HomeKatz's Unofficial Index to Antebellum New York City NewspapersKatz's Notes on Antebellum New York City NewspapersExpress (New York Daily Express)

Express (New York Daily Express)

New York (Daily) Express, begins July 14, 1836, James Brooks political editor, Whig, Robt Hudson, financial, large morning paper $10 annum.  office at old Tontine Coffee house, Wall and Water st

            appleton’s ad

Nov 1, 1836 p. 2 describes great Whig mtg in Masonic hall, inclu brilliant transparencies in front window of Harrison, flag, officers and soldiers and military exploits, with names of battles inscribed

            Notice of “Unnoticed Merit” multitude of our countrymen of talent and tact (thanks to God and their own industry) who have been almost wholly unnoticed, reminded of this after half hour with Paintings of Jerome Thompson, an Amer artist of no mean capacity.  In his rms, 23 Chamber st, rich ptg representing Miss Wheatley as Shakespeare’s Juliet, sold by the artist for $500.  others and some well-drawn portraits examination of which give pleasure to artist and public.

            Reports that Board of Assistants agreed with Committee on Arts and Sciences to accept petition of Mr Vanderlyn for compensation for being deprived of rear of Rotunda last fall.

Nov 2 p. 2 describes Tammany transparency as allegorical, temple of liberty surmounted by a globe, liberty with staff underneath, names of candidates inscribed

            Notice of Anelli’sPainting:  not rm to notice this ptg as we shd wish, as its merits deserve, but quote a corresp description of the principal grp of the Deluge, approve of the gendered contrast between the manly determination to bear up of the husband and the utter helplessness of the female.  Editor agrees tho thinks the husband is more despairing than resolute, as is rational in his situation.  Also pleased with portraits, thought the family group was live, inimitable boy with bubble, well done portrait of worthy W---.

                        ad p. 3 for Anelli, and for the Barclay St Signers of Dec of Indep

Pro Willis and Hamblin.  Nov 5, p.2 from corresp OPQ, in Switzerland, who hasn’t gazed on picture of Three Liberators taking vow to heaven to keep S free and felt heart leap; cites Fenimore Cooper approvingly.  Critical of J of Commerce for professing half the time to be Whig, when one or both editors alw Jackson men, and now are TammanyVan Buren eds.  Likes Miss Medina.  No poetry.  Publishes ad for Wm Leggett’s Plaindealer. (agrees with abt half of his doctrines, the others too utopian, but ablest polit writer)

Nov 15 p.2 grt pleas inspection of series of exquis engravs illus Ldy Blessingtons splendid new annual, Gems of Beauty. perfection truly matchless productions, pub by Appleton. (the gems are beaut women)

            ad for it says 12 engravs were designed by ET Parris, and illust w/verse by Ldy B

Likes Celeste, puffs Hanington’s dioramas, Harper’s, mild re Ladies Companion

            Notice of the Mirror by D, v amusing engrav of Old Times in Broadway, Osborne’s engrav fr Chapman’s beaut ptg, described by Willis.  Likes all the other writers, Fay, Cox, Morris, Bryant, Dunlap.  Mr Price does their reviews of arts and lit.

Notes with enthusiasm Geo Bancroft of Mass losing his run for election as a newfangled Demo, beaten by Mr Calhoun, the present member.  pro Grinnell.

Corresp is symp to Indians being defrauded by Americans, calls ‘shameful outrage’ vandals who broke into house of Mrs Miller in Reed st, extorted money, and then to Mdmlle Western inDuane st doing same.  Brothels? Nov 22 p. 2

Likes Forrest, notices Audubon.  OPQ attacks Old Europe and associates coming republicanism (vs constitutional monarchies) with Youthful movements; Comm Advertiser doesn’t like OPQ.  Notices Catherwood’s lectures, praises Bengough’s scenery at the National (for Wallack in Byron’s Sardanapalus, poorly attended) Nov 28

Publishes Berkley’s course of empire poem.

Dec 9, notes Thorswalden’s statue of Gottenberg is to be placed at Mayenne; a new caricature of the Spoils Party fr Robinson of Courtlandt st, titled going the whole hog.  pict of large sow, Empire State, ring in nose ductility, litter of office holders sucking and others squealing for a turn, Kinderhook gman looking in (VB) to sty, Dutch farmer critical.

Dec 15 likes Burr’s memoirs.  Notices Cole’s pictures close today (ad p. 3 notes they are the Course of Empire, at Nat Acad at Clinton Hall, 50 cents, til 10 pm), those who haven’t gratified their taste, should.  Calls J of Commerce a tool of Phenix bank.

            ad below for 2 orig ptgs of Adam and Eve shown here 4 yrs ago, at Amer Acad at Barclay st

Dec 17 New Dollar face design by Mr Sully (Liberty with cap, spear, Amer shield) and reverse (eagle on the wing, drawn accurately fr nature, not heraldic) by Mr Titian Peale, executed by Mr Gobrecht.

