The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
rIorURrs Ar IHE AoADEMr.

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and leave their completion to the imagination |
OF the spectator. It is q plain, incorporating
rendering Of light falling from a window on the |
figure of q eray.haired man seated at a table
putting the dnishing touches TO q stuffed
hawk and difused in the room over walls,
floor, and half o dozen objects In the
way OF accessories. Tho color scheme Is q very
sober one, tho prevailing notes being white and |
gray. The motive Of the picture 10 to paint \
man at work in q room and give the semblanco Of
nature. This simple plan is so seldom adopted by
our painters nowadays that the presence In an
exhibition Of y picture that relies on nothing but
It's truth to nature TO II 10 worth not
ing. The figure Is we'll drawn and frankly mod.
ellod; tho light 10 we'll distributed and
pervadcs every part Of the room. The
shadows are In no place opaque and
oil of tho objects in the composition are
we'll enveloped. Tho picture is a straightfor-
ward, diRniHed performance. which deserves
nothing but praise. No fault may be found with
1t technically, and 1t may be set down as n work
based on sound principles. and carried out with
an infoxible determination to give things as
they are seen by the painter with fidelity. Tho
treatment of the picture as a whole is broad
and unified. In the same class of subject as
tho "Taxidermist.' that Of genre. arc two
pictures by William Verplanck Birney,
"Hesitancy," No. rs. and "A Little Rest No.
90, though both are much smaller canvascs
and less ambitious In intention. The better OF
the two IL "A Little Rest" in which the figure
of a man smoking a long pipe after II days fish
ing Is quite well painted. Tho effect of light in
both pictures is competently given, but the
drawing in "Hesitancy" Is a little below the
mark. Out In the corridor is another genre pic
ture that is worthy Of notice, The Colonel's
Dinner" No. 1s, by Frederick James. 1t shows
unlltnr aaru.pta L. , hall NTH ana, ~ thnv,
bearing alott q large platter on which arc
smoking dishes. The uniforms Of red and
the white walls make the color scheme, and
the figures aro good in character. The ceiling
OF the hall does not keep its place very we'll and
has q somewhat precipitant look that detracts
from ones satisfaction in looking at the picture.
Tho good points in the work are the choice Of
the subject and the honest purpose to paint
clearly and frankly which is evident in every
part Of the canvas. Excellent in its way IL q
small canvas by Frederick w. Freer, Happy
Hours" No. 253. which shows o young woman
dandling a baby on her knees, and two quite
important genre compositions. Consulting
the Chart" No. lat. by L. c.. Earle,
and "Undecided," No. 23l. by Louis Moeller,
complete the list Of notable works in this field.
Undecided" shows a room in an American
house or apartment, with furniture Of tho com.
monplace and miscellaneous description usually
found in the homes Of the middle classes. with
five men In their shirt sleeves engaged In q
game of cards. The careful painting that char.
acterlzes Mr.. Moeiler's work 10 present In this
picture. and the types are well studied. There
lie air in the room. and values are well preserved
in the ensemble, SO that in spite OF the large
amount of detail the picture looks unified at q
distance as well as near to, but 1t would
gain considerably IL there were a little more
distinction In the color scheme. The blacks and
the whites are qualified but little. and the gen
eral aspect Of the work Is somewhat cold. In
spite of this. however, 1t IS interesting, both in
subject and in handling. and presents a faith
full page of life and manners. Mr.. Earle's pic
ture contains two figures, both sea dogs in their
shore clothes. and here again there is good
study Of types. Tho composition Is we'll bal
anced and the general effect is pleasing, while
the painting throughout, though not always
sufficiently substantial, is broad and fluent.
There are some interesting portraits in the ex-
hibition, but none of the capital works that are
generally seen in the spring exhibitions. OF
works by the well-known painters Mr.. Sargent's
Portrait of the Artist Claude Monet" No. 2s5,
Is no moro than o carte de risitc, q head in pro-
fle cut pretty close to the outlines by the
frame, and in no way remarkable. Mr.. Beck
with in PORTRAIT Study" No. 273. and Mr..
Fowler in Portrait" No. 263, show color
schemes tnat are not without Cnarul, anu MT.
Jared b. Flagg exhibits a portrait of the artist
mo. 1851 that Is q direct and pleasant likeness.
The work Of some Of the newcomers hung in tho
corridor, has claims to attention, as in Portrait
OF Miss b." No. So. by Mary Van der Neer,
which shows considerable breadth Of handling,
an interesting head, good painting Of accessories.
and n color scheme that Is striking, but marred
by a tendency to muddiness; in Portrait. No.
81. by Helena w. Miller. a demure-looking
young woman in a pink gown, with the figure
we'll constructed and the color frank and quick;
in Portrait of Master Walworth c." No. SO,
by Anne Lawrence Gregory. loosely drawn.
but with an aspect that carries; and
in a strangely hard and fiat picture.
Portrait Of Miss W." No. %, by Wallace
bryant, which in spite OF its hardness interests
by its painstGking honesty and is to be pre-
ferred to such affected slashing as is shown in
the picture of a girl in white. "Peonies," No. %,
by Carl Newman, where u good sense of color Is
buried in coarse masses OF paint. Mr.. Hinck-
ley's competent picture Of a lady with the head
well modelled and tho figure posed In dignifled
fashion. Mrs. Robert Hinckley." No. l, and
Mr.. Wbittemoro's well.drawn head. Portrait"
No. AZ. both in the corridor. are other works in
portraiture that are conspicuous for good quail
tiles.
Al autumn exhibition ought to bring out
oohiV Boot phStu'Oo " NoahNiy AiAS ohA AoAN
scapes. for 1t comes at tho close Of q season that
most OF the artists pass out of town. A sufi-
ciont reason for holding an exhibition at the
Academy in the autumn is found In this fact,
and the galleries generally show a fair repre-
scntation OF such work, though not SO much
nor OF so high a quality rs might be ex-
pected. But the way to improve tho aver
age Is to continue the exhibitions and
not to abolish them. ms it has been
said lately the Academy authorities were think
ing OF doing. Tho general average of the work
this year Is better than 1t was at the last autumn
exhibition. md the exhibition IL worth seeing II
half OF the four hundred pictures In the galleries
are passed by without moro than a glance. OF
course there are too many little mediocre
sketches. but their presence seems to be a neces.
sary evil brought about by the eSigencies OF the
hanging In vogue in most of our exhibitions. II
Is the custom to cover the walls, and there
are all sorts of odd corners 10 BIO
filed up. II tho better class of works
only were accepted and the pictures were spaced