New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-28
AMERICAN WATER COLORS.
The EXHIBITION AT The ACADEMY OF
DEcJCN

The American Water Color Society excels by
little margin this winter the record which 1t made
year ago. This season. as last, the hrSt-rate pic
lures make a small group but the group is really
somewhat larger than that Of 1892. II owes most
OF its strength to Mr.. Lafarge. Never there
better adviser more fruitful artistic excursions than
those which this artist made to the Southern seas
and to the East. Time after time the exhibitions
remind Us of them and ALWAYS TO delight
Upon this occasion there is another beautiful figure
piece done at samoa. a portrait of Faase, The
Taupo, official Virgin. Of Fagola Bay, with her
duenna in the background 1t Is perfect iustra
ton Of the two qualities which make Mr.. Laarsc's
studies Of such subjects striking, fine analysis of a
type, and the most complete, yet most scfcontancd
appreciation Of the color and warmth in tropical
vegetation. The mountainous scenery OF the So
ciety Islands is painted in No. 334 and painted
with impressive largencss OF style. though the
dunn is water color and the scale is small. In
No. 4O4 there looms the immense statue Of Buddha
at Kamakura, in Japan, statue wearing an cx-
preston OF rumnant placidity, which MIR. Lafarge
makes haunting in the mind. But lovciest Of all
Mr.. Lafarges water colors are No. 4O3, Island Of
Lombok, Java, from the Sea- and No. 164 South
Sea study 1t would be hard TO match the beauty
Of color which is in these. Two artists In this
Mbition, much younger and infinitely less mastery
than Mr.. Lafarge, deserve nevertheless be named
with him for the peculiar richness of their color
Miss Clara W. Parrish, OF whose exceptional gift
We have spoken before. shows In No. 81 An
Arrangement In Yellow" surprising charm of color
a charm which we miss in the two other designs
which she contributes, and miss with surprise also
Mr.. j. IL. Johnston Is uneven the side OF sub
ject No. 430. portrait of a Of Tlhs, is obviou,
enough, but No. 446, The Road TO QucrOn,' Is Oh
scurc, and II No. 261 Is really Subject Ale
gorque,7 1t is not at all apparent TO what IT
alegorizes. But all of these uncommony strong
In color.
In the small group Of especially excellent pictures
Miss McChesney's pseudo Dutch interior Is prominent,
a good piece of work In spite of its initiative char
acter. There is thoughtful study facial expression
In No. 49, "Thc Parish Priest" by Malcolm Fraser,
besides clever technique OF this latter quality there
is great plenty in two Of Mr.. assam's five pictures,
In No. 357 Indian summer Madison square,
pretty decorative panel, and In No. }68, "The Rain,
which is simple and very attractive sketch utterly
spoiled BIZ the vulgarity Of fitting up the feet Of
some otherwise invisible man the sill, which
runs along the bottom OF the fame ana over which
the scene Is supposed be viewed. With these
figure studies OF Mr. Hassams may be associated Mr.
Hyde's study of three ladies in black. No. 3fJ,
"GOssips" the portrait nf sentimental Pdriscnnc
No. 34G "Marchcsa7 by A. Lynch, the wcknOwn
illustrator of Figaro; No 357 In the FeldsKen.
tuckys by Jules Guerln original picture Of outdoor
lie very natural In the figures and in the Landscape,
Mr.. Clark Crums "Sympathy" (NO. 3j0) farm
scene and the portraits by Miss sarah c. Sears, Of
Boston. Miss Sears has carried OF the William r.
Evans prize of $500 with No 900, "I;omola.7 No
one IS likely quarrel with the jury OF selection for
awarding the prize 10 this exhibitor. for she is
vigorous and accomplished artist. But il Is not plain
that Of her four pictures the chosen for the prize
was most worthy OF it. We think 1t might better
have been given either No. 40l a spanish Girl )"
oil No 374, A Portrait The frt of these, par