New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-04
AMERICAN WATER COLORs
THE EXHIBITION AT THE ACADEMY
OF DESIGN.

vance upon the records OF preceding years pic,
ures have before this been displayed which ycr.
more remarkable than anything now brough, for
ward but rover has the average been better than 4,
is this year have tho galleries been so evenly
commendable Moreover there IL n exact bal.
ance struck between the landscape and genre con.
tingents than has been customary In the past, A..
n rule II has been impossible 10 set good fp1rs
pieces abreast OF good landscapes in equal numbers
but upon the present occasion the effect Ia % vari.
ETY. from the corridor the last OF the re-
naming rooms. II may be observed. by-the-way
that the latter have been most ngenOusly adorned
by Mr.. Walter Satterlce, who has had sole charge
of the decorat tons. lie has. indeed brought m.
society back 10 realization that the purpose OF thu
exhibition IS to show pictures 10 advantage. not TO
aaunt Graperiss and bric-a-brac Not seldom ths
galleries have been oyerburdened with curlos and
hangings. II s good them AZ last treated In
"A reposeful and really decorative manner.
Gayety has been the most pronounced character
istic of many previous water-color shows at III.
Academy and With much justice Inasmuch as IN.
medium f. fitted 20 the exploitation Of light and
airy moods But there seems 10 have been a ,acit
agreement among the contributors 70 the laes, dis.
play that they would adhere 10 "A key Of mild and
gentle color 10 styles more workmanlke than
snappy 10 subjects more sedate and familiar than
original or startling. The result IL a very conpan-
ionablc gathering Of pictures. Mr.. George Wharton
Edwards In his studies OF the picturesque ma,dens
of Holland peases By a pretty vein OF domestic
sentiment the same time that he registers a note
Of direct and forcibe execution. Mr. Abbey Dor.
trays a stately young OF the puritanlcai era
and charms by the subdued emotion IN his figure
by the simplicity OF his design and the sObr1ety OF
his color The only picture in the collection that
approaches undue emphasis OF light color il the
"Torch Bearer" OF Mr. Francis c. Jones. and here
the effort TO be brilliant when brilancy Is not with.
in the artists grasp has not destroyed the sprghty
oh
content. OF another essay along rather high
pitched lines. the work with which Mr.. Wies has
the Evans prize Of 500, we cannot speak SO
cordially. The Green Cushion" is a crudey de-
signed and roughly painted water color, with moth
ing TO recommend II beyond its bold brush work II
wears uneasly the honors bestowed upon II. filing
the post OF honor in the south gallery with oudness
and cheap cleyerness
II Is the more regrettable that picture like The
Green Cushion should have been singled out for
the distinction Of a prize, inasmuch as, besides
being intrinsicay of poor quality 1t IS not in any
way representative Of the exhibition a whole
More unanimously than before the water-col.
orists have taken their art with becoming serious
ness, and their we-made pictures. many OF them
uncommonly true and sensitive. put 10 shame the
gaudy performance upon which We are asked 10
congratulate Mr.. Wlles. II IS more 20 the point 10
congratulate Miss Woodbury. for her picturesque
and synpathetic representation Of two Dutch
ter In work Ike this there is purpose. dignity.
and. at the same time. there is artistic temper.
Again, there is crispness about Mr. Eare's por-
trait Of "A Young Venetian" and his "PenslOner"
which is good IN itself and shows % instructive
advantage when placed beside the shallow facility
OF work more catchy than intelligent. Some OF
the more Intelligent sketches in the show are Ar.
Smeaey re pomIs TORN year StteI yss't
he has not yet begun 70 stereotype his designs.
on the contrary, there is a wonderful freshness
re- her
tcnporaneous in theme. II IS IN work Ike THIS,
coo or are 6SPp S ad aro ana Se "a
piquant Fairy Tale" Of Mr.. Flagg the graceful
"1iuntress" of Mr.. Goodman the somewhat h0rd
"Sultdnetta" Of Eugene Gryaz the two fancfui
Herter. the quaint costume studies OF Mr.. +. H.
Henry, with hts Sunday Morning and In The
Morans, win their fragments Of old fashioned
quent and. on the whole. more admirable are
kerts FISHING on Lake Erie and 'seecting. or
such a quiet, masculine piece Of work as Miss Nc.
Of "oero." by Mr.. symingtCn, in Mr. JSsephis
The Gossip and in Sir. Arter's The Gossips."
typedcd-merits OF straightforward reality and Of
artist like Mr. Louis Rhead may surprise tho
"iStor by some such sudden apparri'i99 I as his
tastic linear effect and Miss Maud Stumm may
ity of her small water colors; but in the long
run, these artists have less TO say 70 the public
istics or OF Mr.. Francis Wheatons semi pathetic
feeling The latter, IN fact, has painted IN ms
sive pictures OF the season. lie has gathered
number of hungry sheep around scarecrow that
mails and the dreary plain The atmosphere is
one Of gloom and cold. The composition, though
balanced, Altogether this j. most poetic and
Gresng pcjpr one that staEs n os mye
Mr. Church's Song OF the Jungle" a number OF
ne
tigers long and methodically thar he fails
to oF ha2 h DONE s a tn have xsG not oa
the imaginatious but ones sense Of everyday fami
lar delights in rural paths has been The sgMsS S
benny and several others The !andscaplsis,,
Ochtman at their head. Mr. Palmer IS worthy
GS3mpanon to this artist as witness his y, BrG Saxdi
Warren Eaton in the south gallery which comes
to Mr. Ochtman's Winter symphony, IN ne
Interpretation of chill snowy landscape. But i2s
latter is without question the star picture IN tSs
galleries, work SO full OF quiverns light so Ilii o.
the strange winter cir that hoyers on The border,,
land between dazzling Clearness and The yagues'
mist, that It brings into the room an actual shNe
as OF The veriabie scene which II depicts I.tIe
other good snow scenes shown IN addition 10 ms @.i
the other studies mentioned above mere Is; 10, az
ample. Mr.. Ross Turner'S vigorous sNetch Oh an
road yard in the corridor, painting @Ai.n SI'ths
him at bound far above the leve on when ne nSs
doorway on one Side With this winter scene on ne
other with The Golden Gaiieon "A marine naitHy
reproduction OF the broad Oily swells which 80 oite.
marx the surface OF the sea I'D II Nll'Hl'''
the sketch by Mr. I.insou. "Ou the Aegean sea
which hangs in the corridor. canvas when ee,,esi
It's limited scale in lis tempcSfuOlS movement 50.
positive grandeur of feeling. Mr. Smell also mas Two
beautiful marines. the urd picture OF hre az sea;
entitled AN ocean Tragedy" and the riiescenI
fantasy called The Top OF the cliffs There t y
considerable group OF ship studies. among "N.i
ION Shore Leave" by Ny. W. l.. SontasS. lr, ayta
MIR. l.. A. Shafer's Clearing Weather ana M Sre
Carlton Chapman's u. :. :. constitution q.
the most satisfactory With these marines , anu
with the landscapes sent by Mr.. Lathrop. MI wa
Jams Mr. Shurtlefr ana MIR Grippe our survey y,
the exhibition may terminate. II IS true va,
masterwork has presented itself for discuss
that the exhibition IS spectacular as u 80
been in other years. But. repeat. me va.
Color Society never had more grounds FOR prie nd
II has I'm lS,1 The m, mbcrS haN" excluded Hcu
ocrty so far rs IL can be excluded from any 80,
the galleries are scrutinzcd i'm detail a. wn9ie
they Leave most encouraging impression ny,
remain open 10 the public untii me 'i" % Wv
month.