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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 METROPOLITAN TORONTO LIBRARY .-. ' *■ ;•* ! . t r M Ren « i c;^ 789 YGNIGE 'TORONTO M4W 2G8 75?:// "^7^ MORE AP V J< \ '« I PUBM HMHBii ^ORE MODERN PAINTERS OR NOTES ON THE n ART EXH I BITION, ! AT TORONTO. .'m:...„ :,-"., "^--JI ^ uv .-, . _. k, ., f f*-f JOHN RUSKIN, Junior, Author of "Many Unwritten Things." Published AnwtMby. — No. 1. L. TORONTO: PUBLISHED BY GRIP PRINTING AND PUBLLSHING CO. — 1887. '. JlI y -4. hi &i "MODERN PAINTERS'' is one of the Monumental Books of Ihe CtnturyA RUSKIN NOW WITHIN THE REACH OF THE MODEST MEANS OF EVERY STUDENT OF EN(JL1SH ^ ART AND LITERATURE. POPULAR EDITION OF THE Works of John Ruskin PRINTED ON FINE PAPER. CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING WORKS, Hereto/ore insiied in alxmt Furty Volutnea, at over ^50.00. Vol. VIII.— Two Paths of Ait. fm Vol. I.— Modern Painters. Vols 1-2. Vol. II. — Modern Painters. Vol. 3. Vol. III.— Modern Painters. Vol. 4. Vol. IV. — Modern Painters. Vol. 5. Vol. V. — Stones of Venice. Vols. 1-2. Vol. VL— Stones of Venice. Vol*. 2-3. Vol. VII. — Seven Lamps of Archi- tecture. Lectures on Archi- tecture, Poetry of Architec- Lectutes on Art, Political Economy of Art. pre Ka- l)haelism, Sheepfolds, and Golden River. Vol. IX. — Elements of Drawing and Persiiective, Aratra Pentelici, on Scripture. Vol, X. — Ariadne Florentina, on Engraving, Fors Clavigera. Vol. XI. -Sesame and Lilies, Ethics of the Dust, Crown of Wild Olive, (^ueen of the Air. Vol. XII. - Time and Tide, Unto This Last, Mimera Pulveris, and Eagle's Nest. ture, '^tudyof Architecture. SECOND SERIES.— St. Mark's Rest, Deucalion, Furs ClavJKera, Arrows of the Chase, Poems, Love's Meneie, Sheep Fold, Storm Cloud, etc., etc. Including all tne Wood Engravings and Text complete, and bound in very neat extra cloth. Eighteen Volumes 12mo, in box, Of with all the Colored Illustrations, $20 00 30 00 WILLIAMSON & CO., Booksellers, Toronto. \ S|it;^!ll»v'^--:^;^.^!;«t^*5^;i3^''R AR J PUBI Books of the Ctntury. )F THE MODEST ENCJLlSIl »' ^ noN iluskin OLLOWING WORKS, PRE IIODERN PAINTERS .—Two Piitlis of Art. ;tute.s on Art, Political )noniy of Art. pre Ka- lelism, Sheepfolds, and den River. kEleniPiits of Dritwiiig I P('rs{)ectivo, Aratra ntelici, on Soriptim*. Ariadne Florentina, on l g'raving, Fors Olavigeni. -Sesame and Lilies, lies of the Dust, Crown ^Vild Olive, (^leen of tlie - Time and Tide, Unto s Last, Miinera Pulveris, 1 Eagle's Nest. lion, Fors Clavi^era, eie, Sheep Fold, !xt complete, and ith. $20 00 30 00 s, Toronto. OR NOTES ON THE ART EXHIBITION, AT TORONTO. BY JOHN RUSKIN, Junior, Author of "Many Unwritten Things." Published Annually. — No. 1. TORONTO : PUBLISHED BY GRIP PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO. 1887. rv 'S' ii' ;^s^' J s 2/1/7 INTRODUCTION. ^7, Toronto, Jubilee Dan, 1S8'/, Dear People : — I write from my villa overlooking the bay of this city— a stretch of water meant by Nature to be both beautiful and refresh- ing ; but which (owing to the unseemly puffing, rushing and screech- ing of countless tugs, ferries and other mai'ine monsters of human invention, and to the constant inpouring of streams of refuse, *) is rapidly becoming as ugly and malodorous as is possible and will get more so, thanks to our modern notions of hygiene and omniscient sanitary inspectors. Consequently fishes are less and flies are more numerous around the wharves. Forty years ago there were only a few large specimens of bluebottle to be found at this spot ; now the varieties of diptcra are incalculable ; chiefly because uncatchable. At that same date I used to hook fine and beautiful fishes at early dawn. Of these a three old divisi(m was made. One portion I anatomized, the second I painted and etched, the third I cooked and ate. Now only a mrltiplicity of cat-fish and flat-stomached abomina- tions of the finny tribes are partial to my home-made baitf (Bah ! there sounds that defiant fog-horn again — a minutely repetition of monotonous horror ; the remorseful wail of the most fiendish of all modern inventions— enough to frighten off all fogs forever)— but to my subject— The Art Exhibition ! * I counted nine dogs, three cats and one pig— all floating corpses in front of my villa at 6 o'clock this morning. I also secured a beautiful specimen of sUgx—SaragasHum bacciferum. t Bait should always be home-made ; eo also