Art Matters: Artists' Fund Society Exhibition—Water-Color RoomAuthor(s): PalettaSource: The American Art Journal (1866-1867), Vol. 6, No. 6 (Nov. 29, 1866), pp. 87-88Published by:Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25306617 .

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AMERICAN ART JOURNAL. 87

it the text which warrants the action, henc3 the

" business " is superfluous and'approaches nearly

to the ridiculous. There are many faults ot this character in Mr.

Booth's perso:iation of Hamlet, wh'ch, although

they may appear telling aud novel to the imprac tised eye, render it disaggreeable to the Initiated; the performance, as a wlhole however, is very fine

and carries away the enthus'asmtu of the spectator

by its many flashes"of real, genuine genius and

power; and, after h11, Mr. Booth is hardly to be

blamed for his new' ieadings an(d " business ;" as

many an actor before him has fallen into the

same error, coinsidering Hamlet a part in which anything new and, to some, strikiug can be in

troduced witlh effect, entirely ignoring, the fact

tlhat-Hamlet was a man and, as a natural conse

quence, would be very apt to act as otlher men

and, although he dId put Zan "I antic disposition"

on, in his private moments, when it was unueces sury for him to wear his mark of madness, he

would, undloubtetlly, have acted as a sane and

reasonable man, and wou!d adopt the vagaries of

cbaracter which he was pleased to adopt bef)re

the King and the Count. -Do not uaderstand

from this, fair reader, that I would disparag,e Mr.

Booth's personation of Hamlet-it is a good, a noble piece of acting, and to the finer portions of it I would accord all just praise, but Mr. Booth Is

too great an actor to be permitteJd to mnar, what

is otherwise, a masterpiece by a too earnest de sire to present sometlhing novel and peculiar, and

with this feeling I raise my protest against the many errors in judgmeht which he commits in the

personation of this, Shaltespeare's greatest char acter.

Mr. Gotthold's Ghost is a thoroughly excellent performance-dignified and king-like illits ghost ly action, and the language finely and scholarly delivered. Next to 3. W. Wallack's it is the iinest personation of this character we now have on the

stage. Mr. Barton Hill makes but little of the flne part

of Laertes; he seems to walk through it withb an

utter indifference as to whether he plays it well or not, this is all the more astonishing, as the oen

tlemiian is an actor of most undoubte(d talent aud

in'ellect. Mr. Davidge's Polonias is a perfect. master

pliece, full of rich, unctuous humor, and charac terized by a breadth of conception and action

whichl is simply admnirable. Mr. Duff's Horatio, too, is another flne piece of

quiet, sensible acting. Horatio was a well read

scholar and a thorough gentleman, and alt;houghl many persora:ors of the part aeem to lave had no

idea of' this fact, Mr. Duff evidently has, and the

consequence is a most excellent performance. There is vast room for improvement in Mme.

Scieller's Ophe'ia; setting aside her unpleasant German accenlt, she h1as utterly failed in her con ception of the character, and saving in the mad

"scene, does not rise to its many beauties, giving

us but a sorry idea of thle sweet, innocent and

lovely character of the fair maid.

Miss Ida Vernon's Queen is dignitfed, sensible

and quiet; risingr, in its stroagrer passag es, to a

considlerable degree of pathos and passion. Tb e play is wvell put upon the stag,e, althlougrh

not quitetso finely as at:nits perormances last

winter, and will doubtless have a long and suc

cessful ran. The Winter Gardlen, in the short space of two

days, has been pat into "I apple pie o'rder " andl

looks bright and beaming, in its now dress,

doubtless in anticipation of the many successes in Music and the Drama which are (lestined to occur

within its pleasant walls. SIIUGGE.

ART MATrERS.

AITISTS FUND SOCIETY EXHIBITION-WATER-C3LOR ROOM.

The first ricture one finds on entering thc

Water-color Room is "Before the BatLle," by D. G. Rosetti, a characteristic specimeni of the ultra Pre-Raphaelite School, the figrures of whichl are noticeable for their entire lack ot anything, resembling human nature, being hard, crude and utterly ridictulous in drawing; the color, however, is good, and the drapery is painted with wonderful fidelity and elaboration.

"I fust Awake," by Mrs. E. Murray, is a rather

poor specimen of that lady's style; it is stightly exaggerated in expression and color, and is only redeemied by the feeling, of life and expiession conveyedl in the face of the child.

