Abbott
irs. Smie FIieda Noeter. 0pe OF several new Names
ND Dir. Weir, aud Mrs. Nichols contributes charm
ngly light and airy study of autumn leaves.
or the etching clab bitIon only
Iessrs Duyeneck. Parrish Plat. and Pennrl vita
tchings by members OF the Moran family Mr. James ID.
mie Dr. Yale aud other painter etchers. There Is
lso more than the usual proportion OF engrayer
tching, much OF which ho owcyer Is obviously CONNER