shoes, bonnets, ice-cream, and all beverages (except water). APR 2 3 1963 MORI P' rUOM a manj reaso for admissic to, moreovt of morality public desii at the table Exhibition. can obtain only break opinion an( regardless thouajh he < reports. I is at once elevation o tion of trul ally-expres first-class, nearer thii exhibition observer. Many we example o reasons— a Peel, Jac( pictures f: walls, moa vfW: •WiB»fr^ 75^ / '-^ ^ 7 V )N. >, Jubilee Day, ISS'/, he bay of this city — a, beautiful and refresh- g, rushing and screech- e monsters of human itreams of refuse, *) is 5 possible and will get •giene and omniscient less and flies are more ago there were only a xt this spot ; now the because uncatchable. ,utiful fishes at early nade. One portion I the third I cooked and it-stomached abomina- me-made bait f (Bah ! linutely repetition of le most fiendish of all fogs forever)— but to I floating corpses in front a beautiful specimen of I, bonnets, ice-cream, and MORE MODERN PAINTERS. P"^^R()M a society, boasting some fifty working and half as , many more honorary members, the public lias some reast)n to expect a fair return for the small charge made for admission to its annual exhibition. In such a city as Toron- to, moreover, where Mie love of money is as real as the aspect of morality is false, and the love of iestheticism afiected, the public desire full value for twenty-tive cents, whether it be at the table of the confectioner or of the croKpier of a Lottery Exhibition. In the present instance, however, the public can obtain a large interest on its small investment, if it will only break away from the trammels of currently-expressed opinion and honestly examine the works for itself, utterly regardless of what Mr. So-and-So has said concerning them, though he does pose as a critic, and not reading any newspaper reports. In this way only there is much to be learned that is at once pleasing, instructive and conducive both to the elevation of real {esthetic taste, and to the honest apprecia- tion of truth through the medium of painting. It is a gener- ally-expressed opinion that tho approach to a standard of first-class, and, if I may be allowed the term, all-round art is nearer this year than has been attained by any previous exhibition ; but it must be admitted, by the most impartial observer, that the advance is neither uniforni nor rapid. Many well-known and clever hands have not sent any example of their work this year — probably for excellent reasons— and amongst such omissions I especially regret Paul Peel, Jacobi and Harris. At the same time there are pictures from one or two artists whose work is new to these walls, most notably some rapid water-color sketches of P'anny I^< l^ t^T>' ,^^ I'^h S- ,0 ' (i '4. It^ ■v4- " Richards, of which I shall have occasion to speak at more length later. The general impression after a careful examina- tion of the gallery is one of satisfaction with the progress of Canadian art, accompanied by a conviction that there is a conscientious foundation for it— that the artists have painted chiefly for the love of art and for the sake of truth, and that the sale of their work has been, if not entirely out of their range of vision, at least a secondfiry consideration. Perhaps they are content to leave it to chance and accept the decisions of the lottery as the correct valuation of their pictures. If 80, I pity their taste ; for 1 disagree most emphatically with any lottery system. Why should not poets, who can't sell ^' eir works, meet once a year and put up their efforts to auction or get up a lottery ? Art lotteries are worse than church lotteries and they are bad enough ; church and art being in danger of ruin, as would everything be, if chance should decide the destiny of created things. There are ex- ceptions to this general sincerity of the work done, however, most painfully apparent, in which an artist has taken a subject in hand, which he is naturally unfitted to touch, and whereby it has received such treatment as to be far below the level of an honest caricature. The artist who knows his in. ability to paint certain facts, and their equally certain arrange- ments, yet persists in laying before the public, as a truthful representation, something which is manifestly false, ought to be chalked out of all artistic existence and is to be despised ; whilst the man who does not recognize his incapacity and yet produces his unintentional parodies on Nature