New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-31
ART EXHIBITIONS.
The Ejghtieth annual Shoz0 of the
academy of Design.

The eightieth annual exhibition OF the National
Academy OF Design opens to-day at the Fine Arts
Building to last until January IS. The galleries
have been generously filed. There $50 pictures
the walls. and 10 pieces OF sculpture are shown.
OF the average OF merit sustained in this mass OF
work it is. we are sorry to impossible to speak
with enthusiasm. The exhibition is indeed. about
unsatisfactory any the Academy has brought
forward in recent years OF course it contains
number of interesting pictures. but the proportion
OF these is deplorably small. The general impress
sion left IS OF comfortable rdiocrity, and II it
were not well known that there are men in the
country who know how paint, the observer might
easily infer from this show that American art had
drfted into a state of stagnaton. The truth is
that the large miscellaneous eXh bition does not
necessarily provide Il means Of judging the condt-
ton OF our school At the moment. The annual
display at the Pennsylvania Academy. in PhiIadel-
PFla. comes nearest serving the purpose. Mel
Their the Academy Of Design the Society OF
American Artists has Of late done much TO aid the
student in this matter.
The trouble with the Academy this wear Is that
It has accepted too many of the contributions
Which arc doubtless sincere and painstaking. hut
are hopelessly Commonplace end dull Take. for
example. the illustrations OF current portraiturs.
the paintings, mostly a large scale which are
either studies of character or decorative arrange
Inenta." it has often occurred that some OF the
best things in the Academy have been IN this
category But the present show is almost empty
Of interesting portraits. Ambitious canvases loom
IN them that Is strong or distinguished. Mr..
Eakins mas almost but not quite struck twelve in
MS fulI length OF Professor Leslie ". Miller.
painting which makes up in its easy vivid presen-
tation Of marked personality what it lacks in
quality Of color and charm of style There Is a
captivating cleverness about Mr. J. w. Alexander's
profile of a seated figure "A STUDY" and we no.s
especially IN this painting freshness in the tones
which has not always been characteristic of this
factle artist Mr.. Nonnoh. Mr.. Chase. AIR HYDE
Miss Adelaide Chase and Miss Paulina Dobr I'm
GoiDh also give credi;able accounts of themselves
Rut none Of their paintings is really memora HE
and The numerous other portraits displayed are on
an even less Inspiring level. The figure naipts-S
are. the Whale. in the Same case Striking Omen
air studies are sent by Mr.. Hassam and Mp Reid.
co'amendable polish Is disclosed by NJ Mora in
The Letter" interior with two rlaidens OF an
carrier day; Air. Loeb is agreebIv pfctr~as,,,a
though not otherwise at all Impressive in M st
rem" and pretty model IS pretI.ly deIneote1 .,
The Mountain Breeze" OF Ny Cvvran Thar,
with possibly the addition OF one or two pieces by
Miss Carlyle Mr Eeckwith and Mr. Petersen. tho
list cf persuasive lsure pieces ends
AS usual. the search,r for good things has ba,+,r
luck among the landscape painters Mr. Wai.,s
large picture OF the corner of a ncld near the
woods with man burning brushwood in the scene.
is charmingly composed. and has everywhere save
N the somewhat Hat sky. a sense OF atmosphere
There are some engaging studies too nv Messys
bogs-t pousher;y. Hoeber. PoJthast Prellwitz
and a few Others. One % Mr.. Ca:lsous two land
sc0feS, elbows Mpuur0ir.'' n certain Orici-
nal charm nat he is more successful with his
"Sti Life. one OF the best pieces OF technique in
the exhibition. There are. finally a number of
pictures hung which their anecdotic interest are
sure % receive some attention. Mr. Birney's ITO
Him Nho oCld A-Wooing Co" Mr.. Schreyvogers
ATTACK ut Dawn" and Mr.. Mosler's Forging the
cross are conspicuous examples. The exhibition
Is open not only al day. but during the evening.
On Sunday afternoons. from to four. the public
will be admitted free.
At the American Art Galleries there Is now on
exhibition quantity of Orienta,ia belonging TO
Yamauaka & Co. The collection of over a
thousand r.eccS--rot counting several hundred
pTints-is 20 De dispersed at auction. beginning
next Thursday afternoon. Ancient and modern
objects are included Il the extremely miscellaneous
array. Among the former the important