New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-30
TEE PRIzE FUND EXHIBITION.
A FEW IMPORTANT PICTURES.

A FEW IMPORTANT PICTURES.
CIR. Pooe's work will be recognized as a serious
effort to meet new and trying requirements III W.,
ambitious field the artist has gained success i,s
paintings OF hounds and OF landscape upon s"'""
scale have received general recognition "he" m",
fully deserved His large painting OF hguroS
Returning From Work showed sincere ehu.",ol
for truthful expression even If the command oil uie
medium was imperfect. But the large N'Eo' Vi "'o
Nativity In this collection is altogether d"e'o" nv"
anything which Mr. POore has shown oeio'e'
resort to semsatonalism any fresh uV""'"' VI '"0
theme was impossible, and Mt foofc ms s'"p'' '
sodted the tendency Of time In frankly NaiiS''
r,a,ion NJ An actual scene. He shows group
40 Redoun sbepheyis in their heavy striped rooes'
some asleep Others watching. There Is no a"chP'
of the dramatic and even the faces OF the SUI do"N
shenhHrds are Yet comparatively oiaih anu '"
mobile The painter has carefully rfraincd from an!
emphasis or explanation. lie shows us some sleepy
.s.nh.ds aroused by tue appearance OF
n. apges and he leaves the Sig
,iacance of the scene 10 the Imagination Of the spec
tator Beyond the group are the sheep upon roll
Ing country, almos, gray beneath the paleblue SKY
with its points of silvery light This familiar the"e.
a Landscape beneath start sky. is well expressed
and the figures we'll drawn upon the whoe' al
though their s,atuesqucness seems ove'one There Is
M differentiation of textures. and flesh and robes
might well be one and the same. an appearance WIZ"
cannot be Justly explained as due TO the l~c"na'
lcht The impasto seems dry and hard ana 'ns
colo1ng I'm places IS simply dingy. but on me "hoe
MIR Pocrc's work deserves emphatic recosh'ou' n".
on accoun, OF novelty. for THIS IS not new mcthod oi
,,csttne the subject but on account Of TIC artist
.v,dent earnestness aud thOroughness and an ANU
tious purpose rarely seen in our eShiDiuohs' i'
I, must be said that the repression CHARACTERISTIC VI
go much realistic art has been carried TOO iaf WIN
any supernatural clements. Mr.. Poore has deci'n'u
40 concern himself, and his picture, since picture
nfe
hitons genre There is a bright star near the
horizon but this is a picture Of the shepherds ho'
of the Magt, and We must accept IT as a STUDY Vi
the shepherds they might nave appeared oeioro
receiving tidings of the Nativity. The slshhcah'e
of the painting therefore, is limited. and embooeS
none Of the possibilities usually suggested by he
5nention of the Nativity. while at the same time MI
PORES work is very credtalc IN its way. digniied
example of semi historic genre, representing All
earnest effort the production OF certain facts
Mr. Walker large painting OF cattle at brook
side with plain beyond and figures rHl'eVed agahS'
a luminous horizon. Is uneven in execution. but II
exhibits the artists power of combining certain dui
colors and VARYING his tints with light and shade 10
crndsce a harmonious result which in this case is
realized without a loss Of force. The distance i
,ve, expresset save on the left the gray, lowering
sky is vigorously rendered, the mounted figure in the
middle distance is cevery adjusted and treated and
the picture as a whole is a strong and pain'ei-lhc
uork FaOm This lpw-toncd study Of reddish DlOwIS
aDd grays may turn TO the study OF light ana air
(which Mr. simmons Offers in his st Ives BAY a,
f,mset, like the picture exhibited last yedr 'As
A. a remarkable example of a painters successful
,ob,nOe of manner not merely OF subject. MI sim
.nons ts hest known 10 US a figure painter. and his
c,,r, at the Academy illustrates u some extent his
mower OF realizing truth of action In that picture The
na,ntness of the Salon Is manifest, the shadows alr
bNuminors, the coloring inclined TO opacity Hut
here all is transparency and light and the mere
ne,,,nm of exmesSion Is never obtrllded. The sub
,ac+ ,s vista of irtdescent water. rising In lazy
.weals in the foreground, smooth and oily beyond
and extending on and on in admirably indicated
distance 10 the sunlt sandy cliffs along the horizon
This beautiful picture is accompanied by MI koss
Turner's moonlight marine, vigorous study OF water
rNtserinC in the moonlight, varying from green 10
bue almost as brilliant in its rich summer coloi1ng
as Che water of tropical Both pictures an worth
attention because they represent the closer study
of nature in various phases Of light and atmosphere
which is one Of the most promising characteristics
NJ modern art In the Of Mr. Twachtman aerlai
effects have been less important than the selection
and sugpestion Of the Characteristic forms and color
notes OF an actual scene. He has made no effort at
a formal composition. but his picture reproduces
cYses OF landscape which have delighted the artist
pIhera "a q rough field with stones among the gray
md brown rgle of weeds, grasses and shrubs
lutle brook is felt rather than seen coming down
among tho unkemp< young growth and in the distance
rray hills rise toward the horizon. This IS really
skssch rather than work, arranged and completed
according to regular standards but the absence OF
ropyentaonalty decacy Of color and the tEuihfneSs
In tho best sense Will be appreciated by those who
20 beyond the obvious.