Columbian Magazine
Columbian Magazine
Jan 1844 Tuckerman on Clevenger
June 1848 loves Thom Cole—exhib of his work
Dec 1848 p. 569 Fine Arts, Goupil splendid copy of Mount’s Power of Music. Dropped in to Talbot’s studio, out door labors at easel, vitality and vraisemblance in such unattainable fr misty memories, banks of Passaic within view of Paterson as life like as reflection of mirror. Also at studio of Pratt, most effective recent ports, skill striking exchanges beaut soft delicate image at focal distance for coarse palpable meets nearer scrutiny
Nov 1848 p. 527 Reviews Delaroche’s Napoleon makes David look like a caricature, it’s perfect reality; Goupil, pics there generally v florid, highly finished, v pretty. The exceptions more pleasing, Court, Mozin, Waldmuller and others, but gem is Dead Christ by Scheffer, thrilling contrast of life and death, puffs engraving.
Has article on Sugaring off with engraving—Matteson?
Columbian 1844-49 APS
1844: ed John Inman, vol 1, Israel Post 3 Astor Hse. Editor on Magazine literature, describes the reader as a fairly wealthy woman, newspapers are becoming magazines
Eliz Oakes Smith, E Parmly, Tuckerman laudatory on Clevenger, TB Read’s Liberty, Chas Lanman, WC Bryant, Abel Smith (the editor?) on Authors and Critics: Blackwoods and Frazer’s mag reckless slapdash insolence, slashing criticism, prostituted to party and sectarian purposes, guides to US. Abel likes Pope. Fanny Osgood poem to a Portrait of Mrs Otis, Seba Smith, H Hastings Weld, Ann Stephens
Index: Artist’s Lesson by Mrs EF ellet, TS Arthur, HH Weld, Emma Embury on the Old portrait,HW Herbert, Mrs James G Brooks, John Neal, Park Benjamin on Beranger, Walter Whitman’s Dumb Kate, Eris, A Spirit Record by W Whitman, CF Hoffmann, Schoolcraft, Paulding, Sigourney on Charter Oak
Feb: Chapman’s Indian Maiden, with a description, not beautiful to us, but to some painted brave, or she is in love with a Canadian half breed, Schoolcraft says has coquetry.
Prescott noble
March: Agate’s Columbus and the Egg, Columbus shows up courtiers, was in advance of his age tho knowl not much and perception imperfect. Has English painters too in other engravings, Opie Caught Napping
April: Richard Grant White poem on The Spirit of Beauty.
May: Osgood poem, portrait is by Ingham
June: fortune teller by Deveria? they are false prophets, just want money. Poems by CP Cranch, transcendentalism but not too muddy, instead of a microcosm with no rln or perfect indep of all others, the Buddhist creed, man is linked to follow man and whole of creation by infiinte rights duties etc, seek not inworld but to expand himself
July: publisher requested he include his portrait in issue, dag by Morand. Holbein’s dance of death.
Index: JT Headley, Poe, Whitman’s child and proflgate, little sleighers, Epes Sargent
Aug. Sept John Morton’s General Scott in fight with John Brant, 1812 Oct has James F Otis tale of Willey hse in NH
Nov: Wash crossing the Alleg in a raft, history might have changed. Can’t see the engraving. J Morton Pocahontas and Capt smith, editorial asks if story is true, Dec.
1845 Jan ed by John Inman and Robt A West, Israel Post now at 140 Nassau.
Lydia M Child, Fanny Forrester, HP Grattan, John Brougham et al now writing. TB Read poems. No Whitman.
Editors disclaim responsibility for engravings, it’s the publishers choice, on engravings find Napoleon theatrical, Washington not majestic enough, contrasts their two careers. No comment on the flower still life, can’t moralise on a rose. In Feb comment on Washington’s birthplace (the engraving for month). Mar. Apr. Editors praise moral of picture of Franklin as a boy giving food to a famished family. may engr is fr Ni Maes, the Idle Servant, engr by Sadd for Columbian, editors say fair reader, presuming you never have been actor in such a scene, smile as fondly think that is my hope, or turn to keeping house, troubles of help, hearty laugh, housekeeper won’t scold but good natured smile, maybe just tasted the sparkling wine. Artists make too pleasing to the eye such dereliction of duty. May: engr of First friend, a queen in thy kingdom, girl and her dog (looks Inman ish). also have a wilderness lscape in Michigan lakes.