ought to be laughed at until he is made to learn and leave his folly. For the latter there is a remote hope ; for the former none. There are examples of both on the walls of the Ontario Society's Art Exhibition this year. There is evidence also of the influence of the impressionist spirit, which obtains in what is erroneously spoken of as the French school of modern a ndscape. But the influence is most injuriously misapplied in some inf en I re absen whose essen fullest parti( other in'-tiiu subtle play s most mortal and the paii in my min Yet in spite on the whc scientious t that no atte yet no coun of painters martyrdoms picturesque artist of Cai It will gallery, and tion at all, these are hj executed st ment denot bowls con Imagine th the pansiea most caref I I may say th ! same faculi I large degrt rooms, not tea-cup re and polycl I have hes 1' ' M^i'immmm'mw:^^mim on to speak at more fter a careful examina- 1 with the progress of iction that there is a le artists have painted ko of truth, and that entirely out of their nsideration. Perhaps id accept the decisions f their pictures. If 3st emphatically with poets, who can't sell ut up their efforts to tteries are worse than ough ; church and art ything be, if chance ngs. There are ex- ! work done, however, 1 artist has taken a inlitted to touch, and as to be far below the bist who knows his in. lually certain arrange: public, as a truthful ifestly false, ought to find is to be despised ; his incapacity and yet Nature ought to be 1 leave his folly. For "or the former none. walls of the Ontario lere is evidence also 'it, which obtains in 3nch school of modern ijuriously misapplied in some instances as I shall endeavor to point out. The eni re absence of carefully-detined detail and finish in works, whose essential nature demands the utmost delineation of the fullest particulars, is to be regretted also in certain works. In other in-tances the laws of light and shade, whose incessantly subtle play goes farther to make the harmony of Nature than most mortals dream of and fewer detect, are totally ignored and the painful vividness of the fictitious results engenders, in my mind, an untempered heat resembling sunstroke. Yet in spite of such glaring errors and deficiencies, there is, on the whole, a delightful and promising presence of con- scientious thought and work. It is again painfully noticeable that no attempt at any historical effort has been made, and yet no country has greater funds of maberiul at the command of painters than this Canada of ours, with its massacres and martyrdoms, rebellions, conquests and re-conquests, and its picturesque groupings of races and religions. The historical artist of Canada is evidently not yet born. It will be impossible to deal with every picture in the gallery, and there are some that will permit of no examina- tion at all, one glance being more than enough, though these are happily few. Nos. 1, 3, 17 and 34 are most carefully, executed studies, and the excellent harmony of each arrange- ment denotes the highest aesthetic taste. Look at the two bowls containing the pansies and lilacs in Nos. 1 and 3. Imagine them reversed, the lilacs in brown bowl No. 1 and the pansies in fretted bowl No. 3, and the result of all this most careful painting would have been entirely spoiled. You may say that you know this ; but yet it is the want of this same faculty for aesthetic harmony that has destroyed, in a large degree, the valuable work in many other pictures in the rooms, notably in the two portraits of ladies, with book and tea-cup respectively in hand, and with obtrusive red dress and polychromatic parrot to complete the discord of effect. I have heard it regretted that Mrs. Reid does not attempt J 6 ^n .>\ *•, •'I -i.l !'.> ■ '' ; K' ■■'■■'■■ ' /■ i<.r ;■■ ' lyt'"-'-":^ ^1. ' ?! K:^^: ■! Ki^i :^<' ■.1-..1 more ambitious pictures, Hnd have heard numerous gossiping reasons asaigned by way of explanation ; but, in my humble and iuipartial opinion, Mrs. Reid is right. Her ambition is not to paint huge and imaginative works in error, but to represent beautiful fragments of Nature and the small affairs of life as truly as possible. " Not a tree, a plant, a leaf, a blossom, But contains a folio volume " f(jr this patient and painstaking artist. It is manifestly her belief with Cowper, " Not a Jioxvcr But shows some touch, in freckle, streak or stain. Of His unri railed pencil." and in the spirit of the