New-York tribune., 1903-01-03
ART EXHIBITIONS.
The National 4cademy Of Design.


National Academy of Design opens this morn
ing at the Fine Arts Building. 1t is made up
of about four hundred pictures which have been
judiciously hung, and leave, when taken to-
gether, very pleasant impression. Analysis or
the collection discloses Improvement IN the
average rather than any great number OF m
dividuai triumphs. Indeed, the really memor-
able pictures are few and far between. How
ever, if the spectator is not often deeply i'm
pressed he is frequently interested. The figure
pieces. for example, include number Of credit
able performances Almost on the threshold OF
the exhibition one encounters the picture by Mr..
E. L Couse, Indian Brave Recording General
Mackensie's Fight with Cheyennes,'' compo-
sition with more vitality in it than usually goes
with studies of aborigines, picturesquely
conceived and well executed. There is certain
freshness in this canvas for all that it treats an
old theme. Deserving, of praise for much the
same reason is Mr.. Foote's IAN Afternoon in
the Fifties' wherein old fashioned costume is
effectively handled good lighting and suave
color making up for rather feeble passage here
and there IN the drawing. Mr.. Emil Hering's
big canvas, THE Gamblers" is admirable for
vigor in the modelling of stalwart figures, but
it is too sensational. To turn the Cruciixion
into a bit Of genre large scale may seem
to the artist to be clever, but his work leaves
bad taste il the mouth He might bettershave
put his technical aptitude at the service of
another idea.
A composition that promises well, but which
in the long run fails to justify itself, is Mr.
Loeb's long panel, 1.-The Joyous Life" in which
company of maidens in classical draperies
dance riotousIy across a sunny landscape The
movement Of the figures is good, and they are
skilfuIly placed in an attractive scene, but in
the sweet color and in the commonplace style
this recalls nothing so much pretty Christ
mas card Mrs. Sewells THE Sacred Heca-
tomb" in which kindred motive is treated on
a larger SCALE though unfortunately brittle IN
color, has an engaging buoyance and consider
able decorative charm, and she well deserved
the T. B. Clarke prize which she has received
Again and again pictures here please and dis
appoint in the same moment. Thus Mr.. HaW-
thorne's Girl in Yellow exhibits a vivacity in
design and drawing which is discounted by
trashy color; Mr. Mora and Mr.. Henri, in their
full length studies of women in dark costume,
inspire admiration for their cleverness, but wake
regret that they are more Whistlerlan than
original; and Mr.. Church, attacking graceful
theme in his "Undine" loses a good effect by
making his work too PANTY. There rs a DIS
comforting sense of imitation in THE Snack,
by Alice Mumford; but if this artist has taken
a hint from Velasquez, she has at any rate put
it to good purpose. There is quality in her
she will produce original and beautiful work.
Miss Abbot's italian Boy" winning piece OF
portraiture is also promising, though 1t is to be
hoped that she will strike in the future fresh
er note OF color. There are several capital ex-
anpIes Of academic art here, conspicuous among
them being the Day Dreams" Of Mr. G. R
Barse who has put his familiar models in new
positions upon this occasion, and has drawn
them with more freedom than usual. hand
,sro-f fr-aI1- ma
sented in The Surprise by Mr.. Cox and Mr.
Kline has made a good decoration, drawn with
a certain Iargeness of feeling, and very agree
able in color in his 'Leda and the Swan to
which the second Hallgarten prize has Justly
been awarded The first Hangarten prize, by
the way, has gone to Mr.. H. NJ. Walcott, for
a picture of little children lawn AT the
Party" we fail to see just why. There is
hint of individuality in the color, but the style
is heavy, and the design is without charm Two
oblong panels by Mr.. F. D. Marsh. The Build
ers' and "Pittsburg," deserve connmendation
for the picturesque manner in which interesting
subjects are handled in them, though this artist
does not seem. as yet, to have quite found him
self his color being much in need of clarifica-
ton The romantic sentiment in THE Render
vous" by Mr.. T. B. Williams, is appealing; there
is cIeyerness in Mr.. Curran's "Hollyhocks and
Sunshine" in Mr.. Kings Meditation" in Mr..
Anderson's "Thstles' and In Mrs. Prellwitzs
THE Little Boat but with these productions
we drift into the company of works that if, on
the whole, neritorio5ls, possess no very serious
significance.
In portraiture the exhibition maintains
encouraging standard Mr.. Vinton's portrait OF
Mr. Henry E Rowland Mr.. Fowler's portrait
Of President Hadley, Mr. Beckwith's large por-
trait of Captain McD0tgal1 all show thorough
craftsmanship Mr.. Chase has produced one of
his most interesting canvases in his portrait
Of the conductor, Mr.. Paur; Mr. Smedley works
sklfully, and with a touch of Sargents aplomb,
in his Portrait of L. J. McC.," and though we
deplorc the unhealthy flesh tints in Mr.. Ken
daTrs Portrait of Mrs. Bell" we confess that
there is something very taking in the general
effect or this work An individual style and
charming color scheme combine TO give the
Portrait of Miss Squire by E Mars, an hon
orable station in the show. and we may speak
with equal cordialty of the delightful Little
Miss Churchill" by Mrs Cox, a portrait fresh
in color and peculiarly sympathetic in spirit
We NAV mention favorably also Mr.. Welrs
portrait Of Albert P. Ryder, coarse in texture
but painted with q powerful accent. and the TWO
nortraits sent by Mrs. Heustis. The full length
of a feminine model by Mr.. Rice asserts ltseL
but in frivolous and shallow fashion. 1here
ora alas too many other canvases presented
of which the same may be said In landscape
there is a great deal that arrests attention
-aa.b1v Anopgh but there is not much that
,,ars in the mind Mr. Shurtleffs Summer
+tr,a IN Keene Valley is a wetghty co1npo-
si+io, noble in spirit and adequate in execu-
tion. there is fine dignity, with some tender
ness also about Mr.. Carlsen's May A1terhooh
there are some poetic notes by MI VIII fSop-
inson Mr. Minor Mr.. W. L. Lathrop ana MI
Alexander Harrison, and there are useful con-