Year: 1874




oprNrSG-woRK OF AN AMERICAN ARTlsr-GEN-


vp,r CHARACTER OF THIS YEARS EXHIBITION
rrRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE ThIBuNh'J


LONDON. MAY 2-The opening Of the Royal Acad-
emv ALWAYS one of the events of the season. occurs
on Monday next. The private views took place 'his
week and the first press notices are puDilSheu 'o
say In The Pail Mall Gazette of this evening Is an
article devoted to the SIX or eight most reaIhaoio
paintings or painters of the Exhibiton-to Mhals'
Leighton Fildes, Albert Moore, Alma-l adema W.
B. Richmond and our American artist, George H.
Boughton. About Mr.. BoughtOn The Pau MaH Ga-
sette writes as follows:


picture by Mr. G. H. Boughton in the lecture-room
belongs also though by right of different qualities
10 select class of works wherein there is something
more than the mere craft OF sullful workman Mr.
Boughton is painter with valuable gifts OF KIND not
oommOn cotemporary art and in this scene from the
England OF Chaucer we find the highest expression
these gifts yet received In the first place 1t con-
tans for beauty OF sentiment aud dainty executive
nnsh must be ranked the best landscape painting OF
the year. In a stretch Of English common of distinct
individual character and kept as to color In harmony
with sky Of tender blue, group of pilgrims are scat
tered around a well where peasant girls are drawing
water. The picture is not intended as direct iustra-
tOn OF Chaucer but is rather suggestion OF the sweet
precise poetry OF the author OF the Canterbury Tales





has a reputation which hardly more than one other
journal equals Such praise as it bestows on Mr..
Boughton is of the greatest significance, and all the
mOre-n0t only TO us, but here in Engand-because
MI BoughtOn is an American. 1t is idle to say there
is no nationality in art. There is and the influence
OF is as strong in England anywhere. Even
politics are not without their effect on art if what
hear of the rejection of the French Communist Cour
bets picture be true Mr.. BoughtOn's career and
success in London due TO a rare combination of
courage, resolute energy and admirable genius. No
where in the world, unless it be in Paris Is competi
tion in art so keen. Nowhere is it so difficult for
new man to force his way into nOtice,-into that
publicity which is life and the means of life to an
artist who has TO earn his bread Mr.. BoughtOn
came here unknown. He won certain repute, with
which most men would have been content. Then
he threw up his place, if may say AID went over
10 France, and set himself to hard study in a differ
ent manner from that in which he had worked hith-
erto. lie spent three years in that way; then came
back and began again, and again went through the
struggle which new conner must endure. He long
since-though he Is still young man with the best
% years of his art life before him-ganed secure
position. His pictures sold readily at high prices
and orders flowed in. None the less did he continue
his studies Every year saw hlm a better painter.
The Times said of him some years ago that since
GaiLsbOTough no English artist could put figures
into a landscape BoughtOn could. Not even
praise rs high and deserved as that beguiled him
into that prosperous Incidence which is the bane of
so many halfgrown painters. No picture went out
of his studio into which he had not put his most
conscientious wOrk-none which had not taught
him something. 1t is not 50 wonderful after this
that of the first English critics should find him
self compelled TO describe this picture of Ameri-
can artist rs containing what for beauty of sent-
ment and dainty executive finish must be ranked
the best landscape painting of the year." The
Acadcmcians look with sl ch favor ON landscape art
yet IL is a long time there could he any ques-
tion whether Nh Boughtou's pictures would be ad-
mitted into the yearly exhibition Nor there
any longer be much question that the artist himself
must be admitted Associate-the first neces-
sary step after which full membership with the
Forty follows a matter Of course.


The picture Of this yca1 is the largest Mr. Boughton
has yet painted-not that think he ought to be
encouraged TO increase the size Of his For
the subject il is not too ambitious, and the size
about feet by 5!-has not deferred him from the
most careful finish of every part of it. The scene
lies about Winchelsea slOpng common crowned
with the turretcd walls of that old Cinque Port A
troup of pilgrims have issued out Of a gateway,
faukcd with conical OpTeIles. and taken their way
along winding road by which part of them have
reached the ground nearest the spectator There is
cross at tie right, before which one of them is
kncouc, and at the left a well, from which two
lovely youug girls have drawn water for the filling
of nc bottles the pilgrims carry at their grdles In
the center group. of the is pouring in the
water, aud the young traveller who holds out his
bottle can be no other than lover and is handsome
enough be loved not less by the other girl still at
the H. whose check turned half away as you look
at it, is tempting to kiss. The moss-covered rocks.
the pool el1ing away from the wei, the tender
foliage Of the Spring, make a foreground with
singular charm, while the fourteenth century cos
tunes give quaint attraction to the sweet faces
and graceful figures. The difficulty of rendering
the freshness of the Spring herbage without the
Of a 100 vivid green has been completely overcome,
aud the soft hamouics of color in the picture are
not less remarkable than its composition aud tech
meal excellence.


As to the exhibition in general, the critic whom
have already quoted remarks that, on first i'm
preston it is mass of work, studiously prosaic and
unadveuturous in aim, wrought with more than
common skill and patience, and enriched with much
faithful observation of actual fact. He pronounces
IT certainly not abad exhibition, and believes it
lkey TO prove on closer acquaintance of very much
more interest aud value than that Of last year.
This Is more than we had been led to hope There
were di,na! rUmQrs alQat that the average of good
ness was even less than that ot last year. which was
itself much below the average. Most of the letter
known men in considerable force, both in the
amount and excellence of their work. If we once
began TO compare the exhibition at Burlington
House with the Salon in Paris, which opened yes
terCay, IL might be doubtful whether the general
conclusions drawn would be favorable to the state
OF English art. Three or four Years ago | went
through the galleries at Burlington House with