truest ambition — not to oitrival, but to APPREHEND the work of the great Almighty Master — this genuine artist produces her own small masterpieces of truth and beauty which are to my unconventional method of thought of far more value than most of the pretentious results of more impatient and ambitious painters. There are many artists who, painting you as much of the earth and sky and sea as they can encompass in their limited range of human vision, if they were set to paint a simple tuft of grass I in the sunlight, with its wonderful shades of color and grades of tone, could not come so near the truth as the unpretending earthworms beneath it. Yet the common grass has been termed rightly " the first element of lovely landscape." Now look at No. 50, by Mildred Peel, and see how "the first element " has been neglected and forgotten, blurred into a meaningless mass of green, of a color differing from any grass growing around any chateau I ever saw in Brittany or else- where. I do not accuse the artist of wilful neglect ; but certainly do maintain that the style she adopts is utterly wrong and unworthy of her gifts. For her hand is also cap- able of careful and truthful work, as witness portions in the picture of little Marie. Why should not that grass have been | carefully pi sill are disc ould not s of a Strang Such a away, and the shiftin fully from of the fore tind no w ground of heap of t numerous quite as lo a white dv thou art a artist, wh( dress and ciennes ne of grass at green. A i certain as] an ocean < the work are great the truth been atte if he doi biotters-o dian Sch( among us old style, and is ev No. 11, breathed ^awaAj^ ' a •-—• V^WB^PSW cl minierous gossiping ; but, in my humble ht. Her ambition is vorks in error, but to e and tlie small affairs blossom, It is manifestly her Not a jfoivcr trmk or stain, I — nut to outrival, but Imighty Master— this masterpieces of truth ventional method of it of the pretentious IS i)ainters. There are luch of the earth and their limited range of a simple tuft of grass ies of color and grades th as the unpretending inmon grass has been vely landscape." Now d see how "the first :otten, blurred into a iffering from any grass in Brittany or else- f wilful neglect ; but she adopts is utterly her hand is also cap- bness portions in the t that grass have been carefully painted ? The leaves of the creeper on the window- sill are discernible, and if the eye that could detect them c ^uld not see the blades of grass benea^.i — that eye must be of a strange order of vision. Such a scene is not — cannot possibly be — many yards away, and I can now see grass plainly undulating in the wind, the shifting shadows chasing the light from the waving blades fully from thirty to fifty yards away, and, moreover, in many of the foregrounds of our genuine old and modern masters, I find no warrantry for such blotchy treatment of any near ground of Nature. A patch of growing grass is not like a heap of cut grass. It is quite possible to perceive the numerous blades that lace and interlace in chased beauty at quite as long a distance as one can perceive the small folds of a white dross or the pattern of a small plate. " Consistency, thou art a jewel " not always possessed by the modern French artist, who will paint you the exact pattern of a lady's muslin dress and reproduce faithfully the fine catches of a Valen- ciennes neckerchief, and yetmake the beautifullvdistinctspears of grass at her dainty feet a blotchy mass of undistinguishable green. A mass of green may, under some conditions, represent certain aspects of a sea ; but there is no such api)earance as an ocean of grass. Many of these remarks will also apply to the work of Homer Watson, v/hose strength and originality are great and I trust will grow greater, until he depict for us the truth and beauty of Canadian scenery as it has never yet been attempted. Of this he will be fully capiible some day, if he does not fall so far beneath the influence of these blotters-out of Nature as to head the imitation French-Cana- dian School of Painting now congealing into a cold existence among us. Homer Watson has left the severe gloom of his old style, of which everyone will note No. 4 as an example, and is evidently much in love with his new treatment, vide No. H, which conveys the fairy spirit of May as Nature breathed it for our delectation a few weeks since. But it is ia!» ' ^ hi' \ i \\ ■ 8 unfair perhaps