Home > Katz's Unofficial Index to Antebellum New York City Newspapers > Katz's Notes on Antebellum New York City Newspapers > Evening Post

Evening Post

America’s Historical Newspapers and genealogy bank

Eve Post Mar 26 1836 West’s great pic coming; in April Death on a Pale Horse starts advertising heavily

Evening Post May 14 1836 NY Mirror eng of view of Hudson Highlands fr West Point, by Smillie, fr spirited sketch by Weir, can see at exhib of NAD p2

May 19 1836 For Eve Post writer in Evening Sar says West is inferior, writes to contradict it.

May 25 1836 NAD exhib review Mount Undutiful Boys et al.

American Academy advertises heavily in Eve Post. Lots of auction ads. Hanington & co advertise sign ptg in Evening Star.

Eve Post Jun 11 1836 death of Luman Reed, publick spirited munificent, serious loss, judicious and unostentatious admirer of fa and generous friend

Eve Post July 9 1836, NAD 1st exhib receipts $300, this year $4000, will invest surplus, artists honour, associated effort in a republican country

likes Tyrone Power the actor

Oct 28 1836 likes HW Herbert’s gift book Magnolia, lake of dismal swamp engr fr Chapman, one fr Weir and Durand, Irving Sedgwick Simms Fay Benjamin Mullen Herbert et al

Eve Post 11-3-1836 Amusements, For the Eve Post, by Quia. nothwithstanding our decided partiality for exhibs partaking of the char of the fine arts, won’t neglect those not within the pale of our own ideas of merit. duty to the publick necessary to alike criticise the whole, other displays each will no doubt have their admirers, so to this notice shall append a list of magicians, phrenologists, mountebanks and monkeys.

            large ptg of Deluge by Anelli, and wax signers of Dec of Ind, particularly noticed a few days ago in this paper (I searched back to Oct 25); Cole’s well worth a visit, should reduce price. Hannington’s Dios merit their success. Mr Fletcher exhibits classical scenes of ancient statuary, at Peale’s Museum, with Collyer’s lectures on phrenology

 

eve post Feb 23 1837 responds to an evening paper critical of Capitol rotunda commission’s choices, Cole and Sully not American, Weir is. Catlin and Mount not as good as the 4 chosen. Wish Morse could have 5th panel, Allston agrees.

 

Evening Post Feb 23 1837 p 2 Committee of two houses of Congress appointed to select pics for Rotunda chose all residents of NY, 3 natives, all deserving, great talent. An evening paper complains Wier is an Englishman, but a genuine Knickerbocker; same paper asks why Catlin Cole Mount and Sully not thought of? Cole and Sully excluded as not born in US, and no pictures for Catlin and Mount, only four panels. Wish tho that there were 5 panels and one given to Morse, talents and studies fit him so well, pres of NAD, Allston agreed.

 

lots of ads in Post

3-10-37 Trustees of NAD importing 28,000 in pics by first artists fr Havre

 

Apr 20 1837 praises NAD as making NY seat of the fine arts as well as commerce in this country Eve Post Apr 20 1837 NAD opening, proud of it, tourist attraction, makes NY seat of fa, diffuses taste

Apr 26 37 p2 exhib rms of NAD favorite and crowded resort, people who come to look at the ptgs, and at ea other, evenings more thronged than at any other time tho not the best time to judge of a pic, esp its colors. pleasure and surprise and number and excellence

NYPL mfilm reel 41 Eve post, Mar-Sept 1837, started with Apr 22, nothing then or in May, nor ads, Barnum and Peales both advert fine arts, stopped at June 17, still nothing.

 

Eve Post Dec 30 1837 Catlin invites members of NAD and Am Acad of A to visit his Indian Gallery on NY’s Day, will meet them and explain works of art

 

Eve Post NYPL Mfilm reel 43 April-Oct 1838

April 2, 3, 4, 5 Erie rrd a whig enterprise. notices James Bleecker and sons auction. 6 ff 13 monument to German glory 25 NAD now open, not quite equal in general merit to some years, but some v great excellence. 2 glorious lscapes of Cole, noticed some weeks since, morning and evening, and a savage mountain scene in Catskills. Durand excels in lscape, course of a river thru wild country forests mtns, Indians chase a deer, most poetically treated, so full of light beauty picturesque points, dullest eye looks with admiration. Inman’s splendid richly colored Forrest, and a child v gorgeously colored also, speaking expression of face belongs to his portraits. Page prison scene, captive and his wife, seems to possess much merit for its truth, tho its grave style of coloring prevents it fr making a brilliant fig in an exhib. Ingham several portraits of ladies, some of whom he transforms into something brighter and more blooming than beings of this world. Shall return to subj. 26 reports of committee on Cilley duel 27 praises Geo Morris poems

May:

1 French salon opens, lists names, including Vernet etc. Bangs auction advertises. Ludlow and Glentworth auctioneers advertise. 18 Hanington. Lists those able to become auctioneers under new law, posting bonds, David Austin, James Bleecker, Anthony W Bleecher, Thomas Bell, James Glentworth, Wm O Haggerty, Aaron Levy, Saml Maverick, and others. Bleecker advertises. Don’t see NAD ad. 24: intentions of the govt of this country, under all its admins, have been just and humane towards them (aboriginal tribes), cannot, in our opinion, admit of a doubt. K writes of Miniature pic of Ariadne, Thom S Cummings so prominent among Miniature ptg, has not one pic, has been copying chef d’ouevre of Vanderlyn, can be seen in rooms in Reed st, adds delicacy of touch and coloring. 26 p.2 For the Evening Post, Nat Acad: will focus on younger aspirants, Durand 4 pics, Page, Harris, Powell, Shegogue, Mooney, Miss Frothingham, G Baker; favoritism. 29 notice Ludlow & Glentworth sale of ptgs at Acad Barclay st, also splendid English engravings sold by Bangs et al on Broadway being exhib 30 X writes for the Eve Post the Port of Osceola now at Tammany said by those who’ve seen the orig to be est likeness, Wm Laning, of Charleston, fr life, costume copied exactly, valuable ornament, for sale.

 

June 1 1838, praises Dunlap’s history. 2 likes de Tocqueville 4 praises Dresden Gall, fnest old Ital masters, prints of coll avail 6 exhib of Wool pics at Stuyvesant, curious effect, no needle, West praised technique, mostly copies of large ptgs by emminent 8 Suggest Richard riker run for pres as Whig candidate 11 death of Michael Paff, shrewd 13 Courier des Etats says US has 3000 newspapers to Paris’s more than 300 (all of France 750); England 1200 19 praises Catherwood as meritorious artist, has constructed pano bldg 21 a review of the two panos he did, prefer Jerusalem, Niagara doesn't come up to ouridea of the great cataract, inherent difff of subj 22 EW Snow selling oils by Native Artists, Whitley, Brennan, and editorial column notices it but focuses on copies of Raphael et al despite saying they encourage native talent. Notice E Sargent at Mirror. Glad Paulding apptd to Navy. 26 pro Forrest and anti Star 29 loves Mirror 30 Aaron Levy sale, inclu copy after Stuart’s GW

 

Skipped to September. 1838 lots of long notices of Mech Inst fair. Post office advertising. Stopped on the 23rd.

 

Eve Post NYPL mfilm May-Nov 1839

May 1839: 1 Thom Gill, death, in his youth joined eped of Miranda who attempted to revolutionize the country of New Spain. 3 NAD now open, less than usual proportion of gd ptgs, but some will reward more than one visit. Durand several pleasing lscapes, a beaut port or two, a remarkable pic by Deas, somewhat roughly exec but full of talent, Mount fine pic rural life, Huntington much merit, Ingham splendid, and lscape wild and desolate, Weir Indian captives, Page gd ports, Wilgus 6 promo for Dubufe gallery 10 Apollo gall has Alfred Miller 18 pics, similar tto those desc in Astoria of W Irving, new life and freshness, incidents of rude life of natives and trappers. Dags. 11 Mrs Goss a Grahamite. Col Stone replacing Stevens as finding NY hist docs, clairvoyant so wont have to cross the Atlantic, governor will save money

May 14 p2 For the Evening Post NAD, by Ultra Marine. living artists who will be dead to fame, daubs not original or pictures, confused mass of mixed colors, gaudy subjects next to modest and superior, but will speak of merit. Inman, Frothingham, Weir, Sully, Cummings, Durand, Huntington, powell, Page, Fink, Clover, Wilgus, Ingham, Edmonds, Casilear, Mooney

16 Boston corresp, glorious exhib of 45 Allston ptgs, beauty and grandeur, so affected, health and strenght clearness of spirit, Ideal was all about me, a new existence as spiritualized and exalted, artists shld come, no tricks or startle, toiled for ideal, ten thous visitors already. Long letter of raptures. 18 lots fr Knick 20 corrects umber of tickets to allston gallery to 3370 21 artists of Cinti have advertised starting an annual exhib similarto our NAD. 23? defends Stephens the traveller 30 death of Leggett managed Post 34-35,

 

June 5 1839 new gallery for ptgs at 324 Broadway, Fraser who collects pics, ancient and modern but esp living, all year round. 6 /for the Evening Post, letter to editor, re fair critic in the American of NAD under H, think it’s a female, signed Plain Common Sense.  NY Gazette lives to attack the Post; won’t argue with papers that indulge in personal allusions to management. C&E has adopted style copied from Wise and his imitators, set of epithets for all ocdasions are the same. Notices TW Whitley 119 Fulton st is artist of merit, lscapes with spirit, ports fidelity and taste, can do ornaments and transparencies too, has a card in another column. 8 Saml Colman pub Adams’ discourase for Washington banquet at which Bryant spoke 10 notices Expositor and Amer Phreno J 11 Catlin; like O’Sullivan’s writing. 15 frequently argue with the NY American 19 Wm G Boggs working for us for a year or more, don’t pay union wages. Catskill mtn hse. 26 NAD liberal acts, given Allston use of exhib rooms all summer, and smaller room to Sully for his Queen Vic 28 Mirror has likeness of Prosper M Wetmore fr ptg by Inman, agreeable, strong resemblance 29 mentions Morse the artist letter on electro-magnetism

 

July 2 Chas Vincent or the Two Clerks, Harper. 3 notices Colman’s monthly 8 Allston 11 recollect an artist who turned a penny by polit caricatures, drew personages he most disliked with horns, or asses ears etc, bore no likeness to the originals, but v hideous, then wrote names carefully under them so that there could be no mistake. whig prints caricature in same manner, distort their port in every possible manner, dress it with horrible appendages their fancy suggest, and when as much unlike the orig as possible, write under it Sub-Treasury 12 Sully port of Vic noticed, gallery of Fraser 13 Artists and Mechanics Repository adveritses 15 Bunker Hill monument 20 not a fan of nY and Erie rrd 25 notices Sully, attitude tho by no means graceful, adds to her height and increases her attractiveness, artist displays skill in mass of gorgeous drapery. ptg of great merit, faithful it is said. 26 Marryatt flippant, vulgar error 29 Edouart’s Silhouette Likenesses curious, agreeable effect, eminent English people

 

August 1839 8 Catlin ought get more patronage. Stopped after the 17th.

 

NYPL mfilm May-Oct 1840

May 1 1840  John Smith Jr of Arkansas is their Wash corresp 16 like RA Locke (in New World) and Willis at Bro Jon 22 pics at Frazer’s gallery go on sale, head of GW by Col rumbull, other Trumbull ports too, a copy of Vanderlyn’s Aridadne, a Sully, lscapes 26 Leggett Monument Assoc. Has the Corporation notices taking up a ton of room.

June 15 Paulding doing well in Navy despite complaints 16 notices Freeman’s J, not supposed to be political 24 History of the Fine Arts BJ Lossing, gives only brief notices, not adequate. 27 port of Geo Morris by Inman in Mirror .

July 7 E Durham does engravings of Demos Statue of Washington at a mtg GM Dallas and GC Childs doing a Iron Equestrian Statue of GW, Ferdinand Pettrich a student of Thorvaldsen selected (Phila). Praises Catherwood 9 more on Pettrich, Pencillings from his studio 10 Young Artist’s Assistant in Drwg etc by TW Whitley of Hudson st, for beginners, very useful.. Like CF Hoffman. 21 Parker meritorious artist of city copied port by Inman of Van Buren, preserves the agreeable, courteous and sagacious expression, most other engr are mere caricatures

 

Skipped August, to Sept 3. 5 Insly and Frpscj daguerreotypes10 corrects the Express’s Aristides  (author is Fair Play) 14 Tasistro 21 Portrait of the Arab Commodore, striking, ship Sltanee sent fr Muscat, in Clerk of Common Council at City Hall, Edw Mooney, young artist of v promising talents, app to sign ptrs, then studied with Inman, went to NAD school, then to Page, elected to academician, Port excellent likeness, aspect of intellig, ease and dignity 23 RH Dana mast delightful 30 Whigs have grudge agst Job Haskell for not adhering to Harrison. In 1836 he was a democrat but switched to Harrison, but came back to Demos so now they hate him

 

NYPL mfilm May – Oct 1841

May 1 p2 Annual Supper of NAD, Morse, Inman and Morton, guests inclu Morris mayor elect, Judge Inglis, Renwick of Columbia college, . An Engr: Apollo fine large print of White’s Marion, ptr has made a good use of the incident, Sartain done it justice. Catherwood lectures.

May 6 p2 Mr Wier’s great picture, considerable forwardness, for Rotunda, noble production, pilgrims just embarked, venerable Robinson pastor kneels in prayer with devout, , describes who is in it, powerful and manly form is worthy of great warrior Standish, hardiest, resolute and skilful. details add greatly to its interst, , fathers of NE finely conceived, noble full of expr, mingled benignity resolution and submission for Robinson, great study on the design and exectution. new reform weekly The Future. Emerson orig and vigorous, sometimes expressed obscurely. Glentworth is guilty, and Grinnell Draper Blatchford and others shouldn’t have assoc with him.

Stopped at June 15.

 

Jumped to next reel, Nov 1 1841.

Nov 2 has story of Two Artists fr Blackwood, set in Seville, painters. 4 notes Jared Sparks lectures, advertises 5 notcies New World with excerpts fr Lester. Gives Scott’s letter that he’s a democratic Whig, as ha been all his family. notices Mis sCushman Excerpts fr the New Era, praises Audubon, notices Braham 12 notices charge off raud agst Erie rrd 15 Gallery of the Apollo Assoc advertises 17 Inman’s exquis port of Fanny Ellsler as Lauretta in Tarantula abt to be litho by Heidemans, highly finished, size of orig pic. Want no relig recog in schools.

            -earlier, whigs are the party of cliques, demos for common good

22 excerpt on Haydon and fresco

Nov 27 p2 Greenough’s Wash: misapprehension re opinion of G on place in Capitol where is noble statue is to be set up, was sd on floor of House of Reps that he desired itbetween entrance and center of Rotunda, but he said only place for it is central one where statue of Jefferson once stood, or sacrifice the effect and prove inconvenience. G wrote letter to editor about this. describes splendid dinner to Prince Joinville

 

December 1841

3 letter from Cooper defending himself agst Webb’s account of the libel trial in the Courier; Express says Post wants to limit info by disallowing reports on lecturers. Notices erection of Statue of Wash. Notices Arcturus. Park Benj defens himself agst  Cooper.

6 p2 Corresp of Eve Post from Wash DC, signed X: large crowd to see the statue, all admire the exquis workmanship, few pleased with its position or costume. Imagine venerable and dignified sitting half naked in form of a huge gladiator, exhib his brawny arms and muscles. not a single char of Wash, ot soldier or statemsna, not in the field nor Senate, nor correct personal appearance. Will be praised by Italians and foreigners as peculiarly classic and beaut, but Amer want nothing short of a true representation. Fig too large, pedestal too high, light bad; head is Wash but rest mere fancy. Best is in Richmond in regimentals, preferable for truth to Roman or Grecian. Figs on corners of chair of Columbus and a savage. Editor adds at end, disagree entirely with our corresp, saw that grand work in clay model at Florence, no less admirable for leaving out Washington’s tailor, effect more noble and majestic, saw the man and man only. Sword is token of milit char andhand pointing to heaven his profound singleness of purpose, glorious work of art, eminently char of great original. But placed in a bad light.

10 more on Inman’s eng of Fanny Ellsler; notices miniature by TS Cummings to be engr for Godey’s of Mrs Embury 18 Catlin’s letters great interest and value. generally critical of Erie rrd. Covers New Engl society 27 v brief notice of Apollos distribution.

 

1842 NYPL reel

Jan 3. 4 notice on a Cummings miniature. Praise Genl Gaines. Bad that Erie rrd managed by Draper Blatchford Bowen. John Lorimer Graham formerly an active democrat and now a zealous conservative. Like Orestes Brownson. Love Hawthorne. Lots and lots on Glentworth, on Jan 29th a letter arguig that Grinnell Blatchford Bowen Wetmore and Draper knew about the voting fraud. Important change in plan of the ApolloAssoc, exhib of pics have cost it about $2000 a year, are to be given up altogether, not a fair sample of the state of fine arts as artists did not contribute their works, regard it as a rival to NAD. This jealousy now done away by discontinuance of Apollo exhibitions, and subscribers in country not paying for exhib they can’t see. All money just to got topurchase pics. 31 OPQ writes fr London.

stopped at Feb 1.

 

I don’t have 1842-1849

 

4 Nov 1845 2:3 Merl Moore, letter fr Bryant fr Rome, saw Leutze in Dusseldorf, doing John Knox reproving Queen Mary, capital, scorn of court women for saucy Reformer, embarassed queen, saw just a sketch for Huss at Lessing's. Greenough in Florence doing group for Capitol, athletic settler in hunting shirt and cap rescuing female and infant fr savage, effect is fine and noble, enemy has no command of his muscles, image of aborig race of am rendered helpless. Sure this will be more pop than Washington. Saw Greek slave beaut in London, saw model in his studio, and great sweetness and beauty of Proserpine fr leaves of acanthus, unfinished Eve, connoisseurs are divided as to his merits. Some deny his conceptual ability, though a great sculptor of busts, but Bryant thinks Greek slave beautiful. Gray copying Titian, grasps his coloring, GL Brown hi merit, knowl of how to keep detail in its place, and can move into background with appearance of infinity of forms and outlines of nature, wish he would do American lscapes. Doesn't like contemp art at Acad in Florence. In Rome, Henry K Brown great ability, statue of Ruth and Rebecca, prefer it to Wyatt and Gibson sleek imitations of Grecian art, learned and faultless, Brown has more deep human feeling, in tears amid the alien corn, graceful attitude, melancholy sweetness and modesty. Rossiter si yrs in Italy, large pic of Naomi, Ruth, well composed. Lang agreeable espousals.

 

13 Nov 1845 2:3 Merl Moore, "Powers, The Sculptor" extract fr letter fr HP, has commissions for portraits fr Demidoffs, Proserpine for recently deceased Carey, Slave v popular in England.

 

31 Aug 1847 2:2 Merl Moore, Powers Greek Slave, excerpts fr Calvert's Scenes and thoughts in Europe, have visited statue frequently.

29 Sept 1847 2:1 Greek Slave, proceeds for today set apart as charity for New Orleans, charity led by Francis L Hawks now in city, notes notice of statue in Union Mag for Sept by Orville Dewey

 

NAD for the EP May 25 1848 p. 2 long praise of the Acad, personally acquainted with many of the artists, will go in alphabetical order (has ten visits!), very warm to Anelli, Audubons

            10th visit July 7 1848 p. 1 Shegogue a favorite, Stearns unusual ability (has portrait of Matteson), Spencer flower girl and printseller good, misses Talbot, Walcutt able, Wenzler some of best, Edw White will be high, Whitehorne difficulties with late Gov Wright

 

27 Oct 1848 2:2 Merl Moore, Narrow Escape of the Greek Slave, western rrd shakes you, cars overcrowded with first class passengers, emigrants and colored passengers huddled together in "beautiful confusion," accident, Greek Slave in baggage car not destoyed

 

NYPL misc New-York Weekly Evening Post, Jan 11, 1849. P. 3 notices new officers of Am AU and gift of silver pitcher to Col Warner

            March 29 1849, like Havemeyer for Mayor

            Dec 27 1849 notices Western AU distrib

 

Evening Post, Library of Congress Bound Volume

Jan-June 1850, 18 Nassau st, near Pine, no masthead decorations

Starts with the 7th

Jan 8 p. 2 The Fine Arts defense of Brown’s statue

10 exhib of Huntington’s pics at AU, publish letter of gmen inviting him headed by Bryant

11 distrib of Intl AU, presided over by Bryant, engraving was Power of Music and his Music is Contagious

15 Evers’ pano, Matsell’s report on street children serious, Am Review good

16 TW Whitley’s Journal of Progress, exceedingly radical, personal sketches, bids to succeed. Also likes Lester’s Gallery of Illus Am with port of Genl Taylor fr Brady. NY Gall of FA after being ejected fr Rotunda had to store the ptgs, maybe will have rm in new NAD bldg

17 missing. 22 notices Eco d’Italia. Big Putnam ad. 26 pro Copyright law. 28 Taylor not popular.

29 death of Wm A Colman, dealer in pics etc, bro to SS Colman of Broadway

 

Feb 1 excerpts Home J on Emerson at Merc Lib. Likes Wm R Wallace’s poems, Two Worlds, John P Bailey coediting

Feb 9 report fr West Pt recommending Prof of Drwg get paid as much as other professors, Weir a ptr of great genius and distinction, brigns great capacity. Leslie quit in disgust. Since hired did great pic at Washington and various other works of exceeding beauty. Increase size of corps of cadets.

11 Chatillon’s Pic of Battle of la Palma, a former pupil of Vernet, went to the war, arrang is striking, an exact historic school, lifelike, will submit to Congress as great national ptg, Ftn Hse Park Row, Taylor prominent. Pano of Nile benefit for Hague st victims.

14 v brief notice of mtg of newsboys in Park to demo agst Hope Chapel proceedings. Crawford’s model of Wash for Virginia noticed. Notice Fowler and Wells publications.

18 J of Commerce part of factionists (Cass and Dickinson?) of Demo party now, Sickles, James T Brady and his assoicates had hired a whig bully to interfere with a mtg, headed by E Purdy et al

23 Chatillon seizes char of Am troops, sinews and tendons, tough wiry frames, not to be mistaken for people of any other country, officers scarcely less characteristic, self posessed, simplicityof costume, men taking prisoners well imagined. Eyewitness an advantage. Notices Huntington’s exhib, St John, Italy, get most attn, latter intellectual with great sadness

25 Daily News closed its brief but brilliant career, Sun bought them out. Clay’s compromise not acceptable to the North. letters fr Rome fr artists mention Freeman, one is working on a Columbus. Publishes call for the Union mtg. Champney’s pano and the Mex war ptg advertise.

 

March 1850

2 Free soil mtg big at Tammany. Paumanok. Notices Henry Kernot’s Lorgnette is pop with fash life and shows its follies

4 mocks Hunkerdom at Tammany

8 Champney’s pic of Rhineland at Pano hall a fairly long notice. Harper’s has published Cosmos in transl

11 Huntington’s gall has more pics

12 like Silas Wright, Prefer Seward to Webster, who has joined Calhoun’s side. Clay courageous. 14 Abt ourselves: free trade, state rights, resists internal improvements, oppose all grants of special privileges, want subtreasury system, right of petition, resisted last bankrupt law, resist slavery, often condemned at first by Tammany

16 City Intelligence: likes new rms of Acad, Kellogg in an upper room working on Greek Girl. 20 Duss Acad and Gallery of Old Masters advertise, but I haven’t seen Art Union

21 Wm Colman auction 22 more on pay at West Pt

Notices v neutrally Merc Lib and Am Inst. Doesn’t have regular theater reviews, but they advertise. Seems to like Benton. Supports married women having property.Likes Fanny Kemble. OW Holmes poem.28 Bayne’s pano, London AJ exposes imported pics offered for sale and would be well if some public did same here, every spring and fall immense imports of vilest daubs fr Paris and London catalogued as by disting masters and sold by dint of puffing at highest prices. Shld be taught to buy with their eyes open, money is taken fr deserving artists. Bryant publishes with Putnam.

 

April 1850

1 praises Calhoun’s character. Has long bit on Huntington 3 likes Frothingham’s history of Boston rev war battles. NAD now hanging, most attractive ever, light better, more space betw pics, ones by foreign artists too. Huntington Gall advertises

5 p. 1 Art Intelligence: Durand, likeness of Frelinghuysen, Church Sunset, White of Woolsey, Cropsey, Ranney characteristic, Cranch, wag of an artist 298 Broadway hung out dusty snuffy looking ptg and wrot Old Masters done to Order. Leutze, Page, orig and accomplished. Glass, Freeman, Terry, Brown lscape ptr. Intl Au prize to Alex H Rutherford. Writer in Cinti papers severe on Western Art Union, accusing them of pocketing money by ptg pics and taking fr subscriptions p. 2 Hanging comm can’t hide bad pics

April 6 approves Homestead Exemption bill and Raymond’s course in leg generally; likes HT Tuckerman’s new work, Ellet, notices Lockwood inNewark doing Romeo and Juliet, and Gayrard statue of American republic, seated on bale of cotton, halo of thirteen star, flag and phrygian cap, helm and eagle with emblems of industry

9 Acad of Design, good pics lately sent, trash makes more haste. NAD already advertising.

Has noticed association of workingmen/trades union mtgs.

