The sun., 1893-03-27
gHE ACADHMY OF DESIGN.
P,cturess,s the sixty.eirbth Ex xhsb,t,o-.

| Jury OF ADMISSION may no inferred from tho
fact that some 1900 pictures were submitted
for the present spring exhibition OF the Acad-
envy Of Design. But 45O were accented and
hung. OF course IL is not much OF trick for
| the committee to be instantly unanimous in
the rejection OF almost all of the worst OF
these. but fancy the embarrassment Of these
well-meaning and conscientious gentlemen
when confronted by the awful N A." Where
these Initials on picture should be som etimes
literally spelled out to read "No account" they
are instead. under one OF the unfortunate rules
OF the Academy. often permitted to stand for
Not amennble." and SO the canvas bearing
them must be passed.
Whatever its aim in the m after. tho Hanging
| Committee has not succeeded in getting to-
gether all OF the best pictures In the fayorite
South Gallery In fact they arc SO scattered
about happily as to leaven the whole lump.
The chief place OF honor in tho middle OF the
south wall Ia occupied by Mr.. Eastman John
sons Portrait Of Lady" No. 264. It Is not
to discredt its excellence II It be SO i'd that IL
does not deserve this place when somo Of lis
nctshbors are considered. The portrait is OF
! full length and almost life size. and represents
woman In black holding In her left hand Mt
| her side n bunch OF eladiolas. Tho pose is
easy and graceful. and tho bearing OF the figure
is diGnifcd: but. while the gown is thor
opghy well painted. the lace is hard and heavy
In modelling and in the coors OF the shadows.
| Not far from this canvns. to tho right, hangs
a picture that Immediately commands atten-
tion as quite tho most brilliant thing in the
whole exhibition. 1t is Mr.. Robert Blum's
Tho Amaya.' No. 274. II Japanese street
| fakir. blowing soft gluten or candy into fanci-
| ful gourd-like shapes to the bewildernent and
| delight OF group OF maids and children. Mr.
| Blum is too infre1uent exhibitor. owing, per-
hans. to his habit Of going often abroad. but
| on mono OF his Journeys into southern Europe
has he brought back finer fruit OF his lnbors
than this Japanese bouuuet OF color and at
mosnhore. The low houses or booths of this
| gay Tokyo street and the studios Of Japanese
| babies and children are simply delightful in
character and painting. and the composition
is mastorls. In handling his brilliant coors
| too. Mr.. Blum has avoided tho all but inevita-
Die disaster that must have overtaken u less
skiltul painter or a less inspired Artist.
The ends Of the South Gallery are held by
Mr.. Shurtleffs uncommonly large landscape.
| NO. 3O2. The Silent Wools." on the west. and
MIR. Benson's very clever "Lamplight: study
In red. black. and gold" No. 22G Mr.. Shurt-
leff has rarely been seen to better advantage
| than In this lovely view in the edge OF the
| forest. penetrated here by a golden sunlight
and there revealing a glimpse Of tho blue sky
beyond clearing. Down the middle OF the
! canvas tiny rill finds it's way among the
moses to pool in the foreground. Overhead
the foliage hangs lightly lik Q lace 1t is a pic
ture In which are depth and atmosphe and
delightful devotion to the truth OF nature as
seen and painted out Of doors. Mr.. Benson's
picture deals with the effects OF lamplcht,
not unfamiliar theme with him as with Mr..
Iarbell. girl in black sits. II little theatri-
cally as to pose. upon the arm OF a chair, red
silk shawl hanging loosely across her bare
arms. The golden effect suggested in the
title OF the picture is found in the bright glow
OF the lampliGht upon the face and figure OF
white.robed girl in the background. The two
figures lead to little confusion and lack OF
balance in the composition. but the treatment
OF the lights. direct and reflected. is ingenious
and beautiful.
The other noteworthy works In this gallery
are not numerous. The most striking is prob
ably the worst. namely Mr.. Huntington g nor
trait OF an insurance policy. No. 233. tho policy
being in the hand of Mr.. John d. Jones. Presi-
dent OF the company. There is nothing in tho
policy SO far as it can be deciphered to ex plain
why President Jones's head should be turned.
Perhaps Mr.. Huntington might be able to OK
plain 1t. hut In the absence OF authoritative
testimony on this point. it is apparent to the
casual observer that it is ue to most ex-
traordlnariIy bad drawing.
There iI Landscape" by Mr.. Homer D.
Martin. No. 223 that must impress the serious
student as a wonderfully fine work. lovely in
.ne co''r ol inc SKY ana stronR and thought
iui ana poetic IN composition. fringe OF
trees ai'ne river DanK ponds with the
"lno' ana gives oreezlness to this line
canvas that is iurther expressed in the at
mospheric quality Of the sky. Mr.. J. Francis
Murphys Shutdown" No. 2GO. is another
paih.ine Oh oeautiiui atmospheric elect aud
color OF SKY ana 1oliaRe. Mr. kruseman Van
Eten IN clearing On. No. 2o2 Mr. Brevoort's
me Nignt Mlnd swept the Moorland Lea"
NO 2.f Mr. f. L. fieids two canvases The
winding stream No. 22a. and Seward"
No. 2io; MI Bolton Joness White Birches."
No. 243 against very blue sky: "Shinnecock
Hills. No. NV a breezy stretch OF sand and
meadow. by MIR. Chase. and Morning." No.
2f2. by MIR. Mlnor-these and few others. to
be mentioned In later notice. are among tho
good things by our landscape painters to be
found in tho South Gallery