July R. Ingraham. AJH Duganne. This volume has The Sculptor of Venice. August engr is The Heart’s misgivings, have misgivings as to naturalness of scene, lifeless soul and callous heart of gman if fr nature, namby pamby piece or human icicle, there’s cause for her misgivings. praise quality of engravings, one for Columbia Bridge is a national pic, trophy of rapidity of advance, attachment to useful still mindful of elegant
Sept engr of Mt Vernon, friend in adversity (relig moral). lots on Washington generally. Like Catharine Beecher’s treatise on domestic econ. Oct Nov Geo P Morris poem on Cooper story. Poem on engr of The Italian Boy, why didst thou roam. Dec: engr of christ, and Chinese, fairly racist editorial description
1846
Jan: still Inman and West. CM Sedgwick. Uptick in amount of poetry. Feb: Eliz Ann White writes thoughts in a gallery of Statuary and Ptgs, a poem. Apr: TH Matteson Spirit of 76, JI comment that good and evil are often relative in this world, man arms for conflict while family astir sith sympathizing interest, only title indicates we should view with reverence not horror, spirit of 76 is only war for nothing less than to avoid sacrifice of rights, otherwise shld view it with loathing May eng is death bed of wash, rallying word of freemen struggling agst tyranny. June engr is Scene fr hope Leslie, Matteson again?, Indians massacre, forefathers’ trials
July: Fanny Forrester, wife of Rev Dr Judson, writing only for us. JI usually describes the engravings. Aug describes engr of Legend of Chelsea Hospital, critical of story being unclear, and dislikes Chas II, JM ward the ptr. Oct says of View on St Lawrence, JI that our readers have been to Montreal etc, styles are peculiar to region, WH Bartlett Nov: JI on The Engravings, two kinds of pictures, one tells story too plainly, those with no story at all, former is in this issue Modesty and Vanity, too obvious illustrations. Other engr in issue has a dozen stories one could attack, Dr Goldsmith. December: praises Landseer’s study of moral and intellectual nature of dogs, never puts soul of a gryahound in the face of a pug, can tell their genealogies at a glance.
1847
Jan: still Inman and West. Apr: Bartlett’s NY fr Weehawken, city not imposing but recognizable vast bay June: Sigourney lines on death of Mrs James Harper. Faithful depiciton of the Narrows of Hudson, channel of immense commerce. Review of Omoo, Tahitians figure as worthless profligate and corrupt race, missionaries of little value, degradation of them. Headley writes for the million, cant criticize character of the book, might as well criticize a newspaper ten days old. Praise Chapman’s Amer Drawing Book, Lanman’s travels
Jul: engr of Navy island scene of melodrama, the folly of Mackenzie/Canada ‘patriots’ war, Canadian genl ordered attack on steamer Caroline, with consequences of increased insurgents. Engr of Matteson’s Sugaring Off, so much better than sugar making in West Indies, time that brings as many courtships to a head as by the exhib of Nat Acad in NY. Sarah Helen Whitman poem on Hoppin’s Statue of David. September start a series on preachers, poem on receiving Bryant’s illus works, engr is Bartlett’s wigwam in the forest, Indians no more worthy of respect or admiration than Africa or Pacific, except where educated as white, are horrible. Oct: engr of Little Rogues in Trouble, gamekeeper punishing children, he won’t hurt them. Engr of Rural Pastime, not exalted pastime, girl drawing cows, think mosquitoes and creeping things, but for ubanite scene’s tranquil aspect charming, tho habit demands return to city. Nov: The little hero engr, boy and wolf, must be Europe not here where they are more cowardly; in Schoolmaster returning Home idea v distinct, dangers of being overly cautious and vacillating. JH Beard ptg The Omen engraved, and discussed in December (way APS does the binding): bust of Wash in Windsor soap in shop window in Broadway, ptg is of Halleck’s Fanny, poem known everywhere, universally lauded. But it’s Richard West who describes the Hawking party
1848
Now edited by Stephen M Chester, and published by John S Taylor, 151 Nassau st (Taylor has written for mag before I think), Jenkins their printer.
Jan issue still has RA West writing for them. Senior Editor (signed JI) on Year that has gone: assortment of wars in last 8 or 10 years, Indian wars had no glory, expensive, feel ashamed of them, pety larceny aspect, only pleased govt contractors, the Maine and Mormon and patriot wars similarly redounded to nobody’s benefit or honor. Mexican war has offered soldiers more glory, but impression is that editor didn’t like it, bright side is made us realize how terrible war is. Hope won’t again be deluded by vainglory etc into a war, that voice of reason and conscience will be heard. not hopeful abt Pius’ reform. JI has several other pieces in this issue too, still commenting on engravings De Dreux’s Rich and Poor, similar to Hancock’s The Beggar’s Petition, dogs Mar compares Headley’s book to Brandreth’s pills. doesn’t admire. running a series of views in Syria, Lebanon, Jerusalem etc, Catherwood’s pano made familiar.
