New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-28
TIE UATER COLOR SOCIETY.
TwENrY-FIRsr ANNUAL EXHIBITION.

Out of over 1900 pictures which were submitted
the Water Color Society has accepted and hung DO
With the exception of the corridor the Academy gal
lcries arc not over-crowded and the appearance OF
the collection IS, usual fresh, bright ana attract
i've The decorative qualities of the water colors
have been deemed sufficient without resort TO vast
array OF studio properties, and the accessory dccOra
lions are of the simplest. An equal simplicity mas
characterized tho hanging. Some visitors may miss
the fearful Joy Of discovering the arms of twoscore
wlndmis wildly waving from panel, or Of finding
bakers dozen Of undraped figures shivenng together
I'm the coolest corner, but eccentrcltie like these can
well be spared There has been attempt at care
full graduation of tones and the chief end OF the hag
iug-varlcty-has been attained by alternating light
and dark groups with contrasting centres" ana Whtc
corners and dark The arrangement Is appropriate
enough for an exhibition which, as Is often said, pre-
sents more variety In methods than the water color
exhibitions of London Paris But the places given
to many pictures are In keeping with their mcr-
it's
II is this very variety, we suspect, together with
the intrinsic charm of transparent, brilliant ana
flexible medium, which Will account for much OF tho
interest of the present exhibition. There IS no work
of prc-eminent distinction, and, although comparisons
with previous exhibitions are of doubtful value the
present collection does not seem TO us ABOVE, nor
hardly equal the average of the last few years
This IS unexpected, since the number OF reflections
has been so large but tho impression loft by first
force, nor I'm work done because water colors we're
tho truest medium of expression There are i'm
portant" pictures, which might be discussed at length
II moro than hasty note were possible to us now,
pictures like Mr. Blums brilliant Venetian Pumpkin
Nender,r admirable In its action and sense OF move
mcnt, full Of atmosphere and cleverly piquant In Its
color; Ike Mr.. Kevers Little Mother sympathetic
expressive work. perhaps the best which he has sent
us like Mr. Tifany's color schemes the superb chrys-
anthemums of Miss X. H. GreatoreX, pictures by
Mr. Ranger the figure work OF Messrs. Wies, Freer
and Lippncott, and the hugo landscape by Mr. Haml
tom a very good picture Of unoriginal kind, but
one which IS a conspicuous instance OF the perversion
Of colos where requirements of solidty, force
depth and texture indicated the of oil. Mr.. WieS
has done more serious work than usual in his Alone"
which is married by a bad right hand, and Mr. Tiffany
has furnished much which IS delightful in his Oriental
symphony I'm luminous red and yellow tones Feed
ing the Flamingoes u" his Chinatown rich, but
with OVERLOAD color notes and contrasts, ana othcr
pictures and studies.
Perhaps tho development Of our color sense IS due
most of all to Oriental influences, but whatever tho
cause may be- tho colorists, like tho disciples of mod
ern Dutch art. form group by themselves In this
collection. There is Mr. Lafarge. who sends us Jap
priests, lilies, temples and various fantasies
done for the sake of color, and usually delightful
There is Mr.. Johnson, whose cathedral interior Is an
interesting contrast to Mr. A. NJ Turner's picture of
worshlppers In church. The former was done for
the sake Of sensuous effect the latter to express an
ldea and both types have their value. There Is a
little fruit piece by Miss C. W. Reid, which IS a re-
markaby mellow bit of color and the oysters
painted by the same artist deserve better place
There Is Mr. Hertcr's Japanese arrangement" which
would be better the cOlOrs less aggressive, and
in the east gallery we find Mr.. Wlles ceverly expert
menting with arrangements,' schemes and SYM
phonles, and something might be said of the combi
nations of pale delicate tones affected by Mr.. Lppin-
colt Then there Is soberer coorist, Mr.. Weir,
whose inclination to slight form and refinement in
color work is less apparent in his study Of dogs
than In his larger picture. Miss Wheeer's feeling
to be for color rather than for grace of FORM
and Mr.. Burlelgh-ln his north gallery porrat-Nlss
Francis and MeSsrs. Marscha Clark and Day are
clearly among these who are "tIying for color in
one way another
This is but single feature, and not the most con-
spcuous since bad color and absence of color
plentiful than tho pumpkins And this Is saying
much for there has been such an apotheoss Of
tho pumpkin at any water color exhibition II Is q
pity that has taken leaf from Nollons book,
but In one case at least, the pumpkin is the merest
incident. Mr. winslow Homer's Farmer Boy was
not painted for tho sake Of the color, which Is OF
characteristic vioenco but tho figure Is alert and Wig
orous. 1t IS interesting to compare this example of
individual force with tho merely clever work, tho
eighteenth century costume studies and what not
which abound in tho galleries Mr.. Delman Is ono
of the moro ambitious figure painters. We trust his
title, " In OCTOBER refers only to tho flowers. Mr.
c. Y Turner confines himself to small studies Of heads
and colonial figures. Messrs. Leon aud Percy Moran
are, the whole, well represented, Mr.. Do Ihul'
srup sends various military pictures, moro accurate
than spirited Mr.. Zogbaum makes good showing