12 Fine Arts: flourish here, but abroad enfeebled by tyranny, artists driven to new world because of their liberal principles, those who remain illus polit or social life, Allgemeine Zeitung lists lots of  women painters

13 private opening, merit seems greater than any previous, more rejected than usual.  Covers Demo Union mtg at Tammany. Putnam also publishes Cooper. Phoebe Carey poem.

18 Park Benj poem. Reviews The Jesuit, a melodrama in three acts, by Thomas W Whitley, a play founded on incidents during late war betw US and Mexico, patriotic allusions and sentiments, dramatic talent, will be performed soon

23 large class of music lovers never get weary of Hutchinson family (city intellig) 24 death of James Thom, the sculptor, famous for his Tam o Shanter, Scott encouraged him. Lived in New Jersey near freestone uarries for gigantic statue of Wash later exhibited, RL Colt owns someof his Tam O Shanter group, Cemetery has Old Mortality, also worked on Trinity Church.

Hudson Riv RR a big advert.

26 notices The Wages of War by Gray, truly classic, distrib by Am AU, artist purchased it back, now at 67 Franklin st 27 NAD members resolved to increase number of members to fifty. Present exhib unusual interest, national pride 30 notices NJ Art Union formed, has a Cole, Durands, Gray, Cropsey, Oddie, Talbot, Oertel and Schlegel

 

May

1 Knick has Wm C Hosmer poetry. Am Port Gallery advertises too. 4 Cummings of Catholic church is pro slavery. Am AU Bulletin Ranney engr of Danl Boone, clever and striking design. Allston’s outlines which Eve Post has mentioned before. Review of NAD exhib cleverly written but by one who is a little hard to please. 9 notices Cozzens’ hotel. Art Union advertises.  10 long obit on Wordsworth 11 Crit of So Lit Messenger. Notices People’s Weekly J, Michael Doheny and Jos Brennan, sickening defence of rioters agst abolit. NAD elections. Am hotel pop with military 13 notices briefly Death of Osgood, honor Cooper’s crit of US 15 publishes Alex C Bullitt and John OSargent’s notice of end of The Republic, 25,000 subscribers, too many diff with Taylor cabinet, Hall takes over Allen A Hall. Noah back in wigwam?

20 Trib tries to apologize for Clay compromise plan

22 Clinton monument raising money, colossal bronze by HK Brown, genius and taste public has many proofs 23 Weir’s latest pic at Wms and Stevens exceeding merit design, exec, child in prayer with grandmother and mom, silent benediction, full of truth and idnividuality, almost seen her in some comfortable Am parlor, effect of light beaut, accessories happily imag, almost effect of illusion, crutch turned into imag horse, work basket, peacock feathers as perfect as Gerard Douw shld command gd price

24 on ports of Acad of Design fr an amateur, Gray and Ingham, likes all styles of artists, Page too and Elliott, all lose something that the other has

Disapproves Cuban expedition May 28 example of Aristides 31 Washington market needs repair, taken up last year. Notices Allston’s writings . Loves Harper’s.

June

4 move of Union Club. No more NAD ad 6 Lola Montes purchased a Garibaldi port 8 disappointed to see among names signed to letter to invite Dickinson to dine, Francis W Edmonds. Notices Germania of Koehler at Duss Gallery

11 Harriet Martineau published. Harry Franco quiet humor delicae irony sketches of well known lit personages 17 notices Frazee’s bust of Marshall, John Frazee architect of custom hse

J of Commerce 18 loves Dickinson dinner 21 likes WH Herbert

25 Wash corresp X very unsymp to Wahs monument, bad taste, pretension, want of sound judgment, vulgar clap trap, charlatanism, marble fr each state the effect of which to commemorate miserable contention on slavery by misrepresenting it as contest over perpetuity of Union, why not set out on walls webster’s reply to Hayne, Shay’s rebellion, nullification, etc

27 106 weekly and daily papers

29 last issue, corresp architect doesn’t like wooden cornices

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1850

July 2 Tennyson In Memoriam 9 Revue du Nouveau Monde has long article on NAD, transl bit on Hicks 10 only little black borders for Taylor; Rossiter new pic for gman of Conn of first settlement of new Haven, Davenport holding forth under a huge oak, see ships and domestic wares, grouping and conception admirable, ingenuity and skill in variety of figs 12 Prudhomme taking up dags 13 July Am Whig Rev has just and reverent appreciation of Allston’s genius and relig 20 p2 Art Unions, Western AU has Greek slave, walls placarded with lottery, purchase of statue was a speculation prob on private account of an amateur director, our own directors of the AU have rendered themselves obnoxious to public and artists, 60% spent on ptgs had no reference to anything American. Avoid airy and ideal conceits of youth, meretricious subjects, doesn’t compare to European schools, miscellaneous character, have lscapes of all parts of the union no have vagaries instead. Signed Crayon. 23 missing. 28 Am AU no 2 alienates the artists. Likes Lorgnette. Goodechini painter for music hall.

Aug 1 Goupil Am Port Gall heads of Scott, Willie etc good. 2 p.2 Am AU by Crayon: don't change officers, retain owner of an oil and paint store, advertises himself 8 Lessing’s ptg of Huss pop in Euro 9 p1 Am AU no4: editor of the press protected them from inquiry, cites Bentham, reject 1000 pics, and 10 or 12 fr just one p2 Duss gallery Koehler’s Germania, fr C&E 14 Piatti one of those involved in raising money for Garibaldi 16 p1 The Ghost of Art abt the Royal Acad 17 p2 Am AU no 5: results of articles hope won’t spend all their money on publishing concern. Artists in 49 tried to start an Art Union, but prostrated, more features to benefit the artist, instead of thousands of copies of an indiff subject, destroying its value, select from prints etc 21 Tupper, Hawthorne, Odd Fellows’ gift book has Burch 27 stone for Wash monument is v poor, good news to those who see the design as most outrageous violation of good taste ever put on a long suffering people. Beebe hats.

Sept 3 oppose death penalty. Carl Muller, pupil of David d’Anger and Rude studio 285 ½ Bleecker, Minstrel’s curse won prize is with him 4 pano of Pilgrim’s Progress by May and Kyle, also Darley Vanity Fair, Church Valley of Shadow of death, Cropsey Water of life and Land of Beaulah, Duggan Giant Despair, Dallas Huntington 9 X writes to defend Corcoran re 10 million dollar bill 10 crit again of Trib 11 p2 Danl Seymour miniature by Cummings his friend, expression lost in the dag 14 praises Art Union bulletin, woman whose bust by HK Brown distrib last year, Tuckerman on Constable crit of old masters, GWP ingenous, Cole, Gallery reopened with Cole, Kensett, Gignoux Church Oddie, Durand Thanatopsis and Huntington’s Seapiece 17 New Yorker Abendzeitung is socialist 18 Chas Muller’s Minstrel’s Curse again 19 p2 Bayard Taylor, new Wm Mount pic, Negro fiddler, engr Goupil, must make a hit, his bro during Rose of Sharon 20 like Griswold’s Poe; Oddie’s pic of Lenox Lake, sketches of Berkshire, large pic at Wms and Stevens in Broadway, vigorous pencil, talent, rapidly eminent 24 report of committee on management of Art Union will report on an Assoc of artists at Peale’s museum, attendance invited, W Walcot and A Fisher 25 CD Stuart of Sun abt to start a penny paper 26 p2 Colman’s sale advertising, includes Durand. Am Artists Assoc met, JK Fisher and K Walcott presided, reported a plan, Flagg, TW Whitley and Jones particip in discussion

Oct 1 Elizur White restarts Chronotype; Holden’s Dollar has Phebe Cary 4 p2 Boker’s import of Lessing’s Huss shouldn’t pay customs. Pius 9 made Hughes an Archbishop 7 Am Inst fair opened. Artists art assoc letter fr JH Fisher, dislikes system of chance receiving of picture. 8 Ehninger’s etchings of Hood beaut, pub by Putnam. Loomis pano of Cuba great merit. 10 Wm Walcutt poem p.2 art notes, Jones the sculptor etc 14 poem re Webster’s betrayal 16 Rossiter 17 like Chas Lanman. Bleecker auctions 19 Vernet, JT Headley briefly noticed, flowing and fervent manner. The Artists Association, rooms of JH Fisher, Constitution, Wm Walcutt, James Burns, John C Hagen, Geo W Flagg, TG Gates, TD Jones, Wm H Redin 21 Root’s dags, hope Secy of Treasury will help Boker 23 J of Commerce organ of Hunkers/Webster men called Union mtg 26 Mercy’s Dream engr for Phila Art Union effect of orig well given, Christian Mayr obit, German artist of sincere, unpretending benevolence, goodness of heart, illus books talent, succeeded Chapman in this dept, a bachelor, adopted little girl in No Carolina, bro of ptr Mayr of Munich 29 Lang’s 4th of July, in Art Union last year had a Carnival of Venice, his companion is 4th, triumphal car of goddess of Liberty, motley crowd of sailors, women negroes soldiers and little boys, City Hall in distance, for Henry Parish, will be at Art Union

Nov 1 recovery of precious Calhoun statue; Sun suggests Sam Houston for Pres. 5 BY in letter contradicts Artist in Eve Expres critical of medals 6 Meade dags 7 p1 Art Intellig: satirical artist did Poultry Yard version of the two Art Unions; firemen complained of Lang’d pic as shown eating an ice cream. panos of Cuba, Bunyan 9 Dr Mott lectures; unsymp account of Graham beating Bennett. 11 Hughes lecture on decline of Prot; Calhoun statue not shown here 12 p2 Fine Arts: NAD arranging monthly meetings Stearns Duggan and Bogle; Ranney doing Marion, admirable in every way, Cummings prof at NYU has a priv school too, Prudhomme, May and Kyle; Bunyan pano grand conception. 14 SDWB poem (bloodgood?) a friend 14 Cozzens of Art Union helping NAD with debt 20 like Alton Locke. Mr Lang’s pic and Company 42, wrong that threats were made by this fire company to cut or mutilate the painting, weren’t by any one in the company, most respectable, Lang will remove No 42 fr the canvass 21 like Beranger and Hawthorne 23 p2 Brown’s Indian Warrior and Panther, rescuing a child, full of spirit and energy, the athletic, noble but aboriginal, panther fierce and sly. Clinton statue by Brown. Hostile to Clay, running duelling stories. 25 haven’t had any polit patronage for two years, but income highest ever. 26 Dutch modern pics at Leeds, no idealize in any part 28 JH Payne quarrels with Benton. Courrier dislikes Lind 29 seem to like Whitney’s rrd. 30 like May’s pano

Dec 4 Lessing’s Huss 6 NAD members assembled, Duggan, Durand Edmonds Hicks Gray Cranch and Brent will memorialize Congress for series of pics of hist and scenery of the US, and to state NY, ask for leg funds for free art schools of NAD. Flagg Durand and SS Osgood arrange lectures on fine arts 7 Home J good. Am AU distrib coming, most noted artists are Cole, Leutze, Durand Weir and Huntington many v costly even $800, and line engr after Cole Durand Leutze Edmonds Woodville 10 Eddy coll for sale. no govt involvement in Worlds Fair 11 praises Am AU engr, Boker’s pics shouldn’t pay duties. Am AU big ad. 14 hone replies about Boker. praise Lit World 16 JK Fisher letter to NAD artists. Like Appletons. Give catalogue of AU on 18th. 21 front page give distrib of Am AU 24 Sebron’s Niagara at Stevens. Not commenting on Forrest divorce but cover it. Stuart’s Wash purchased for Calif. Sattler’s cosmo.

 

Jan—June LOC volume 1851

January 2 first issue. 3 p.2 John Brown, (Jersey) Ferryman says editors of Day Book, Stimpson & Foster, supported by Cass and Dickinson, were supposedly both clerks of Arthur Tappan, and Foster was a year or two one of the assistant editors of the Tribune, had even tried to merge the Day Book with the Trib about a year after they took it over, but were rejected.

6 Judge EP Hurlbut a writer for Eve Post. Pilgrim’s Prog pano advertises, Canova’s Venus, Stanley’s Indians. Oppose Capital punishment.

9 notices Cogswell’s pano Calif. City Intelligence discusses works in marble, Swezey and Flannelly, carving grave monuments, advertisers 10 notices Leeds’ sale of modern Germ ptgs 11 Hostile to Union party; wants to defend slavery 13 pano of Conn river and Duss gallery with Huss advertise 14 notices Calyo’s Pano view of Conn riv Stoppani hall, great merit in their way, describes the views including a camp mtg, much skill and beauty 16 death of Thomas Birch  (ad says Sumner and Choate approve too) 18 p.1 J West has long praise of Beecher as preacher. Mtg of artists of NY on 8th Jan, SS Osgood presiding, decide on delivery of course of lectures, Henry James, then Geo Curtis, Parke Godwin Duggan and others at Stuyvesant.

21 Art and Artists, Brown, Chapman, Sattler. Complaint that New Yorkers appreciate only mirrors not Raphael, former requires neither knowledge, taste, imagination or feeling, compares them to savages. John Landis writes to Cass as claiming govt patronage, digs at Peel.

            Seward introduces resolution to increase Weir’s pay at West Point.

22 notices Whitehurst’s dags, HH Snelling’s Photographic Art J. Washington Market falling apart

23 p. 1 long bio of Henry Kirke Brown fr N Cleaveland in Sartain’s including a tribute from Danl Huntington. Has a plaque in Greenwood for AB Cozzens. Busts of Cole, Bryant, Huntington, Cheney, Durand, Prentice, Willard Parker, Luman Reed. Am AU . DeWitt Clinton. Appletons. P. 2 notices pano of Ireland at Olympic, remarks of lecturer in bad taste. Support Benton.

25 Elliot finished port Judge Ulshoeffer, Court of Common Pleas in City hall at commission of Board , able and successful artist.

27 notice Pilgrim’s Prog again, take Mrs Ellet’s impromptu sonnet on it fr Trib, msg fr Heaven thanks to ptg uniting with poetry, able and accomp writer

28 Death of Audubon, writer of sketch met him at age 60 no equal.  Contemp Art in Euro, Mr Curtis’s Lec: Stuyvesant highly respectable audience, artists of city and friends, Geo W Curtis fresh fr Euro studios, fine philos spirit expressed with great beauty, observation, interupted constantly by applause, brilliant and successful effort.

            Began with despondency of Am artist contempl vast art in old world, folly to over estimate old masters, as gd ptg now, principle and end of art is to express thought of its age. Italy not original now, Overbeck greatest there, Rip van Winkle of art, relig adoration pervades all his pics. Then to advances of Germ art, Cornelius, Kaulback and Lessing, praising Kaulbach’s Destr of Jerusalem esp, beaut group of Christians singing as they ride away. Thought and treatment similar to Battle of the Huns, triumph of new principle of Xtianity with the perfected intellectual and moral system of antiquity, while Battle of Huns records same subj with purely unintellectual, paganistic spirit, both free fr reliance on technical relig symbolism. Kaulbach or both? Allow supernaturalism tho, blending of fact with fabulous, angels, fairies, famine and wandering Jew personified and intro’d as persons among hist figs, and pic jsutifies its treatment, unity of impression is entire, tells not alone the fact but the spiritual signif and consequences.

            France: Couture, Vernet, Scheffer and Delaroche, vigorous fidelity to nature of lscape ptrs commended. In England, Turner the great man, not too praised by Ruskin. Am artists stand upon the Pisgah-heights, overlooking the harvests of Hope that  go waving out of sight—goldening all the Future.

29 and 30 p. 2 Parke Godwin long bio of Audubon

 

February 1851

3 ad for Homestead Art Union, ptgs and engravings on exhib at Hooper & Brother’s looking glass store, 106 Fulton 7 extracts fr John Adams autobio 10 Express praises Godwin’s hi lit rep 11 p.1 visit to studio of Germ sculptor Schwanthaler p. 2 notices Eco d’Italia is being commended in whig journals, as it zealously took their part at last election and denounced those who oppose the extension of slavery as abolitionists, hypocrites etc. If in same spirit supports cause of freedom in Italy, likely to render it v effectual service.

12 p.2 Fine Arts: Chapman char of Italy pic at Gray’s studio in Franklin st, Gray great cabinet Quiet Influences, Gignoux Niagara, Braekeleer at Wms and Stevens, designs for Downing

14 missing. 15 p. 1-2 Letter to editor fr Dr. Koerner re Lessing’s Huss, says Trib used artistic knowledge as a machine to disparage the ptg, with editorial endorsement, he defends Lessing’s school against those who would construct modern ptg on principles of neo-classicism. Also has an article on German theater in old Olympic

20 popular Holden’s Dollar now in hands of Duyckincks of Lit World, tact and industry, first rate miscellany. Port of Wash: several artists engaged in Governor’s rm on full length of GW to be exhi in front of city hall, 16 x 6, to be illuminated. 21 Mayor has asked all the papers to publish GW’s farewell address, celeb o fhis bday conducted by Union Safety Comm, Miss senator fr Henry Foote asked to speak (guy who drew pistol on Benton), infamous scheme to depreciate name and char of Wash to their own moral level, and commend to Mayor Kingsland and Union Comm. Notices the New Yorker, a new penny paer by Wm Fairman and CD Stewart (Stuart), former ed of Sun, publishing Tahckeray like Eve Post is

24 critical of Edw Everett’s timidity, his particip in Union Comm’s GW bday celeb, James T Brady particip. Notices Corcoran’s purchase of Powers Grk Slave, recently distrib by Cinti Art Union, $3400.

25 : Lecture on Xtian Art, Hungington the artist, deliv lecture before Acad of Des, graceful and pleasing manner, to satisf of large portion of his audience, anecdotes full of interest, simple style. The Exceedingly narrow and barren sphere he assigned to art, and consciously didactic and ecclesisastical char he ascribed to its aims not in accord with more liberal theories we have been led to adopt, but have advantage of falling in with prevailing sentiments of the public. Frequent bursts of applause.

27 support NY and Erie rrd directors.

March 1851

5 p. 1 Artists in Rome, fr corresp D, does all nations, Gibson and McDonald in England, Crawford foremost of Am in Rome, light beaut grace life spirit, ptrs  who are Am are Gerry of Bosotn, Chapman, Terry and Freeman, latter beaut coloring, Terry Jacob’s Dream exceed beaut greatly admired. 6 NAD advertising call for artists NY Globe for sale, a successful cheap  morning demo paper must have capital and indep of party or clique, the Plebeian, Republic, Morning News Globe and Times failed when became servants of private, polit and personal schemes of the money lenders

18 Am Artists Assoc opened exhib Braodway and Walker st, some 50 pics, by best known ptrs, Durand fine lscape, Flagg several beaut, Wolcott genre pics of great merit, not large but pormising. Rossiter group of women typfying various forms of beauty, great skill and effect, partic rich, central fig of spiritaul beauty remarkable sweetness and grace. Mentions Hicks, Huntington Gray Chapman Ingham Elliot and Kensett

19 some symp to Ham Fish, very symp to Pease in Five Pts

21 has front page cut of Crystal Palace in London. Letter fr Brooklyn W. Weir sea piece at Wms and Stevens, light house, Finkernagel 22 likes Tuckerman’s poems. Critical of Kingsland’s actions re licensing stage drivers, as arbitrary. First Division NY State Militia includes Geo P Morris, Robt C Wetmore, AM Cozzens, J Paige Mumford, HC Shumway, RE Launitz, Robt C Morris, JJ Astor, Chas A Stetson, Junius T Stagg.

25 Gives Howadji a good review overall, some transcendentalisms of style, but grows wide awake, young New Yorker. Funeral of Noah. 28 2 paragraphs of praise of Harvey the artist, beaut drwgs of Am scenery well known to connoisseurs, disposing of entire series of illu, recd commendations of Allston, Morse, Sully and others, had intended to engrave but abandoned, gave lectures using them instead, now a miniptr at Boston, advertises

29 Fine Arts: more ptgs at NAD than ever, and some of most prominent Euro artists, Koekkoek, Robb, Overbeck and Belgians, Stanfield, TS Cooper, thanks to Carey of Phila and Parish, Leupp and Minturn, Art Union also lent pics 31 editor of Albion one of Presidents of St Geo Soc

April 1851

1 missing. 4 Miner Kellogg known as friend of Powers nearly finished port of Winfield Scott for Common Council, just after triumphal entry into city of Mex, repeated sittings, at Acad and artist’s studio in its bldg 7 City Intellig: private view “festival” for 250, best coll for years, Durand several exquis quiet lscapes, Edmonds char bit of humor, Rossiter beaut ports and large alleg ptg remarkable for harmonious brilliancy of color, Hicks powerful heads, Elliott fine females, Kensett and Casilear well managed lscapes, Church Deluge, Kellott and Vanderlyn, Wier, Rothermel, Mount, Ranney. Younger artists improve, Baker Cranch, Kensitt, new Gifford full of feeling and truth, Palmer. Praises specimens of foreign art. Cozzens toast for Art Union, Sturges for NY Gallery controverting opinions ofGodwin in recent lecture, Bellows. 8 missing.

Apr 16 p. 2 Exhib of Acad of Des, gratifying success, institu fully regained its wonted plce in public regard, spirit and purposes are pure and universal influences of beauty and triumph, whatever clouds may hide their brightness. Not planning review or critique, simply to acknow achievement or purpose of the artists

18 seem fine with Ten Governors of alms houses.

Monday April 21 p. 1 W For the Evening Post, “Encampment of the Caravan” on Jesse Talbot, praises his ability to give air, Howadji helped him. P. 2 City Intellig on NAD, puffs Palmer, last year’s sculp rm called the graveyard

22 Beaumont well known connoiss exhib coll to be auctioned by Leeds

23 p. 2 Our lscape ptrs: eminent Cole, Durand, Doughty etc, but so many excellent young men, Cropsey sustained fame, vigorous lscape in large rm which despite too close study of Cole’s manner is full of life and effect. Casilear’s little pieces gems in their way, softness and repose never surpassed by him, regret doesn’t do this fulltime. Boutelle shld do more too. TP Richards all good. Cafferty improves, his Morning Call of kids giving milk to puppies demo he is more at home in genre. Same for Cranch, rapid prog but needs more freedom. Most improved are Gifford and Kensett, former feeling for nature exceedingly rare, Kensett carries palm with two larger pics, hold up near Durand’s. Artists losing that rudeness and hardness of former days, more freedom and grace, much yet to learn in way of finish. Koekkoek inimitable, example of what they have left to do.

            Phila AU has contracted with Rothermel for ptg for engrav.

Apr 24 corresp XYZ in London on Crystal Palace, magnif works of art attract attn, esp splendid bronze of horse attacked by tiger, mounted Amazon, extraord composition, Prussian genius. Also a bronze lion, marvellous fidelity, Godfrey the crusader, St Michael and Satan, smaller statues still covered

25 p. 1 from Bulletin of Am AU, Art and Artists in Am on Lessing’s Huss. NAD advertises. P. 2 praises Willis and Ruskin 26 hope someone will buy Delaroche’s Nap crossing the Alps, leading artist in France, great work of art 28 p. 2 Exhib NAD: genre, Ranney sweeps city cobwebs, untamed, swarthy, independent; Peele’s poetical humble wood-life, sunburnt hands and rustic ftn, comforting and hopeful in their awakenings. Edmonds’ amus illus of lassie with an old man, excellent, Mount’s Just in Tune will drive dull care away, joyous phiz, sans souci humor, homely yet powerful teachers of cheerfulness

29 new pano of Pilgrim’s Prog, clergy artists and press invited to Artists Studio in Columbian Hall, Dallas and Kyle, a revised edition, had done the original too which will leave town soon

30 p. 1 portrait and bio fr Griswold for another mag of Hawthorne

 

May 1851 p. 2 notices Am AU gall open, 200 new ptgs, advertisement 5 notes death of Philip Hone, active public lfie, doesn’t discuss politics. Notice that SD (TD) Jones is modeling a bust of Wallace the composer. 6 Bulletin of the AU, sumptuous, etching of Woodville Mex News and wood engr of Cropsey’s Temple of Sybil, Darley outline, Chapman of painters in Louvre, Woodville well known for its skilful variety of char expression and fidelity of details, lists other engravings

7 p. 2 Exhib of NAD History ptgs wishes more Amer subjs, notices Rothermel’s Murray’s Defence of Toleration, artful grouping, justness luxury records incident we shld lose nothing in forgetting. Thompson’s Tgiving dinner more homely and less brilliant and artistic, infusion of home sentiment will find an echo. Stearns just purpose and skill in Tecumseh and Harrison

9 give testimony in Forrest and Willis case

10 notices martyrdom of Huss 12 Cotton whigs, supporters of Webster and Fillmore, hate Sumner 13 White Man’s Newspaper a large double sheet, looks English, articles on lit politics and arts, issued fr The Central Literary Bureau, in Broadway, over Brady’s Daguerrean Gallery. Brady’s a big advertiser. 15 NY prosperity is real, there won’t be a crash like 36-37

17 Willis sent us his reply to Col Webb’s scandalous assault, we decline to publish, don’t want to be involved in harming a daughter’s rep

19 p. 1 Lamb corresp fr London on World’s Fair, Kiss’s Amazon, Etex, etc Powers Grk Slave compensates for absence of other Am art p.2 notes election of NAD, London AU

20 letter fr secretary of Five Point Mission defending its efforts to help that degraded population

29 notices The Parthenon,, Cooper, Darley and others 30 Le Moniteur American new

June 1851

2 p. 3 Jesse Talbot advertises a School of Art 577 Broadway, near Prince st, an assoc of NAD, instr in drwg, ptg in oil and watercolors, persp, to amateurs ladies or gmen, for teaching or for professions, can do schools and private classes, to commence May 15.

