New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-20
THE AUTUMN ACADEMY.

The tenth autumn exhibition at the Academy OF
Design one OF the doefues demonstrations OF gen
eral Incompetence ever witnessed within the walls OF
that long suffering institution. The first Of the two
regular annual exhibitions at the Academy has ALWAYS
been greatly neglected by the stronger men. who have
preferred to out In force In the spring. either
here or ct the Society OF American Artists but II has
occasionally been better than it is this year. and 1t has
never been The figure painters OF significance
have deserted almost In body and the landscapists
who may usually be relied upon to lead a forlorn
hope have been equally Indifferent. weary waste
of spreads through the corridor and the four
galleries, with Of enjoyable work at widely
separated intervals. Portraits. realistic and deallstc
compositions, marines and landscapes. are all. or
nearly all weak In the south gallery, out of over
125 pictures. there less than twenty which can
rghtfully claim attention. and I'm the smaller rooms the
prop )rtion Is no more encouraging.
Tie small contingent Of able exhibitors is led BY
II. o. Walker with a portrait Of lady in which the
Interesting pose Of the head and the
| delicate iints OF the costume have been studied
with evident enthusiasm. The color is refined the
handling sensitive, and the work has personal quality
rare enough In the present exhibition. For merit of a
similar sort we must turn to the north room where
hangs one of Nj Homer Martins paintings, study
of Low Tide the Normandy Coast" 1t is less clear
In definition than Mr. Martins work usually is the
sea Is only narrow strip in the middle Of the picture
between great deal of beach and great deal of sky
.
remains as we'll the individual style
The personal note is observed again in the tlroe
landscapes OF Mr.. Richard Paul. weakened trhe by
arbitrary bit Of cooring on the tOpmos leaves Of the
trees in No. 257, "Ev ming" and by too solid group
ing OF trees In No. 81, "A Spring PASTORAL but left
wholly free to charm In No 253 twilight study. new
marine painter Mr. George Bunn Of Antwerp, appears
with two moonlight studies one done on the coast
of France, the other the coast Of Holland. The
Frnch picture is the better of the two though in it Mr.
Bum suggests Mr.. PAUL. suggests in his Even
ing' that high lights sometimes get into an artists
picture without the entire sanction OF nature. still
the heavy streak Of light the horizon Il brilliant
point and It's aggressiveness is modified skilfuly by
the luminous reflections In the foreground. In the
same gallery with this hangs river scene by Mr. j. Ii.
Boston commendable for its aim rather than for It's
performance. 1t good idea to seek for
terial along tn, water front OF New-York, as Mr.
Guaccimani, in little sketch near by,
has sought for it in Union squarc-local
scenes are paintablc than the
jority Of artists som willing TO be-
lleve-yet Mr. Boston, IN trying to paint Grey Day
on the East River" has failed to convey any sense Of
atmosphere grey otherwise, anc has represented the
smoke OF the city by offensive little spashes Of crude
blue color. clever little view OF the Mediterranean
coast, by n. Grady, spirited sketch by C. S. Hop
hnson, and perversons Of Venetian effects by Messrs
Moran, Bunner and Palmer exhaust the list Of notice
able marine pictures.
Credtable landscapes with figures are wofully lack
Ing Mr.. Chases Evening at Shinnecoca Hills Is
unaccOuntaby hard and shiny in color, and the cassi
cally cOstumed GIRL who strays pensivey In the fore
ground the right, adds notldng 10 the picture.
whether I'm the direction OF sentiment Of purely
artistic charm. Mr.. Chase, who has done better
work than this In oils does better work at any rate
In pastel, this occasion, In sketch of SHINE
cock Grain Field which has been relcgated to
the west gallery. Mr.. Orrin Parsons, in a
large picture OF tennis party attempts to deal with
the figure in the open air, but with small Mr..
Mr.. Hammer, a newcomer, In his Spring Flowers, y
show the same unfamillarity with open-ar problems,
though they both have produced attractive pictures.
These may lead TO the works 10 which the figure has
been treated for Its sake. In only two or three
cases has 1t besn treated with ADDED imaginative inen
ton Mr.. vedder energes from his Roman retirement
with An allegorca picture Of Spring" work of deli
cate fancy and careful but not distinguished workman
ship. 1t painted In 1873. and the pretty nude
figure has iighness and grace which Mr.. Vedder has
seldom shown In late years. work more masculine
in temper comes, culiously. from woman Miss
Ella Pcll. Her large composition called The Angel
Showing to Adam tho Consequences OF his SIM I,
dominates one end OF the south gallery. Adam, a
powerful, muscular figure, stands beneath the out
stretched arm OF angel. who hovers winglc,s over
the abyss AZ his feet. Far beneath him. conflicting
armies. worshippers surrounding a brazen idol, and
other baleful sights dnly reveal themselves through
the mist OF the distance. The design Is strong I'm.
fortunately, the execution does Approximate to the
ntsueetu standard Of the work. Miss Peu has taken