            -has Aaron Levy auction sales ads for oil ptgs at Arcade Baths, no fiction stories, ltd court coverage

Seems to like Amos Kendall.  Dec 31.  List of books includes mentions of Fairy Book with 81 woodcuts by Adams, NY Book of poetry fr Geo Dearborn, Maria Monk.  Bust of Oliver Ellsworth larger than life for Congress by Wm Augur, native of New Haven, fr the portrait by Col Trumbull

NY Daily Express, NSHS 1837 Wall and Water St $10/yr, Townsend an editor

nov 14 Major downing illus in armchair with axe reading Daily Express 17 p.2 Herald newspaper, A lady who values propriety o decency might as well take into her room the lewdest book or pamphlet of the day as take this register of impiety and indecency and abuse. Few respectable men will buy it in the streets, only read in a corner. Sign of times when Fanny Wright drew crowds, and a mob fr Park drove respectable fr Tammany Hall, approaching French revolution, infidel anarchy 21 p.2 another attack on Herald as like Robespierre, abusing Hoxie

December 1837 Benton is humbug. Differ with Comm Advert over Canada, bcause Express is Republican and they are monarchical

Jan 1 1838 NYHS

notices Catlin’s and Hayward’s picture gallery. 9 notices DR Barker’s portrait ptg studio on Pearl st. Likes Forrest. OPQ is their Euro corresp. 30 Commercial is a Brit newsp, either the animal magnetism maria monkism of senior editor, or high Tory opinions of foreign subordinates

Skipped February. March 1 Webb shouldn’t have fought Cilley, can’t fight all the blackguards, is crazy for duels 10 Catlin’s Osceola colored at Colman’s puffed Mar 12 second of a series on Our Copyright Law and its effects on the Fine Arts in the US, not just writers, impacts our engravers and designers who illustrate books too. 19 ff locofocos defending Delafield of Phenix bank 29 likes Alcott’s works, likes Martineau’s retrospect but not society in america

April 2 4 Amos Butler of mercantile advertiser retiring 6 upcoming Charter elections, NY Whigs must resist the locofocoism of alll Europe, Asia and Africa deluging us 7 Aaron Clark associated with lottery dealings 17 auction law passed by whigs, does away with old monopoly 18 Robinson caricature of Ming and Job Haskell 20 no NAD ad yet 25 dubufe’s ptgs hailed in London 27 martyrdom of Cilley a locofoco trick for anti-duelling states

May 1 1838 no NAD ad yet May 4 p. 2  For the NY Express, Acad of Design by IK, Cole Inman Page. EB  (erastus brooks?) is Wash corresp. 10 Junius has letter condemning in biblical terms the Cherokee removal May 11 p.2 NAD: by Neutral Tint, older generation of Stuart Vanderlyn Trumbull Jarvis superior to present generation, Inman, Ingham, Frothingham, Durand, Page, Huntington, Shegogue, Powell, Fowler, Mooney. 21 don’t really support Clay. Young men are naturally Whigs.

June 1 1838 11 OPQ likes Louis Philippe. Cooper a genius and a blockhead. hates dogs. 25 de Tocqueville is great.29 long article on giraffes on Broadway, a marvel. 30 is last issue in volume. EB mistrusts Calhoun.

July 2 1838 starts new NYHS volume; I skipped July and August. Started up with Sept 5 Jesse Cady, Bleecker et al advertise. Haggety Franklin Hoffman 25 crappy coverage of Fanny Wright in Masonic hall. 29 support Chancellor Dr Mathews agst profs of NYU who were dismissed 12 Great Whig Mtg, James Brooks, Credit is fulcrum of Liberty.

Oct 1838 are getting city advertising. Stopped after the 13th. EB still on western tour in Michigan.

1839 NY Daily Express NYHS volume corner Wall and Water, $10 yr

starts Jan 1, I started with the 10th defends Minturn fr Polyanthos, involvement in death of Miss Missouri, press harnessed to crime and cyprians, Hamblin involved. 17 M from Paris impressed by profusion of public monuments, triumphal arch, allegorical figures of eleg and gandeur, expression, terrible and imposing, obelisk, museums etc 18 Holts hotel now US hotel, run by Yale well

Feb 1839 16 puffs panos. 19 monument to De Witt Clinton obelisk recommended by Assembly. March 2 likes Albion’s engraving of Queen Vic 14 Express, Star and Lit Gazette say scene painter of Park theater, John Evers, should have a benefit. 19 praises Corsair. Colman’s port of Henry Clay by Osgood, also seen one by Linen, to the excellence of which an advert bears testimony, to be exhib at Masonic Hall. Gallery of Ptgs in Barclay st puffed, Dubufe, see ad.