4 Oakes Smith lecture on Dress and Beauty, satirical re bloomers, and on 6th gives report of the lecture

7 J of Commerce doesn’t approve of Central Park 10 covers the Webb case re Miss Inman. TW Strong publishing 89 Nassau New York News, large engr of local objects, some well exec but others badly drawn and engraved. Regularly critical of Gov Hunt. 12 SP Chase speech to Demos

17 mixed feelings re enlarging Battery 20 Webb and Willis trial covered, Webster’s dictionary not accepted as standard by knowledgeable (those who speak English)  21 notices Wm R Wallace poems in Parthenon

27 p. 2 on Leutze and GW and on p. 1 Letters fr Paumanok, also on the 28th 30 Courier des Etats Unis valuable, $8/yr

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1851

Jul 1 cover Webb-Willis case. Cryst Pal not big enough to show what we excel in—steamships etc. 8 crit of Gov Fish over compromise law. 11 Central rrd going to delaware water gap 12 p2 Doughty writes to Home J that he is on the Delaware, has been ill, among foremost of our artists, pics so faithful and yet so full of finest sentiment, ought to be in demand 19 p1 letter fr eminent artist promoting beauties and sailing and fishing of Lake George, historical associations, asked to do a portrait of a fish 23 praises Copway’s journal, cites him on accuracy of Cooper’s Indian characters; joke about Senator Douglas in Illinois hiring an artist to paint port of Genl Cass, senator is busting him; Clinton monument in bronze a success, Brown starting the model 24 GPP corresp in London says Euro manufactures exceed ours; Kiss’ Amazon the chef doeuvre bought by an American (on the 15th he is critical of our display only having busts of Wash and Taylor in soap) 26 critical of Corcoran, the Potosi lead mine

Aug 1 p2 letters fr Florence group fr Greenough, for Capitol, woman and child rescued, a type of triumph of civ over barbarism, completed, noble. 2 Viator fr New Haven doesn’t think much of Smibert’s Bishop Berkeley, a wretched daub, but praises a Morse and a Stuart portrait 4 death of Daguerre, Brit sculp 6 p1 Viator reviews Trumbull gallery, Warren his best, likes his relig ptgs 8 HJC writes letter on TD Jones the sculptor, p1, notes his whig patronage, his best bust is Dem commission for Cass 9 notices Bulletin AmAU 12 support Matsell 13 missing. 14 Paumanok. Wm Ware. Tupper on abolit. Alice Cary. 16 Wm Page pics coming. 29 praises Audubon’s clever pic  Puss ona Sporting Exedition, owned by Chas Leupp, litho

Sept 1 like Lamartine. 2 Alderman Sturtevant motion for Aldermen to employ Powers to copy celebrated bust of Columbus at Genoa for city hall. 3 Leutze here, eminent, his Wash Delaware on its way thanks to Goupil 6 praises Ruskin; letter questioning what bust in Genoa city council is talking about and mocking Greeley’s taste in art 10 Healey’s pic of Webster now in Boston, lists portraits (which include a lot of New Yorkers!) 13 Corcoran offers to pay for transport of Hungarian exiles. 16 death of Cooper 17 Braham is respectable tenor. 18 praise Raymond’s Daily Times, he was leader of free soil whigs 19 p1 gives a German account of Wash cross Delaware, bold leader versus reposing enemy, group animated by sentiment to move forward 23 p2 opening of Am AU, Leutze, Parke Godwin called for, Raymond, Griswold, Gray, Brown the sculptor, Elliott, Rossiter Flagg Wenzler Page Rothermel Kensett Ranney; advertising emphasizes their engravings 25 mtg to organize honors to Cooper included Chas Elliott the artist,  ripley of Trib, Raymond of Times, Griswold and Clark of Knick; also involved Chas Anthon, Halleck, Saml Osgood, Chas F Briggs, Bishop Doane 26 like Cath Hayes 27 Forrest benefit, more on Healey port of Webster fr Boston corresp 29 gives prices of sale of pics at the Hague p1, p2 long column in praise of Leutze. 30 anecdote Proud’hon the anarchist p2 Nat Dem ed Abijah Ingraham once of the Globe and Statesman

Oct 1 Bayard Taylor poem and a Lit World critique of his views of lscape p.2 more on Healy, now in NY, moment is not a good one for pic, but he handles it well, Benton and Calhoun the only bad portraits. JG Saxe a v funny poet, in Harpers. Am Inst fair to be reviewed, good, though nice to have more variety, walls of blankets quilts pictures and dags; spirited house-dog of Halpin fronts the door, credit to him as a sculptor. GG Foster and Chas Gayler new paper The Verdict, two pennies, Mdme de Marguerittes highly cultiv lady in art, great facility, will write for them, praises Foster as brilliant writer connected with shabby sheet Day Book. 2 J.E. Bloomfield writes on Cass finding new pic of Columbus. p2 Photo Art J. 7 p2 praise Putnam’s Home Book of the Pictque and lists artists and pens inclu Bryant; NY Gall of FA now open, adds Raeburn Leutze Rossiter Hicks Woodville and Gignoux plus Clevenger Ver Bryck, statue of Rush by Brown etc. Pictures auctioned at Stoppani Hall of Dutch school highest style of art. 9 Gurney’s dags. Thom F Hoppin again, his bronze dog in the Art Union one of most attractive of works of art. 10 need a school of design for women as in Boston, article on Mount’s Cradle of Harmony and notes Courrier reprinted article by Wm A Jones on Mount fr Am Review 15 Duss gall, Wm W Story in Italy 17 promotes Cummings’ school of art; more on Boker’s problems with the Customs House 20 praise Kossuth, US ought to help liberal movements. WW Fosdick young and excessive.

praise their long cotemporary the Comm Advert

Skipped to Nov 24th; too brittle. 26 New Yorker Democrat radical Germ paper circ 3000. 27 missing.29 excerpts Moby Dick! 29 Joel and Co doing Kossuth ornaments, with his portrait on ivory

Dec: 4 notices Mrs Ellet relig bk. also Ik Marvel, and lots on Aztec children. 6 CG Crehen, an artist of merit in his way, litho of Kossuth landing, winged female Am welcomes, effect of group agreeable 12 suggest Kossuth is Washington of our generation 15 list of Art Union paintings to be drawn, compares favorably, some of our best artists and their finest works. 18 covers Forrest trial in detail. Have Putnam’s card re Home Bk of Beauty. Godwin Forrest et al friendly with C Kirkland, have given her books good reviews. 26 fire at Capitol sad losses of art, Stuart portraits, Mills’ bronze of Wash, Columbus. Urges subscribe to Art Union. Bloomfield on portraits of Columbus, one in Seville not positively authentic. Peschiera did an imag bust of him in Genoa.29 like Five Points mission. stopped there, rest fragile.

 

Jan—June LOC volume 1852

Jan 3 New Engl Art Union, Bulletin has etching of Allston Witch, Everett President, recommends agst buying old masters often frauds, buy modern living, as did Thorwaldsen 5 notes Lord Mahon’s History of England’s critique of Sparks, akin to that made by Friar lubin last year in Eve Post, Mahon calls his embellishments cobweb schemes and gauze coverings. Also omitted material. Likes Hawthorne book. Lists German newspapers. (I think Mercury had nasty squib about unchastity of Germ peasnat girls explaining their behavior here) 13 poem to Leutze. Tiemann trying to ban tea room for aldermen, it serves wine. Wykoff, ed of NY Republic, proprietor of Demo Rev, then debtor, now arrested. 20 Robt Walsh formelry Am consul at Paris, Catholic, now corresp for J of Commerce and supports Louis Napoleon 22 Wash Nat Monument. Judge Story a backer of Webster. Chas O’Conor is Mrs Forrest’s lawyer. Wm Gallagher lecture. 29 4 column review of Story’s bio as bloated with adulation

 

Feb 2 regularly praises the Intl Mag fr Stringer & Townsend; has Hawthorne and A Oakey Hall panegyric on Justice Story 3 p2 promised for NY Cryst pal is Kiss’ Amazon, Marochetti’s colossal Wash, Carew, Manning, Veiled figure by Monti et al 10 weird controversy involving Geo Law, Marshall O Roberts, PM Wetmore, and govt sale of guns. [George Law, Marshall Roberts, Prosper Wetmore and Edwin Croswell incorporated the US Mail Steamship co, Law used stock to bribe city council in 1852 to give him city railway lines, Roberts also took stock, Wetmore a useful lobbyist, bribed legislators ]11 covers citiizens of NY medal to Clay. oppose Maine liquor law. 12 reprints fr Nat Intellig Hiram Powers letter on wife best judge of husband’s port; a resemblance is not a likeness. AM AU update on distrib. Sattler’s 16 farewell address written by Hamilton. have a continuing series of sketches of the revolution. Herald assailing Aztec children, Post loves ‘em. 20 50,000 saw Leutze. lots on Cooper celeb at NYHS.

 

March 1 p1 Art Union glances: satirical, meets someone who says whole gallery is miserable daubs and humbugs, agrees with him Kensett, Church, Elliott Woodville Huntington Durand Gifford Leutze Boutelle Trout brook Cropsey Rossiter Heyne Palmer. Are there no real failures? some not to my taste, detail of German lscapes, or still lifes or stiff children. visitors are condescending, but not connoisseurs, or spit tobacco. Knick lowered its price. 3 p2 Statue of Clinton cast here in bronze. Brown did a bas-relief for Appleton’s store, a bearded sage opening a book to the young of both sexes. Jackson’s equestrian fig now casting at Washington, Mills doing it himself 4 Webster faction of whigs in NY have joined Seward and will support Scott 10 death of John Frazee the sculptor, Brackett’s new marble group in Boston admired, Greenough wrote letter spoken highly, need to stand close to see exquis countenance, his bro a portrait ptr Walter M Brackett takes it to NY, Everett presided over a mtg to buy it for Athenaeum. 11 Dodge and Sadd’s Henry Clay 13 praise Fuller bio and JC Headley’s pop one of Kossuth with Greeley intro 17 liquor dealers hostile to Sun, Trib and Times 18 hostile to usurper Bonaparte. Doane’s defense. 20 Channing on M Fuller at length. Brackett’s group fr Boston paper. Marochetti’s GW at Crystal Pal 22 disagrees with Recorder, Art Union not illegal, we do lots of things by lot

23 Thackeray’s Yellowplush papers amusing but cynical 24 Delaroche’s Napoleon abdicating one of finest works ever brought here 25 abolish usury laws. Likes Xtian Inquirer, weekly 26 Fillmore got rid of Seward Whigs 27 ad for Delaroche ptg. Notices A Duganne. 27 likes Kossuth hist by deKay with intro by Raymond. Rich Dana passes on Greenough’s endorsement of Brackett’s Wrecked mom

 

April

2 Jared Sparks defends his writings of Wash fr accusations that he altered them

3 private dwellings filled with rich glitter ostentation etc should build public monuments 7 likes volume of Bancroft’s hist 9 S writes to Eve Post urging readers to see Brackett’s exquis group, heart of a treu artist, nothing meretricious or for mere effect, a love over which death has no power. Notices Kaulbach’s Destruction of Babel, strongly excited imag, grand ideal treatment, being engraved 12 PG is in Italy Francis Hall is one of financers for Five Points Mission 13 p. 4 long bio of Thorvaldsen 14 notice of Opening of gallery of Acad to public, genl opinion v creditable, big advance on ten years ago when only few works of v hi merit, growing richer, more able artists. Bad not excluded wholly, but give contrast. Gas at private view made Kensett’s lscapes look foggy and indistinct, not bright and fresh. 15 p. 1 Wash monument national makes another appeal, donations have dried up

16 glad Mrs Stowe published in a newspaper, got it read more than an unknown writer would in a book. Exhib of Acad: crowded, like five or six years ago, when the opening awakened what the French call a sensation.

            Among beaut things is bust of a lady by Palmer, attracted attn, outline of cheek and neck marble seems to have lost its hardness. Randolph Rogers head Night full of promise, lids visibly heavy with sleep, every feature and muscle. Gray. Rossiter. Hicks of Gov Fish.

17 missing. 20 praises Wm P Fry’s lectures 23 p. 4 letters fr Italy mention Powers, statue of Am of highest merit, trampling tyrants, animation and dignity and earnest. Emblem of Calif will be worthy of him. Page brilliant copies of Titian. Kellogg and Nichols. Visited picture galleries, prog of artistic culture of our race. Modern art not as gd, sad decadence 24 JW Audubon expedition narrative, able artist 26 long obit of S Van Rensselaer 29 John Brown, Ferryman, one of their corresp. Ludlow’s sale of Philip Hone collection, five hundred purchased, almost $7500, Anne Page by Leslie, a Newton, Falls of Katerskill by Cole and Still lake, Lake and mtn, latter for abt $100 more by Newton and Leslie, Water Gap by Doughty got moreCole subsiding of the waters only $200

30 Bronze Equestrian Statue of W, arrang made for this, opulent citizens contrib, Greenough and Brown preparing the design, not unusual for artists to combine their genius, H Greenough writes has list of subscribers

May

4 supports public baths 6 p. 1 fr Italy notes names of illustrious women painters 10 publishes list of donors for GW statue  11 Express is leading organ of Fillmore 12 notices a Leeds auction, later one by Lyman and Rawson, with a Poussin, Teniers, Lawrence, Ruisdael etc from coll of an amateur of this city with good taste and judgment. 17 p. 4 The Arts in France fr a letter of an artist in France, praising industrial schools. In highest branches not true, young France foregoing vigor of its draftsmanship for color of Engl schools, and you would like neither the one nor the other, pre Raphs in turn courting vigor French are avoiding. Actor playing Cellini on stage at Boulevard is a sculp showing at present Salon. 22 Jenny Lind brilliant, her husband too. 24 Ole Bull great too, has been enthus re Aztec children, Sattler’s Cosmoramas

28 notices Thom F Meagher’s arrival. Exhib of NAD, from a corresp responding to Trib, defends Durand. I haven’t seen an NAD ad.

June

1 The Monomaniac, story p. 1, has incident with a painting 7 has a very positive short bio of Pierce 8 Trib denounces Pierce, yet supports Scott, an author of the Compromise 9 notices Brackett’s group, Huntington’s sale by Leeds including lscape by Durand $325, Trib Money by Huntington 350 also Cole’s Cross in the Wilderness 310 Huntington’s White Plume and vVelvet Hat and Lake Scene 10 extensively reports ratification of pres mtg at Tammany I think,  11 endorses Pierce as our candidate 12 The Am AU, decision of Supre Ct agst Art Union, Edwards was in favor. Hope subscribers’ money will be sed to aid the fine arts, a permanent instiution. Art Union had evils but did a great deal of good. Artists shld devise a replacement . 14 James F Clarke being called to a Brooklyn church

17 Fine Arts_Brown’s Angel, HK Brown’s studio in Brooklyn Angel of Resurrection first completely successful cast in bronze here in America, persevering, perfect fruit, size of life, free fr blemishes, ordered by Hogg a liberal minded man

1. 4 The Art Union-Its property, letter fr TK Fisher, (JK?)

18 New Pictures by Bingham

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Sept 1852

Jul 1 p2 greatness of Am art in HK Brown and bronze casting 2 accuse Scott of nativism 3 like Welch head of Wash 9 Ormsby did port of Genl Pierce, on horseback at battlefield, ready for pick up. Post supports Pierce, gives a Cassius Clay letter in his favor. still publishing a lot of official Tammany hall stuff. Jul 13 p1 republishes fr Herald corresp betw John Van Buren and Willis, Willis having said he was afraid to duel him. FA Tallmadge a Webster fan. lots of coverage of Clay’s funeral et al 29 PG a regular contrib—Parke Godwin? fr France, White mtns 30 promote Dick’s lithos

Aug 2 likes Schoolcraft and Eastman 6 p2 comments fr artist friend on monument to spot where steamship Henry Clay burned uup, admonition to others, as it rose above the water, stone for ea lost, summit with a flame. notice Marshall Wood, bro of Wood the sculptor, also doing it. Covers free soil mtgs. 11 p2 Weir one of our ablest artists, 18 yrs at West Point, less salary than others, recommend he and French prof get equivalent 12 p1 Turner the artist, excerpts fr Peter Cunningham’s bk. Like Benton pretty well. Epes Sargent’s Clay is the best one. 27 Everett’s versions of Webster’s speeches alter the language 28 Hawthorne’s life of Pierce, whig press assailing him, Times says will write fiction, lower himself to pamphleteering, looking for a post. Disagree, men of ability should take part in polit controversies of the day, better than men of grosser tastes, Addison, Swift, Johnson, etc 30 enthus re Cryst Pal 31 engr of Kaulbach’s Babel at Seitz’s and AG Powers of N Orleans port of Pierce at Wms and Stevens, well ptd

Sept: 2 p2 WJS on Modern schools of art (Stillman?) 7 harvey the Am scenery ptr is at Hatfield park in England, describes its old oaks, wide arms, oak where Eliz rested still preserved with picket fence, current queen planted one. brief coverage of women’s rights.11 long favorable review of Hawthorne’s Pierce 18 p2 defends Uncle Tom’s Cabin fr London Times. 23 p2 scotchman callow in No Brit Review says only 4 Am poets worthy of respect, Longfellow, Bryant, Read and Poe, and that they are imitators. But Thom Buchanan Read is promising, real feeling tho not v profound or masculine, verses refreshing to cold and clever manufactures of cotemporaries. 24 Wash Nat monument: getting donations, but also animadversions, corresp says don’t like it myself but barbaric magnificence, may not be purest taste, may be an absurdity, no public monuments are in good taste, more toil expense and ingenuity the more obj of attn and promote its purpose of recalling his worthy example. Must have faillures in art as well as successes, just as collectors buy bad pics at first. Incongruities, disproportions crudities will be pointed out and public will learn for future. Likes Ellet on women of the west. 25 Parke Godwin visits Proudhon. p2 death of Vanderlyn, his last work a full length of late Gen Taylor at NAD last yr, Ariadne his best, Jane force and originality, Marius his masterpiece, truthfulness, power of conception. No comments on his Rotunda ptg of Columbus, but Congress liked his Washington.

Oct 1852 1 Sparks wrote letters to Eve Post defending himself agst Mahon last winter 2 sculptor Ellis ought to get more patronage, forced to cut cameos 5 Beecher’s Independent at odds with NY Observer which backs Rev Joel Parker who attacks Harriet 6 p2 Ware on Allston a v gd guide to him, gives long extract. Freeman the ptr: pics back fr Rome show maturity  a study for our crude ambitious and hasty limners, a relig ptg and a genre scene, epitome of Italy, at Cropsey’s studio 7 p2 Lectures on modern art no 2, signed WSS, France, enormous canvasses, more power. Earnest men are Scheffer De la Roche and Vernet, but no mighty soul. cause of classicism is dissatisf with real state of things, so turns backward to stagnation not to future, Couture’s Roman Banquet. polit tendency is toward absolutism. French also run to other extreme of anarchy, defy even nature’s rules, Constable the founder of this school, Jules Dupre an example. 8 p1 Mod school no3 WSS Belgians: just appeal to senses, mix of all the schools. wealthy, Wiertz, Dante’s Inferno, Gallait more force than Lessing, Geefs a sculp, imitators of Gerard Douw like Van Schendel who does moon and candle light, miracles of fidelity in their way. At Antwerp exhib, English pics all overshadowed, except for a Millais’s exquis detail. Achenbach holds up, Hasenclever sends a scene of 1848, without the sincerity of finish of his NY pics

9 still attack Corwin 11 excerpts on Fr engr Callot support prof Whedon, fired fr Michigan for antislavery 12 nice notice of Genin 13 p1 Mod Art no4 Dusseldorf: in Germany would think artists would be truth seekers, but only a certain kind of truth, realists, most entire mannerism in lscape, all see nature in the same way, catch the eye, burst of light in the middle foregrd, same rocks over and over, even Achenbach has monotony of sentiment, same scheme, Gude repeats, indicates they are not earnest, lesser truths of detail achieved but distorted to picture making ends. In figure ptg, some fine expressions of character, national feeling wrung out by oppression, but historical genre just picturesque. Lessing’s Huss is truth of the meanest order, no mind, shallow truths paraded in elaborate compositions. p. 2 obit for Stephens, notes he was a delegate to revision of constitution in 1846 by demos and whigs, as was Chas O’Conor. cite Cora Montgomery. 15 Phare de New York (French, E Masseras ed) is whig? 18 not enthus re JT Headley’s new book. 19 Angry at James T Brady for vilifying Seward. Marshall O Roberts a Sewardite, contract and jobbing interests of the Whigs, allied with Bowen, Draper and Wetmore whigs, an agent for Law steamers, won’t be popular with the masses. 20 p4 cut of Crystal Palace design, directors include Aug Belmont, Theo Sedgwick, and Wm W Stone—includes newsboys in the pic. 21 Sully’s Jackson engr at Wms and Stevens 22 James Brooks and Mayor Kingsland quarreling over Congressional nomination in C&E. Hodge consul to France debased flag by comparing Louis Napoleon, absolutist, to Wash. 23 possible annual sale of native artists by Wms and Stevens, on display at NAD rooms 27 p1 TB Read poem to Webster, giant oak, Clay is an elm, and Calhoun a pine. letter fr Belmont to Greeley anti-nativism.p2 Post points out Wm H Aspinwall is consul for Tuscany, whig James G King was agent for Barings (bro of Chas King?), letter was also pub in the Herald. MO Roberts and James Brooks both running on steamboat interest, paid for by Law. Chas Lanman was Webster’s private secty.