to decide on Homer Watson now. He is in a tr.insitional state and will develop into a Titan (not Titian you rosy-cheek'd ice-cream-loving, k no w-e very thing miss of the Young Ladies' College) or sink into a Satyr. I believe he will assume the former character ; his history so far indicates it, and if he will only succeed in struggling against the wrong ideas, row prevalent concerning landscape, as well as he has against all other adverse circumstances, I predict for him the position of Canada's leading landscape painter, in spite of all angry protests from admirers of any other painter of land- scape living in this Dominion. Now let uc look at No. 15, " Cuyp's Meadow, Pappin- precht, Holland," hy W. Cruikshank. The selection of this subject is, to say the least, ambitious, for Cuyp was the chie^ painter, perhaps, of pastoral landscape. However, the great Dutchman will scarcely be rivalled by this Canadian art-con- tortionist, who possesses only one characteristic in common with Cuyp, he has no eye at all for the real eflfect of light and shade on color. Look at No. 29, " The Flemish Windmill," with its grotesque figure fastened on the picture, the carefully- counted bricks of the house and the indistinct animals in the ditch. This is a Canadian Dutch picture, and the less we see of them in this country the better. " Cuyp " pictures fetch enormous sums of money, but pictures of the " Cuyp Mea- dow " pattern are not tolerable at any price. Take No. 141, "Canal, Dordrecht, Holland," a water-color by the same artist. It is grotesquely out of place and should not have been exhibited any more than that execrable No. 97, ' ' Among the Rushes," one of the most senseless, incongruous and inartis- tic productions that ever came from human fingers. A man who could endure the slow formation of that picture before his eyes could endure anything discordant and hideous, and the accuracy of the catalogue can scarcely be believed when it attributes No. 48, "Italian Peasant," to the same hand. It is pleasant to learn, after all, that E. M. Thacker can paint u,. J^vl r^^Vfi.^ji^ V^atson now. He is in nto a Titan (not Titian now-everything miss of to a Satyr. I believe lie history so far indicates :gling against the wrong Iscape, as well as he has ces, I predict for liini jcape painter, in spite of ly other painter of land- uyp's Meadow, Pappin- The selection of this , for Cuyp was the chie^ )e. However, the great ' this Canadian art-con- haracteristic in common le real effect of light and rhe Flemish Windmill," lie picture, the carefully- ndistinct animals in the iure, and the less we see " Cuyp " pictures fetch res of the " Cuyp Mea- Y price. Take No. 141, ter-color by the same id should not have been leNo. 97, "Among the ncongruous and inartis- liuman fingers. A man n of that picture before rdant and hideous, and cely be believed when It," to the same hand. 2. M. Thacker can paint 9 boldly and well, and I should strongly advise that artist not to attempt any more translations of g^ttasi- Egyptian monstroa- ities into modern paint, but confine himself to the natural and real. Nos. 6 and 82 are remarkable for the vigorous conception and unaffected execution of their subjects. They are capital compositions and deserve to be preserved. I should like some one to present them to the Hunt Club, that I might see them again after the Exhibition closes. The position of the fox in full fly in No. 82, is a most successful rendering of a very difficult subject, and will appeal to the delight of all who have followed " a pack of swift hounds." They are all drawing, but good drawing. The treatment of water is at all times most difficult, whether still, running, or in boisterous commotion, and the impossibility of producing satisfactory results of ripple, reflection, shadow, spray-throw and wave- curve, may be seen at once in most of the attempts here ex- hibited, notably in Nos. 12, 21, 22, 64, 76, etc. Espe^^ially note No. 41 "A Dirty Morning," (a misnomer — for no morn- ing is or ever was dircy ; but is always fresh and clean, though sometimes clothed in atmospheric magic ) Whoever saw the crests of waves of the height these are painted, with such spray as this ? The force of motion in the dirtiest mud pud- dle or muddy sea shore never yet made spray other than pure crystal water. Hit the muddiest puddle on King street with a stick, and the spray is water — not mud — white, not brown — nor does water roll