"View on the Tlhames," by Paul Marny. A

miiost delicious picture; fall of cool, tender greys, in the prodaction of which Marny is withouit a ri

val, and which add a beauty and freshness to all

his work. "Hollyhocks," by J. W. Hill, is an excellent

specimen of Amiierican water-color art, being strong and vivid in color, and at the same tinme

broad in handling and execution. Mr. Hill has several pictures in the present exhibition, all ot great merit, but tbis is perhaps the finest of them

all; there is a feelin& of atmosphere and bril

liancy about it wlich is exquisite.

" A Milk-Stall in Seville, Spain," by Mrs. E.

Marray. An unfitnished sketch, but particularly noticeable for the admirable exoression in the fiice of such of the tigures whiclh are comipleted.

Strong and telling in color and comiiposition.

"Margaret at the Cathedral," by T. A. Jones.

Mr. Jones has several pictures in the Water-color

Room, all of which can be covere(d by the same

criticism; they are very ambihous, but of that

"vaulting ambittion which doth o'erleap i'self," being hard in drawing, and forced and exagger

ated in color, while fine and impressive subjects ara treated with aniything but the hand of a

master.'

"Dresse(d for the Fete," by D. Bouvier. A

richl, exquisite little piece of color, good in draw ing and extremely careful and delicate in exe

cation. "Indinn Falls and Coidspring, " by Win. Craig.

An admirabie little landscape, full of sunlight and the fresh feeling ol the country; the wvater is ex

cellently managed, dashing and sparkling over the' rocks andl hurrying along the bed of the

stream in merry, dancing ripples, while thle effect of sunlight through the trees over the falls is ex

quisitely conveyed. "Garibaldiains Foraging," "Donkey Sale in

Palermo," by Thos. Nast. Mr. Nast is an artist

of consIderable talent, but his great fault is a

proneness to caricature, andl this is particularly

noticeable in the alove-mentioned pictures; there is a certain amount ot humor about them, but it

is greatly marred by the exagcgeration and care

lessness in execution. "The Reverie," by J. D. Linton. A sweet lit

tle qenre picture. delicate in teeling andI senti ment, carellil in execution, but characterized by a weakness or color which detracts greatly from

its general m lerit.

"HarvesLing," by J. Absolon. M,r. Absolon is an English water-colorist or considerable dlistinc tion, and the American public have been made tolerably familiar with his work through the

pag,es of the Illustrated London Yewes, lhe having

contributed to that journal several full-page coloredl ilustrations. The present picture is a

gn-oodl specimen of his style, bold in handling,, e'k

fective in (drawin- and strong in color, while the

stubject is one both pleaging and sympathetic.

And now we come to Birket Foster, one of the

most industrious ttad at the samo time most po

etic of English artists, whose work is always (lel

icate, carets' and tull of sentiment, an(d who has

perhaps contributed more to the beautifully illus

trated holiday literature of the day than any artist

now living. His "On the River" is an exqui site bit ot quiet English scenery; lackingl the grandeur of our American landscape, there i3 a

homelike, pastoral feeling about the English which is exceedingly charming and creates a

longing, in the3e cold, wintry November days, for the sunshine of summer and the tlesh green

flelds of the country. Mr. Foster has succeeded admirably in cstching this feeling in nearly all his

pictures, and "On the River," is a goodl speci

men of his always charming style. The sunlight breaking throutgh the trees in the middle dlistanco and playing onl t;h&sneadows in front; the wvater, reflecting the grove beyond and caught here aud there by patches of light; the cool, grey sky; the flight of' birdls, are all admuirable and lull of na

ture. The only fault that I can find in the picture

is an unpleasant hadness in the foreground-trees;

this, however, iS hlardly noticeable, andt detracets but little from the general excellence of one ol tho most exquisitely beautiful lan(dscapes in the exhi

b)ition. "Dea(l Game," by J. W. Hill. Very carefhl

in detail, but characterized by a certain flatnesg

iand want of relief, owing, to the pictureE being

paintedl for the most part in transparent color, a

grave mistake in water-color painting.

" 4Ave Maria," bzy Mrs. 1. Murray. This is ohe of the most finished, and consequently ond of the

tinest, of Mrs. Murray's pictures; there Is a glow

and richlness of color ab)out it which is excsddl ingrly fine, while the whole feeling and actioun of

the figure Is expressive of devotion and senti

ment. "IInterior of the House of Commons,"' "Inte

rior of the House of Lords," by Joseplh Nasb.