November 5 Oneida’s Matteson also part of steamship interests. Beach & Barnum’s illus. 6 Julia Dean promising actress. Likes E Oakes Smith and Putnam. Geo T Curtis one of literary executors for Webster w/Edw Everett and Ticknor, known to improve letters a la Sparks, put in expensive edition unavailable 11 port of Fanny Wright of Cinti pub by Wm Ross of Reade st, animated expression 12 PG likes Thackeray 18 instead of funeral processions, ought to build monuments to great men, help reduce mobs. Art Union Pics: to be sold, have great merit, by best artists and in themselves, ought to have a Metropolitan gallery, artists should act 23 blurb on Clark ptg sale 26 puffs a Leeds sale. A Great Rise in the Fine Arts: Board of Aldermen to pay Peter V Husted, gman in Custom House, $1650 for bust of Henry Clay, work of some obscure artist at the west. Aldermen heretofore when abt to buy pics of merit for City Hall have alw beaten the artist down to half the orig price, but now for sculpture pay 6 times more than the highest market rate. Powers’ exquis Proserpine head sold for $500, Greenough or Brown or much less. Council noted for pure and disinterested love of excellence, eclipses princely patronage. a ‘bust’ indeed! 27 replies to Express re bust

December 1 Martinscelli sale of ptgs 4 Lanman’s memories of Webster inclu an engr of him sitting under a tree 9 runs a series on manners 11 Bancroft at NYHS praised, city shld support art, but first clean streets 14 Greenough deranged. Like Home J. 15 gives first day of sale of Art Union pics, started slow, $20-50, $62 for a Doughty, then picked up. John Van Buren bought a lot, inclu a Peele still life, and a Cropsey.16 Mod Art by WJS cont, Berlin: real greatness here, Kaulbach and Kiss. Leutze’s Wash little thought of. p2 Art Union sale better, pics of higher quality, Durand, Edmonds, LMS bought by JJ Herrick, Ogden Haggerty bought a Palmer. G Daniels bought a lot. WH Webb bought Woodville, and so did John Van Buren, Corcoran bought a Leutze lscape. Spencer’s Washerwoman brought $240, Van buren bought an Edmonds 17 nice obit for Fanny Wright. Says Art Union pics have mostly gone for what they were worth. 20 Greenough obit, early busts of JQ Adams, Sleeping Cherubs for Cooper memorialized by Allston, figure for Gilmor of Baltimore, his Wash hard to reconcile merits of execution to shock of novelty of design, But Calvert and other critics defended it. His most recent work for Capitol sd to be his masterpiece, also engaged with Brown for colossal monument for Union Park here, liberal social and relig views, often contrib to papers anonymously 21 anecdote fr Putnam’s of Thorwaldsen’s great admiration for Cole 22 take fr Sunday Mercury a puff of a sale of priv gmen, includes Spencer 23 disappointed by cuts in Illus News 27 letter fr Bryant in Paris, Huntington studio, Good Samaritan, man who had fallen among thieves, promises to be most interesting 28 brief line on Mills; artists in Phila support their Art Union 29 a  little crit of managers of Smithsonian 30 Dix and Purdy (dem) at Mechanics institute

 

LOC bound volume Jan June 1853

January: skipped to 4th, pages fragile. 5 notes that Boston city council votes $2500 to match subscriptions to buy Healy’s pic, providing some changes be made in it satisfactory to Mayor and Board of Alderman, nor it being required to stay in faneuil Hall. Corresp suggests they wish to have their portraits introduced, think they should stand out prominetly for all time to come. First time they have found power in charter to vote money for buying works of art. Big Putnam’s ads.  8 Daily Times maligning Jefferson 10 Inaug of Jackson statue: oration by Stephen A Douglas, deserved tribute to NY artist’s genius, quotes him on comparisons to Euro statues 12 letter fr Bryant, praises Pradier ftn in Nimes, also Delaroche’s rugged, unidealized nature. Geo Sands review of Stowe, critic who judges by abstract rules will get tripped up by heart, like man who votes for Fug law but saves slaves.19 p1 More on German School by WJS, relig art. 20 p2 excerpts on Durand fr Knick, compares him to Bryant, mentions Cozzens 29 like AC Flagg comptroller, promote Ericsson’s engine

 

Feb 5 like Putnam’s series on architecture 9 p1 NP Willis’ weird description of slave auction in a fancy Orleans hotel p2 approve of Richard J Hubard allowed to take casts fr Houdon, more accurate than Stuart 15 Daily Times opposes Intl Copyright 23 sale of ptgs priv gman

 

March 2 Washington Exhibition at Am AU rooms, glorious coll, more gd ptgs than any we’ve seen, loans fr priv coll, Leutze, Powers’ bust, Stuart’s and Pye’s, plus Leutze’s W at Dorchester and as a Young Surveyor, also admired was a Reynolds boy reading, Leutze’s Hester Prynne, Leslie’s Anne Page, Genl Gates by Stuart, John adams and his daughter in Copley, Fairies by Steinbruch, New Scholar by Hasanclever, Reidall Love’s Bower, Course of Empire, twilight by Church, Inman portraits, Flower Girl of Ingham, Huntington and Gray, Durand Kensett Hicks 6 counts J of Commerce as a whig paper 8 Arpine now ed of Courrier des Etats  9 like Putnam writer view that women are of higher sphere 12 Paul Arpin merging with Le Phare, will contribute to Courrier but Masseras will be ed, under Arpin it was liberal in its principles. Notes addition of Sharpless to Wash exhib. 14 disputes claims about a Wertmuller Wash on exhib in Capitol rotunda with Nat Intellig, gives account fr catalog of exhib of all the Wash portraits painted. 15 letter fr Fremont 18 letter on more Wash portraits 21 Alice Cary poem to the Pierces 26 Wm Burton theater owner at odds with Wm Young ed of Albion 31

 

April 1853

2 p. 1 JEB writes letter to editors on Paintings of Washington, re article by TNC in the semi-weekly of March 22nd, with your remarks, which are perfectly correct. Stuart exec and left behind him only two ports of GW as I understand it. The writer saw the one for 1796 for Mrs Brigham in Phila before it went to England, correct mistakes of corresp, the one in possession of Horatio J Sprague not an orig, but one purchased by him from me 1818, an orig copy by Charles Willson Peale, in the continental uniform, hand on a cannon and servant holding his horse, after which all the tavern signs were ptd. I found it in Cadiz in 1812 in a Span family, father had beeen consul and got Peale to copy the ptg fr his original.

Moving office to corner of Nassau and Liberty

13 Washington Exhib advertises; City Intell notices Schaus and Bogle has ptd excellent port of Eleazer Wms, aka Eleazer de Bourbon, at Wms & Stevens, fame of subj and excell exe

15 disapproves of unequal pay for Female Labor 16 p. 2 City Intellig Opening of NAD: private view, great satisfaction, too many ports as usual, but vis will have no occasion to look at these, ample attractions of another kind, lists artists and gives comments on Durand passing shower, Church sunset, Richards in south, Kensett’s white mtns and Gifford advances, Hicks head lady worthy of Rembrandt, Peele children with dead bird exquis, Mrs Spencer’s Alleg and Pens spirited in conception and rich in color, Mount’s who let down that rail full of droll humor and truthfulness and in style return to his best early works, Edmonds highly successful char piece, head of old laady by Cafferty best port of his, Fuller drwgs neat and graceful. Robins watercolor.

Bryant is traveling.

19 View day at the Acad, not as many interesting pics as last year, this writer doesn't mention Spencer (City Intellig?). Has an ad.

20 glad gmen loaning art for World’s Fair, Powers’ Eve, Greek Slave, Fisher boy, Crawford Flora and Greenough Chanting cherubs, among the best sculptures in country

26 notes Forrest’s brilliant success 27 symp to Miss Stone the suffragette. 30 notices AU investig comm

May 1853

4 just summarizes Art Union committee hearings, p. 4 Powell’s ptg for the Capitol, soon to be done, excerpts Cinti Gazette description, French artists speak in hi praise

5 p.1 crit of Meta Victoria Fuller, Senator’s Son, or the Maine Law, pro Maine Law only tolerate fiction when it is improving, (reason and judgment don’t work for advocates of total abstinence), brimstone and treacle plan, in favor with kind hearted nurses. Like John P Hale.

9 puffs Leeds gallery 10 notices Le Republicain, new daily, and Banvard’s new pano. NAD has been advertising  12 JW Glass, whose pics attracted attn at exhibs of AU here is now v pop in London, mom a Virginian, he was educ as civil engineer, studied art under Danl Huntington, picture of Wellington  13 notes death of Judge Burnet. 14 brief summary of AU investig

18 Clark Mills purchased site forAm school of design and art at junction of Anacosta and Potomac, where will mould and cast his equestrian statue of GW also group of two Am Indians hunting buffalo. AU Investig ends. M Olmstead supports Ital exiles. 20 approves Putnam pub Crystal Palace Record

21 p. 2 Statue to DeWitt Clinton, Henry K Brown completed it, gives dimensions, best judges say succeeded in accurate port and grand imposing image 23 p. 1 anecdote of Thomas Moore not being impressed by Venus Medici, too familiar 26 covers Meagher’s talkon Young Ireland 27 hi priced pics at sale in London of Louis Philippe’s pics, Velaquauez etc Murillo etc

June

2 Edw Everett at Hist Soc style good, content mediocre. 4 Crawford’ statutes for VA 6 support amending city charter 8 Leeds sale of drwgs fr Rotterdam. Bryan’s gallery of xtian art, but no NAD ad June 16 p.2 describes the Salon, lots refused, no artists participated, not v good, describes the hist ptgs, Winterhalter large, sculp vulgar 18 W in J of Commerce is Prime, author of Owl Creek letters 21 long 2 columns on Cole, fr Noble and funeral oration 22 outside Cryst Pal is Mills bronze of Jackson. big fans of Zadoc Pratt. occas symp coverage of Indians—Iroquois meetings e.g. 29 last issue.

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Sept 1853

Jul 4 praises Union club, new clubhouse 8 more on statuary at cryst pal, 14 proud of it all being done privately 19 Frankenstein’s moving pano of Niagara v successful work of its kind, fine effect opening with view thru window of a hotel, then series of views, inclu fr steamer, all drawn with fidelity, treatment pleasing and transitions and contrasts skifully managed, applause for a scene of quiet and repose following one of wild agitation. changes of seasons well rendered, a successful hit. it advertises. 20 letter critical of Moses Grinnell. 25 they enlarge, deny having ever received polit patronage. 27 don’t know what’s become of Cooper monument 28 praise VG Audubon (who did cover for one of Bryant’s books) 30 Lights and shadows of the exhibition, crowds of sight-seers mostly interested in confectioners who turn sugar into birds, butterflies, German quarter of Greenwich st, with so much artistic skill he shouldn’t trade with any of the painters or sculptors. Meaner about the portraits in soap.

August: lots on the celeb at Plymouth. 5 Greenough’s Triumph of Civ Life arrived, v fine in its conception, attitudes and arrangement of the parts, promises to be more the favorite with the public than anything he has done, wish he could have seen it, previous admin acted with more dispatch. 6 p2 Fine Arts at the Expo: display of Euro art will teach rich what to buy and poor what to sell, not enough just to buy damask and silk, must buy the beautiful. Critical of a hose cart fr Phila bedizened with gilt and plate, absurdly incongruous. Best display of sculp ever, 200 fr Italy, plus rest of Euro. By Americans, 2 anatomical studies by Duggan of the Free Acad, now that the managers have rejected the allegorical shaking quakers, the only ones. Powers coming. Little bold or orig among Italians, tho all skilled, ancient mythology, throng prefers homely conception, obvious idea or familiar sentiment, little girl vainly attempting to thread her needle. Thorwaldsen, sense of holy repose as leave litter and voluptuous display, pass fr boisterous life of street of gay capital, to cathedral. Nearby Adam and Eve does not harmonize. His Ganymede is full of classical spirit. dislike monster statue of Washington. Kiss Amazon melodrama liked by all. eagle stealing child fr mom also pop, but too obvious in effect. Statue of Webster worthless. 8 Powers statues coming 13 like Tuckerman’s Greenough.16 Brown’s Clinton still in display in front of city hall 17 Holmes poem 20 Uncle Tom at Natl good; directors of cryst pal right to not lower price 22 friar lubin anecdote of Greenough, admiring 24 notices Wm Schaus’ new store. 25 Pyne’s port of Wash, younger wash, truer complexion, firmness and dignity, belonged to late Brevoort, at Wms and Stevns

September 1 Ellis fine busts of Pierce, John Van Buren, and Governor Wright, $5, advertises, at our office or his room 2 Frankenstein added scene with Averel who recently plunged to his death. Whole has artistic merits of a v hi order. 3 Ellis. Stuyvesant has Velazquez port of Chas of England, time of conquest of two nations. Cryst Pal by gaslight: dazzling pic gall opened, vaiety and excellence, stretches 2 blocks, hung 2 or 3 deep, all schools, only a few Americans, urge Durand Kensett Edmonds Elliott Hicks Peale to submit. Carlo Dolce madonna, Winterhalter’s Queen Vic, Hasenclever’s Right to Labor of 1848, where a burly workman demands fr burgomasters in utter astonishment, his German school, shipwreck, a Deluge with nudes, etc. Urge people go. Not a failure. 5 Beach anniv briefly noted. 6 Plym mon. report on Bishop Doane but without explaining it.9 ptgs at Cryst Pal, defends authenticity of Shakespeare port, Carlo Dolci good, lots on Hasenclever. have been running excerpts fr Benton’s memoirs for months. 13 p2 Cryst pal ptgs, Hubner, lscape with luxurious repose best, Antigua’s Inundation v dismal, several horrible French shipwrecks inclu one with African cannibals, Italians mostly forcible-feeble, Mount has Power of Music, Cider Press and Boys and Rabbit trap, Leutze his small copy of Delaware, Woodville sailor’s wedding, Anelli Diogenes successful, is hot and uncomfortable. 16 Cryst Pal: Harrison and Hill dags of Brooklyn; Ary Scheffer originals added, relig, grace and feeling, excessive sentimentalism, nervous sensibility almost to disease in Virgin, Christ morbid delicacy, pallid flesh. Shakespeare not the orig. Doane admits borrowing trust fund money to cover debts 17 Frankenstein 19 p2 Wash corresp * gets special preview of Greenough’s new group, superior to Persico’s. Certain parts offend agst Amer ideas of decorum would be less noticed if groups were lower, no great harm if turned into lime. 22 Galt Columbus. I don’t see a Harrison dag ad. 26 Fowler and Wells. o2 Harvey, who does Am scenery much admired for atmospheric effects, prospectus for publication of his view of Concord NH, Allston Morse and others liked it 29 Banvard’s Georama akin to Howadji middle east

Oct 4 James G King was bro of Chas King pres Columbia and John G King, member of Congress, was himself a member of congress fr NJ, a whig, banking firm, at his funeral were Wm B Astor, Doane Hawks Duer Wainwright 10 Art Intellig: Mount has some capital designs, not allowed to describe them, but will exceed bargaining for a horse and cider making. Also a happy port, bro a superior lscape, feeling for natural beauty, coloring etc 12 Powell’s De Soto is brilliant, groups in 2 corners seem best part of pic,truthful and effective. Has a long praise of Brown’s Clinton, tho acknowl its defects, critical of abuse it received while in the park in front of city hall, approves of its energy and orig 13 Chas Mackay poem. Bennett, Hudson (brother of two of leading conductors of paper), and Lester a regular contrib, all hoping for Pierce appointments, didn’t get it so attack Marcy 17 Cryst Pal: praise Putnam and Harrison and Hill of Brooklyn dags, noticed by several members of NAD, artistic arrangement preeminent, have groups of founding fathers Dartmoor prisoners, Female academy etc. Notice Am Inst fair. 19 poem to Powers’ fisher boy at cryst pal by HN Powers, who has pub poems with them before 22 WF Poole’s index to periodical lit thru Jan 1852, pub by Norton’s. Raphall predicts US will come into conflict with Russian empire

 

Nov 3 like Hosmer’s poems. 4 Harvey again. 8 Boucicault holds interest but wholly destitute of moral sentiment, all characters commit prison offences and come out ok 11 Frankenstein’s pano 14 excerpts fr new hist of sculp pub Boston 15 Neb wide open for settlement, no Indians. Five Points Mission ladies society respond to accusations of Rev Pease 16 p1 long letter fr Clarence Cook trashing Powell 17 Frankenstein. J McRae 74 Chambers st full length mezzotint of HW Beecher fr Thom Hicks, celeb preacher to the life 18 Haydon autobio; Boston school of design, mostly ignore Barnum’s UTC 21 W Schaus store praised 23 Gajani letter fr Italy. Shearjashub Spooner anecdotes of art interesting. artist M Cassali doing a medal for Ingraham Committee. 24 missing. Gives Polish Demo society mtgs. favorable to Holmes series of lectures on poets, tho not worshipful

December: 2 Harvey’s views of England 8 Virginia has hired Crawford for two statues and equestrian group plus some other things for Wash mon 16 Curtis lecturing in Young America 21 Schaus. defends Marcy fr Times and Tribune. 23 Cryst Pal: praise Graillon of Dieppe terra cotta figs of paupers, asleep on mossy bank, roughness and haggardness by toil and time and sorrow; sceme at barriers of Paris, workmen and families, demo of faubourg  24 more praise of Cryst pal 28 Banvard’s intended pic of Jerusalem 29 p1 Cryst Pal statuary, Italian artists, Cambi’s tipsy Bacchus admired, Motelli’s cage of cupids adorable, Strazza’s Beggar girl is abject entreaty, French artist’s plasters of animals. Greenough’s group in long essay by A: crit of him in Wash shows deplorable ignorance, hunter said to not be passionate enough but it is not the climax of the action, all great statues have no motion. no unimpt accessories of the picturesque, tassels, don't belong in statuary, points to other faults, Indian obscures hero but can’t see Indian’s face, flowers spring from rock, baby stiff, group not colossal, subj is not sublime. p2 describes engr of NYHS, group of ports

 

LOC bound volume Jan-Jun 1854

January 1854: 4 Lit World Duyckinck had critical integrity and fine literary tastes, Chas F Hoffman ran it til Oct 1848 when it went back to the Duyckincks. praises Akers’ Longfellow and swimmer at Crystal Pal. 6 Douglas is instrument of slave power (Neb). On exhib at National theater is port of Harriet stowe by Alanson Fisher, has double frame with plate glass to protect it from injury, $560 paid by manager Purdy of theater, her husb has letter that says he is satisfied with it, feature exactly copied and genl expression pleasant, lifelike and natural, handsome pic and a good likeness. Boucicault. 12 support Gibbs, don’t believe Columbia bigots 14 gives credit to Courrier des Etats’ labeling Hot Corn immoral, like Eugene Sue, not improving anyone. 20 Cryst Pal awards gave Powers an honorable mention (not silver or bronze) for Greek Slave and other works in marble, no doubt he will feel highly grateful. Merchants signing call for anti Neb meeting include Saml J Beebe, James Suydam, Chas P Kirland JW Otis Edw Prime (partner of King) 24 J of Commerce and Nat Dem only ones supporting Douglas 30 Illustrirte Zeitung, weekly, well got up, designs and engravings by most skilful artists here, Darley Dopler Pellew (Bellew), Folingsby etc and in Europe Gilbert Schneider Gavarni etc

Feb: 3 p1 JK Fisher again! urging new city hall include a gallery for the fine arts. p2 Even NY Observer doesn’t like Neb bill, nor Staats-Zeitung, which also supported the compromise of 1850. Pierce is from Concord NH. 4 Banvard’s Nile. 7 p1 a presentation of plate to Cozzens, thanking for Am AU service 10 Herald is supporting Bedini (James Brooks of Express leading charge other way) 11 p1 Justinus writes just saw article on Greenough from December, appreciate his rebuking those who damn with faint praise, but disagree with his objection to the choice of subject, complements Persico. Mom should be more maternal. 14 reproduce Sunday Dispatch on NE bill (first time really pd any attn to them), and say that all the Sunday papers concur, even the very Hard democrats at the Mercury and the Times; Atlas may be backpeddling fr its initial opposition 18 Genl Houston admired for speaking agst Neb bill. Goupils windows 366 Broadway create a sensation, one of finest spectacles city has to show, crowd constantly admiring works fr Paris, inclu one of Delaroche at Academie in Paris, of great masters. New store. Ital flower girl. rivals those of Wms & Stevens on opposite side of Broadway. Engravings better than poor copies. 20 NY Mechanics mtg agst NE inclu AA Denman, Wm H Webb, James Wotherspoon, Robt Hoe, TR Stillman, James Harper, Thom McElrath. Cass being timid. 22 Reform is another German paper, 23 El Mulato new Span paper wants no US intervention and manumission. Crawford’s bronze Jefferson for VA has been cast; David Leavitt’s Leutze (Monmouth) on display at Duss with many of Hasenclever, in honor of dead artist 25 Curtis on Young Am 27 editorial attack on Edw Everett, a finished statue, lips made of marble, heart made of stone, learned, elegant, Devil supplied backbone

March 2 Anthony J Bleecker a trinity church member. 7 Forsch connected to New Yorker Demokrat 9 RA doubling its associates, Brackett did bust of JJ Astor fr Greenough model 11 death of John Martin, eccentric, not content to stay within estab formula, sought to startle, reckless of canons of art and laws of nature, melodramatic, surprise by novelty rather than impress with truth, reward was a temporary popularity 16 Heman J Redfield is Genesee for the Day Book p2 Lawrence a Brit port ptr here, brings letters fr Thackeray, Carlyle and others, expression of intellectual and moral faculties, crayon drawings, highly spirited Bancroft. NAD opens soon, will have many of great excellence, Durand some finest, Elliot prodigiously clever of Gov Hunt (whig), Church Kensett Baker Gray 18 p2 gives London report on Cryst Pal, inclu Ld Ellesmere’s opinion of fine arts: couldn’t judge fr materials shown, but lscape ptg flourishes, not picturesque, but other qualities 20 Thom D Jones noticed for his work on the Welsh block for the Wash mon; LC Derby of Sandusky bought Greek Slave for abt $5000; 22 Durand wants us to say that at mtg on Monday for a free gallery of art, he was not present and didn’t authorize his name on the committee 23 p2 NAD opened, 400 pics, mostly portraits that shouldn’t be there, Elliott’s Kingsland, Baker, Hicks’ Wainwright, Church Gray Durand Kensett Huntington Gd Sam 25 not happy with Kossuth over Geo Sanders, on 27th Sanders says will write letters to Herald, was a former ed at Dem Rev 29 Brown’s statue of Wash is moving forward, head uncovered, spirited horse restrained firmly, paws distended nostrils contrasts with calmness, asks for attn beyond the moment, noble, drapery approp, a great idea expressed with simple grandeur, Wash with war over calling countrymen to new duties 30 support lodging hse for newsboys, Independent seems to like them

 

J of Commerce raises money to buy slaves

 

April 1854

NAD is advertising. 13 p2 defense of Huntington’s Good Samaritan fr crit written by nonprofessionals, uses writer for Home J (ed of Hoboken Gazette), dignity and pathos tout ensemble charm  14 approve of arresting vagrant children 15 Columbia College senseless bigotry, a disgrace 17 defends Trinity church agst street extension 22 p.1 HCW Art and Artists, for Post, do something for hi art p.2 praises new Merc Lib bldg 25 covers debate over legislature buying a statue of Webster in Boston for $10,000 27 gives prize ode for reinaug of Crystal Palace by Wm R Wallace, voted on by EH Chapin, Geo W Curtis, and Geo Ripley Goupil advertises

 

May: 4 Leutze’s new pic, finished his Wash at Monmouth, admired at Berlin, soon here, but Paris corresp of Wash Intellig not impressed, polite artist but has utterly failed in the capital fig of Wash, not one Am will recog him. Duss gall moved. don’t see NAD ad. 13 Leeds selling undoubted orig oil ptgs, inclu a claude and a Raphael, a corresp who we value as connoisseur says no humbug. List artworks on display at Cryst Pal, quite a few sculps by Crawford, Rogers, Mozier and others; HP Gray sends Wages of War, another artist sends his copies of old masters, other copies listed 17 p1 *** reviews Duss and Bryan gall, really just a puff 18 Herald raising price to 3 cents, losing its character as a penny paper 20 records gift of plate to Durand, great geius perfect modesty finest personal char, grateful for serving NAD 25 like Fanny Fern pretty well 27 Gignoux’s (Broadway and Wall st) second order for Baron Rothschild, of falls of Niagara, faithful icy grandeur; Kensett done same subj for Ld Ellesmere

 

June 1854: 2 interested in new party, neither coon nor bloodhound 7 city charter needs reform, otherwise Peter Cooper reform committee ineffective 13 excerpt fr Swedenborg 16 Allston’s port of Coleridge subscribe to 21 p1 letter fr Wash corresp C says Mills bronze equest statue stands directly in front of Pres house, deserving all the praises it has rec’d, so much of perfection and power about it, observer must yield at once palm of merit to designer. But faulty placement on hi pedestal no larger than statue, like putting him on a steeple, needs a long granite base and it would move rather than vaulting upward in so ridiculously unnatural a way as it now does. 23 Brougham’s Irish Yankee has tableaux of Death of Genl Warren Jun 26 cost 3 cents 28 dogs now clubbed to death rather than drowned ea day 30 excerpt fr a Cleveland paper that Page’s Browning is terrific

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1854

Jul: 1 notices weekly Young America, boyd essay. 2 Fremont. 25 mocks press worship of Queen Victoria lending her portrait to Banker Peabody for the Cryst Pal, akin to politician Smith plastering his face on fences 28 SS Southworth (John Smith jr of Ark) starting Porcupine, remains good friend of Pierce 29 Republican Court will be gd bk

Aug: 3 Walter Wildrake submits poem to joke (political satire) competition. 4 Duke of Devonshire burned Czar’s portrait. JNT Tucker accused of murdering his son, editor of Brooklyn Daily Freeman 8 Willis poem. Quite suppportive of Benton.28 p1describes Marshfield, it’s an elm Webster liked to sit under; had portraits by Healy of him and Ashburton, also of various family members, Madison and Metternich. crit of annex Cuba. 30 Erie rrd is fancy stock. [Erie rrd was built largely with public money, state gave 3 million, corruption began at inception when tradesmen landowners and bankers who composed it bribed leg to relinquish state claim, then looted it, had to borrow money fr Danl Drew, who foreclosed in 1857, took control; president was James Bowen; Prime Ward and James King also involved. 1843 got a new Board of directors, after a state investigation in 1842, with Leupp, JW Edmonds and others]

 

Sept: 5 p1 Clarence Cook sends in long letter critical of process of selecting Worth monument, digs at Mills and Powell 27 false pro-slavery analogies, comparing them to wives or children. Mozier’s Truth (Rome), armed with helmet and 2 edged sword, combat with error, mask at her feet, gathering garments to avoid contact with falsehood, serpents of wisdom and lily of purity, attitude is noble, fine execution. Doesticks.

