New-York tribune., 1896-02-04
TWO EXHIBITIONS.
THE ANNUAL SHOW OF THE WATER
COLOR SOCIETY.


The American Water Color Society has made a
good collection OF pictures for its twenty-nihth
annual show. 1t is delightful to find this veteran
organization preserving undimnished vitality
which the Youngest and most ambitious gathering
Of artists mis- ht envy. II Is true that there are le"
very elaborate productions hung IN TINS assem-
blage of some SIX hundred water colors But the
same is nearly always to be said OF an eHhioi'ioh
devoted to the exploitation OF the dantest OF al 'e
mediums No one wants to paint an epicaI theme
in water color The subject must be IN the main
a lyric one. and must be handled with certain
ease a certain lghtness certain relaxation Oh 'he
ssrous mood in which It is legitimate for the oil
M, a,nter to work A water colorst must take MS
work with passionate seriousness Dut ne mus
never be very serious in the impression wh.ch ne
CONVEYS to the spectator. The maxim Is an o'o
one but every good water color snow reVNes IT, lot
every such display fastens the nina upon Ns
nccul,ar results. The first and last thought pro-
voxed by the present exhibition or the water
Co,or Society Is one of admiration for the loyalty
which II shows to the principle we have noted
This important principle. one of absolute spon-
taney is not in the least opposed TO depth OF leeI-
ing and quality water-color work, ana IL is worm
noting that the picture which has been singled OUT
r ,ba Evans prze this year combines perfect
,raodon, nerfect freshness with remarkable ten
derness of sentiment. The picture to which we
allude is Mr. Lathrop's Twilight IN Conhecucu'
\ work which does not exceed the limits OF .fue
water-color art which shows ihdeed peilo0.
understanding OF the medium, but which Is fuil OF
landscape charm full of more than techn'cal hhe-
,,o,s There Is a commendabe amount OF WORK
,,,,a this In the exhibition Note the picture IN
upht KEY "In Pennsylvania" by Mr.. STANCE 'he
nohe Spring Landscape" by Mr.. Sch"ilhg' 'he
study OF landscape and sheep by MIR. roster "hicn
he calls "The Spring: the interesting though 100
closely analyzed picture by a new man. MI. '''-
host which he calls Silent Woods; MI Horauo
walkers vigorous Potato Pickers and the beau-
tful sympathetic painting OF WINTER ny ,'
McIIhennv which hangs in the neighborhood or the
prize picture and rivals 1t in power we nave
found in every one of these works pcturesquehess
y, design strength Of technique. but with these
things It is pleasure to recognize the
of eood IDEAS the insight into nature ana 'he
genuine feeling which the painters seem 70 poSSeSS
They invariably give pleasure and' IN id''' ''e!'
have been few shows OF American pictures 'a'e!
which have been so uniformly entertaining as TINS
one The work II must be confessed Goes ho'
often call for detailed appraisal or interpretation
7, has TOO often the character OF fugiu'c 7N''ch
But that as We have limited. is one OF the 'hdi -'5
things about paintings IN water color ana 'housn
the merit In a trife may not be worth hu'" 'N'"
:, deserves admiration as tr!fe. For the sFea''F
number of the pictures In this eNh'o"o" ''''S
may be demanded with justice
There ,s somewhat matter OF course more
ambition among the figure painters than afno"S '"'
landscapists In most Instances the s,nraood in
ed
ber nraceful study OF a woman seated at hlhrP
"in,srmezzo she calls it-and there Is reiresnanS
a,asstsaiv that one entitled Slave at The Altar IN
which his semi nude figure IS pTetseh,rnd d "nosalllng
Wr Abbey reviss the scene OF so many o., ,.s
umphs and is represented by p.r, t,h - lantern
IN the snowy seat Of some old town; jus' as a.'
dawn comes to make the sa gov Hork as Mr Abbey
could have sent but 4 is SUI vefy II M
VIII a La
hv IyIneston Plat delicate in drawing ana .,,"! .,
IN coIS' aass az on their way in high wnd. 10
quitting bee OF some years ago. wan S..., ~.
GGSS GC'ranns;ances Hs such as Nr wit has porfays' ~
this room also. the IVES, gaiciy' Nnrl'' ~ 'h,r1I
much Of the bes work o. the shoH i sG."'ar
ber here is most fascinating a'' OF Fenre y oy ,f ma,
Ter He calls IL "A Quarrel shSW' ,-,e~i,9r
and pretty girl IN ne garden hs'o; az "r ,n1
side and tears on the b therc Is
work in the representation OF c,a.ac'.I ' 4, g1,
and truth Of CHARACTERIZATION 4, !, Na,,ia Msi he bari
peasant study, The smoker IL % w"H'1 ~, ~ n@tis;,l
sa1or faire in this water color 1t T. fne pee
Work thoughtfpy handled and ,hogxn a per
snssve ls W air There good w9Tk by NJ Co.. G'oyG r,
Wharton EdwSTds n 1his gHhisSn, a4 r fn' F. y 0' VII
;ams smedley;, FOR iof NJ Mr. Cohen and SIR. tunsFe'
an, and G4ss. Ms bFPef Perhaps s'"" Mr. iunsfsa
are triae harsh; pun Sua Mich his ma
srai was drawn In the corridor the Hansins
Committee has brought together The ho"er Tow s,H9,s
~ the exhibition They make braye SNOW 1''n a. a.
to quantity and quality Mss Hart AM anl Mss
Hams "yiolcts" Mss s:umTs psones 'aanS Ms
Rosenboons Poppes make ony hanaH ele ou' 9'
large srou? Of fTfgen' 5cre are no u1aon.
10 discuss at length any new or ex'rso'DsrS % asrSy
tormansse' nee xGrk SG nefei s iuii Of cnsr st shows a5'
and possesses freshness Of feeling y ~. o @
seS sa3n Tbey viii remain open to tie public until the
las, day Of the month