Two remarkable pictures; the carefallness of' de

tail an(d execution displayed In the atllittecture

is nearly akin to something wondefful being

caretully elsborated, but at the sanla tine broad and strong in effect. The figures, however, are

not as good; there is a c2rtain dhnlkin?ss and

lack of vitality in the faces which rdaders them

exceedingly unpleasant. This is Mlr. Nash's g reat fault; his drawing and execution of architecture

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88 AMERICAN ART -JOURNAL. Is almost unsurpassed, but his flgures are all characterized by this same feeling of chalkiness and entire lack of anything resembling human nature.

II Kin', John's Oak1," by Wim. H. Thwaites. An

exceedingly careful rendering of an interesting subject; the gnarled and weather-beaten old tree is well and carefully painted and refleCts great credit oa the artist. Mr. TIwalites is an English water colorist who has located himself in New York,' and his style is cearacterized by all the softness nnd grace of the EnglIsh school. He has several pictures in the presenit exhibition, all of wvhiclh are more or les3 meritorious, but space forbids that I slhould speak of them in detail.

" Study of Elms, " by H. R. Newman. A strong contrast to the quiet color of MIr. Thwaite's, being hard and crude, and claracterized by a disagree able prevalence of raw green, which is extremely unpleasant. There is some good drawing in the picture, however, whiclh barely save it from utter and entire condemnation.

"Opponent of the Excise Law," by A. Jones. Here is a picture which is a disg-race to the exlhi bition; coarse and vulgar in feeling, careless in execulion, and is only noticeable from the at tempt at wit conveyed in its catchl title.

"Sea Shore," )by Birket Foster. Another ex quisite little picture from Mr. Foster's pioliflc pencil; sweet and tender in color andl execution, and having in it some well drawn andl character istic figures.

"Head,"byJ. D. Linton. Not so goodapictureas the gentleman's " Reverie, " altlhough a more pop ular one among artists and critics. The color is forced and unnatural, resembling more that of an over ripe peach than the human flesh, and far surpassed by Mrs. Murray's "4Gipsey Queen,"

wlhich Is full of expression, humor and vivacity, and moreover admirable in color and execution.

"Study from Nature, " by J. H. Hill. Just one of those loveable little works wlich we all have seen in our country ramiibles; good in execution, al though in a rather untfnished condition,, and almost taultless In drawing; the color is, perhaps, a little weak, but, for all this, the " Study from Nature " Is a most cbarming picture.

"Group of Calves," by HarrisonWeir. Every one is familiar with Mr. Weir's great superiority as an animal painter, and the present picture, altbough not quite equal to some of the artist's other works, is still a faii specimien of his style, the calves arb well drawn and expressive, but there is a smudginess of color in the pictare

which is not altogether agreeable. This finishes the pictures in the water color

'room; as a whole it is a most admuirable and creditable collection, and it Is to be lhoped that at the next exhibition of the National Academy the same space and honorable position will be as signed to this branch ot art as at the exhibition of the Artists' Fund Society.

On Tuesday of last week, the Brooklyn Art Association threw open the doors of the Brooklyn Academy of Music for its seventh' annual exhibi tion. Bravingo the dangers of the East River and the many bardships of its passage I made my way toithe Brooklyn Academyot Music and found thereA a collection of vety beautitYil maidens and very Indifferent pictures; in addition to thlis I found a

great scarcity of catalogues and was only able ta discover the titles of the different works exhibited by referring to the catalogie of a complaisant Brooklynite. It would be well for the membenr .of the Association were they to furnish these nec. essary articles, to the members of the press at least, as it is next to impossible to notice pictures unless you kniow their niames and by whom the3 are painted. Let us hope that next year thiE f3ult will be remedied.

The collection, as a whole, is interior to that o0 former years; many of the pictures being old ones which have been seen time and again in pic ture shops and private galleries, while others are

but poor specimens of their respective artist's style and talent. One of the best pictures in the exhlibition is "The Coming Stori," by Geo. Innes, which is good in composition and broad in treatment, while the ligghts are excellently man aged; there is an air or smudginess in many places, however, which is tar from a;greeable.

" On the Alert," by Gilbert Barling, is a cleverly painted quail, full of life and spirit, while the landscape is full of atmosphere and strength.