up mud with it as the large wave over which the sea-gull looks like a mere fluttering piece of paper. The wave-curves in this picture are excellent. The attempts of Mr. Bell Smith are bolder and better ; but far from satis- fying us that there is really water in the scene, except No. 122, " On the Atlantic Coast," which is the finest wave and spray painting exhibited. As if to counterbalance this good result, however, he has treated the same matters most abominably in No. 21, "Last Rays, Bay of Fundy." Mr. Bell Smith is painting more strongly and with better effect than he used. r<.5 »J* •" / •f* \ 10 In No. 12, the wator intended to be represented resembles a Chinese ideographic representation of the same element — a prolonged line of parallel angles. In Nos. 94 and 45 the effects of the water are both pleasing and harmonious — the composi- tion of sky and water in No. 45 being especially worthy of attention and capable of bearing much looking at. Concerning landscape painting generally (and I lay claim to have seen much of it — and much of the best of it, both in Europe and America) it has for a long time been settled in my mind that the promiscuous painting of earth's scenery by hands and heads, fit or unfit to see and represent sweetness and sublimity, as the case may be, should not be permitted. No man can produce aught but the feeblest suggestion of a natural scene, and there is enough of the reality of Nature still left to not require suggestions for us. Nor do we want modern impressions of Nature, for she is capable of impress- ing us beyond the small measuring capacity of our souls. Therefore 1 believe that all landscape-painting should, with the following exceptions, be prohibited by the State, so that men would no more parody the work of God and caricature the beauty of the earth, which is, in nearly all cases, the utmost they are unconi^ciously capable of. Yet inasmuch as the boasted progress of science and the advance of civilization continues to destroy Nature and create starving artists, who wish to live in comfortable villas and idleness, clad in velve- teen coats and long hair, oiled and scented, I would propose that the State apply an annual grant of money to the follow- ing uses : a staff of artists to be maintained at the direction of the Minister of National Reminiscences (whose seal of office shall be engraved with a flaming sword, the sign of de- struction), and they shall be the best handlers of the pencil and brush to be found in the land by free and open competi- tion. Let them bo paid enough salary to procure such vel- veteens and villas as they desire on the condition that they shall not paint except when so ordered. And when some old church, piece of order to plows in sent fortl sible vie national ** Our D« these pui for none be maint who sho great ar goodness session o inherited of Plutu the same ters on t them ; b to read t paint po is a mys the actio of gettir ness of } private that I hi cost mai and bid als the means money ' the por al. In rs^ mi^^'Mm^^i^m^'^^Wtf-'-''^ ^'^^^^^em^ifm I , presented resembles a the same element — a 8. 94 and 45 the eflFects lonious— the composi- especially worthy of ooking at. rally (and I lay claim the best of it, both in ; time been settled in of earth's scfenery by represent sweetness uld not be permitted, blest suggestion of a le reality of Nature us. Nor do we want is capable of impress- apacity of our souls, painting should, with by the State, so that :)f God and caricature nearly all cases, the >f. Yet inasmuch as kdvance of civilization starving artists, who leness, clad in velve- bed, I would propose money to the follow- lined at the direction mces (whose seal of ivord, the sign of de- landlers of the pencil se and open competi- to procure such vel- 13 condition that they \nd when some old 11 church, monument or building, beloved of the people, or piece of beautiful scenery be ordered to be demolished in order to make room for railways and street oars and steam- plows in the name of civilization, then these painters shall be sent forth to obtain faithful representations thereof in all pos- sible views, and these works shall be Ciirefully kept in a national museum, over the doorway of which shall be written, " Our Departed Glories." And on these conditions and for these purposes there should be landscape painters and on and for none other whatsoever. Also in like manner should there be maintained a staff of