Oct: 5 Ruskin pro-Gothic. 7 Martineau’s Comte a remarkable intellectual production. Leutze’s Monmouth: has obvious merits that please crowd, but unfortunate critique of American generals 10 Tilton and Crawford, long explanation of his sculpture for eastern extension of Capitol re sadness of Indian at their extinction. Hate fernando Wood, and whig candidate John J Herrick flour merchant no reformer, Trib won’t support him. Hope Cooper’s reform committee can come up with someone, they suggest Ewen or Anth Bleecker. Like Tiemann. Suspicious of A Oakey Hall (and like Wood has know-nothing connections). Largely support Erie rrd managers. Comm Advert backs the cable, Cooper leading it. 21 p1 Clarence Cook onLockwood’s Last Judgment, tears it apart, and p2 the editorial response, agree it is a creditable failure, tho like Angel Michael andChristian Queen. 31 James W Barker is know-nothing and temperance candidate for mayor

Nov 2 won’t support gov Seymour any more. Both Herald and Trib attack Belmont. Leeds the auctioneer for Cryst Pal. Hope Wood will redeem himself. 13 Goupil’s new gallery, have an Ary Scheffer to be engr, like its Christ and Miltonian Satan, others good too, a Luther etc. 14 praise WJ Stillman and J Durand’s new journal Crayon, medium betw art thinkers and art lovers, those who have studied and desire to instruct, and those who have admired and desire to learn, contrib will have most competenet writers, not only on principles of art, but dress, music, drama and all things concerning Beauty. Stillman himself an artist, one of the best writers of the time on the subj of art. $3/year. Tiemann a big advertiser. 16 p1 London corresp Harvey has sold his coll of Am views for $1500 to a lit gman; the Polytechnic Inst interested in using them too. 17 p2 Geo Harvey wants to pubish ‘cloudscapes’ 20 anecdotes of Clark of Knick outwitting Barnum 21 p2 promote the Crayon, publish its prospectus. Stillman a lscape painter, his fidelity to nature is a remarkable characteristic, personal acquaintance with some of the best writers on arts of design in other countries, lit skill. Durand highly cultivated taste in art, studied in Europe, will pay contributors. Bulletin of the Am AU had a v large circulation, success, this class of readers now will have a journal that informs them  and lets them estimate merits of contemp art. Art is intl, unlike lit, when a Roman or Swede produces a fine statue, its beauty needs no translation. Here art is in state of rapid growth. 228 mildly crit of ostentatious funeral monuments

Dec: 1 p2 praises Brown’s concept of Wash, soul of moderation 2 JWG’s anecdote of Randolph Rogers, the sculptor, in Rome, his Ruth kneeling looking up at Boaz, for Dudley Selden. Truly American idea of the Indian lover pulling thorn out of girlfriend’s foot, beaut in idea and execution, Skating Boy also fr Am home, truant who throws down books and makes first attempt, soul of genius. In Paris at Selden’s salon, amid galleries of Europe, Venus de Medicis, Apollo Belvedere, Laocoon, Dying Gladiator, bronze mercury, Danniker etc and Ruth exceeded them all. a clerk in Nycity, merchant John Stewart sent him to Rome, now he’s back, studio on Broadway at Bond st in Acad bldg, will show his sculp not for money, a cupid novel in sentiment etc 12 Ruth Hall (Fanny Fern) not in good taste, novels not good vehicles of personal satire 13 Kirwan is a reverend Murray 21 Halleck to LG Clark poem. Book of tributes to him include Ik Marvel (Mitchell) and Richard Haywarde (Cozzens) 28 p2 another promo of Brown, he can’t work coldly, making changes to his statue 29 p2 first number of the Crayon clever, Durand’s valuable letters on lscape ptg, Lowell poem is a Flemish ptg in words, copies a W Sylvester poem, Sheffer’s pic of the Temptation (which Post reviewed earlier and liked) and Brown’s statue of Washington analyzed, we think by Stillman, alw thoughtful, Haydon’s mistake in separating art fr common things. Utility of such a publication? then anecdote of civilizing power of beauty on Bowery boys

 

no 1855-1860

LOC bound vol Jan June 1855

Jan 2 agrees with Mayor Wood abt defects of current city charter; approvcs some of Gov Clark msg but not his econ policies. Indep has big ad, John Keese auctions adv. 8 likes RG White’s poem. hostile to Bennett and Collins’ line rlnshp. have corporation advertising, lowest bid. 11 Bryant pub poems in Crayon 13 takes its art items fr Crayon, also long excerpt fr Geo Harvey letter and puff of Weir’s pilgrims engr sold Wms and Stevens 18 RA West is ed of Comm Adv. Laboring classes should gracefully accept lowered scale of wages, not strike. Crayon has Durand’s letters, Huntington. Bowen of Bowen & Mcnamee is doing financial column for Indep. Pictor is Massach. corresp. 19 repub fr Crayon Huntington on Remb 19 reviews TA Richards’ book of views positively, Ewbank on the world given mixed. 20 Boston corresp on Walter Brackett ptg Sumner 22 happy Wood is enforcing Sunday laws. TJ Whitley of Hoboken Gazette and Commodore Stevens on same polit side (Whig, it seems)

Feb 2 Lowell writing for Crayon. Brandreth adv. London AJ adv.7 lots on GW Curtis fr other journals, inclu Phreno. Wm Wells Brown 8 more art items fr Crayon 10 glowing review of Alice Cary new bk. Trib and Indep argue. 15 excerpt fr Home J on Washington portraits 22 Fowler and Wells adv. Niblos hostile to Know Nothings. Gideon J tucker replacing Chauncey Burr at Nat Dem, Burr won’t be missed. 24 want Vanderbilt instead of Collins. Garrison a radical, at Tabernacle. 28 p2 notice of NAD exhib above Chapin’s church; Durand Summer afternoon praised by Crayon, Cropsey, Gifford Casilear , Church, Gignoux, Richards Hart Colman; Elliott best style, Gray, Hicks’ Lucretia Mott, auctioneer Hoffman by Baker, Greene. Huntington Hall and Cafferty Mrs Dassel, Miss Gove Miss Freeman, sketch by Ruskin.

Mar 1855 1 Quiz in Boston, Brackett doing bust of Sumner 6 p1 Wash corresp says Know Nothings have taken over board of Wash monument assoc. Putnam’s, Crayon. 7 p2 Fine Arts Nad opening soon, Hicks port of Verplanck for Century Club excellent, intellectual and sagacious expression. Excerpt fr Crayon on R Greenough’s Franklin 9 approves of TB Read’s New Pastoral, gives long excerpt, more on the 10th 12 like Matsell. 16 p2 Exhib of NAD: small but interesting, rich in lscapes, Cropsey’s Mt Washington one of his finest, maybe very best, great strength and shadows of clouds.Church So Am scenery, temperate to tropical zones in one ptg, can hear roar, scene of enchantment, paradise. Hubbard Early Summer charming June  Casilear Showery Day pleasing. Durand In the Woods among his v best, pool is a marvel, Stillman study tho cold and gloomy is faithful and conscientious. Kensett October Day, no glaring or violent contrast. Fig comp not so good, Hasenclever Politicians in Prussian Café v clever, not wanting in humor. Blauvelt Germ  Emig inquiring his way, with some faults, does credit. Mount of Webster makig a speech and Walking out neither belong to his specialization. Love Huntington’s Magdalen, Gray merits more than port, Baker attracts attn lifelike, mercantile celeb, Hicks admirable of Verplanck, more Huntington, Greene, Pratt Stone Elliott of West, Gov of almshouse 17 praise melville 23 freq quarrel with Trib. FB Mayer port of Taney at Wms and Stevens puffed 24 sad re end of Brook Farm 27 crit of Churchman 30 hostile to streetwalkers as polluted creatures. Fine Arts: FB Carpenter a guest of white House and pupil of Elliott, doing Marcy, Seward chase and Cass.  Promotes visiting Cryst Pal, Thorvaldsen ad Kiss Amazon, Millers Minstrel Curse, Houdons GW fr Richmond. Geo Law the ‘live hoax” candidate. 31 defend Forrest Hamlet

April 1855 p2 Fine Arts: Crayon covering NAD, has good standard of merit, instructive criticism, by a good thinker. Hicks doing Halleck. Mocks a Bill Poole litho. Irish Maclise’s Noah’s Sacrifice at Goupil, unity of effect of devout awe and gratitude at end of flood, but dtails not so good, can’t identify animals, men look Irish, Turner did a rainbow in it 12 Fred Cozzens fr Knick 17 like Sam Houston as pres candidate; regularly attacks Pierce. 20 Wm Fry defends himself fr Phalen 22 Forrest’s supposed polit bias accounts for enmity in crits of his performances 26 western savages 27 coercive temperance laws bad. Stevens own half of Hoboken. 30 ptg sale in Baltimore gives prices, Euro work

May 1855 2 Humboldt hostile to slavery, Webster and Fug Slave law. 3 give Evert Duyckinck speech at NYHS 5 Fine Arts: NAD closing, go look at S Lawrence’s crayons of NP Willis and Geo Bancroft, Hicks of P Godwin, show their intellectual char. Admire Chas Lanman’s lscapes, his were formerly careless, distance well given and forms of trees, fine effect of evergreens, foregrd too heavy, View on Tennessee best 7 XY writes to ask what happened to Wash monument in Hamilton Sq and money subscribed 10 Sumner, Stowe and Swedenborg 14 like historian Hildreth 14 WH Levison aka Julius Caeser Hannibal writes the Ethiopian humor for minstrels, not spontaneous 17 Duss gallery adv, wife of Ary Scheffer praises Crayon 18 H Wikoff gives long defense of Bennett and Herald in a card 23 notice John R Smith scenic artist pano of Siege of Sebastopol, sojourn in Europe, at Chinese rms 24 Benj Lossing bk valuable. Lots of Dickens. 25 puffs Duss. Doughty lscapes fr Nature itself, long praise of several of his works. fine coll line engr of British art sold b Bangs. 26 praise Putnam’s reissue of Irving’s GW 29 mock new port of Fillmore for YMCA gallery

Jun 1855 1 Rynders of Tammany anti-nativist 5 covers Barnum’s baby show in detail, Fowler gives an address for it; also long defense running of Wall st and stocktrading 8 Quiz in Boston praises Crawford, the Crayon, Story 19 Hosmer poem. 21 Fitz James O’Brien poem. Greeley was one of the investors in the Crystal Palace in NY. 23 publish Benton’s Memoirs in a series 25 long puff of Crawford’s Beethoven, splendid searching gazing eye, beetling mass of forehead, grand cloud of hair 27 puff Crayon, will have Longfellow, Beecher, Bellows, Osgood, Bayard Taylor, Curtis, Sumner 29 French artists at Cryst Pal, failure of managers to send back their works, Etex trying to resolve, his picture with its ports of great men of revolution fr Lafayette family, hope it will be kept here 30 Knick average

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1855

skipped July. 27 splendid engr of Cole by Smillie, puffs Ritchie’s Heroes of Rev

Aug 3 Akers writing for Crayon, W in letter to Eve Post agree with Crayon that Titian and Claude in Boston are real 11 letter promoting Mozier’s statues of silence and truth at Merc Lib, donated by Henry Stone 14 gives FW Edmonds letter of resig as City Chamberlain, as he is no longer an officer in the Mechanics Bank, letter of praise fr Wood in return. Tupper symp to Liberia. Aug 16 ex Gov Washington Hunt doesn’t want Whigs to dissolve in Republican party, Commercial Adv where letter pub agrees, as do C&E, J of Commerce and Express, which would prefer to see whigs join Know Nothings 20 p3 fr J of Commerce of same day, Etex’ alleg pic at Cryst Pal has Wash as large as life, then Franklin, Jefferson and Lfayette of equal size around him, an Indian, portraits of men of distinction, moving farther away the sea of heads fade into indistinctness, tho Clay Webster Calhoun can be seen, Osceola, irving Seward and Mayor Wood farther back. Artist intended as gift to Washington, but offered to city, added Wood, whose enemies accuse him of thieving someone else’s head 28 p1 has Edmonds’ defense agst charges of pres of Bank, editors think it’s a satisfactory explanation. puffs Cummings’ school of design 30 more in Mechanics Bank controversy, John Burke one of Edmonds accusers says he offered to paint his portrait, Herald attacking Burke? 31 Sparrowgrass (Cozzens) is in Putnam’s, they excerpt

Sept 1855 5 Senator Erastus Brooks rejected by Whigs. 6admire Rachel 11 excerpt Duyckinck’s Cyclopedia on the Mathers 12 puffs Crayon, has very similar content, eg Story, Greenough and Crawford, also letter fr Page, senior editor’s Sketchings 15 Geo Heister scenic artist at Broadway robbed 20 praise Mozier’s statues for Merc lib 21 ok with abel Stevens’ Nat Mag 25 councilmen indicted for bribery and corruption inclu Herrick 26 TB Aldrich poem fr J of Commerce 29 TW Whitley says uniting Hoboken Gazette with Hudson County Democrat, will return to lscape ptg and a history of the place. Says C&E , a valiant champion of Republicanism, was for fusion until offices given to Democrats, unhappy as only wants whigs to have offices

Oct 5 James Brooks of Exp,  FA Tallmadge and West of Comm Adv opposed to fusion p7 give Osgood’s speech on art at publishers banquet as pub in Xtian Enquirer, had earlier praised him 10 like Griswold’s new ed of poets. Like Saml J Tilden 22 Quiz fr Boston likes H Billings design for Pilgrim Fathers, colossal statue of Faith; better than barren shabby obelisk of Wash monument, great only in size and deformity. p3 Herrick’s trial, Brady his lawyer, over accepting $100 check for street grading contract; mock free love. but have covered women’s rights neutrally. 23 Comm Adv of Silver-Greys still advocating for not fusing with Dems in Repub party. Meagher lecturing. 26 jury in Herrick cant agree on verdict. 29 Edw Everett speech

Nov 1855 5 think John Van Buren is degenerate.9 love Thackeray. Have been I think symp to Turks in war, noticed a Turkish restaurant in NYC anyways. 17 p6 Leutze’s embarkation of Columbus for Chas Gould (also owns a Durand and Kensett, Gignoux), one of his finest 19 Italian artist Monti bankrupt in Eng. like Hiawatha pretty well. 22 James Faed pictures at Wms and Stevens, not wildly enthus 24 p3 TW Whitley leaves for Euro after residence in US of nearly 30 years, (1825?) to lecture in provincial towns of England on the US and Canada, will buy pictures for gmen if they want, or will paint locations on commission for men here, write to him at Eve Post office. Rev Dr Hawks ed Appletons Cyclo.

Dec 1855 22 OW Holmes advises amity with the South 28 likes RS Willis Musical World

 

LOC bound volume 1856

I skipped to March 1. 4 Express is Fillmore organ. Everett oration on GW great. 12 p1 art items fr Newark Daily Adv, TB Read, Edw White, Nichols, return to NYC, Sonntag etc there. Trib is hypercritical. 14 p2 Amer Acad of Design (NAD) exhib, lots of lscapes, v clever ones, Shattuck sketch fr nature feeling of natural beauty, Ruskin affectionate imitation, also grasses and Mt Washington. Mignot splendid winter, transparent ice, Hubbard close observation, Hart full of promise, Edwards (Edmonds?) all talk and no work, white and black, humor and character. Tait and Hays capital, Durand magnificent Symbol, vigorous, pile of lofty rocks lit with sun, shadow of storm sweeping below; Kensett Franconia in peculiar manner of rocks and trees draped. 15 blurb on Wm Wall back in US, his work

 

April 1856 p2 NAD no 1, decline fr exhib 8 or 10 years ago, little change for the better in survivors, lscape ptrs don’t discover new truths, strive to paint the same rocks, trees and mtns even in remote areas, vast philos of natural phenomena that Turner explored hidden fr view, beauty of storms, motion in clouds and water, instead our landscapists too placid, seek anchored scenes, in conventional treatments. But a few young zealous in minute study of nature,old vicious plan of loosely sketching givng way to more thoro study. S Coleman Blossoming an example, sweet and pretty, sun, botanical truth not just coloful dots. 93 by him too stiff, 184 too much emphasis on single feature as in Dusseldorf.  Quite critical of Hicks’ Bayard Taylor, novelty, but painfully elaborated and grossest errors and violations of taste, hard in texture, violent in color and frivolous in sentiment, preposterous proportions of the legs and their prominence, careless on attendant’s legs, his 3 sketch is exaggerated too. Kaufman Luther a small subj (nailing his protest!) on a v large canvas. Rothermel’s Lear, adroit but vicious and repulsive, huge impossible ears and melodramatic absurdities of old English school. Thinks Turkey will be Europeanized? Boston corresp is critical of Oliver Wendell Holmes as representative of Boston whig aristocracy? 4 p2 Cropsey’s work coming to auction, going to London, from his studio at White and Centre streets, recommend his sketches, more charof his manner, first impression has feelng and inspiration, but all have delicacy and poetic sentiment no servile copier of nature cld produce, stamps a strong individuality, scarcely a rival in his fidelity to nature either. inclu a Paterson sketch, also Genoa, Catskills, spirit of war and peace

 

April 7 p2 NAD no 2: young Shattuck, Herbage remarkable fidelity, grace, excellent rocks, dangerous facility in 174. Gray children, popular, thankless to take exceptions, but he is an imitator of the old masters, esp Titian, imitates their defects, no sickly light in cheek of child in nature, harmonious, quiet subdued, but also affected, dry and isipid, no theory or single eye. 114 Hal port of a boy with water in veins, face same as clouds, but 51 lady splendidish. WM Hunt fortune teller, fresh fr Paris, repulsive and false, insufficient pains, aboriginal, but tells story pretty well, child recoils, know Hunt won’t be influential. Baker beaut graceful females, obtained at expense of some truths. Edmonds characteristic, 31 some of his best ptg, wish more attn to details. Tait has 6 pics, only like 72 Happy Family, quail mom, truth and feeling for poetry of incident, fierce dad, security of mom, etclscape cld be more real. Sir Geo Innes, known as lscape ptr, sends two incomprehensible portrs, perhaps they are not conventional, impressive with certain qualities of nature recognisable. Lscape not up to his usual. Ehninger typical of numerous class of pics, a man looking at a sword, action suggests nothing, tells no story, common place man, ptd to show his dress and the artist’s dexterity. All around are men in repose, puerile subjects, insignif twaddle of pic makers, a large canvass with two figs, one prostate, other insipid expressionless female holding out her hand to him, signifieds nothing, empty and idle. 7 a man prettily dressed and pictquely surrounded, looking at a coin, well drawn, but what interest? add to interest to draw him in velvet tights? Greene earnest, beaut expression. RW Hubbard Conway true feeling for Nature, indiv truth in foregrd, distance heavy, rare excellencies. Carpenter’s Gov Marcy gd. NAD and Duss advertise. Has covered Curtis lectures, also Meagher Apr 9 p1 and p2 approvingly notices his Irish News. Has notice of Doughty’s illness (artists meet to help, Oddie, Bryant, Gray, Huntington) and review of Edw White’s historical ptg of pilgrims’ compact, happy in choice and treatment of subj, first free civil constitution and first repub govt, foundation of our free institutions, expressions appropriate, for the engraver 11 happy Irish Citizen is crit of Buchanan

April 12 NAD no3: long praise of Durand’s Symbol 43, mighty mtn cliff lifts sunlit head far above storm clouds, shadowing lscape, exceedingly beaut, contrast happily conceived forcibly expressed, tranquil parts in usual vein, mtn tempest rare and transient must be partly imag, confine to grander features of spectacle, so cloud details not fully realized, but still masterly in most impressive phenomena, esp awful gloom., distant torn edges of the clouds, true indeed, instinct with motion. Complaints that foregrd is commonplace like always and that he repeats the scenery sacred to his feeling, or dislike the earnest painstaking elab manner of Durand school as tame and unimaginative. Would have preferred sea of brown, unintelligi ble masses of brilliant points, nondescript trees, preraphelited mullen or pebbles, but leaving beholder to imagine such objects as he might deem appropriate. And this is called strength., such slovenly caricatures of nature. 48 charming child life once more numerous by Peele. 52 Geo Fuller head of HK Brown peculiarly effective. Tilton shows art in Boston is low ebb, gross affectation., crit of Kensett, Franconia mtns, impressive scene and gloomy sentiment and romantic abandon, power and originality, but those who know his best feel regret, foreshadow habit leads to degeneration. Only obj justly ptd is mtn, rocks conventional, no geology, foliage green spots of flying pebbles, disregard of truths for spurious picturesqueness. doesn’t like Huntington’s relig ptg of Martha, its vacuity and defects not so conspic if smaller, no explanatory expression in faces more than meal bags, what is dignity or utility of art that is so unimaginative and can’t thrill the beholder, seems to affect relig sentiment only, arrange stuffs for a pretty pic, or parlor ornament. Christ too emasculated, black hairday of mock sentiment in relig art ending., but his portrait in peculiar pleasing popular style, grape gatherers delightful luminous, happy in small pics. A Fisherport pleasing, too close imitation of Elliott. 97 Boston lscape don’t compare to Durand, Coleman and Shattuck. 14 p1 Greek Slave poem, origins were in a real woman who chose death before dishonor

April 16 p2 Dogberry writes in quarreling with Trib’s art crit, flippancy disagreeable and discourages artists of rep fr showing at NAD, and patrons don't want to be pennya lined, defends Saml Lawrence intellectual refinement delicacy Longfellow heads, Trib also attacks Wall, not a distinctively Welsh lscape, Dogberry wants him more deferential to eminent artis of estab rep, Wall’s pic appeals to eye of correct taste, transcript of nature on the spot, refined, charming, water transparent, persp accurate.

April 21 p2 NAD no 4: only sculp is a miserable auctioneering bust of Geo Law, Cropsey careless, Church not good, the Harts have Engl mannerism, prefer James, some study fr nature, Wm improves, less conventional, fragment of study worth acres of unreal twaddle in many of his, 171 Lake Windermere is grossest conventionality, perhaps pleasurable to picture lover if not nature lover. Church 137 lscape in So Am, affectation of minute detail and superficial elaboration of this pop artist, abounds in grossest errors in aerial persp and geology, finical and no botany, care and carelessness, near truth and clever sham, sees only the outside of outside things. 180 is attractive and orig, Fishkill mtns perhaps in Germany, certain mannerism. Kellogg 173 praiseworthy rocks, and Elliott’s Hunt agreeably composed, excellent pic, also great Falstaff, wit frolic sensuality. 170 herd of wild horses escape Indians, successful motion, studied fr Russian artist. Cropsey Chenango scenery, not a happy specimen, pleasing compos and some exquis ptg, but careless, defective cows. 246 sketch by Ruskin, pre Raphaelitism, exquis, stratification of rock masterly. Darley. Like Colyer. obit for Ogden Hoffman.

 

May 1856 puffs Sparrowgrass and RG White 10 Delaroche’s Marie Antoinette at Goupil, like its symp for the queen. 14 praise Doesticks’ parody of Hiawatha. notes sale of old ptgs. 19 lots on Fremont

June 2 WR covering Demo convention in Cinti sees Powers’ first bust of Genevra. 3 Evans art dealer in London on Rogers’ sale of art 4 p1 takes fr Wash Union praise of TB Read 6 p1 long praise of Edw May by Aldini in Revue Franco-Italienne, death of a brigand is terrible with thruth 10 p1 fr London journal on debt we owe to preRaph for greater truth 11 p2 review of Ruskin’s 3rd vol, more vindication of Turner, his admirers will like it 18 Emerson’s US mag has lots of illus of Crawford for Capitol 19 p2 TB Read’s pics now at Wms and Stevens, same ones Union in DC described, given good review 27 Newark art news in Rome

 

July 1856 3 p2 Brown’s statue, merchant, artisan, idler, pauper will all have something to say, tho merchants too busy after gold to pay much heed, those who say foot is too small, horses too thick, his points not blood, we say that is not the aim of the artist, not immortalizing a partic horse, but aim was to show Wash in wisest years, give dignity and heroic fervor to him and mdoerate action to the horse 5 p2 Knick for July has gd article on NY artists p3 brief account of inaug, Bethune spoke 7 CDS poem of slave’s hymn. Skipped fr 21 to

 

October 4 1856 p2 has NP Willis letter saying that he was persuaded by a Curtis speech to vote for Fremont. promotes Am Inst. 7 Fremont song to tune of Brave Old Oak. long letter by * complaining that Congress didn’t buy Powers’ America for Capitol,patronage freely bestowed on presuming foreigners who don’t embellish the Capitol, should support self made Am artist, thousands admire statue embodies ideal of free indep Republic, trampling chains of defeated despotism, hand raised to God of battles, other rests on fasces, source of strengthone wonders if country is worthy of statue; injury to Powers. President says don't want to buy unseen, resulted in Persico’s Indian girl which encumbers statue, but Powers rep vouches for him. In meantime buy fr other artists versions of same thing.. Can’t believe treatment is due to personal hostility when Powers such a nice guy.  8 TB Read poem to Fremont p1 for the Eve Post. Praises TB Aldrich. Phoebe Carey poem to Jessie Fremont. Martin’s great Pics advertise. 20 p1 Boston corresp unsure abt Page’s Venus reception, need to paint Powers’ Franklin. John W Edmonds nominated by Repubs. 22 Watchman and Mirror ed JW Jones at odds with Cambro American, ed TJ Price over politics 30 Bleecker for mayor 31 NAD schools opening under supervision of Cummings

 

November 4 like WW Story poems 5 notice Dick Tinto book 6 TA Richards teaching at NYU studio 8 Park Benj poems for Eve Post 14 Darley in a Redfield pub 17 p2 Apple Blossom on Brown’s statue heading for the West, men of his opinions no longer tolerated in Virginia 21 Delaroche obit fidelity to truth and nature, avoids melodrama of French school. defends Wm g Simms. Saml Swartwout the defalcator symp obit. 24 like Willis’ Paul Fane

 

Dec 1 p2 praise of Palmer, exhib Ceres at NAD some years ago, has progressed, bio in Putnam’s too, invited him for solo exhib at Duss Gall, his truth to nature in minutest details,e lab finish, orig and expressive conception, self taught mechanic 5 notices Cropsey’s student Perkins; Palmer doing what painters did long ago and departs fr Greek type 18 O writes loving review of complete writings of Geo W Curtis 19 p2 long review of Palmer’s indiv sculps, sculp appeals most to popular mind 23 YMCA won’t take the Express as immoral, critic of officer Edgar who is doing this writes in 24 p3 Godfrey Frankenstein’s Twenty Degrees below Zero, city scene, well dressed man and woman, creditable. Edgar says he permits in YMCA papers whose politics he is diametriclaly opposed, inclu J of Commerce, Daily News and Comm Adv –it’s just the Express during the campaign that was immoral. Had voted for Brooks in Bishop Hughes’ controversy. 25 p2 Palmer marbles no 2, has skilful work with poetic sensibility, but also has sculp that tell story and require ideality rather than actual studies fr models, true index of greatness. Indian Girl, Peri etc are creative, not just accurate observation and skill, must judge his power of conception, and he is not a man of genius, only succeeds in embodying the visible, not abstract ideas. Indian Girl story of cross implausible, nor does her face tell the story, could be a buttrfly or gewgaw, nor are we moved by tale, so must just see her as ideal of human form apart fr ideas. No Indian physiognomy, correct anatomy, right arm stiff and inflexible unlike left arm, hands no muscular, lack of breadth across the hips, repose or quiescence as lacks intensity, lines graceful and sensuous fr some angles. Sappho doesn’t express Greek spirit due to his complete actualism. Peri also nudity for its own sake. Go see exhib.  Still critical of Collins line of steamers.

