New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-04
THE SPRING ACADEMY.
u.,r PAINTERS OF SUBJECT
PICTURES HAVE USED THEIR
OppORTJ1NITY.
OPPORTUNITY,


r.. ,,rv Of selection at the Academy OF D hsen
io the catholicity which has OF nv on q
a., ,vor at that institution and there haS tempo
AZ racoenition of various phases OF co s vet
-, American art which used 10 DO eAo' walls
there remains the usual CONTRAST pe.w vs,rr where
here and those at the Fine Arts D..rt 10 wreak
che Society of American Artists Ia con, y its own
itself upon a kind of art more p.. 49," has q more
7, e true that the society exniD .t,ced In pre-
a,versiaed character than has p. . ,na exhibition
-, .,oars hut II is nevertheless - having
~ artists who are first OF an y, s..hfl to it's old
ood tochn,oue The Academy !, -. INT Il wants
eoou eo"'' 7, ,onts good TECHNIQUE p". :" -,
traditions. III w., and there ars more s"o!e''
human ih'eres, o. IN the Fifty-senenth-s'' soiei
pictures mere mo- ,nore evidence Of the amoi'ion
res GOOD composi''on :" . .. ., 7,
" .,,.r more than decoia' - -,
not he said that TINS ies ,ss. 30 ,,onortont
caH'o' a, out merely TO ihora'o oi'o p
We point ,een the two large exhibitions
difference "a every year for the honor or Amer
orousn II might be interesting 10 DISCUSS ,no
ica" ut" tive merits OF tn dinerent principeS
comp 'e the two shows II one were as repie-
san,ative as the other na. mus. We NV
sen." ~ Academy show Is more Impressive oy
tNat INC ,.~oIm than through its positive achieve
N-'ue "a 40 =, : occasion. While the Society ex-
-, ~, - has heal supported by pretty genera
-. am,ng the members OF that orsahi]a-
mo'oip'" .emy has to reckon without the aid of
ton Sne mportant followers. A long list Of
h"hps -. ~ be compiled They might have
srsen" ole ION a strong one. They have left
ma rrcot exl in the hands OF painters unable
wl,auce more middling impression
IN one respect academy mas eapeu oey |'nt
=" o .oadon,s has accepted pictures which
us own p o,,,d ba, been pronounced unbearaby
VIC - o., ,.aors, che OF these is Mr.. Louis
n,ror,s n,cture CT go "rhe WILL" deathoed
scene Of strkngly re. as ic ana even snas"y s'1
r,acance Then, in the north gaher!' MI " -
Henry presents with much peruouiarl'y So
tro,n ufe IN Delaware 1.-THE Pilory and whipping
pos," This is we'll enough as a study OF peia'ed
o.s,oms but il is somewhat revolving, TOO ana the
work proyides a shock in the niost Vi 'io A
hammered art which is most IN eViden0e ~ '''0
corridor also, there Is an ILLUSTRATION W ia"
tborne's most famous romance, by MI Ha'ris'
which strikes a much more strenuous note IMAM Is
o,s+omar, in Academy exhibitions. But these pct
,,rss have a virtue: one moreover that can never
ha too cordially commended. the virtue OF stepping
outside the beaten track Of AN Arrangement IN
yellow. or some such infertile subject Arrange
ments' are sometimes masterpieces. but IL Is sooo
10 have something more substantial in arr once IN
while and we are grateful TO the artists 3peciiieo
above for a certain thoughtfulness, II not LOT
beauty. AS II happens. not one OF them mas hau
the luck TO make work Of art out Oh MS mental
ACTIVITY Among the few who have accomplished
this thing MIR. Humphrey Moore IS pre-eminent
For years he has been sending inconsequenuai
little panels from Paris. but now, IN the large
oriental study, "Nruley Aben Hassan." which occu-
pies a conspicuous place on the threshold or the
exhibition he shows his skill TO some purpose.
