New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-03
A BRILLIANT EXHIBITION.
THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARTISTS.

THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARTISTS.
Whatever Is good in American Is illustrated ID
tho Retrospective Exhibition OF the Society Of Amer.
lean Artists, which begins at the Fine Art societys
building on F1fty-seventh-st, on Monday, and OF how
such there is In American art that is good that ex.
h,,,,on snulies q measure which the most pessi
,etc observer of National progress IN aesthetics
mnst admit to be gratifying and encouraging In
fact the exhibition leaves place in the mind for
nprelv pessimstIc thoughts, for no matter in what
drocons the collection Of 300 pictures and sculptures
nov he omen to criticism matter what may be
cecd the vitality the healthy curiosity, the quick
Intelligence and the temperamen'a force OF large
and vell.manned division OF American arusts are
yrdicated With a completeness and decisivehess such
s M nrevious occasion OF similar character In the
h,ctory Of New-York exhibitions has witnessed Be
49,, .,.h an exhibition belief In the future OF native
a., 4, confirmed and augmented The promise OF the
future is usaly the most keeniy leit III the
% the present, but the wise prophet puhu' Ms 'p'
Nations on the past, and the Society OF American
Artists after all did more to prove that the con
servaton of native art is safe IN It's hahos ny It's
strong exhibition Of last May, with us rehecuohs OF
III % potes az the hour than 1t does In this gathering
% ,ror,,s which fixes attention, not only on iate
ocbIevemcnts but the steady ehort 'o"aru I'M
nrovenent and the acual accohipilsh"eh' VI
Tho last fifteen years II must De reheh'pereu mat
this exhibition speaks only for the society Oh eroan
,r,,c,s and for those who have exhibited WIN u
,ro,,s-ond even within its own province, IL Is not
e,,sctlv COMMUNICATIVE; there are men IKE H. A.
Abbey Robert Blum, Aexanoer harr'so' A1"N
Komeys H. s. Mowbray, J. +. Murphy W. H. l"A
ne A. p RYDER and Ehu Ncdder, WHO are hiehipeiS
~ the society," and who not Spresehteu bul
we miss individuals, not characterisacs the pest cr
,o,,s,cs Of American art to be FOUND, even AFTER
al, omissions have been reckoned with, IN this display
We will touch upon them but briehy pods' 'e
| an extended notice until have made a more sys'
tematic examination OF the wehhneu s'H'' W
WAS possible yesterday afternoon
Most of the early trumphs Of the society are IN tne
erst gallery and they show that we have peeh' as
the second painting gallery shows we are now suose
In portraiture and landscape, than In any tns eNe
The two picturesque portraits winch are ainohs s.
Chase's best works. that Of Frank DuvenecH ana 'as
~ Young lady in old fashioned riding costume KNOWN
! az Ready for the Ride are both shown Mr. VICE
| has two portralts Of men, OF Mr.. K. W. Weir ana
another Of Mr.. Francis Lathrop. the careiui manner
! of which, distinguished by regard ior al 'he ooh'
| yentionates, will be curiously compared WIN the
manner Of the utraimpressionstlc portraius py te
same artist hung elsewhere. There Is more than one
! case here OF a radical change Of style Inc t"o
norrats By Mr. Chase Just referred 10. are not at all
timd or faering In execution, but there Is Infinitely
more sobrety In them than In many OF MS ia'er' more
decorative pictures. Mr.. Wyatt EatoRs remarhaoie
! portraits Of Mrs. Glider and Mr. Cole. the engraVer,
reappear-remarkable for perfection OF finish obtained
distinction OF STYLE On every side there portraits
| most OF which have adorned former exhibitions and
adorned them well portraits by Messrs. fahihs'
Iathrop, Fowler, Rice. Beckwith and Collins WHICH
fall into the category Of works noticeable for sonfy,
for thorough workmanship; Others by Messrs Thayer,
Dewing and Sargent particularly rich In personal
feeling; Others by Messrs DonOho. Vonnoh. Dannat,
Miss Cassatt and Miss Haynes In which cleverness Is
the chief quality. a Rembrandtsh portrait OF man
by Mr. Duveneck is virle work from painter who
seldom exhibits here; there is q study VI boy by
Mr. Lafarge which differs from his usual work.
differs from the beautiful Christ and Ncodemas"
which he has had hung II. In being wtthout
warmth Of color. but Is yet as suave and subtle In
tonalty anything he has done: Mr. Clarke has leno
George Fullers exquisite "Romany Girl" and there
are three portraits by william Morris Hunt 10 remind
us OF a coorst OF real power and sincere. cultivated
artist on the side of execution the portrait painters
the show make by far the most striking display.
