New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.


and In tho last year tho number Of picture stores along
ana near Filth ave- has increased TO remarkable OK
tent Nevertheless, tho Water Color Exhibition shows
gain upon last year. Tho sales have amounted to
about $4,000, against o1,5oo year ago The re re-
| ccipts for previous years $4,000 In 1850,
100000 in 1855, $4,000 In 1884, $4,000 In 1883,
| s3s, 600 in 1892 and SEQ In 1881; Over 5000
admission tickets have been sold at this years OK
hibition ..
Al tho exhibition of the New-York Etching club
tho sales have amounted to nearly e., 400. About
tho same amount realized in 1887, and u, 800
In 1886.
Estimates of the result of the spencer sale seldom
fall below s175 900 exceed 100000, and 1t Is held
by that sum larger than tho latter wouid DO
realized II the picture market were moro active This
Is confcssedy duh season as regards picture buying,
but the exceptional quality OF tho Spencer collection
has drawn much attention to tho sale. The artists
who have been most in favor with American picture
buyers represented by uncommonly meniorious
| examples, with the exception OF Corot AS breton
continues to old his popularity, tho Interesting ex-
ample in this collection IS likely to bring large price,
very likely tho largest. 1t Is much to DO resteuou
| that this exhibition lasts so short time
circular Of especial interest TO NewYork artists
comes from Chicago The Art Institute OF that city
announces Its first annual exhibition of American oil
paintings This exhibition will be opened on May &C.
Non resident artists should Ill out and send IN their
lists on or before May i2. Pictures viii be received
at tho Art Institute at Michigan and Van Buren,
L.,
xpenses Of transportation and will pay the insurance
premiums asking that a moderate price be placed
upon the pictures. No commission Will be charged
upon the sales It will be that these conditions
are unusually liberal, and In addition to these In
| ducements Mr.. J. W. Ellsworth has provided Tor
prlzo OF 1900 to DO awarded, at the annual exhibit
lions OF the Institute beginning this year, to tho best
picture In painted In this country, by an American
citizen, and not previously exhibited In Chicago OF US
a d6O art 1s nSs Ss % painting GT sS
iiving American citizen not previously exhibited IN
by Mr.. JIasey G. Ives, director of tho ST. Louis
Museum OF Elmo Arts Mr. Charles L. HUTCHINSON
president of the Art Institute and Mr.. T. b. CLARKE
Experlence has not demonstrated tho wisdom OF
prize giving In York but these offers anu tho
other generous inducements will no DOUBT ara" plenty
OF pictures from NewYork to Chicago.
Among the pictures sold at tho Water Color Ex
hbitIon during the last week Harvest Apples
H. Broun, $50 After a Storm" F. M Bicknell, $50;
"The Hcmocks" W. L. Palmer, SO; "Whero tho
lilies Crow c. IL. Eaton, $780, stndy' D. IL. BRAD
lev. $50; "Pansies,' NJ Broun, $50; "Mdwnter,"
Julian Rlx SIS "Jane,' f. A. Francis, S35; Head
NJ. L. Mclaughlin SO AUTUMN, a. NJ rTrS,
AThenn Cane AMI Rocls.r G. T. Chapman, $50;
woodland Brook NJ. D. stiles, $40; and " hooh-
light George Poggcnbeek, 500
There is promise Of new variety of foreign ex-
hbllon In this city next year Or year after. IL -
said that tho collection Of portraits by Franz Won
Ienbach. which has been ipon exhibition In Berlin
has been purchased by sock company for the sum
of 100000 marks and will be shown In England ana
in this country. Ienbach is considered 20 stand a. tno
head of German portrait painters ad th9 us7 h '1
OF his sters would probably give to such an cXhlo.
nortrat s pcfEre Of The ,peror william,
first which has been painted since the portrait exc
cutcd BY Richter in 1870
The three supplements of the February Art Age
present to Us figures by Messr5. VIII H. Low ana
sarony and selections from the cloch-tower designs
submitted for the recent Architectural LTdSHo compe
tltlon. The conditions governing tho Grant mon
ument competition published In this NUMBER anu
tho editor suggests that the commissioners are NOT
flGlor tho duties OF their trust in endeavor to
roruro design foc which there IS insufficient recon-
nenso TO command the attention of any architect upon
'nrrativc congld raflons only" Tho terms OF tho
competition arc unsuitable, unless tho commissioners
assume that architects will be actua'cd by patriotic
or chara motives, and practically make gus VI
their designs
Tho japanese Art Commission which visited TINS
country and Europe has returned home, and ono OF
tho members recently delivered an address before INC
Art society IOAIU. EufUpo mo "c"Dot' VI
the Commission particularly attracted to the
work OF MilIet The lecturer said: "Millet Is the
one man Of recent years whose genius Is to be put
| almost on a par with the great AsIac and early
European artists The striking fact about his school
IS that 1t Is almost Identical in principle with the great
art of tho East His studies OF figures, In intensity,
simplicity and character extremely similar to those
| tical with that Of the ShJo school"
| The conclusion reached by the Commissioner was
at least patriotic "Tlic new evidence which we have
found conclusivcy proves that good Eastern art Is
better than tho present style of western art, not only
for Japan, but also for the whole world that IL Japan
Will improve and develop her own art, from within
it VIII become not merely national movement, but
| ono which will spread America and Europe also.
In short Japanese art, with all Its faults, Is the only
living art In the world to-day and II She DO true to
her best INSPIRATION in comparatively few years
Japan Will become the acknowledged centre and lead
or Of rino Arts In all civilized Countries In clos
| ing, the lecturer said: "Therc Is almost no such
thing to-day COED European design; the capacity
for designing died cut several centuries ago. The
| divorce between painting and tho decorative art
ght the sixteenth century paralyLes tho power
| of both In Japan there has been no such divorce
| because japan can design to-day she can become, II
| she viii develop her own powers, inc great man
| ufscturer OF fine art products for the world
and Europe and America viii DO forced to como To
| learn Of and buy from her.
| There is a suggestive article upon the Wurtemberg
schools in "The Art Journal which Indicates alarm at
German competition in applied art So much has been
heard OF South Kensngt0n and much praise given to
English methods by til, French that German teach
| Ing OF applied art has been comparatively over
Swallowed Those VINO have examined the subject with
any have realized the prevalence OF art museums
and schools in Germany and the admirable results
| of the Fortbdung' and Kuns. Gewerbe " schools
hut 1t Is unusual to find an English writer giving
German methods the preference. 1t appears clear that
the problem Of elevating the workman to correct APP
rreciaen OF art, the hand, and OF bending the
principles OF artistic instruction the requirements OF
the tradesman and artisan the other HIS been solved
| In Germany. . In England the guardians OF art
teaching nave adopted different system and have en-
deavored force their conception OF art upon the manu-
fscturers and handicraftsmen OF the country
requirements practically excludes from Its narrow circle
tho highly skilled workman on the one hand and the
trained artist tho other The teaching power has
been moulded In grooves and upon system OF paper
instruction. instead of upon the artistic handling OF
materials and the technical requirements OF trade IN
tructon In pictorial art has been mixed with that of
1 aoplled art to the absolute injury OF both. We
must realize the fact that the workman artisan
not be taught skfuy to apply his art to his trade
10 become q skfu designer by course of instruction
npon paper alone but that he must I'm the school handle
TIE Inducements OF his trade and materials with
direct elevate and improve the thods OF the
| an