 

LOC bound vol 1857 Jan-June

Jan 2 Boston corresp Quiz likes Hosmer and Ball 6 j of commerce used to be free trade (sugar tax is connected with abolitionists) 9 take B Taylor’s visit with Humboldt fr Trib. earlier had liked TB Aldrich. Transl of Winckelmann by Lodge. 12 p2 don’t give foreign artists Capitol commissions, doubt Vernet is going to do it anyways, but better give to an inferior American 14 * loves Tuckerman. Cummings writing history of NAD. 17 p2 gives Cummings account of revenues of NAD, decline since 1847, why? wealth and population doubled 20 Evans’ art gossip fr London

 

I skipped fr 22 to April 15. Palmers’ closing, Powers supposedly didn’t like him. Boker’s house selling for $140,000. 16 Geo Harvey.18 notices Steph H Branch autobio 21 CA Dana at Dramatic Fund dinner told actors not in the Press power to do more than echo public judgment, thus failure of Trib to write down Forrest 24 P writes in critical of both Weir and Palmer’s versions of the Pilgrims as inaccurately giving Miles Standish too much prominence, Mrs Winslow in gay colors too, Palmer replicating Weir’s error, give war too many honors, in 19th c do we look to Pilgrims as fighting men, great men were Brewster, Carver, Bradford and Winslow, not Standish and Clifton. If his group is a symbol of what our country has become, ok, but otherwise should change to stern simple reality 25 notices freestone statue by Thom of GW going into Park 28 notices briefly Church Niagara at Wms and Stevens, most impressive yet, rainbow is mocking. Ad for Schenck’s auction of oils, inclu a Turner. 167 YMCA members resigned.

May 1857 2 Crawford excerpted 12 gives prices of a sale of art in Europe 14 p1 gives fr the Independent Beecher’s quarrel with Boucicault over HWB’s condemnation of theater (Bellows says it’s ok), Boucicault’s letter initially in Trib 18 p1 poem to Church’s Niagara, enfranchised, otrrent like aggregation of humanity sweeping toward death. NAD ad. p2 lots on crawford being ill. 26 p1 Edw White historical ptg for Maryland 27 p1 like Count Gurowski’s book and excerpts on artists in Italy inclu Powers. Schaus sale adv. 28 notices HW Herbert on the horse 30 p2 NAD, 500-600 pics, most by resident artists, hanging comm fair, thuout quiet and natural tone, simplicity of subjects, so more ecomplete execution and avoid exaggeration in color or composition. exhib gd, mostly lscapes fr careful sketches in open fields by young artists in true schl of art, perfecting external nature before creative power, American scenery, not many hist ptgs of merit but ltd monstrosities. Will feel choking, stifling sensation with Church’s vast Andes of Ecuador, overpowering dusty glare of light, nice finish. As if Church finished pic in studio on Broadway on windy day, when sun illum world thru clouds of dust, peculiar for hi elevation,unpleasant sensation. Kensett’s white mtns are slovenly, confusion of outline, vague proportions, vast blended with insignificant. 72 lscape seaside is better by him, gem, fresh, wavy meadow grass and bright green of sprouting wheat, genuine artist to make gd pic fr such simple materials.

 

June 1857 3 p2 NAD no 2: Cropsey Mt Jefferson excellent, clear evening sky, happy autumn not confused mass of bright colors. Geo Hall’s shakespeare feeble, substnatial man sleeping, female heroines, design and exec feeble, need catalog to underst. Shakespeare clumsy, coarse, ladies stiff and conventional; artists should not forsake simple and natural subjects for this. Dish of frut admirable. Rossiter’s Venetian scene well conceived, soft hazy effect, but plasters his work with colors, commonplace, gaudy exaggerated, just want to attract attn, glare and dazzle in gorgeous, want of tone. His Moonlight primitive Life the same, Modern Christianity better, aristo,  but dispos of figs commonplace, grotesque drawing.. Leutze’s Rose of Alhambra has all the Duss mannerisms, stout lady is not queenly. Edw White Piferari pleasing, Hunt ftn attractive, simple,not coarse as in others of his, where he seems raw in appearance. JG Chapman no atmosph, wants tone, flat and lifeless, but well drawn. J Hart most pleasing, fresh, cool. Also Hill, Suydam, Shattuck. Huntington port of Verplanck like the best, lscape by Durand carefully ptd 6 p1 fr household words, the Painter’s Pet 10 Union Club reformed, Gov King is President, only feature disting it fr Century and New York was that it was an exclusively Knickerbocker estab, no one but members admitted (460). Now guests will be permitted. 11 John C Stevensof Hoboken, an unactive whig, obit 13 Know Nothing committee has ruined Geo Wash monument 15 Remb Peale talk at NYHS and Century club 18 inaug of Warren statue p1 and p2 says amateur artist Hoppi has illus WA Butler’s Nothing to Wear, pub by Rudd. On Remb Peale just gives brief account of his lecture 19 NAD no 3: Casilear somewhat conventional but soft haze calm misumm day pleasing, Boughton spirited sketch, Huntington Lady sentiment and pensive grace, beaut idealized. Also his Mortimer Livingston a gd likeness. long praise of Durand, esp Esopus, quiet, agreeable, elaborated, truthful, no effort at effect, unostentatious, so less striking to casual than others of less merit, but atmospheric effects, foliage and genl harmony better than a false style. unlike char of Church’s Autumn, powerful but not natural, attracts spectators, fascinated by brilliant hues, but nature never so indiscrim with scarlets crimsons and reds, fine compos, but all reflect intense color, like fireworks ina  theatrical spectacle light up actors and stage, effect is decidedly theatrical and tawdry. Rossiter virgins unintelligible and yellow, but better than his other stuff, Dana spirited and well designed, cold but water full of life, W Hart pleasing, Stillman excellent rock ptg 190, 191 Warwick castle Cropsey not satisfactory, no atmosphere, flat and lifeless. Gray’s Hagar effective, finished. Tait’s quails and grouse babies careful, Hays near to life, J Hart gd rock ptg, TA Richards heavy and cold, Mignot good autumn, no exagg of color or drawing, correct sentiment and hectic beauty of autumn, Rossiter City postoffice grotesque, void of humor, awkward. Rowse admirable, Lawrence not up to standard. Edw White first Tgiving prettentious and feeble, commonplace, disagreeable. Boughton clever. Gl Brown remarkable, imag. Healy mixed, skill but fixed. Kensett one of best, but not natural, rawness in stream. Mignot and Ehninger together attractive, natural, agreeable. Terry v gd. White’s Hagar better than his other, better tone. Church’s Magdalena superficial in sentiment, water flat. Page’s Roman mother and child, a genuine Italian woman, swarthy, child awkward. Colman charming, foregrd maybe too elab and prominent. Shattuck etc mannerism, but pleasing, elab details of grasses flowers etc to neglect other features. Hunt v naïve and charming 519.. 22 p2 denies report that Clark Mills only artist who used Houdon as model for his Wash statue, bust of Houdon owned by Ham Fish fr who Brown got it 24 p2 letter fr Bryant in Paris, Delaroche admired there as much as here, solo show as fundraiser for poor artists, gloomy, lots of deaths, like his Napoleon series best 29 Turner gallery

 

LOC bound vol Jul-Dec 1857

read to July 4. Then skipped to September. 9 Henry Clapp jr poem on Dred Scott. Ion poem (also in Spirit of the Times)  15 p3 seizure of Venus miscellany, Ackerman escaped, women employed 17 upcoming Brit exhib will have lots of preRaph, Madox Brown and Rossetti involved in org 19 edw everett on Hiram powers, donating his bust by him to Merc Lib. hostile to Ketchum. 24 death of Aug Comte, has many students and a few admirers 25 NP Willis back in town 29 perhaps suffering of credit crisis will improve people’s character. love Bonheur, action and spirit; friend visits Rossiter studio, Bonheur and Duss gall big ads.

Oct 1857 8 corresp in Munich on bronze statues of poets etc. Genin the hatter had to suspend. Fred Cozzens sells Longworth’s wines. Erie rrd needs bailing out. 13 praise Kane pano 14 Matsell purchased interest in Nat Pol Gaz. Love Cushman.Bennett on trial for libel. 19 Great English art exhib: watercolors, 400 pics, all the best known, a poem by Mary that praises the preRaphs 20 French pics, esp Frere and Hamon, and a longer review of Brit, ponder new style. NAD welcomes them. Stiles, Boston corresp, 26 on Hosmer, loves her Beatrice, she’s eccentric, in 1852 wrote an unsparing satiric poem on Boston, carried a gun and wore men’s clothing. 27 Stephen Branch petitioning city council 29 p1 NYHS art gallery, need heroes to point to in times of danger p2 Wm Page’s marriage, has been in Italy since 1850, mastered Titian, ptgs of unequal merit, but valuable, Francis Shaw a big coll, Page has metaphysical turn, Shakespearean, Brady was in his studio 30 Edw Evans art gossip 31 descr of NYHS gallery, one of best in city, fr J of Commerce, Cole, page, Vanderlyn

Nov 3 Leeds selling Burt coll, Durand Kensett Cropsey Casilear Colman and foreign artists 4 p1 Porte Crayon writes of Miss Robinson an artist in Worcester who studied in Duss 9 death of artist Wm E West 10 Henry Levy suit, bisque statuary can enter without duty, but marble can’t? 11 lessons of Manchester exhibition, sixpence entry, poor can’t tell you about composition or schools, yet want to see art, ought to do it here. NAD symp to Crawford. run a lot of satires of Emerson. 14 endless review of Brit and Fr exhib, neither is entirely satisfactory, but art illus the intellectual life of a people, French missing Delacroix, Diaz, Ingres, while others have second class work, most of the gallery is of second or third rate artists, who are still admirable in technique. But though artistic, not ideal or devoitional, artist and his hand are everywhere, nature in second place, semblance of humility in selection of humblest subjects, art can find even in roadside ditch a subject, select mean subjects ostentatiously, make kings of beggars, but leaves subjects in ditch, where it should lift mean subjects up and make them clean and pure,  exceptions are Frere, admired by Ruskin, Scheffer and Hamon, while Meissonier and Bonheur too cold to touch feelings. Couture degraded by degrees of nothingness of purpose, scholastic insipidity of most. English exhib better, vary more in manner, no school, so inanity and mediocrity of their art unredeemed by severe training, but greatness is given fuller play, orig of perception, PRB are children in art, but childhood full of power, dislike Danby and Miss Siddal, a lot no better than unhappy work in our own exhibs. Pre Raph not stiffness and ugliness, nor wish to make a penance of every pic, but inexperienced artist who earnestly paints an obj beget awkwardness and heaviness of expression which ake figs graceless, so men who insist on being true before being graceful have a way to go, but truth first shld be motto of every artist. Difference betw pre Raph and art since Raph, one is poetic and relig, other panders to fallacy of taste or freak of fashion, one is soul, other is decoration, qualities should secure thaem agst the flippancy of of any or sarcasm. Don’t laugh at them. still think paper money caused the panic, and specie will fill in fine. Earlier had interesting column p2 on paper securities as wall decorations  27 Geo F Train’s new young am bk not as gd as his first. poet Chas Mackay assoc with antislavery.

Dec 1857 3 Huntington and Cropsey in England. Wood was chief of the Dead Rabbits. A morning cotemporary in a crit some time since sd pics were badly hung, not true, Academicians helped Director 4 Trib doesn’t like nP Banks, but Post does. Lots on Crawford, J Lenox, Kensett and GW Greene as well as Sumner and Tuckerman his pallbearers 5 Willis, Bayard Taylor, Putnam all close. endlessly more on Crawford. 10 p1 art notes fr Boston paper mention that Egyptian traveller Gliddon was related to saml Lawrence’s family, Staigg is Boston artist, mention others 11 Belmont and Brit art gall. mocks Boucicault’s Poor in NY, hastily plagiarized. English gall is really impartially hung. 15 Schaus auction 17 Belmont 18 love Crayon. Belmont private view, modern art, Chavet, Meissonier and Bonheur the crowd favorites 19 TA Richards sketch of Willis house in Harpers 26 Saxon writes long account of Rauch sculpt who just died

 

LOC bound volume Jan-Jun 1858

Jan 2 letter fr Bryant in Madrid, loves museum, modern Spanish school terrible imitation of French 5 FS Cozzens’ Golden wedding poem to the Longworths 5 disagrees with Atl Mo on archit 7 Century Club ball for 700, Kensett Leutze and other masterpieces, Lang decorations, and artists’ reception, women anxious on what to wear, evening but not full dress. Happy Pres put Theo Sedgwick, writer for Eve Post as Veto, as DA, instead of John McKeon 9 praises Artists Reception at Dodworths 11 long account of Aspinwall’s Murillo, Belmont, and gossip fr Crayon 12 Greene on Crawford. agst Battery enlargement. 13 TB Read on icebergs 14 Boston Transcript on Century’s 12th night, Verplanck,Bancroft, Fremonts, Morse Dr Bellows, Darley Hicks Gray Rossiter Kensett, Lang, mrs Kirkland, Chas King, Bradish,Raymond, Bigelow, Dana, Durand, young and other journalists,. Sedgwick wrote last year for Harper’s, which supported Wood’s reelection, so fits Buchanan’s support for Wood 19 like Blair’s plan to emancipate blacks to Central America 22 love Everett on Wash 26 praise of Godwin in Atl Mo, and its articles on art, also a possible Raphael in city 27 p1 Thom Hicks on Crawford at Century for 3 columns, long and intimate friendship 30 letter questioning Aspinwall’s Murillo’s name, it’s an assumption

 

Feb 1858 3 EFF of Brooklyn Heights and WGH argue over symb of moon in Murillo 4 Day Book on Mirror praising Buchanan in 1835, Morris was a Demo, Buchanan supported Persico 8 want to enlarge Central park. among Belmont charities are Colored Home, Cooper Inst. Love Rev Hawks. 10 Murillo debate continues, moon is ref to immac conception 10 Acad of Music refused to host anti-Lecompton Democrats, would have been ok with Republicans. More Humboldt. 17 Aaron Burr an impt patron of Vanderlyn. p2 Alfred Pell doing anti Buchanan currier and ives designs. happy re Herbert’s marriage. Boston transcript on NY artists, Lander a new Hosmer, son of Genl John A dix an artist, dad a patron of native artists, has been an advocate for Freeman to work in rotunda. Chas Dix. 24 corrects Remb Peale on Stuart’s versions of GW 25 Augustus Maverick at Times quarreling with Fitz James O’Brien 26 Nye’s old masters to be shown again, approves 27 promotes Brevoort’s Holy Family by Murillo as superior to Aspinwall

March 1858 2 urges Buchanan to order Powers’ statue America 3 quote and agree with Ruskin shld never buy copies, good artists won’t copy 4 p1 art notes much fr Crayon 5 Genl Dix ran as freesoil candidate for Gov in 1848, but now seems to support Buchanan re Kansas and expansion  8 Hicks and Curtis on Crawford to be pub by Appletons; long letter on Palmer’s White Captive fr Albany for Ham Fish, tragic power and intensity, loves it 16 death of Robt Lyon 19 p1 letter fr gman in Rome on artists, Terry close friend of Crawford, all the women sculpt, Brown and Tilton in lscape, Rossiter Read etc 31 love Wm Fry’s Leonora at Acad of Music (Ullman still lessee?)

April 1858 2 James T Brady spoke in favor of women’s rights under law (except for suffrage) 6 NAD coming up, fr Crayon, but also Ehninger and usual gang, Mignot, Nichols, Durand, Hart Huntignton 9 why no account of drawing in Cosmo Art Assoc? fr a Western subscriber 9 Curtis effective in arguing for women’s rights/suffrage 12 admire Benton, was attacked by his own party. Thomas R Whitney obit, one time ed of Sunday News, American movement, Senate and Assembly, Fifth or Williamsburgh district, supported Fillmore. 13 private viewing of NAD, 630 artworks, best yet. 14 a little mocking of the Tribune’s (Appletons) new cyclopedia 17 Simeon Draper selling Nye’s old masters 22 woman writes prefers having doors opened to voting. NAD: fewer striking works, but more uniformly gd ones. few unfortunate productions that used to disfig Acad walls before public taste properly directed. Lscape dominates, nature better appreciated than conventionalisms of schools, ptd on spot, conscientious. Subjs are quietly and truthfylly treated, without invented objects. Portraits of eminent public men. Ehninger (12) and HP Gray do fig compos, but glad not large style  as in British exhib, with feebleness of design and exagg form. more new artists, some reappearances inclu Mrs Spencer, Ingham, but no Church, Hunt or Page or Rowse. Kensett has 8, which is great. Whitman. 29 Gives Boston Transcript (Tuckerman their usual writer on art?) account of Acad of Design, comparison with recent exhibs of modern Euro art make Am crudeness and uniformity more visible, Durand genuine sentiment, Kensett, Healy, Elliott, Gignoux, Gifford, Shattuck, Ingham Ehninger, Gray, Darley doing Cooper, Wenzler photo truth wants glow, Saml Lawrence admirable inclu BF Butler. Notes winning design for Central Park by Vaux assoc of AJ Downing, and Olmsted author of best bk on m written by Am, A Journey thru the Seaboard Slave states. 30 A Howadji notices Troye’s oriental ptgs as faithful

 

May 1858 1 p1 NAD no 2, hanging comm impartial, J Hart pleasing, Hicks flawed, Carter feeble and unintelligible, Hubbard striking storm, Bellows pretty, pleasantly told, JR Brevoort evening meritorious, Hays and Tait clever, TA Richards doesn’t do justice to subj in White mtns, heavy and hard, Durand not in his best style, cold, Rossiter cabinet pic fr 17th c well conceived, his other pics deficient in feeling and execution. very crit of Loomis. Gifford pleasant. Lambdin coarse. love Boughton’s winter, GL Brown not as gd as usual, cold and disagreeable, McEntee careful, Carter good attempt at hist ptg. Bierstadt’s Lake Lucerne, grand and solemn. Chapman repeats. Tait fine, Spencer’s paterfamilias looks silly, scene is more approp to a nursery than an exhib gall, Coleman pleasant, Bristol charming, Kensett felicitous, 142 Dredging boat misdirected art, painful to contemplate. Portraits: Baker conventional design; Hicks’ Halleck well, Saml Lawrence fine type, Elliott’s Judge Ingraham constrained, Wenzler’s port excellent.

 p2 rebuts politics accusation of Herald re Central Park (Herald defends chief engineer Viele, who submitted a plan) 4 opposes Morrill ag college act 6 admires RG White 7 puffs Troye 8 p1 NAD, Gifford pleasant, Shattuck delicate but cold, Tait wonderful, Inness wood scene a little gem, shady stillness, felicity, his Twilight good too. 162 12th Night Procession by Lang, correct in costume, face a port, successful likenesses, grouping lacks freedom, W Hart less than usual, James Hart exquisite quiet, Huntington Christ unworthy of Huntington, coarse, feeble, commonplace, love Tait, 182 genuine episode of backwoods life. 185 cabinet port by Hicks accessories detract, attittude stiff and inartisic, W Hart harmony, heine melocramatic storm, Healy graceful, tendency to degenerate into ptr of silks and satins diff to avoid, so he subordinates them strongly, usually unconventional attitude, aims if doesn’t achieve expressive character. Gifford quiet, purity. James Hart faithful, slumbrous stillness, quiet. Suydam pleasant, Kensett merits and defects, mannered coarse rawness, but exquis distance. HB Brown well. Mignot Cordilleros most striking pic in gallery, singular contrasts of color of tropics, hard to know if truthful, seems inconguous. Blauvelt warming up, humor. Rossiter of woman taken  in adultery, fails to explain itself, Christ devoid of expression, our artists don’t have devotional feeling inspired old masters, shld subj subjects adapted to capacity of the age. 232 The mill Edmonds, careful, harmony. Hill, Staigg, shumway, Darley ehninger.

p2 Genl Scott hq is at Cozzens’ west pt hotel 10 p1 visit to Overbeck’s studio in Rome, TB Read, Page, Terry, Crawford 11 Lester’s Americans in Paris at Wallack’s. very fond of Willis 17 death of Herbert, not a very honorable career, unfortunate habits and temper, gives his letters, next day his pedigree, next his funeral, Thomas Picton claimed his library for his wife 26 Park Benj poem, Oakes Smith seems anti-Catholic, casts donated to Cooper Inst 27 Humboldt on Am slavery 29 Sunday Dispatch changes name to NY Dispatch, will pub on Saturday, liveliest of weeklies; Edg W Davies died, connected to press. death of Bartholomew sculpt in Italy

 

June 1858 2 H Wash corresp dislikes art in Capitol extensions 3 H Clapp jr poem 4 Trib also being crit of Central Park 5 fr Crayon notice of Cropsey in London, and Church 7 long fr Crayon on artists in Rome, freeman, chapman, Read, Rothermel, Whittredge, Nichols a follower of Page, Terry also a feature on Gray, a man of taste. p2 RG White retiring fr C&E where has been editor for last 6 years, to do a new weekly, also writing a hist of journalism 8 LL gives account of artists’ excursion on B& O p2 H Wash corresp says Taylor of NY trying to oust Meigs as superintendent of artistic work, has spite agst him, but H agrees Meigs has no skill nor artistic taste 9 Wm S Thayer an ed at Eve Post went on artists’ rrd excursion too, Thomas Hicks, Lang, R Storrs Willis and WW Fosdick there too, Fosdick’s poem is art is Unionist 11 letter fr Bryant in Rome, men there uninterested in art at home buy statues and pics for their mansions, affected by the atmosphere 12 more detailed account of art excursion on rrd. Lots on Beecher, and fish by Pell of Am Inst. Ehninger Hicks Hitchcock, Kensett Lang Mignot Rossiter Suydam, Jbeard, Fosdick John Durand, RS Willis 28 Kellogg and Powers, Kellogg defending himself agst ana ccusation of fraud, seem to side with him 29 obit for Ary cheffer, surrounded by atmosphere of purity, Goethe and Schiller 30 briefly notices Cosmo Art Assoc, not enthus

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1858

July 7 more Everett on Wash  10 NAD closed, Bayard Taylor’s eyes scratched out in ptg of the Century club by Lang, Ehninger damaged 13 Theo Parker trib to Humboldt; boughton and J hart 15 Fitz James O’Brien writes for Knick too. Stephen H Branch’s Alligator stopped for libelling Peter Cooper, Simeon Draper, Mayor Tiemann (who ran agst Wood) 19 maybe siding with Kellogg in quarrel with Powers? death of WT Porter briefly noticed. Takes English (crit) view of Wikoff. approve free public baths, want to silence newspapers cried on Sundays 31 notes on art fr Crayon

Aug 1858 Branch convicted of libel, public too long endured his vagaries and shocks to public decency 6 lots of hurrahs for Atlantic cable 7 GWN sends art notes fr Boston 9 death of Judge John Duer, bro Wm was pres of Columbia, conservative Whig, hostile to Kossuth and Onderdonk 11 has satire on art crit fr Blackwood’s, has had lots more on the Cable, Chapin and Beecher preach on it; edw evans art gossip 14 TB Read poem on the cable, lots more info follows, lots on Field and the Queen 27 artistic copyright being urged in London, shouldn’t be allowed to copy their own work 31 has Rossiter letter to the Union asking for natl school of art, urges competition for commissions, no favoritism or cliques