Mr.. sargent's large portrait OF Mrs. Twomby d'Hi'
mates the entire gallery in which 1t is hung.
Yet what is wanting In the numerous figure pieces
other portraits not executive ability. OF which,
the average is indeed refreshingly high, but ideas.
There surprisingly few figure studies In which ths
subject has stimulating Significance. Mr.. LafarSex
Christ and Nicodemus' is perhaps the finest Of the
few. The figures noble and The arrangement OF
them perfect After this come Mr.. Dcwing's 4" Pre-.
lude' and "Tobits Walk With the Angel" both a.
POLITICALLY suggestive they original In concer
ton and lovely In coloraion There Is very tender
| feeling in both Mr. smmOns's large works, Darby
and joan aid The Mother" but no new thought.
There IS fancy OF sort In Mr.. Churchs picture OF
"The Slbyl," In Mr.. Ishams The Apple Of DlscoEd'
and I'm Mr. Curran's \ Dream Mr. Brushs Indlau
studies are always diverng and In one OF the three
he shows The Silence Broken he has depicted an
episode OF rFc plcturesqueness. Mr. H. o. Wakef
has treated only figure in each one OF his pictures,
but his Pandora Chloe" "Gih Bearer ana
" Echo are all personlhcatons Of Ideas, imaginative
.tf,1. lt M a
senting nude boy riding donkey, shows ho"
commonplace subject be lifted into the region Oh
poetry. At the end Of the inner gallery are ATes
pictures Of the generous size common In the salon
The Trio" by Mr.. Denman. effective In tho dispose
ton of the figures and even mole effective IN Color
the CHASTITY Washed Ashore which NJ heiAhar' ca
hbited at the American Art Galleries some ye ea
I and Christmas Bells" by Mr. blashhem, wnlcn ~
fine design painted more smoothly ana IN p'e, sx
S6lts aeain his curious Pursuit OF the Ideal' and
An Eclome." We may specify also Mr; w sr outdoor
studs the nudes by Messrs shirlaw EaAon ana Low
the japanese Variations in Flesh Color anu Nct
ala g smeiiey the Sketches q every day genre BY
Mes dgS9y S cannot Ge praised too highly Mr.
Homer Martin. Mr. Inness Mr. WANT and Mr. Minor 0
OF s tSe yoSnse e0 men Messr Deah Robinson
Gilman. rryon Kost coin, T~aflrnan' , Dav.s
, GoA' which sound technique is employed
in imaginative interpretation Of an SS Ppsar fSn ali
of What there is is good Gardens is represented
Hv the bnst Of sherman and two baS-releis. one W
hasten epage and the other OF his own son a. n1
%ionn nv Mr. French. The Angel OF Death ana WIG
scGIpor" which incarnatcs m idca OF solemn az
touching beauty with great dignity NJ Warner s srnn
Ne classic bIsts of Mr. Cotter and Mr. Weir fto,
Mr. MncMonnies there three charming p'G I,
small dimensions Diana" Pan and hoang ra" m
and Mir Louis st. Gaudcns's " Faun' Is s"o""' 'i
extraordinarily fine little thing. 49, ..o ,arco
, In tho smaller galleries that separate the Two h"sc
ones I'm VIII The paintings and scuipturresn a,w
hung Mr. George Vanderlilts RenlPrua Iny ~
nrtnfs mr., exhhitcd, as well as BIS colrV uuf vi
,ngraynrs from paintings by sir JOSHUA ~, me s,v
TO these as well as 10 the exhul''o" u Wv '
OF American Artists, We will return.