New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.


Teaching illustration and commercial commissions OF
occupy much OF their time OF necessity ~
DO said that IN nothing more can Dc ex-
pected But the fact that the collectors OF s
city do not appreciate the good work OF which American
artists capable There is lingering popular BELIEF
that tho Hudson River school s represents Ameri
can art such exhibitions that at the Academy arc
likely to encourage critical collectors but there are
collections other galleries. n clubs and IN few pri
yste represent strength rather
Il fashionable to buy foreign petures and II
pictures OF superior merit their excellence u
generously recognized by most artists But whom
foreign picture Is purchased simply Oh account OF
name. the glitter OF Salon medal or the arsrs IN
strucon In famons atelier some catch-penny'
trick subject execution, the wisdom OF the prefer
ence is not apparent Much Of the foreign picture
ing entirsy unreasonng and the elimination OF I'M
reason In the Morgan sale q roaring farce. But
American artists may be pardoned for not feeling the
Of this kind Of pictuTe-buying. They see tho
tricky pot boilers OF French artists and ruDbishy
studio scrapings pressed upon the publc and sold for
prices while the collectors ignore Ameri
paintings OF sound merit II 10 all mstter OF free
will No one can compel the collector to take Ameri
can picture II his s set upon canvas signed by
moro sonorous name sensible person believes that
American artists should be mollycodiled smry eeesuss
they artists 1t Is question OF merit and IL may %
atngy said that American artists do not recsve
the appreciation which their merits entte thern The
collectors have In their power TO set the fashion,
for fashion must be recognized here elsewsre have
not followed tho changes which have taken place In
American within rfteen years. The strong painters
who were called " the younger artists" when they
founded their society are still painting
although perhaps with chastened hopes Within the last
three or four years group has gathered here
from foreign schools The training OF these men mas
been the that OF many OF the foreign artists
whose works gwen preference. Individual caparys
course everything but in more instances than ths
~ MET a0l
their merits results in favor OF tho American. n the
OF inferior pictures in the exhibitions destroys
she collectors confidence In American art why should
he choose pictures in the galleries OF the deaersf
artists partly blame as has been pointed ous
before admitting quantity Of Trash to then exhibit
tons But prejudice sinst American art because Is
American s foolish Injurious and unworthy. Some
thing been done toward rowing this prejudice by
ORGANIZING good American exhibitions. 1t remsns for
Individual collectors to apply the lesson aud TO oren
eyes the good work which being dope at home
Tho American artist who is criticised for painting
poboers Is apt rstort that he has no chance to dc
anything better 1t be said that nobody who really
donors his will c,nsent to work merely for the
market the artists answer contains certain eie
ment Of truth. The Americans who Drs returned from
Paris Munich hopeful and ambitions eager to
paint great pcHres and expectant Of acme degree oil
encouragement their aspirations Every year since
others have followed cherIshng like ambitions The
have received certain aroun OF oeniiion,
but how often has this taken the practical form which
they had right to expect How many lint ortant com
missions have been given to American painters wihin
the last ten years few have had large opportunities
In illustration and decoration But chances for disnc-
ton In the higher branches OF art have been almost
wholly wanting One exception Afforded by the
commission given Mr. Hovenaen for the Last Days OF
John Brown" More recently Paris-Amercan painter
play the part OF sandwich man Tor patent
medicine vsnder but this is not likely to encourage
artists who respect themselves and their art AS one
| r~snlt OF this neglect TO encourage ambitious work.
historical pa nting higher class become almost
extinct This for the o, men who could paint
such pictures but because they are not given the
chance. With most excellent motives painting
by foreign artist has recently been purchased
| for $4,000 and presented to our museum. The
subject. Columbus" peculiarly fitted for Ameri-
can treatment, there Americans who could have
painted better II less preentious picture The eener
Gus int ntions of tho donor Will be readily recognized
but it is only stating fact TO cits tnIs in
| stance OF the Encouragement OF ambitious American
age Of art as may occaslonay be met with
worthy bestowed. The zes at the Academy and tue
Prize Fund" plan count for something aud by means OF
the painting Of Important pictures has received
some announcement and fcw representative works
have been preserved In our museums. Outside OF tbl
the ambitious artist nuds little To encourage bin lie
contents himself with Iortraltue or genre painting IN
intervals between teaching or illustrative work II Is
true that lie might now aud then prove his quality ia
his s or az he Enow will rscsiy no practical SUPPORT
yet tho work would be dono II opportunity were
offered. his Is 'ho
friends OF American art Collectors and art patrons"
can make tho application for themselves
Mr. Edwin A. Abbey's drawings in illustration Of 45he
Stops to Conquer to be apon hibition In the
rooms OF Grolier Club, No. 81 Madisonave. from
December 16 to %. These drawings. seyentyone in
number will represent the first collection Of Mr. Abbeys
original work be- publicly exhibited. There VIII be
priv view on the evening OF Wednesday, the lotn
There is a small collection of paintings by Mr. W. T.
Dannat in the Relchard gallery, with An Araeonese
Sacristy the This is study In low tones
delicatey treated and we'll harmonized. With the e1
ception Of the priests ruddy face which Ike
the sun from fog almost the entire of the pict
ure black and whiio Tue paper OF the print
on the keeps its value without being obtrusive.
and table foor figures and wall are adroy kept to-
gether" More than this the self-mporant priest and
tho peasant leaning little deeceiy on the table Is
each individual and interesting figure. The latter
sitting in shadow. IS well relieved against the oack-
ground The point OF view 10 somewhat uncertain.
This is brilliant picture technically rs MI Dam
mats Quartette. but it is accompanied by study for
OF his strongest paintings An Aragonese smugeler
bottle raised at arms length above tue trs,y mouth,
subject which at least has tue merit OF novelty Tue
describes facts the other euect The latter
study VIGOROUSLY and broadly laid IN and without finish
in the details suggests study OF Velssquez he other
pictures figure studies aud ono or two portraits
The same gallery contains Mr. Kenyon Coxs black and
white drawings In illustration OF Rossetus -BlesseI
Da,rozel." As the illustrations have already received
attention. present interest Of tho collection is chiefly
In examination OF the fidelity Of The reproductions The
CONF arson that the reproduction has been
orally admirable. AL the nnances of graiations from
white to black have not been gwen aud as In many
wood-engravinss the grays have sometimes printed
darker than hey should. blacks have net Their full
intensity aud hieh shs have been occasionally
aggerated as of the Eros No. Is. Tho dsrken-
ing OF the hair, yellow ripe corn, which must have
puzzled some readers, partly due 70 reproduction.
But on the whole the reproductions are remarkably
faithful originals. These taken collection Of
drawings vigorous aud usually accurate studies OF
model The perserse Of color which the artist
In Of his paintings does not AFFECT these
nh fhe hast work. he hasd he nm