Sept 1858 1 Ann Stephens ode sung at Cable celeb 3 Bryant back 4 Charles Astor is Carl Benson of Spirit of the Times 6 Tom Corwin a Repub now, not thrilled to have him 13 RA Locke is a revenue officer at Staten island (demo?) 18 Jonas Barker at Wms and Stevens 25 Williamson (of Sunday dispatch) is supported by American party as well as Republicans for congress 28 learned for first time in perusal of TW Whitley’s Guide to Hoboken that city is “abode of artists, philosophers, jurists and men of letters—a city of refuge, with its arcadian groves, its nymphs and satires” 29 more on Humboldt. NP Willis’ dad founded a paper with the Morses

Oct 1858 2 cites Hoboken city gazette ed Whitley on taxes, want a land tax, Repbulicans won’t do it to wealthy landed proprietors 4 Church’s Niagara and Barker’s Corso at Wms andStevens, much merit, glaring, but life in horses and attendants and lookers on. Really bad paper, had to skip to

Nov 10, 12 compares Bonner to Bonheur 13 long col on Winterhalter’s Eugenie, which includes daughter of Col Thorne, a star in it, women are standard of beauty of 19th c,  of diff national types, Winterhalter a court artist, queenly eleg. Also at Goupil is Shattuck, Tait, Casilear. 15 Church working hard on Heart of the Andes, will equal anything he’s done, scarred old mtns in backgrd, nestling village with showy church, rocky chasm 16 critical of Rubens’ Magdalen at Schaus, too coarse and realist, no grace and delicacy, eyes red and swollen, 17 Noyes has greatly improved the Knickerbocker 19 Times is mad about Ledger hiring Everett, Bonner letter in reply in Post; Times pretends they circulate to better class than Ledger, but he hires best writers; Times attacks Fanny Fern, why not malicious dart at Sigourney, Alice Cary, Saxe, Prentice, Cobb, who is forcible, not ornate or pompous. Certain literateurs make it their business to sneer at Cobb, they control and give tone to lit crit in certain quarters, these critics are offended by his popularity. The great public will have nothing to do with certaincscribblers, who accordingly think themselves very select and literary, think what is successful must be inferior,  20 Willis’ tour of south is with Hon Joseph Grinnell, his father in law. Courrier is at war with Ullman. 26 Boston paper corresp crit of Webster statue, head seemed a failure, no noble dome like brow projecting over deep set eyes, forehead seems tor eceded, and instead of characteristic proud, defiant pose, head and fig too advanced. Powers copy of Fisher Boy for Hamilton Fish. Like James Jarves and his coll, undoubted orig, v high value, p3 more fine arts  27 Geo Flagg pic of landing of Atlantic cable at trinity bay, officers and soldiers listening to prayer, fiathful sketch, 18 portraits. 30 Clark Mills statue of Wash, horse rearing back, interpid countenance, modelled on Houdon and p3 long admiring obit of Robt Owen

 

December 1 p2 Times was begun a party paper, but now attacking Republicans for not having a platform, worried Trib will make slavery a direct issue in election, a pose? Ehninger given big promo for his Longfellow illus. 2 Bryan donates gall to Cooper Inst; Ranney fundraiser 8 p1 art notes, James T Brady lecturing on art for Ranney fund 9 p1 reviews New Englander Geo Flagg’s ptg of Atlantic Cable, needed to take more poetic license, sailors look like prize fighters, coarse, don’t get sense of grandeur of story 10 more Humboldt. Gurowski corrects Bayard Taylor—says Baltic countries mother tongue is German, but that’s only the upper classes. 10 Bigelow going to Europe, in Bryan’s absence ran Repub campaign refusing to fuse with American party 11 Ranney fundraiser, 100 artists donated to clear lien on his Hoboken cottage, Church Durand Kensett Casilear small pics otherwise could not buy these artists. 22 Geo Greene lecture on Crawford at NYHS, gives Rev Osgood’s intro to it; also covers Stephen H Branch’s lecture, but satirically. 24 John Mullaly of Herald for several years going to take over new weekly for Archbishop Hughes 28 p2 praises a TB Read poetical ptg, an abstraction 30 an artist in Rome writes of Cranch and a starving mulatto sculptor. Delavan sale of costly mirrors and oil ptgs. 31 art gossip, ranney sale, Huntington, Read. Theo Parker’s address on Wash supplies some of lacks of Everett, tho it’s rougher

 

LOC Bound vol Jan-Jun 1859

Jan 4 first issue notices Eco d’Italia on Italy 5 gives the Bryant poetry fraud. new weekly Century able and diligent, politics and lit well made up, temperate manly wise. Under Personal notes HK Brown is doing bust of Genl Scott, Bierstadt going west. 7 Artists Reception at Dodworth’s, Huntington, Rossiter Durand Gray Ehninger Mignot. Ritchie engr of hero of Lucknow for Albion. 8 Wm Heine the artist mentioned, reads the paper. notices Mignot and Rossiter, among our best artists, working on Washington. 10 notices Park  ’s new weekly Constellation, blanket sheet, has been absent a doz years fr journalism, praise him 12 likes Ik Marvel. Gideon J Tucker now secty of state for NYC chose as papers for election results the Daily News, Weekly News, Sunday Atlas, Harpers weekly, Morning Express, Freeman’s J irish Vindicator, Nyorker Demokrat, Evening Sentinel and NY Observer. Tucker has a share in Daily and Weekly News, Irish Vind and Demokrat also make sense, but says no one reads Atlas issued on Sundays, nor are Harper’s Freeman’s and Observer readers in city or interested in election returns. Why not J of Commerce and Herald, Buchanan supporters thought of, why no Repub press (includes Courier and Commercial) or neutral Times? 15 Pac rrd a humbug 19 supports bill banning children fr theaters p3 brief notice of artists reception at Studio bldg, Gifford, Hart, McEntee Hart Mignot Hays 20 notices Bonner’s Ledger 21 commend Gignoux’ Niagara, the Artists Fund, Richards’ views of Am scenery 25 p1 Englishman Hubard’s copy of Houdon in bronze, wish orig was more idealized, like Stuart. 26 tons on Burns’ centennial. p2 Fine arts Jerome Thompson, Dix, Hays, Darley working for Mercury, cites Sat Press on Durand for Stuart, Lang and Mignot showing in DC 28 GWN corresp in Paris writes abt art, Couture got commissions taken away because of politics, Salon 31 death of Prescott

 

Feb 1859 2 new Metrop Record is Catholic Feb 4 TW Whitley enterprising and multifarious pub his Guide to Hoboken. Artists Reception at Dodworths, crowded, white kids, prominent cits, hi merit but some undeserving. Favorites were Carter’s Legend ofSt Michael, Hall’s April Shower, spiritual heads by EDE Greene, Wm Hart’s rock bound coast scenes, and Jas Hart, Kensett, Rossiter Huntington and Cafferty, Thom Hicks cabinet pic, Miss AM Freeman 5 notices Sat Press Feb 7 p1 Fine Arts on Cinti’s Sketch club, theme of broke, also Sigma suggests that a committee of the Century Club 3 artists and two amateurs offer art criticism to a daily paper p2 Irish Vindicator sees Century Club as monarchical, Daily News agrees they are fond for genuflecting to crowned heads  8 Artists of Brooklyn trying for a free gallery for sale and exhib at Merc Lib 9 Leutze here, hope his Wash at Princeton will be in Capitol, his patrons include Leupp, MO Roberts, Corcoran, Leavitt, Cinti, Walters 12 p1 Fine Arts brief paragraph on Powers’ Webster, merit as work of art, doesn’t look like him; Jarves 14 too fragmented 17 p1 L’A writes fr Albany delirious with love for Palmer’s sculp 18 Doolittle in Congress proposes buying part of Central Am to resettle blacks 21 HJ Raymond contrib to Bonner Ledger regularly 24 p1 H in Wash says Mrs Gordon Bennett rec’d with Buchanan at the White House levee. Praise Everett on Wash. 26 supplement bio of Leutze

 

March 1859 1 p2 Sickles at a party with Buchanan and Mrs Gordon Bennett, where learned of adultery 2 puffs Banvard, condemns Sickles Mar 4 Times subeditor was too symp to Sickles. Artists Reception at Dodworths, crowded, 600, Cyrus Field Magoon, others, fancy costume, Gray’s Pride of Village, Rossiter’s puritan Priscilla a favorite, Plymouth in distance, Hall cabinet pieces fr Miles Standish, Carter’s Aurora Leigh and Artists Dream, fine Evangelist By Huntington, Pope likeness of Prescott, Wenzler’s jay, Bellows lscape, Greene, Kensett, durand, Cafferty Hall Hart, Sontag Nichols Miss Freeman ehninger Colman 5 Rossetti good in the Crayon, praises Sat Press for arguing that men should be measured by same standard as women. have been skipping some fragmented issues. 10 notices C Edw Lester mag Demo Age, crit of Buchanan p2 praises Aspinwall’s gall of old masters, son in law Renwick designed it, tickets fr N Wilson janitor of Tenth st studio bldg, mentions the Murillo and other old masters, long praise; supplement has crit fr Boston of Capitol art 15 Acad of Design home to auction of Euro ptgs fr Goupil and “best” Am ptgs, excluded all not of acknowl merit, Durand Kensett Cole Rossiter’s Priscilla Church trib to Cole etc (no mention of Spencer) 17 unnamed corresp writes that dislikes Harper’s Weekly caricature of Sickles, unfair. p2 notes death of Mike Walsh, thorn in Tammany’s side. 18 gives prices at big sale of ptgs, lowest was $16, highest was Winterhalter to WH Webb for more than $3000 21 Geo P Morris given consul post. GW Curtis. Palmer, Fagnani. 22 Wm Gouge writing on banks for them. 23 Artists Reception at 10th st, select crowd, Peter Cooper, RL Stuart Leupp Alex Stuart, prominent was Gignoux, TB Read, Hays, Gifford, Wm Hart, Boughton, Moore, Blauvelt Newsboy, RW Hubbard, Nichols, L Thompson 24 p2 Whitman, Fine arts, success of Ranney fund, excerpt fr Home J. skipped rest of mo as too fragmented, started again Apr 5.

 

April 1859 enlarged 6 Jerome Thompson’s Mt Mansfield 9 praises AH Bellows 12 NAD opening, written by City Intelligence, happy fewer lscapes and small figure and still life pics more numerous, improves char of exhib. Ports by Lawrence, stone admirable. 13 supplement of Justice Whitley’s paper Hoboken City Gazette predicted Repub victory there, and it’s true 14 p1 Gurowski says Appleton’s cyclo praised by everyone but Sat Press (he writes for them I think) but is incomplete, chides it partic re slavery, trying to be conciliatory, editors of Eve Post disagree. 19 p1 corresp JB fr Rome describes Miss Cushman’s household with Hosmer (needs to make her Zenobia less beaut in her situation) and Stebbins (admired justly by all for Hecksher commission) 20 Augustus Hoppin illus for GW Curtis, excerpts fr Home J that Church’s Heart of Andes is coming, illus Humboldt, suggests it is Church’s letter directly to Home J 22 p1 verses on Brackett’s Shipwrecked Mother by John Macmullen. p2 bio of Stephen C Foster, writes our ethiopian songs 25 p1 long review of NAD, hanging committee ought to exclude glaring and obtrusive, 20 women contrib, Eastman Johnson Negro life best, Gifford, Dix imitating Kensett, Beard bad and Read shld just do poetry, prefers Staigg to Laurence’s heads, Pestal, Saintin, Launt Thompson promising, Miss Freeman and Mrs Hildreth, Healy’s admirable port of exPres Tyler badly hung but true cncept of what a port shld be, vigorous and dignity, prosaic garb of present compatible with grace of Van Dyck. Geo Hall good fruit but bad Quixote. Stillman morbid preRaph, his Adirondacks with celebrities won’t make you sorry you didn't go. Cropsey and Peele not equal to usual, Lambdin aims for truth in elab of accessories, but girl not pretty enough. Akers fine, TA Richards has too many pics of palms, Baker beaut, Mignot characteristic, Thom facile lacks dignity. Colman pleasant. J Hart lovely, Huntington’s port of Durand doesn't do justice. Kensett one of best, Tait clever, Geo Yewell promising. Delessard Hoboken a gem. Lambdin fr Tennyson great dramatic power.written by a corresp but editors don’t agree with his severity. praise growth of Trib. 27 p1 have a Tuckerman poem to Heart of the Andes, praise L Lang’s Beatrice Cenci at NAD 28 Edw Evans of the Strand writes their London art gossip, obit for Bishop Doane doesn’t mention any misdoings and is v long 29 p1 JB in Rome writes of Page’s Venus rejection in France, everyone in Rome likes it 30 p2 enraptured by Heart of the Andes, tremulous with emotion, intoxicating, frame an error tho tries to make it more of dioramic order of art

 

May 1859 3 p2 Privileges of Crit: crit of faults makes readers indignant and assail motives, don't question them 4 Buchanan favors Wikoff. p2 big ad for Harpers Weekly. “Characteristic” our disapproval of Church’s frame coincided with Albion, but Times writer, prob same indiv who defended Sickles, wrote characteristic display of his qualities, that Eve Post copies lang of Albion and assigns frame to exhibitor not the artist, Post writer denies reading Albion 7 p1 TB Read’s poem to Church 9 p1 Park Benj says only ed Constellation for 8 weeks, has not done it for last two months, it is now defunct 12 p1 like Willis bk; contrib writes in of danger of blackballing in clubs and cliques; JB Rome corresp has v long letter, much of which is on Rogers’ doors for the Capitol, also some mention of Mozier, Ives, but not the women. CG Thompson, Chapman, Page’s son in law, many others. 13 p1 Art in Illinois, Chicago exhib, Healy and others, JGW; p2 Dewitt pub 160 Nassau st issued pamphlet of crits on pics at NAD, principal ptgs described, characteristic merits and defects pointed out, more interesting than bald catalogue by directing attn to what is worthy of notice and admonishing spectator agst admiration of that which is unworthy

May 14 p1 2nd article fr corresp on NAD, seems symp to preRaph, really loves Bristol’s small studies of wood-nature, reminds of Kensett, escapes cruidty of color of young painters. Boughton clever, his Witching Time poetic sentiment, wholesome absence of trickery in his winter scenes, happy so many artists avoiding startling or unusual combos but faithful single hearted repro of natural effect, Nature for her own sake. Suydam too. Loop agreeable, Hall gd at fruit, Tait delightful not fr books, TA Richards doesn’t look like nature, Delessard clever but Frenchy, Saintin clever, Waterman promising, Baker attractive, Staigg versatile seems exceeding truthful, his Girl and Rabbit weak. TB Read, diff to find gods as models. Rossiter 12th night queen, pleasing port, ladylike. Church Twilight not worthy of Heart of the Andes. WT Richards blackberry bush is better qualities of preRaphaelitism, no lofty moral precept but unpretending lovingly handled. Bellows advances. Hart and Tait at the spring harmonize.  Gifford poetic, Inness beaut heart felt unlike obtrusive pretntious failures that usurp his art’s place by virtue of NA. Wittkamp trapper manly, a little Duss. Lambdin experimenting unwisely. Huntington at best, Hicks Wounded Dove his best work, doesn't otherwise vindicate his hi rep, orig concept and graceful, his 543 a speaking likeness. Couturier French, technical skill, poultry. J Hart poetic, repose.Huntington gd, McEntee orig and daring, May’s Oenone technical skill, lacks dignity, red eyes, his Dying Brigand gd, Healy first rateDana clever, Oliv Stone high bred type, Shattuck pleasant, Greene not as g as usual, Lorgnette and rest of HP Gray hi merit, less prone to yellow tone than in past.

18 p1 Papilio long poem on NAD, praising it to country cousin, only v gentle mockery of Durand’s placidity, Church not putting Heart in, don't see Spencer or Cafferty inclu.; p2 Cropsey in London 19 long obit for Humboldt 20 p1 plea for Nat Gall for Heart of Andes 21 p3 approve of artists appointed to new Art Commission by Congress 24 p1 fr Phila paper approving of the Art Commission artists at length. p2 Heart of Andes leaving, has been crowded, made $3172 in a month 25 p2 Wm Heine commission fr Congress $10,000 for Algerine war, AT stewart bought Greek Sl 26 Prince Wales orders Hosmer’s Puck 28 notices Eclectic Mag 31 Crayon on Leutze’s Seward

 

June 1859 1 really dislike F Wood. 3 Humboldt rebuked slavery. 7 p2 excerpt Cuyler in Xtian Intellig on Church’s Heart of the Andes, saw in front of it Huntington, Geo w Curtis, a city pastor, a pic for young men, to see it is like reading Excelsior, Chimborazo is Mt Sinai Jun 8 dog crusade 11 Wm Wallace poem to WH Webb, HK Brown recovering fr carriage accident 14 p1 covers Webster committee in Boston with Everett’s defense of Powers, takes most of page, with various supporting testimony ($9 year, 3 cents an issue) 22 2000 dogs 138 puppies killed so far 23 p1 fr Boston paper on artists in Paris, HW Beecher on weeds in pics; Ritchie pub Darley’s First Blow for Liberty; Edw White returning with his historical pic

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1859

skipped July. Aug 2 has Willis’ Twaddle on business, new effort to raise money for Wash monument, people not interested as it is hideous and a perpetual disgrace to people’s taste 5 Church doing icebergs. Bellows the Unitarian under attack for empty relig, he wants to start a Broad Church 9 London illus Times praises Huntington’s Dutch realism in Counterfeit note, wishes he wouldn’t preach 10 Page’s Venus in London fr Athenaeum 11 London Times on Heart of the Andes, colossal labor, they like it 13 Ehninger’s etchings 17 Bayard Taylor on Humoldt 20 puffs Fredericks photo gall 25 p1 fr Ohio journal on Jones and the Frankensteins, p2 TA Richards has illus articles in Knick 27 Stephen H Branch wants to start new paper has told the Leader 30 letter from Newport with a lot on studio of Hunt, Staigg there too, Kensett. Visitors inclu Ham Fish, Lowell, Bryant, Belmont, Gov Chase of Ohio, Rives of VA, Oliv Holmes, Rev Dr Hawks. Bancroft Geo Calvert. Henry James, Tuckerman, Chas Norton.

 

Sept 1859 3 Casali of Eco going to Italy. 9682 dogs and 387 puppies taken, 50 cents and 25 cents ea fr Sun 6 puffs Waugh’s Italia, Eastman Johnson’s Negro Life main feature of last NAD to some, Crawford, and Hubner’s Emig farewell, all great 9 p1 fr Home J on Rosa Bonheur, she’s not interested in women’s rights, studio a den of wild beasts, but admiring 10 private galleries of NY, do Abbott, old masters  13 Hubner’s pic at Schaus sold to gman fr Baltimore 17 p1 has long notice of English and French pic exhib, Troyon admired for effective reality, Bonheur, Frere, others. Gives Churchman on Onderdonk. 19 Everett’s speech on inaug of Webster statue, W’s principles 23 p1 E Nugent sends in design for Wash monument in DC p2 abolitionists condemning Webster statue, Eve post thinks they are bad, disunionists p3 Rossiter gall will be open free, disting coll 24 notices Edw White exhib, Healy in DC 26 Wm J Stone in DC, crit of Am Inst 29 p1 gives Boston German paper’s view of Webster statue, p2 editor defends SP Chase fr this attack

 

Oct 1859 1 Darley Page Church briefly.3 Fr and Eng pics, Frere sweet sentiment, Gerome, Troyon, Bonheur, Couture Ital peasant. English: Wallis’ Stone Breakers, Ruskin thinks great, don't admire, it painfully worked details and deep feeling but subj repulsive, decay of death, no one suaw such stones or skies or desire to see them; prefer Halliday measuring the wedding ring tho hard. Millais fresh but not beaut females. 4 p1 L Maria Child in Home J on Hosmer, loves her Zenobia p2 gd review of Edw White’s Washington, fr Crayon on Cranch in White’s old studio, Durand, T B Read Longfellow one of his best, Hart 6 sad re Leupp, AM Cozzens a pallbearer 8 fr Crayon on Rossiter and Mignot p1 13 p1 Boston corresp loves Webster statue p2 puffs Wm Songtag temple of Sybil, takes Willis fr Home J on Webster statue, problem is partly it’s a bronze of a white man 14 p2 CG Thompson robbed of goods and ptgs in Boston 17 Wm  Ver Bryck, bro of Academician. Hoboken Gazette and Standard joining together, Whitley will still write for it, supports opposition cause in NJ 18 Brown’s crazy attempt at Harpers Ferry exaggerated and J of Commerce Herald and other demo papers know it, but want to smear Repub. Leeds selling Weir’s Columbus. 22 celebs at Darley’s wedding in Boston, Longfellow, Lowell, Sparks Mignot 26 Page’s Venus leaving Duss gall, Sonntag Dream of Italy replacing it 28 letter fr Paris prefers mod art to Louvre p2 long essay on Goupil now Knoedler, like Bonheur; Powers statue of Wash unsatisfactory, in face, not general idea of countenance, but details superior (as a Mason) 29 p1 enthus fr friend re Page’s Venus, w/Wallace poem to it

 

Nov 1859 2 Cooper inst course of instr. Chas H Farrell a reporter on Sun, sues James Connolly a reporter on Sun, for threats, witnessed by P Everett of Herald 5 Crayon excerpted; Mrs Ellet Women artists, ends with Hosmer 12 letter fr Brace on poverty of children 14 bit on Cropsey 16 p1 WPT on visit to studio of Hicks 17 p1 gd review of Rossiter and Mignot 29 love Irving 30 p1 round up of art, inclu Rossiter fr Home J

 

Dec 1859 1 promote Geo L Brown lscapes 2 p1 letter fr Remb Peale sent in by Jane Stuart, p2 Aug Belmont orders fr Akers statue of Perry for Central Park, blatchford accepts 5 FS Cozzens a friend of Irving writing for Ledger; Herald denouncing Boucicault’s Octoroon so it will be profitable 6 lots fr Crayon, impartial art critic 7 Thom M Thorpe writes for Post 9 Akers pearl diver 13 puf Rossiter and Octoroon 16 GL Brown studio and Carpenter’s Beecher. Rossiter sale of ptgs. Barbee. stopped at 22

 

LOC Bound volume Jan-Jun 1860

started with Jan 4. 6 p1 FAH writes promoting John Jackson’s sculpture at Nichols’ gallery, a Boston artist formerly, pure and elevated 9 McElrath and Wells of Fowler and Wells interested in running Am Inst. dislike Francis Grund.13 Fine Arts: Staigg, Cg Thompson, lawrence 14 Whitman 16 Darely doing Cooper, Ritchie doing Landseer, Frederick the photog 18 FJ Ottarson for several years city ed of Trib, now at Dispatch. Chas O’Conor lecturing in favor of slavery. 19 puffs Geo Harvey’s Prog of Civ 20 p1 Mary Forrest, our artists no longer copyists or devottes of antique, have relig sentiment, Artists receptions influ on favored ones, commendation by press on usual artists (inclu Hicks, et al) but writes to plug CG Thompson’s Angel of Truth, earnest, simple, truth in strange aspect, same relig aspiration in Greene and Prie Dieu by E Johnson, in Witching Time by Boughton, lscapes by Durand, Kensett and Colman p2 Artists Reception tenth st: Leutze’s GW at Princeton martial ardor with which it was conceived, spirt, grouping skilful coloring brilliant. TB Read fine port of OW Holmes, fine lscapes by Casilear, Gifford Shattuck Brevoort McEntee Hart Hazeltine, one begun by Cole and finished by Church much attn 22 Whitman 23 Crawford, Palmer 24 F Cozzens in his Wine Press on McDonald Clarke 26 Banvard 28 Fine Arts: long on Lang, his Mary Q of Scots for a priv gall, raises her eyes to heaven, hopeful vs grief; v brief and dsimssive of Spencer at Snedecor, slut and puppies with which the public is familiar, also seems to love Oertel faithful spirited, animals are moralists, Rich and Poor cows, Tait pretty, Bellows fine glowing. 31 Leeds sale of Am art, no mention of spencer, long list of names, Church Durand Kensett etc, Cosmo Art Assoc mentioned

 

Feb 1860 4 Artists Reception, Dodworth, Harts Bierstadt, Sontag Gifford AF ellows Shattuck Boughton Coleman; Leutze’s carnival very striking, admired, Dix is son of disting Senator Dix, genius marine. Thompson, Baker Hall Blondell fancy heads, Gray characteristic. Steph H Branch selling cigars, papers failed. 9 Oertel, Stebbins a genius, Rossiter remarkable scriptural works 10 more art notes 11 corresp puffs GL Brown p1, he is suggestive (luminosity, poetic beauty, forget the man, Turner, don’t view too closely as painty, but at distance distances melt with living light vs reflective (HRS minutely delineated, clever bits, pencil stippled, admire rock or tree but no soul) p2 symp with Italy mtg has Havemeyer, Ketchum Chas King, Morse, Minturn Osgood Winfield Scott Tuckerman, M Grinnell, Dix etc 14 new bonnet poem Democ party filled with disunionists 16 p2 kind of press release description of Rossiter 18 promotes choice Geo Hall coll for sale 22 B Wash corresp on p1 notes prep for Mills statue inaug, 7th regiment coming causing a stir, will give disunionists glimpse ofwhat they will be up agst; Williamson battling Sickles for his seat with Election Commission. Union mtg promoted by J of Commerce at Cooper was old line whigs and nativists, not Demos 23 Robt A West active in 18th ward republican party. p1 has standard description of Mills inaug. 24 p2 B wash corresp doesn’t like Mills statue, tho improvement on Jackson statue Bocock the orator not a fine speaker, acquitted himself ok,NY 7th not treated well by northern hating Committee of Arrangements 28 love Lincoln. p3 promote Hall’s native fruit and flower studies

 

March 1860

2 promote Parke Godwin’s book 3p2 Artists Association reception Dodworths brilliant assemblage, James Hart, Edw White burial of De Soto, rising thunderstorm and latter gruping, Dix fine marines and wild waves. E Johnson characteristic clever low life domestic scenes, Kitchen at MT Vernon, Kensett and Bellows genial, Hall sold at hi prices, lists others, attending were Rev Bellows and Senator Dix. Like Marble Faun.  8 Wall at Goupil 10 Undergrad new paper by Van Amringe at Columbiua 12 Remb Peale recovering 13 plantation interest agst Homestead bill, another Leeds sale, this time mentions Spencer and Dix Cropsey Huntington. Lander protegee of Crawford and Hosmer at Duss gallery, Evangeline has poetic appreciation, but blemishes, face not the ideal, nose too prominent, but her portrait of Hawthorne (resembles Webster?) is excellent p4 Art at Wash, Mills statue of Jackson is wretched, Wash scarcely better, ornamentation of new Capitol atrocious, new art commission condemns nearly everything that’s been done, even when it’s an Am subj they are foreign in treatment and overlaid by symbols and impertinent ornament 15 Art Items Gifford, Merle, Huntington Oertel, JG Brown quite a lot 16 able article by Tuckerman Art in Am in Crayon 17 Wm Niblo a big buyer at Leeds, Beaumont coll being sold 19 Art items huntington etc 20 JR Spaulding formerly at C&E 21 notes Whitman in Atl Monthly 22 Eastman Johnson did slave girl Pink bought by Beecher’s church, HK Brown, Darley patriotic revolution subjects 23 movement for a permanent free Art Gall in NY on v extensive scale. Brooklyn Artists Reception, lists artists, Inness much admired, highest order of talent, view in coll of HW Beecher. Bellows Coleman Gignoux Carpenter oertel Gray JG Brown faulkner 26 they don’t really approve of Boucicault’s plays at Keene’s, tend to sneer 31 notices Peale’s Cof D supplement Art Items, Van Beest,  studio; james Hart and Matteson at Schaus, clever, Schaus commissioned them, historical pics. they don’t like Webster’s dictionary.