The composition IS right and interesting the color
Is attractive. and there is a breadth to the ex-
ecution which puts the artist on plane Of greater
mastery and dignity than he has ever occupied be-
fore at least IN pictures exhibited here. There is
another painter long resident abroad, who IN TINS
collection gives the spectator wellnigh unoualneo
delight. This Is Mr.. c. c. Coleman, VINO sehos
, 1op with
one figure, which hangs in the south gallery. 1t
has the color Of Southern Italy, most sympathet-
ically handled and as a design this is perhaps the
most felicitous thing in the whole exhibition The
pigments only need to have been handled with
little subtlety. to have little more trans
parency and quality. for this panel TO be fairly
brilliant performance. Brilliancy however. is
thing for which one may look almost in vain IN
these galleries. The best work shown Is, with
only one or two exceptions. Of modest merit To
oss first Of those exceptions. the "Moonrise' or
Mr. Robert Reid, the Clarke Prize has been award
ed It thoroughly deserved this recognition. The
panel has the same decorative quality as the
.E,naIe" which Mr. Reid exhibits in the Society
show only II Is q better design and has been more
euayely, more graciously, handled. The color Is
more refined, the drawing Is more subtle, more at
tractive and, above all. IN this picture MI Reid
has got at its best the atmospheric quality which
he is always seeking. The drifting figure which
semi-vaporous surroundings she wears just the air
which the title of the composition suggests. Alto
gether the skill Of tho painter has kept abreast
Of his ambition in this instance. and we have
graceful beautiful design, set forth with sensitive
feeling and with touch of maturity. Of style. The
Evening Song" by Mr.. Reid, which hangs near
by is good in color and atmosphere, but it does
not reveal the grip and strength Of the "Moonrse"
The artist might well have rested his claims TO
honor upon the latter picture alone.
That the Dodge prize should have gone TO Miss
Maconber shows the cumulative effect of her long
striving with noble ideas but her st Catherine"
repeats the deficiencies of all those religious and
from year to year Ii is grainy in texture and there
fore leaves an unfavordble impression. IL MISS
the study Of pigments and learn how 10 handle
them with delicate effect she would take high rank
among her colleagues Mr.. Reaser to whom one of
the Hallgarten prizes has been awarded provokes.
the same comment by his Mother and Daughter;
be made much better. Again and again this ques-
ton comes TO the front Mr. Crrrans FlngaIs
Cave fantasy would be much more satisfactory
thing If the color had life in It, and the "Cloi-
been vastly improved had the blue background been
lowered in tone enough 10 give reposeful instead
same a ,ime it IS not dicu to overlook Miss Hazel
tons iDsistence upon this note in her scheme. Her
workmanship Is so promising, that one is sure TO
hnd her among the major exhibitors in few years.
and In thAmean time one accepts the present work
upon what Miss Hazelton has done in the past We
wish We could say that for Miss Beaux or rather
that her two contributions this year were as good
as others she has sent 20 New-York But we miss
In both the portraits the Academy that assurance
and thOroughness of handling, that recttude in
tone and that charm i'm style which have hitherto
her art a source of pleasure. For she
seems perfunctory, and not quite adequate to her
task II IS but justice to her sterling aoilitles 10
Society exhibition The portraiture generally In the
Academy galleries fails 10 reach lofty mark. II
covers wide range. from the conservative style OF
Mr. Huntngtons Interesting group, The American
pieces Of brushwork such Mr.; Hyde and Mr..
Wilton Lockwood supply. But aside from the beau
iifuy painted head in Mr.. Chase's full length of a
LADY In black there is hardly anything Of hrst-rate
quality. Mr.. Naegele's Sweet sixteen has been
painted with some nervous force and precision. but
tisa rife TOO sweet. tri1c TOO pretty lacking the
solidity and feeling which should go with the
energy displayed Mr. Beckwiths portrait of a
man has vigor and psychological interest 1t Is one