thoroughly efficient portrait painters, who should be permitted only to paint the resemblances of great and good men in remembrance of the greatness and goodness they have added to the land ; so that the mere pos- session of dollars, whether stolen by open or subtle means, or inherited, could not by any chance secure the representation of Plutus in any human visage. These also should be kept in the same museum and full biographies of the heroic charac- ters on the walls should be accessible to all who cared to read them ; but school children should be taken there and made to read them as examples for their lives. Why people should paint portraits badly, when they can paint other matters well, is a mystery only to be explained in two ways : — either by the action of our perverse human nature or by the necessity of getting a livelihood. I do not intend to speak of the like- ness of any portrait exhibited ; that is entirely a matter for private judgment ; but I cannot help remarking generally, that I have seen many likeness*"? in many homes which have cost many hundreds of dollars (the common standard of good andbid art),and were pronounced excellent, even by the origin- als themselves, and they have impressed me only as the means whereby many impecunious artists have obtained money under false pretences, for they have falsely pretended the portrait to be a faithful copy of the features of the origin- al. In no way do I wish to allude in this sense to the like- ' P.V- ■; V ^n 1 ,', .» t'^" / 1 'i- '-. -^ ■"• J ' I r, 12 nesses of any of the present portraits, but only to their com- position and execution as works of art. J. W. L. Forster's No. 26 is by far the best portrait shown. It is executed with a breadth and vigor that is only approached by his smaller exhibit, No. 96, The portrait of Mr. Lees is all that is re- quired of a painter. Let there be a manly, honest, bold yet refined attempt to produce the likeness of his subject in the fulness of expression and breadth of life ; but for heaven's sake ! master painters ! throw away the books, teacups, anu cherries, and wring the necks of any chattering parrots that perch around your studio to frighten your sitters. No. 57 is a pleasing picture, but is so manifestly artificial as to destroy its entire work as a portrait. The human hand and foot are exceedingly difficult for any but the best artists to reproduce with faithful results, and the majority of hands and feet are now so abominably illtreated by their owners as to be often little less than abortive appendages to the limbs. Look closely at them in the portraits exhibited, and weep. Artists who cannot paint hands should make their sitters fold them behind their backs. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon No, 01, " A Hundred Years Ago," which is a simple and very beautiful arrangement of a brass candlestick and old blue plate on drapery. No. 108, " My Face is my For- tune," by P. G. Wickson, is a pretty and pleasing composi- tion, carefully finished. The harmonies in blue are excellent, though I think the whole efi'ect is greatly marred by the broken background. This artist has also a fine little sketch of park-land in No. 168, very different from some of the patchy attempts noticeable around it. There is also a very pretty water color, by F. Bell Smith, not in the cata- logue, hanging in the doorway between the two rooms, label- led " A Summer Shower," which is sweetly sympathetic and soothingly pleasing. In No, 02 Chas, E. Moss has a rather apathetic subject in the old and young women — " So Near and yet So Far Apart," which I would suggest for a title. The detai attention done his superior t most app News." wanted ai sible to has been character harsh sty In N riding hi that I cai animals \ beaten p: falo is gr lose this ferred to ters, the Humme, of art, w pearance position, than coi 115 and misdirec refer es] and one in their questioi on inin evident a singul room. HBi^»^ppa»afe^«»'^-"' '^' GEO. ROWNEY'S and WINSOR & NEWTON'S OIL COLORS. WATER COLORS. SABLE, HOG HAIR, CAMEL HAIR AND OTHER BRUSHES. CANVAS, ACADEMY BCARDS, &c. OIL Ap WATER COLOR BOXES EMPTY AND FITTED. OILS, VARNISHES, MEDIUMS, AND EVERY REQUISITE FOR PAINT- ING AND DRAWING. A CHOICE ASSORTMENT OF Flower, Figure and Landscape Studies FOR SALE AND TO HIRE. e-^ LIBERAL TERMS TO ARTISTS AND THE TRADE. ■ if ■ ■' I T i " I "I ■waMMamui PA NY V ;OLORS. ER COLORS. IR AND 30XES AND NT- Studies rRADE.