New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-05-09
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.

HERE AND ELSEWHERE
The Prize Fund exhibition goes long way
toward furnishing adequate iea Of the capabilities
OF American artists. There American exhibition
at the Union League Club two months ago which demon
strated on q smaller scale the presence OF plenty OF
talent In home art One exhibition has been organized
by a business firm the other was due to business men.
Artists had nothing do with the management or either
Yet the Union League Club exhibition WAS stronger
than the Society Of Artists present disP'ay'
and there is comparison between the
Prize Fund exhibition and that at the Academy
The American Art Association, which Is simply Dusi-
firm. been able to bring together COLLECTION OF
pictures oyershadowing the exhibitions organized
by tho National Academy, which has the pres
tge of age of sixty years. and by the society wnch
includes the strongest OF the younger American artists
1t of these institutions that the pubic naturay
looks for splay OF the best that Aneri
capable OF PRODUCING but has been left for
private firm to furnish such an exhibition whether This
implies need of less narrowness more liDeray anu
generous union for the maintenance OF high standard
among artists whether 1t implies lack or ability III
organization and management, may be left for art
lists to consider The facts remain that the
Prize Fund exhibition is better selected ana
much less commercial in character than the ex-
hbition at the Academy and that tho place which
an organization OF artists should hold before the public
has been taken by business firm.
It's necessary therefore, to give the American Art
Association the credit or our
exhibition THIS firm has brou ,ht artists into new rell-
tious with public. Through the associations Efforts
wealthy buyers foreign pictures have been induced to
interest themselves in American art to contribute TO tho
Prize Fund.-" and 1t Is fair to suppose that their inter-
est in some cases extended to the buying OF Amer
lean pictures Until the Clarke and Hallgarten prizes
were established the Academy artist exhibiting In
this city could gain especial mark OF distinction The
establishment OF the Prize Fund" means both tenn.
porary distinction for the prize pictures and perma
nent place of honor in art museums throughout
the country The Prize Fund" may help to advertise
the firm with which the idea originates but 1t certainly
means q recognition for American artists such as tney
have not had before. Efforts like those. which are
aaording American art substantial encouragement.
should receive the credit which is due them.
Tho wisdom of giving always open to question.
but plain that only the stimulus Of prize would
have called the work done by several artists With
one exception there nothing very satisfactory about
the awards OF prizes at tho Academy. aud
there was one award calculated to cast dis
credit on all competitions. But there has been
nothing bad as that in the awards at the "Prz
Fund" exhibition. although the latter were made
by business and the Academy awards by artists
The second Prize Fund" exhibition is much stronger
than the first and better deserves to be called repre-
sentative. There absenees matter of course,
and the presence of Inness Sargent Thayer Dalnat st.
Gaudens Warner Chase. Eakins. Homer Martin nslow
Homer and half dozen others would have siren ghened
the exhibition But omissions are Unavoidable as
the makers Of tho catalogue have found The catalogue
list 1t appears compiled In alphabet cal order from
the lists sent by artists Some delayed forward
ing these lists until late for the inclusion OF their
names in the catalogue.
The pictures the first gallery form uncommonly
intereatng display of landscape and marine painting
and portature although several OF the strongest WORKS
have been reserved for the large gallery On first enter
ing we are given a new idea of Mr.. j. II. Twachtman
from o picture more ambitious than anything
he has shown In this city. Mr.. Twachtman
has been known broad sketchy worker in water col
ors. and coors have possibly received more
public attention than his gray oil pictures His WORK
usually been strong, but in tue Wet Day., in gal
lery A. there is shown scnstyeness to natural effects,
and delicacy OF treatment quite different from the
usual Of his pictures The foreground Is
siren gthened by the Introduction OF tall weeds and
grasses tho we'll rendered standing on the edge
of pool whose surface is partly lgnted, partly DARK
ened by cloud shadow From Its further side rises
gradually sloping field to rather high SKY lins, the
greens the grass subdued by tho mistness OF the at
mosphere The sky which is left plain save for two or
three cloud forms. Is full OF moisture. Tho
feeling OF wetness given as clearly
here as In Mr.. Inncsss Gray Lowery Day., and tue
artist has certainly succeeded In conveying truthful
impression of the effect OF summer shower HIS pct-
ure lacks decided character and the foreground pool
weak In itself and its relation to its surroundings
The distance ght have been clearly expressed,
but after objections made. 1T evident that the
picture portrays with much decacy and general truth
phase OF nature 1t IL said that this pct-
rejected at the Salon The Salons loss Is our
gain Mr. Tnachtmann has not painted popular nor an
altogether successful picture but he has shown that he
Is looking at nature through fresh appreciaye eyes,
Near by examples OF strong and OF tricky portrait paint
ing have been unkindly contrasted MT D.
W. Alexander has made most effective
portrait of Mr. John Gilbert as Sir Peter Teazie
He indicates the character OF Mr.. Gilbert as man as
well as actors part The picture is we'll painted but
surely the shadow the right side OF the face need not
entirely have concealed the forms beneath The contrast
between the extremely high color on the left and this
presses us as the work OF artist honestly trying to
produce something OF which All artist can be proud and
inckisy on the other hand has tried to the eye
by fash lights and dazzle observers into the belief that
is on the bosom OF his subject not the face, aud
modelling is lost The attitude. arms raised, and
| the hands drawing "a mantle over the shoulders,
is affected aud would speedily become intolerably
wearsome. Mr.. Hamilton sends u better landscape In
his " September" than we have seen from him BEFORE
and he has wisely subordnated his figures. Unluckiy
Mr. Hamilton always has his effect in mind and he
not been content TO paint landscape without
"prettifylng 1t until 1t becomes conscious rs his
usual figures msIe there %,
uresque OLD apple tree parting to right ana let nst ~
ings and of distant horizon, arranged to urnish OPP
portunity for lighting ana perspective. This Is .
popular" kind OF work. aud better than much OF Ns
class But gives the feeling Of studio rather than OF
outdoor work And 1t suffers from excess OF detail
Mr.. Hamilton seems to be more impressed by pictorial
accessons and details when looking at nature than oy
general truths
The recent death Of Jerome Thompson, A N A. PASSED
almost unnOticed and yet some twenty years ago MT
| Thompson OF the best known or American
artists He succeeded IN catering to popular tase anu
the which he struck In his painting Ihe d Oaken
Bucket evoked instant response from the thous
who best appreciate subject pervadedwth some taniar
sentiment ana plainly telling some story eas. comPro.
hensble from popular experience No question Oh art
involved the OF the picture was IKE tu
NJ tha naem IN III
1868, and its special exhibition In New-for was
comparatively as much matter OF popular intefest as