May: editor on Washington monument, marble is for ordinary men’s memory, but Wash is on every heart throughout the world. Wallace’d design proposes purely American in structure and embellishments, gives description of colossal structure, conception poetical but impractical, and if erected towering alleg figs of continents would supersede the principal, cupolo inconsistent with solidity essential, globe as footstool would eclipse him fr sight, and the anti-classical design in mouldings etc in favor of humbler elements for originality, a felo de se? Prefer Robt Mills of SC, endorsed by Adams Clay Gallatin and Webster, but also too herculean, likely will abandon all but immense obelisk. Still won’t add to splendor of his fame, but like its simple majesty.
Amazingly long tribute to JQ Adams by SIP
JI’s Farewell: Agreed to edit magazine only for a year, to get it going, but success made publisher want him to stay—he was still editing Comm Advert, too much work, so West was added, and did most of the work that second year. At start of third year, both tried to resign because of health, but stayed with new arrangements of additional editorial help tho doesn’t name them, and change of publishers asked to stay on, another new publisher asked more time, but Inman stopped work in March.
Editor’s Table: just bk reviews
June: Ann Stephens on Myra Gaines (general’s wife). Editor likes Headley’s Napoleon even tho earlier attack on its wickedness, and concurrent attack on his Washington, including a cartoon of somebody scrambling up a ladder to a monument to him to try to turn him into Napoleon. Cole’s paintings on exhib, testimony to skill of a native artist, 80 originals, all have impress of genius, won’t make invidious distinctions. If told his coloring unnaturally bright, so is Claude’s, if enthusiast eye saw nature unseen by vulgar, vulgar is dim, thank for unusual charm. Most interesting is his five alleg pics of Cross and the World, describes them
July article by Mrs SC Doughty. Sept has a CB Burkhardt piece Oct: Gray’s New Picture: Wages of War in his studio in Franklin st an alleg pic of poetic nature like Cole’s, ensemble impressive as scene of fatal combat, families express intense emotion, admirable expression of sentiments, war ends in grief November: editor writes Glances at Greenwood, monuments to Thom Freeborn. Sigourney on late Danl Wadsworth. Rev John Danforth a regular writer on Sensibility and Art, seems to say that divine inspiration key to best art (religious). The Fine Arts: gems of Old World coming here, modern Euro masters, Republicans appreciate art, native pics at AU thronged with warm admirers, rich general benefit of free access like Croton waters; Delaroche at NAD and Goupil gallery. David’s Napoleon so well known that spirit stirring spectacle, but not true to nature, modern Caeser little more than a hero of the circus, Delaroche presents him as a man, but still indomitable, superhuman. Of Goupil in general v florid, highly finished, v pretty. Like those that depart fr this, by Court, Waldmuller, etc, gem is Scheffer’s Dead Christ, tender and meek, painful sense of mere humanity, exquisite
December: Fine Arts, Am AU pleased by subscription, even if motives are sordid, diffuses elevating taste. Wish favor of Institution bestowed with sterner justice. Goupil’s Power of Music, splendid. We dropped in recently at studio of Talbot and much pleasure fr his outdoor labors, vitality and vraisemblance in sketches unattainable fr misty memories in prison of city. One on banks of Passaic near Paterson as lifelike as a mirror, hope will be a ptg with accessories as truthful. At studio of Pratt pleased with recent portraits esp of a lady. will reward patronage. Intl AU: support plan, publish prospectus
1849
Now edited by Rev Darius Mead, and published by him at 124 Nassau. $3/year. goal is highest literary talent with hi moral tone and scrupulous purity of sentiment, attract friends of truth and virtue.
Jan Has pieces by Stephen M Chester still, more on Greenwood, and his Conge. R’s Autumnal pics in Wilderness, portrayed in no hall of ptg. RH Stoddard, Mrs N Orr. Bible and the Fine Arts by ABR: artist shld choose moment will give greatest unity and perfectness, heighten beauty of the whole, should do destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Editorial: class of periodicals cater to corrupt, licentious taste, will avoid that and heavy Reviews. New contributor is JT Jeadley, earlier attacks on him gross abuses, he has been our friend whild editing the Parlor Magazine.
Eclectic Mag advertises.
Feb is last issue in APS. Has C Edwards Lester on Naples. Mt Vernon