New-York tribune., 1892-01-08
a SUMNER IN VENICE.n

WATER RCoLORs BY Mr. f. HOPKINsON SMITH
At the Avery Gallery there forty watercoors by
Mr. F. Hopkinson Smith, the fruit, with half dozen
exceptions. of "a summer in Venice" the catalogue
announces. Their significance is derived from their
veracity and from the moderate key in which they are
pitched. 1t IS possible to conceive Of Venice as place
Of theatrical and spontaneously vivid effects The
Venice of VI. Rico is brilliant clttering Venice which
might have sprung from the agunes Yesterday so crisp
and fresh its outlines and its colors II is Venice
OF endless charm but Mr. Smith has preferred 10 paint
the Venice that has grown old ana gray elsurcv and
his best impressions are Of scenes In which slvery
violet and pale tnts pNdOminae. lie has sought
for these in regions which should be the more interest
ing to public sataed with pictures OF Venice because
they comparatively unfamiliar among the distant
canals Of the fishing district and the narrow bywavs
which thread the city everywhere, which all artists cx
pore but seldom paint There three or four con
ventional subjects but happily they treated from
unconventional points Of view. No. 90. "The Piazza
at Noon" for example. painted under the front
arcade OF the DOgcs Palace, facing Scamozzs beaut-
ful "Procuratie" buildings, the columns of San Marco
and just across the water the Church Of st. Maria della
Salute.
All this material has been worked up into
pictures thousands of times but not very often as taste
fully as in the present instance, where II is used to fiji
in background for the famous column at the corner
OF the arcade, the column with the L" Adam and Evc7
capital bepraised Of Mr.. Ruskin. Mr. Smiths version
Of the Riato is likewise a 1t is taken from
a point very the bridge, and fortunately shows
only part of the structure. which IS really because Of
It's peculiar design, pantabe Than that other
historic Venetian monument, the Bridge of Sigls The
Church of st. Maria della Salute is welknown sub
iect that Mr. Smith has been unable to resist but he
has succeeded in presenting II IN an unhackneyed way
in No. 4, which shows It as seen at an angle from the
opposite side of the grand canal in NO 81 where its
principal dome looms up behind the figure OF Fortune
twrlng around on her golden ball, above the custom
house, and in No. s, where the meets 1t after pass
ing the shaftke campanie Of San Glorgo. rising be-
side the shoals in the foreground. Once again tho great
edifce which Is unquesonably Of the most mpOs-
ing in Venice, asserts itself with the decision In No 81
where the back Of its pile Of domes and towers IS
studied to good artistic purpose. but, although It's sill
h0uette appears in several OF the remaining pictures
we may here to the novel subjects treated by
Mr.. Smith, the unfIequencd canals.
1t IS not easy to account for the fascination which
the minor thOrouchfares Of Venice exert-those
" thoroughfares" which not seldom lead nowhere
Their architectural features not always picturesque
the bridges are mostly modern affairs with castiron
railngs. and quite often not one in these
canals the sOrdd, monumental fshnGboat. instead
Of the graceful gondoa with It's decorative "ferro7
OF suf for pictures they would seem TO offer
little. Yet Mr. Smith proves that they offer great
deal and he docs this by emphasizing what are
possibly their saving qualties-the qualities Of at
mOsphere and color. in the narrower canals we are
spared the binding glare which often deracts
from the charm OF the grand canal, Of the Rva. or
Of the Piazza the placid waters reflect not alone the
clear blue of the shy. but here and there the cool
greens of overhangng trees. and again and again the
subdued tones Of old brick walls. The color here Is
more subtle and often refreshing. though this de-
pends largely upon the mood OF the individual. Mr.
Smiths mood apparently harmOnizes perfectly With H.
He is delightful in pictures Ike No. 16. behind the
Public Gardens: No "a, "A Short Cut 10 the LIDO
No % "A Quiet Landing" and numerous others
similar in subject His style IS very free. and neither
Buildings bridges. boats figures trees are drawn
with any more socitude than is sufficient 10 make
them expressive. The elm In every case has simply
been 10 preserve impression OF n more or Jess
picturesque scene rendered satisfying TO the artist by
pleasant combination Of colors and given distinction
ev the fndescrbable note which is called Venetian
Mr. Smith rightly apprehends this note without reference
10 specific Venetian motives 10 material Qiahuee sum
as the pointed arch the gondos, and his Work mas
never revealed him more sympathetic painter
than IL does now As Illustrating his gift for express
ing the essential character Of locality, No. -, "A
Passing storn-Lahe Maggiore,n ana No. 40 Morning
on Magg0re may be cited. Though painted under IN
Italian sky they readily difcrentiae themselves. y
their atmosphere quH@rtes @ LION c,re IN m rccrnc no
XXI 4 Glimpse OF Pllatus,7 No ~, " Boat Landing,
oT o1d No o .tTbe Old Rathans" stand ont with
,o b a,Oc dIstnctn ss Returning 10 the Venetian sub
iccts there Is excellent treatment Of the massive hu
and complex cOrdagc OF an ocean YES, to be motel IN
No 10 CoaIng For Athens OF The prettler IMc7
Of smaller craft In No 2, - on the luva,' ana IN 20
90 {" Waiting for the Tide with It's hshng hoats
ranged I'm row. Jcak to beak. like lighting eal.c' 3
beneath the gorgeous panoply Of their muuC Co!of9d
eas of admirably selected linear material In No. -
a September Day." OF typical Nenetag bridge
and square in No ID. a Gondoh Landing ana
az as Tenrcsentative a Venetian scene in No. H. an
trrnoon on the Riyar where the spacious hot pave
ment is deserted save for few figures cafr'ln .uh
umbrellas. In quality and quantity these f)rty water
coIors form the record Of a summer "fH spent lhey
viii remain before the public until January ~.