Mr. Weir came very near to painting an ex

ceedingly fine picure when he pamted "1Niag ara "1; the feellng of height and the rush and roar of water are admirably conveyed, and were it not for a lack of greys, which causes the. picture to look untrue and forced in color, it would be a

thoroughly excellent work. Mr. Leutze's much praised " Lady Godiva "'is

among, the collection and occupies a prominent position; it is a picture utterly unwortlhy of the

Ientleman's reputation, being bad both in, draW ing anul color, while the subject is treated with an excess' of pru(lery which renders it almost inde cent from the evident trouble displayed to malke it otherwise.

Mr. Jerome Thompson is at work on a large picture which is to be- called the "Passing Shower." The subject is taken from tlhe Green

Mountains, and looking off from a ledgre of high rocks we see spread beneath us the fertile valleys and mountain fastnesses of Vermont, while in the distance stretches the Catskill range tower ing above the peacetul waters of the Hudson.

The idea of space and atmosplhere is well con veyed, and the near foreground is well and care fully painted. When finished, tbis will be a really fine, and imposing, picture.

PALJETTA.

LITERARY MATTFi RS.

"SARATOGA, AN INDUN TALE OF FRONTIER LIFE."? T. B.Peterson & Bros. This is a clever novel of the rather sensational

school; the. language is good and at times quite powerfll, while the descriptions of wood-lite are well and truthfhlly given. The incidents nar rated purport to have been handled down by tra dition as veritable facts, and the principal person ages introduced drawn from 'actual prototypes. For all artistic purposes, whatever mnight be true is true; and the book is presented to the public as a faithfiul picture of Saratoga in 1787. II THE NATIONAL CooK BooK." T. B. Peterson.& Bros.

This is one of the best books on cookery that

has been issued from the press in some time; the receipts are written in a concise and simple man ner, giving the housewitethe required instructions in few words and short, plthy sentences, which enable her to arrive at the process of making a, pudding or concocting a dish without having to wade through any unnecessary quantity of read ing matter.

CORRESPONDENCE.

CINCINNATI, Nov. 14, 1866. ED. AMERICAN ART JOURNAL:

Knowino the deep intere;t you feel in musical matters tlhroughout the country, I call attention

to a musical event of no little importance to the music lovers of' this "Queen City." I refer to the grand concert of the Harmonic Society of this city, which occurred last evening in Mozart Hall. I take the liberty of a strangrer of' remarking freely upon the performance: and, first, to the credit of the citizens, be it said, thley appreciate this society, and, notwithstantling, the attractions of many other first class entertainments, the house was well filled, long before the concert commenced, with the beauty and elite of the city.

The first and most important part of the con cert consisted of selections from Costa's Oratorio, "Naaman," for the f1rst time in this country. Of. twenty-three numbers in the first part ot the Ora torio, fourteen were givep, and of twenty numbers In the second part, eleven were given. The inci

dents from which the Oratorio Is diawn are con tained in the second book of Kings, second, third, fourth and flfth chapters. Commencing

with the translation of Elijah to Heaven, referring among other incidents to the miraculous extension of the cruse of oil, the restoration to life of the

w.dow's son, and the healing of Naaman, and with the general rejoicings consequent on this event, the Oratorio closes.

The part of Elisha was sung by Mr. Edward

Hermanson, who has a mlusical voice of good compass, with great power and flexibility. He san- with great taste and expression, thorouglhly identifying, himself with his part, especially in the songs "Arise,. 0.1 Lord," Thy seed shall be prosperous," and " Lament not thus, ",he was re

markably good. The principal soprano solos were sung by Miss Virginia Smith, whose pecu liarly pure, sweet voice has had the benefit of bxcellent training. The song, "Look up my son," was perhaps the most eflective of all the solos.

The fresh sweet alto voice of Miss Heidesheimer told to advantage in the duet with Mr. Herman-. son, "I sought the Lord." The' alto solo, "I dream'tI was in Heaven," received a careful conscientious rendering by Miss Mason, (niece of ife Lowell Mason,) wlho sings with miiuch feeling and apprecialion. The tenor solos, by Mr. Rob-. ert Rorers and Mr. Pitton were very effectively given and elicited much applause. The quar tette, "Honor and Glory," sung by Miss Jane Sullivan, Miss Abbie Mason and Messrs. Rogers and Hermansoni, elicited the first encore of the eveningm.

The choruses, almost witlhout exception, were. splendidly given by one hundred and forty voices, supported by au amateur orch estra of thirty pieces.

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