New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-30
PICTURES AT THE ACADEM Y.
THE AMERICAN wATER-CoLoR SOCIETY.


,,ono o.. verv fe,v works of decided merit In the
water Color socletys exhibition. six hunoieu ana
,venty six pictures are hung, and scores oi tese arc
oseoble That's the best that can be sAlu' between
,1s cbaracter,stcally humorous picture by MI. D. G
Brown the president OF the society, "i"0n Is gwen
the place OF honor in the centre o. INC oou'" s"er'
and the Illustration TO Measure loi measure by
Mr. Edwin Abbey wlich hangs IN me corner OF the
room on the same side, there are sA OF seven eoou
-. rhis section is typical OF all the Others IN
-, .vh,b,,,on with TIE difference that boundary
,ools annroaching the Importance OF Mr. Abbeys are
rar. IIis beautiful drawing is refreshing example
ard s4vIe The version OF the same
.hn. Mariana listening to the Pages slnglng-which
"S n,hrsbed in "Ilarpers" last Christmas, is we
believe better Interpretation OF the spirit OF the
49, 7, is a simpler. statelier composition. In II
.h detected Mariana of the moated grange is en-
.h,opsa her individuality pervadeS the scene The
n-essnt picture gives us more OF inc grange ana less
=, Mariana: the attention IS 10 longer concentrated
man her but Is invited 10 Inger over sumpuous aces
sares panted In a mastery manner the Illustration Is
e obviously pictorial and less subtly Shakespearcan
put Il IS precisely its character painting, rather
han as an Illustration, that causes 1t to stand out
- the first work In the exhibition. In all technical
,ouire,nents IL is Mr. Abbey's finest production.
The complex color scheme has not Killed spontaneity,
nor has the thnness OF the medium IN which II Is eX
ecuted precluded tonality. 1t is model OF sound
,honghul workmanship In an exhlDltlOn Wich IS rch
in merely clever painting.
The fault Of much of the work here is that so little
intelligence appears to have waited upon its evolution,
q Il so barren OF serious purpose The landscapists
n. course have less 10 anwcr for than tho figure
panters their work is often, indeed, of high quality,
showing command over essentials as well deXterty.
But the visitor will look In vain among the figure
compositions for many having any winning significance
He will meet with note of fancy seconded by an
a-1e Naraid Tr in
Churchs "The Enchanted Viking" with a similar note
almost as credtably sustained in Mr.. Curran's Night
Int he will strike the average Of current artistic IN
enaon in Mr. IIasSams pictures OF street life IN New
York and Paris. and In the studies OF Dutch peasants
BY Mr. Edwards. Occasionally there will be an eleva
ton into the atmosphere of robust nauralsm, tnged
with the idealism Of an exquisite feeling for color IN
picture like Mr.. LafaTge's samoan Girls Carrying
Canoe" Occasionally there will be depression to the
level Of intense commonplace in Mr.. Turner's The
Evening Hymn" Mr.. Woods Cheer Up, Neighbour
The redeemng qualities to be apprehended on the
crowded plane. on the plane of simply condhatng
talents, are qualities Of vvacy. OF touch-and so, Of
chic of generally trustworthy observation and of at
Iactve though not always permanently satisfying color
Mr. Wiles in No. 40, In sunshine" Mr. Durand, in
No 296 The Little Missionary; Mr. Steiner, IN No.
CO. Intimates"; Mr. Day, in No 1917, a Bud;
Mr. Weldon, III No. 593, japanese Dancing Girl
and Mr. Locke, in No. o. japanese Fantasy" are con
tent 10 exercise their decacy or touch ana their DGsK
Of spirit upon the grace in piquant figures aud
upon the decorative motives in dainty costumes Miss
McChesney, in No. 4G3. "Old Woman sewing" and
Mr.. OIermans In No 271, Registering a Letter.
aim at broader and deeper effects Of color. Mr.. Beck
with, in No. 215. a study" illustrates free and in
terestng mode Of handling. Miss Parrish, In No.
1884, "A Study; Mr. Kappes. in No 1885, Dame
Iryphena"; Mr.. Pennington in No. 267, " The Cap
tain" all obtain bright, entertaining results Figure
pieces that deserve praise for technical exoelcnceS, but
nave also touch Of sentiment, No &C., Concetia"
by Miss Newell; No. 507, "AleXandrina" by Mr..
Joseph; No Of, IAN Orphan" by Mr.. Burlcigh, and
No. 500, The CanOness" by Miss Sears.
Among the landscapes there several by the
and Bastert aud three by artist. Of the same
school, Artna HUgenholtz, who has the power
of using different keys In different pictures. Mr.
Minor has a Moonlight" Of peculiarly serene beauty,
Mr.. Mosea poetic Summer Moonlight" Mr.. Fraser
ana Mr.. saltneet some good English scenes, Miss
E. L. Coffin might From an Attic window"
which pictures the Madison Square tower with its
Fights afame and Mr. Franzen, brilliant impression
htie study. There many Other paintings of which
notice will be given later. The Etching Club barely
fills the corridor with collection Of plates repro |
senting Americans and foreigners, tie inclusion 81 the
latter indicating resolution 10 make the exhibition |
Interesting III more ways than record Of the |
state Of the art Of etching In this country Taking
the native representation such a record, ii Is |
by its freedom from any OF the commercial
yulganues which were formerly wont 10 aflct the
and VanderhOof show work that is in many ways Of
lSgh character.