New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-28
THE CHRONICLE OF ARTS.
EXHIBITIONS AND OTHER TOPICS.

People are not buying pictures IN NeW-fork Just
now-though various Americans were represented
at the extravagant Vever sale In Paris recently
and the prospects for large and interesting auctions
are no better than they were two months ago. But
the usual exhibitions OF the are In full force.
and II Is pleasant TO know that they are fairly
prosperous The Water Color show at the Academy
and the Architectural Leagues display at the Fine
Arts Building have both been well attended, and
the small galleries have been active in the expoita-
ton OF artist another. At present the most
conspicuous. and. in some ways. the most interest
Ing exhibition In the list. Is that OF the Architect
ural League 1t has drawback II Is well
filled as to be unweldy. and the crowding Of tho
exhibits has deprived OF them Of their legit.-
mate effect But this Is fault easily forgiven In-
asmuch as the great OF drawings. decora TONS
sculptures and miscellaneous objects Of is uni
formly good. In fact the Architectural League has
not often made excellent an impression.
Tho first OF the five galleries at the Fine Arts
Building has been assigned, usual. to the deco
rative artists. and the walls positive brill
fancy in their abundance OF color. There Is soma
beautiful work in this gathering Of cartoons and
sketches A number OF the artists who have been
working on the decora ton OF the new Congress
sional Library at Washington present here their
small studies. Mr. Blashfeld has sent some frag-
ments OF his noble scheme for the dome. Mr.. Rob-
Reid offers the sketches for his symbollcal
panes--a set Of decorations remarkable for grace
OF movement In the figures and for peculiarly skill
Cox has hung considerable number Of the work.
ing drawings made for one OF his epses WASH
ington, affording the lay student interesting
sidelight upon the evolution OF a mural painting
Here and there decoration seems more ambitious
than decorative. as, Tor example. the study for
long Chaucerian procession by Mr. Sewell, but. In
the MAN, the mural schemes brought forward are
noticeable for their appropriate character. Men
like Mr.. Blashfeld and Mr.. Crownnshield. like Mr..
Reid and Mr. Shean have apparently studied their
problems with full sense Of the architectural mo-
tive which must persist in the painted adornment
Of wall and the general effect OF the work which
they and of their colleagues have done is
never unduly pictorial. indie ed the merely pretty
sketch has disappeared from the exhibition this
year. there is not enough crude, amateursh work
call for any specific notice, and without sacrfnc-
ing any of the pcturesqueness which has always
made this side OF the Leagues display particularly
attractive to the average man. the committee has
kept the key professional throughout. The room
wears the appearance Of craftsman's workshop.
Nc easel pictures have been called in 10 exc out the
display The cartoons all OF serious nature.
The trouble has been heretofore that many OF tho
designs for stained glass and for wall decoration
have been just spots Of color with little In them
that has been ineligible to the layman. This
year the cartoons and smaller studies explain
themselves with great clearness. The point is an
important one. II the League is to do any good
among the people who build and decorate. but have
experience study behind them 1t must make
itself understood OF the people. 1t does this upon
the present occasion, and owners who come TO tho
exhibition will get Ideas the construction and
establishment OF a home.
Possibly the foregoing observation applies moro
TO the contents Of the two large galleries than 10
those OF the three which come between In the
latter there Is such miscellaneous jumbo or
drawings, water colors sculptures and examples
OF wrought iron leatherwork and WOODWORK that
MI Ill <Lot
stands out so forcibly from everything else that
its significance cannot be missed Is tho art OF the
late Olin Warner II is represented here in numer-
casts. and wherever one OF them Is found IN
the scattered collection there the sensitive observer
will feel that he has come in contact with poetic
temperament and brilliant style. warmers WORK
has indeed. quality which demands repose and
simplicity In its surroundings for its fullest effect,
but nothing could In the long run obscure his
classic charm. His portrait busts are among the
most distinguished works Of their kind ever done
in America, and In some OF his imaginative panels.
like the Cupid and Psyche" he has a grace, an
originality and imaginative strain which put
him in the first rank OF creative artists. The most
noticeable sculptor after Warner in this collection
Is Mr.. Bartlett, whose Sherman model Is a strik-
Ing piece Of bravura little too ford, perhaps for
monumental art, but at the same time so vital!zed
and massive that 1t sences adverse criticism. Mr..
Niehaus has some interesting models In the show,
and so has Mr.. Herbert Adams. but for the
two panels sent by the latter there is not much
good decorative sculpture might be expected
a superficial glance into this room. There is some
facility OF the kind illustrated by Mr. Schwarzotts
high relief Of a group OF fishes but there is not
enough work OF the sort that is demanded by archi
lecture
The architects themselves make a better showing
than they have made in years The severest OF all
their problems. the huge office building or hotel
remains still unsoved Messrs. Howard G. Cauld-
,boyr cd
crate height have produced a symmetrical. artis-
tic building; but when the skyline has scared
much higher. In the Philadelphia Apartment
Building Of Mr. F. c. Miller the proposed Her
aid Square Hotel by Messrs Hill & Turner, the re-
suit has turned out picturesque than im-
pressive. Yet in this direction there is con-
siderable good work shown. as good as can be ex-
pected perhaps under the circumstances. That
very hotel by Messrs. Hill Turner 10 which
reference has Just been made Is original beyond
the accustomed degree In similar work. without
being fantastic; and, on the whole. the tall build
ngs not often grotesque as the ST. Paul
Building. for example. In which Mr. Post has
| shown US how not do It. Aside from this cir
| cumscribed field. the architects have come 10 tho
| front this year with delightful variety and
strength. wide range Is illustrated. 1t extends
| from such churches as those admirable neo-Eng-
| fish productions Of Messrs. Cram. Wentworth q
| Goodhue. and from such isolated monument as
! the Gothic memorial tower at Hartford by Mr..
Haight, TO the quaint and altogether charming
zebu house for the National Geological Park by Mr..
| Glenn Brown If one type OF work more than an
other calls special celebration. 1t is that repre-
scented by the country houses OF Messrs. Carrere n
| Hastings. These illustrate the taste which has
arisen here OF late years for dwellings designed
| with formal grounds around them. with terraces
and similar adjuncts They testify to the combna-
! ton OF the art OF the architect with that OF the
| landscape gardener. and they show splendid re-
suits Another Interesting feature is that supplied
| by the designs for public bath building by Cady.
| Berg & See and for tho shelter at Corlears Hook
| by Howard & caldwell Public work has been
| so long In the hands OF incompetents and jobbers
that II is encouraging TO see Il treated as In these
| admirable compositions further building OF a
| semi-pubic nature is the Hall OF History. Ameri-
| can University Washington. which is shown In