 

April 1860

6 Wm H Powell port of Irving to be engr. doesn’t discuss Paulding’s politics. Loved Anna jameson.10 like sketch for Whittier’s barefoot boy 12 NAD priv opening, no more of the v bad portraits that used to be hung high, rejected more than 200 18 p2 letter fr An Amateur Observer re Elliott’s cutting of his portraits, draw attn to other injustices, selfish clique, mediocre interest are prominent, while works of sentiment addressed to human smpathies have been treated with insult, degraded, architecture room is the refuge for the destittue, ought not to put oils there, visitors don’t be biased by hanging comm 19 JST responds re picture hanging, Elliott famous enough can put up with a little shade. 700 pics to hang, immemorial complaint, what about young artists? Durand and Elliott must sometimes give way. H is writing letters abt errors of NY architects, inclu Cooper Union 20 Sardinia’s art treasures 23 notice Wm r Wallace Spirit of the Union poem and litho 24 need more public monuments in the city 28 Union party a humbug

May 1860

3 p2 NAD review, few really striking ones, best artists Durand and Leutze nothing major, some exhibitors like Saintin 15 or Huntington 10 have quite a lot, 15 women, briefly mentions a few   4 new ed of TB Read poems good; more on Powell’s Irving at Knoedlers 8 Wenzler’s portraits, entirely original, daguerreotype in oils, invariably a success at likeness, connoisseur thinks are among best of NAD 10 NAD election results 11 death of SG Goodrich 12 Frere, GL Brown and Ball 15 p1 NAD cabinet pictures, most visitors too omnivorous to see them, try to gulp whole coll,  Cropsey, Kenilworth castle, blotched foregrd, a boarding school girl ashamed of, not attractive subj, looks like ros of NY stores gutted, also has a bad Ital lscape. Lang orange seller and little vagrants confined, unsatisf representation of two shabby girls in prison, W Hart rich coloring, Staigg pretty newport, Ehninger pleasing horses Damon and Pythias, Jerome Thompson, Nichols one of finest 331. Dutch and Germ make most exquis cabinet pics, patient pldding care, domestic, but some Am artists use style of a larger pic, as if snipped fr large canvas, eye can’t underst at short distance and nearer heavy blotches. Also gd is Ruggles, WF Richards gem of fern, Eaton for Cinti sketch club Broke, Shattuck striking, Gifford too. Frank Bellew in doorway fairy scene, fanciful imag. 17 Thorpe’s Niagara gives falls entire 21 Wm E Burton sale of pics, inclu D’Orsay, but also Elliott’s of Forrest 25 TB Read, Boughton, G Hall, Geo Inness, cites intellig critic of Courrier des Etats Unis, himself an amateur and connosseur, remarkable talent, 429 Morning, speaks at first glance. Edw White Evangeline, Page’s first Venus here? has ptd a lot of nudes under that title, was shown in Boston. 26 p1 NAD 3rd notice: France at head of art world, appropriates art of nations around her, our artists lack their originality, direct purpose, indep will, painful feebleness manifest in needle painting, frittering away great solemn truths in unmenaing elab of useless small things. Closest imitation of nature is the highest art sounds plausible but is wide of the truth, ruined promising young men, influenced those who should have become mechanics to be artists. Perfect rendering is means not end, artist carries his pic within himself and searches for means for his ideal, invests form with preconceptions, one man does this, Inness Twilight 180, simplicy gives it power,  solemn quiet, manner disappears and painter is absent, reality itself would seem inferior. Morning 429 fr samepoetic brain, limpid, exquis, orig, 391, 291, 298 also gems. Bellows 3 poetical compositions, like the Ford best, 527 wants vigor and purpose. Gifford 561 Wilderness pleasing, agreeable, artistic excellence. Durand unpleasant prominence of pea-green color, but infiinte satisfaction in Sunday Morning, back to childhood Sabbath in country Hubbard one of best lscapes Mt Mansfield, expresses sentiment, clothes material forms with thought. De Hass After the Wreck strong, resembles Stanfield’s too much. McEntel has to use poetry to tell its story, large sized icely colored photo. Delessard Feeding the Chickens rare genius, 524 and 622. Waterman, Casilear. From Italy, Whittridge rare merit, religious conscientiousness, exquis sheep, and Geo L Brown, had successful debut at a successful exhib, 4 pics here of orig hi merit, regal grandeur in Florence, cites Hawthorne. p2 Stephen H Branch doing a weekly Star, bad poetry. John Clancy edits Leader, he is a friend of Isaac V Fowler, the postmaster accused of defalcation, was helped to escape the country 30 Women’s rights convention was a disgrace

 

June 1860

Everett speaking cant re constitution 11 loves Eastman Johnson’s Barefoot boy, is showing in Crayon Art Gall with Van Beest and Kensett and others. notes GW Nichols enterprise, publishing Porte Crayon, with E Johngson, Geo L Brown, Inness and Bellows, artists make drwgs on the stone themselves. Geo L Brown living with Beecher, not far fr Church. 12 Beaumont sale 14 thinks new World is creditable 15 Adam Embler a new light in sculp; talented Jarves in Atl Mo 19 demo city council gave ferry contract to Geo Law 21 NAD receipts fell by $2000, Thom in Paris with Frere, Church’s beaut Twilight in Wilderness above Goupil’s store, happiest manner, stiffness and mechanism in foregrd, but more pleasure even than Heart of Andes. Artists donating for an auction to Garibaldi fund 29 Haight gift of Crawford statue to Central park, eminent, imperishable work of Am genius

 

LOC bound volume Jul-Dec 1860

July 6 Bierstadt doing rocky mtns, Wm Hart, Gignoux Whittredge, and Staigg Little street sweeper, childish naivete, premature pensiveness 9 need national art gallery where can show masterpieces; EH May, HP Gray 14 predict unequalled success for GL Brown’s Bay of NY. GW Nichols. I skipped fr Jul 18 to Aug 30. They LOVE the prince of wales. have info on the wide-awake clubs.

 

Sept 1860 7 describes Derby’s Inst of Fine Arts, just across fr Keene’s theater 11 notice Walcutt’s Perry 12 TD Jones sculptor doing Ewing, did Chase, masterly Geo Law, Cass, Clayton; Volk and Healy 17 Benj Lossing at Perry 19 Schaus gallery for those who like French and Germ schools, Merle Coutourier Fichel Daubigny Frere Diaz, Cinderella. Notice the Frankensteins getting a commission. 22 TA Richards 24 Putnam and Bryant like John A Hows illus. 26? Senator Doolittle wants tropical reservation for Negroes

 

Oct 1 Lander, Crayon etc 3 Fagnani Cranch Hall Inness 4 Wide Awake new lit and polit paper to be ed by one who has freq contrib to our columns, motto is at evening time it shall be light 5 long loving review of Ruskin and obit of Remb Peale 6 B in Wash describes Prince and his party in rotunda, ptgs of surrender, went unnoticed 9 Stebbins, Shegogue, more on blacks going to the tropics 11 death of Van Beest, greatest marine ptr in the world 13 Gavazzi suggests removing heads of princely equestrian statues by Canova and putting Garibaldi and victor instead 16 Haight family sale, mostly old masters 17 Prince of Wales didn’t visit any art galleries, just Barnum and Brady, passed over Tenth st coll rather contemptuously. J Crawford Thom pupil of Frere often noticed. Holman Hunt. Admire Tilden. 22 Leupp gallery to be sold, among most valuable Kensett Huntington Stuart Durand Inness Leutze Allston Page’s port of Bryant, Church; others represented are foreign plus Edmonds, Gray, Chapman, Cole, Cranch and Audubon 23 excerpt fr Jarves, an experienced amateur in ptg, on old master frauds in Italy, couriers often try to inoculate patrons with taste for originals that they then can satisfy. Ought not be rivalry by modern agst past. Charles Eliot Norton praises Jarves coll, Jarves says are all orig. p2 account of Duke of Newcastle’s old master coll, and of pictures in Prince’s NY hotel room, Winterhalter engravings, lots, colored 25 poem to Van Beest fr Cosmo Art Assoc 26 L Lander 27 Thom, GL Brown’s $3000 Bay of NY for Prince, Delaroche Dumas Launt Thompson’s western trapper, Boughton and Colman. Love Morris’ poems. 31 Leader profile of Geo Ripley. p2 praises Stebbins statuettes of miner and sailor, commerce and labor, at Goupil, natural ease and grace, lithe freedom and alacrity, open collar, belt about his loins, frank open coutenance confident and alert, observant, adventure manly. Miner stands firmly, intent and more anxious, concentrated, manly and strong but less cheery freedom and ease, but equally graceful, human and noble, dignity of manhood redeems work fr drudgery.

 

Nov 1 longer on Stebbins; World is conservative, but represents sentiment for Lincoln. 3 L Lander staying at CL Derby house on 22nd. Crayon. Merchants mtg panic conversion to Lincoln.8 Frankensteins’ Niagaras at Wilmarths 14 Leupp sale, Forrest bought mediocre port of plebeian Roman woman by Page for $75, writer gloomy that a gem by Cole went for $35. Linen’s Henry Clay for same amount $75 to Forrest, a port of Calhoun, a Wash Allston and a Chapman. Cozzens bought too, as did Conover and Wolf. Lots of Page and Chapman in the collection, also Edmonds, Inness, Mount, Clover, Cranch, an Inman, Durand, Audubon, Oddie, Gray. Cinderella at Schaus too many details, typical Dutch, her sisters dominate, two types of beauty 15 Darley 20 opening of Derby’s Institute; hostile to Thom’s brownstone of G Wash, sneering tone. 22 art a gd investment, Leupp’s pics got double what they cost (approx $10,000 realized in sale). GL Brown. Flemish ptgs open. 27 Household Journal is publishing Beecher on Young Am

 

Dec 8 p1 two column review of Derby’s Institute, esp Jarves coll, assume both men expect to make money; also Flemish (inclu Gerome gladiators) are true art, wont go into ecstacies of other papers. Crayon. 11 Church and Gifford p2 Artists Fund Society exhib 14 p1 kind of funny essay on Jarves old masters holding a meeting to complain about Americans touching them. Also likes Wertmuller’s Danae, Bull’s scriptural ptgs 15 Cranch in Crayon. 17 Senator Dix anti-republican 24 Tupper loves Lincoln. Artists Fund sale, highest price $140, low $20, Blauvelt Cafferty Hays Sontag TA Richards Jerome Thompson Falconer Greatorex Huntington Witherspoon and others, Kensett Lang Rossiter Dix Mignot Gignoux, Hubbard Carmiencke Edwards Casilear total $2400 29 Albert Van Beest sale, most ptgs well under $100, port of Garibaldi by Ital companion at Derby gall

 

Evening Post, 1861, fr the Vault, three cents. Big paper, 4 pages.

Jan 18 p. 2 Fine Arts: mentions Whittredge interesting Nap after Dinner, great vigor, true feeling. Geo Boughton. Geo Hall. Lscapes by Cropsey at Goupil. NAD early; city govt may purchase valuable natl ptg, Embarkation of Pilgrims, evince an improvement in their taste in fine arts.

Jan 19 p. 1 Fine Arts: Geo L Brown crown at Athenaeum, his finest. Colman, Delassard frescos for 5th ave house, Saintain, E Johnson; Schaus Cinderella to Germ Emig

26 Colman, Boughton,  Whitley of Hoboken, view at Castle Walk, Italian lscapes, Western VA

30 Richard Grant White and Aldrich writing for Knickerbocker, owners trying to revive it

31 excerpts fr Home Journal City Life, windows of Broadway, lounging past faces, Knoedler’s has Bradford and Fr ptg, engravings. At Schaus can see one of finest Hubner’s Germ Emi, then Gurney’s, Dexter’s has Leslie’s port of Payne, at  Wms & Steve s statuette of Am Zouave, engr. Of course ads for pic auctions.

 

February 1861

5 p. 1 notices Seabury is pro-slavery. Notices Crayon and reproduces from it Woman’s Position in Art. Fine Arts: Launt Thompson bust of Grizzly Adams, late bear tamer, magnif subj and pictque face. Likes Albion’s engravings always. Also reproduces gossip fr Crayon re McEntee, Casilear, Church, WS Mount, Wust, Ball, and Crayon’s burlesque of (Boston) art criticism discovering more than artists intended, finds hidden meaning in boarding house interior, find in it the cardinal principles that support the Union.  Cosmo Art Assoc.

Doesn't like Morrill tariff.

Feb 6 anecdote linking GL Brown to Alston p. 2

7 p. 2 Fine Arts: Crown of NE is signif title of Geo L Brown great pic, range and sweep of view reproduce elements of grandeur and sublimity, more than any pic or design of them we’ve seen, identifies pov of artist, pictque route, seldom visited, foregrd simple, fallen tree riven by tempest, young pine shooting up, royal chain of mtns touched with lambent flame, Mt wash with ermined robe of snow, consc of superiority, great characteristic speaks of spirit of mtns, elab ptg and effort never evident, rare delicacy of touch, effect of sunlight. Almost frightened by bold fearless brush and more careful gradations in middle distances, yet unity is all pervading and complete, inner sense of nature.

            Also notes Whittredge, power of Rubens, Ames head at Crayon Art Gall. Count d’Orsay expose.

8 p. 2  and 11th his pallbearers were Tuckerman, Geo Morris, Moses Grinnell, Pres Chas King, Bethune, and Hawks presidedDaily News is Wood organ. Notes death of Francis

14 Fine Arts p. 1 Church , Schaus noble Germ emigrants, tender paternal affecting pastor bends face on group. Artists Fund, met at Hubbard, elected members and officers. Page’s Venus and Intl Art Inst 694 Broadway advertise

20, big ad for Schenck’s sale of French Flemish Gallery, Gifford and Rondel only Ams mentioned

21 p.2 notes death of C Lawrence, mental illness at end, intercourse with spirits of another world. Fine Arts: notes Brooklyn Art Assoc reception a success, Huntington, Church and Leutze; Geo L Brown etching remarkable, Crayon Art G has Thom, Athenaeum showed Whittredge Melly and Geo L Brown. Among more noticeable is Jarvis’s ptg of Jefferson Framing Dec of Indep at City Hall, figure fr David’s cast, air of dignified ease, power bredth and vigor, subord accessories principles of legit art

March 1861 p. 1 Fine Arts: Athenaeum Club EW Nichols view of White Mtnsbest fr him, any fault would be lack of vigor and harmony of color. Rogers sculptor statuette groups. Geo L Brown.

5 admires Lincoln v much. J of Commerce treasonous. 7 Eve Post notices Vanity Fair Cartoon Great Iceberg melting

March 16 p. 1 excerpts Knickerbocker, Joel T Headley writing for them, also Mace Sloper’s observations, on a Female Connoisseur, considering improper subjects, trusted a Moral Era was dawning, had been to see Page’s Venus, Wertmullers Danae, Palmer’s Captive, Dubufe’s Adam and Even and Simply Disgusted. This was said to me in a Broadway mock pic auction shop, two hundred Eminent Masters, coll of a gman Going to NJ, woman in raptures with lemon candy view of The Prodigal Son, rather below the level of the worst panel in the Fourth Avenue Cars, will write about it in the Family Pudding of next week, hypocritical morality accounts for son’s prior activities in detial, thus magnificate and elevify young man who ptd it and in whose studio she makes a gd any morning calls. Got it for $5 with frame.

Mar 20 p.2 Fine Arts: private view no ladies, too much crinoline jams, only people who made the pics and those who were capable of judging of their merits. Not as numerous as former yrs, no v large or pretentious ptgs, nor great abudnance of ports. Durand justifies presidency by graceful and exquis transcripts of Am Nautre, Kensett several water views most exquis gradations of quiet color, Whitridge’s Albano greatly praised and McEntee’s Indian Summer remark for truth sentiment.

            Leutze striking compositions inclu Lafayette. Glorious Sunset Gifford, Peel beaut heads children valentine. Huntington’s masterly head late Dr Francis and also Hunts head of Thayer of Newport, head of old gman by Mathew instantly attracts attn, Waldo several interesting ports, graceful touches of Stone in females.

            Beard few fanciful pics afforded much amusement, Bears on a Bender, Astronomer. Wenzler fancy port Secret of consid merit and most truthful and lifelike lscape.

March 22 p.2 A Woman’s Protest, letter to editor from LM, My Dear Mr Post, I have just been reading aloud to some ladies the remarks of your clerk, who writes the things abt art, on the pirvate view, and thought I would ask if he was speaking for you, or the artists, or only for himself. I am a lady and have always been invited before, so among those excluded when as your art man says (he has red hair and has been jilted) only men capable of judging merits.

            I have alw liked your newsppaer because of its poetry and new duties making bonnets dearer, a Republican, if no room for my letter can send it to Harper’s.

            Crowd last yr v disagreeable, but ladies chief frequenters of galleries and generous critics, and they often choose what is bought. Quite a lot of ladies in portraits and subjects.

            Editor says will instantly discharge reporter. 

No baseball, no trials. 26 NAD advertises, as does Wallack’s and Keene’s 

April 3 1861 p. 1 Fine Arts: admires engraved port Edw Everett, Lang’s ic at Goupil’s, in compos of a hist pic the facts must be prominent, whole tone realistic in hgihest degree, demand crit accuracy in detail, archaolog lore, no vague conjectures or fancy. Mary Stuart has hist truth and fidelity, abbey of Fotheringay sucha s Leslie loved to portray, varied costumes, satisfies vraisemblance. Claims of imagination, also needed, to touch the heart, touching epidosdes, a very good thing, artistic grouping, fine play of light and shade.

April 9 p. 1 Fine Arts: Exhib at NAD

            Connoisseurs and artists, genl public, fair sex. Coll not up to usual standard, tho more than one work of signal excellence. Polit affairs weighed on art, and another reason for absence of pics of certain pop artists is because they were hung so badly last year. None by Geo L Brown, Elliot and other favorites, Brown complained of bad light last yr.

            Durand three char pics of genial spirit graceful exec, Gray attn fr his geuine oldmaster touch and color, Page’s Infant Bacchus noticeable for its rich coloring.

            One of most delicious gems is Culprit, work of Eastman Johnson, clever ocpyist of school of Frere. Leutze, Hart, Ehninger, Stone Staggand other well known esteemed have fair examples.  Huntington contributes 13 pics, all excellent, of course. Port Francis attracts attn but inferior in likeness to some others of late physician, expression of mouth is faulty, best one of him in characterization by Geilman at studio on Ninth st, has 3 ports in exhib.

            AH Wenzler well rep, better than last season, alw arrest eye with lifelike expression, stand out fr canvas with steroscopic distinctness, attracts sitters.

            Other less known artists Wydeveld fruit ptr, 3-4 wwell exec, hung so low to escape the eye, light v unfair. Crayons by Saintn, Rowse, Stagg and Mrs Field; Saintin has 16 pics, his ports attract attn fr softness of finish and sentimental treatment. Lawrence in Engl.

Also have Fine arts bits on English and Euro artists, often prices pd.

Apr 13 p. 1 Crawford coll of casts to be presented to city perhaps. Heart of Andes on exhib in Brooklyn

Apr 15 corrects Leslie the artist’s account of a black man from Boston (Leslie a racist clearly)

Apr 17 p. 1 Fine Arts: at Snedecor’s pleasing boy blowing bubles, easy and graceful; Cooper school exhib; Miss Lander sculpture; Schaus pub pamphlet of Frank H Norton notes on this exhib of NAD, appreciative only, a guide.

18 Schaus advertising Cinderella, NAD and Church advert too

20 HC Shumway of Seventh 

Evening Post, NYPL microfilm, April 25, no year 

From partial xeroxes:

Eve Post 13 Jun 1857 NAD Huntington strong in Verplanck, Webster, Carlisle vigorously ptd, Carpenter injured by vicinity of violently ptd ports, sincere truthfulness, best expression, . Greene very good, Darby flat and dull but full of soul, Healy power and genius, S Mount his best, Lang large Frenchy ptgs, Wm O Stone improved, Hall’s Elliott delightful and worthier than his large genre pieces where thought half spoiled by gaudy color and wak expression. Schlegel’s Felinghuysen good. Edmonds never better happy conception in Time to go, Mathews well drawn. Artists only equal to themselves, Elliott, Baker, Gray, Rowse, Bogle, Cafferty, Fisher, Stearns, Flagg, Blondell, Colyer, White Hunt Ehninger Chapman Tait Hays JT Peele Ranney Audubon, Wm Hart Boughton Boutelle Richards, brown Champney. Gray portraits lack freshness but have sweetness, Hagar and Angel v beaut in texture and drapery not wholly felicitous in conception. White’s First Tgiving Hagar well imagined solid careful satisfactory. Peele full of sentiment, repetitious. Tait fine execution and Hays faithful animal ptg. Exhib who fell below themselves: Durand, Leutze Lawrence Shattuck Wagner, Durand usual merits and defects, genial elevated sentiment monotony color and leafage, won’t bear a distant glance. Leutze Rose of Alhambra masterly, but tempting to sharp critics. Lawrence head Van Buren excellent, almost rconcile us to his Bryant. Shattuck not polished, but rare touches of nature. Worse than usual: Cropsey Gignoux Hubbard Perkins Hicks Page Rossiter WS Mount E Johnson Oertel. Hicks aphelion of art in Beecher, no comp with one by Pope of same. Rossiter Venice realizes glory of that city, but his Post offices and Modern Christianity etc an orig idea confusion of all ages and nations. Interested in new artists Hills, Ryder Durrie Eaton Martin Schell Irving Brevoort Thorndike. Ryder v promising. Durrie pleasing winter. Eaton socalled Elliott of West, force. Irving Germanish, Thorndike Mrs Morre amateurs. Boutelle finely felt rainstorm, Tormer small interior astonighsing detail, need only one artist of that sort.

Eve Post 17 Jun 1848 NAD no7: Greenough colossal bust of Christ excellent but unsuited to its position. Haag, Hagen, Miss Anne Hall v beaut, Chester Harding port Danl Webster capital, shadow a little heavy, wish it might be less. Hart too much littleness color hard, groups clever. Havell hard and spotty, tea tray fancy China. Healy great merit, popular, tender and pearly,a ction excellent. Hite, Hubbard subj lscape not felicitous. Huntington 8 pics, pleasing in all of them, port of Brown the sculptor unfavorably hung, happiest manner for Princess Elizabeth, Lady Jane Grey exquis feeling and strong char, sentiment, sweet Hope. Ingham distinctive, fastidious delicacy,