March 23 Port of HI Constable Hays by JH Shegogue, by order of Council, beaut and lifelike. His port of Mayor was excellent but this is superior. 26 Isaac Pray’s play gets a good review 

April 1839 9 Riell’s locofoco hotel on Broome st. 16 Apollo gallery advertises, will close on the 20th. 17 JH Shegogue advertises that friends of ex Mayor Lee (Gideon Lee, Demo) can see his portrait, exquis likeness, true to nature, in his studio. cover the Dixon/Minturn case. 19 puffs the Dubufe gallery closing on the 20th, also advertise  29 The Dispatch penny paper under H Hastings Weld, who for some time conducted the Sun, clever little sheet, strictly neutral. Robinson pro Registry of Voters cartoon.

May 1839 1 Thom Gill just died, started at Eve Post before joining Noah at the Eve Star. No NAD ad. 3 notices Ithiel Town, Peale’s white negroes. minturn an advertiser. 7 glad Col Stone appointed to research in England. Here celeb ptgs by traveler in West will be at Apollo. 8 Dubufe coll to be auctioned. Knick good. 13 A writes a sort of press release for the ptgs at the Apollo, spent an hour on Friday there, delighted, Rocky Mtns, unrivalled scenery of far west,sports of buffalo chase, 18 splendid, trappers and Natives. Also has coll of Old Ptgs by great masters 17 Willis attacking Paulding, Courier and Enquirer defends Paulding its former writer, but Willis is the one who is read 27 SS Osgood and his lady departing for England, pptr of excellent portraits, hi rep in London too, Hon Mrs Norton, Thomas Campbell, excellent likenesses and beaut specimens, Mrs is sweet poetess 28 West ptg may be coming; Danforth bank notes great 31 Leggett’s death

June 1839  11 approves Stephens to replace Leggett. 13 Catlin reopneed. Urge support of Herring’s Apollo, impt men have loaned their pics to it, and Sully’s portrait. 17 Sully’s port and legal q of who has right to exhibit it 20 Expr not a trades union office, independent . likes ellen Tree and Sigourney, mocks Cooper. 29 rejects Eve Post claim that attacks on Cooper are politically motivated. Love birds of America by Audubon. last issue of volume.

July 1839 NYHS volume 2 Robinson caric of Van Buren arrival in city 3 he stayed at Washington hotel 4 Baker, 8 Wall st, another caric of VB. Skipped from 6 to 20 description of Catskill mtn scenery 22 VB is His Democratic Majesty 24 unfortunate accident: Stout’s statue being hoisted on board, tackle gave way, broken completely, valued at $3000 25 Hiram Powers doing Gessner’s Eve.

Aug 1839 7 Tasistro editor of brilliant Expositor tho now dead shouldn’t mind attacks by Park Benjamin as in his letter to the Star, lit journals difficult. skipped fr 9 to 30, then to 6, anti-newsboys, then quit a day or so later.

1840 NYHS volume

Jan 1, I started on 9th. 14 praises correctness ofDwight’s Jefferson, author disappears. likes Marryatt. 25 hardly anyone there for Longfellow at Merc Lib 28 Buckingham seems justified in attacking NY Observer. Jan 23 runs Jon Slick with engraving on 1st page, Life in NY is title

Feb 4 Gouraud’s dags. 10 Jonathan Slick seems to be their creature. 12 puffs Apollo Assoc exhibhas 1000 members—type suggests a press release, faithful copy of Wreck of Medusa worth seeing 14 puffs free exhib of Euro ptgs at Braodway and Chamber st, 300 choicest pics, 45 Guardian Angel alone worth pilgrimage, evenings pay for gas, public sale Thurs, not same as Clark’s exhib 21 Alasco writes that his recent Longfellow crit remarking on his affections and Germanisms, cliques distinguish our criticism, need to improve. Express says real talent will burst thru barriers of cliques and custom eventually. 26 Ponto writes in disagreeing with Alasco, too hard to understand, Longfellow is an ornament. Feb 19 p1 Canova anecdote

March 1840 24 p1 sign ptr of naples  25 cover sons of St Patrick at Niblos. seem pro bloodhounds. 27 puffs Sully’s pic of GW, have visited, truly great, hasn’t done a better, true spirit of the art in the moving army, excellent groupin and likeness, GW younger than usually see, spirit and dignity in attitude, horse alive and proud. praises Sun morn news

April 4 notices Apollo lecture. New World and Bro Jon have big ads. Apollo ad but no NAD 22. 23 letter to editor, systematic expose of American Institute in some daily papers, needed in management esp toward exhibitors, judges ok but managers nfair use it to aggrandize themselves. EB likes Tom Corwin 29 NY Gazettte ended, sold subscribers to J of Commerce, run by John Lang then most recently McCall 30 4000 circulation 30 p1 Harrison on Indian Character

May 1 Lewis Tappan covering Amistad appeal for the Express. brief notice of Fanny Elssler. May 6 card fr Am Inst trustees answered by one fr a Reformist in 7 questioning how they keep accounts, how they judge who is respectable and who isn’t 19 notes sale of valuable ptgs. editor on pilgrimage to North Bend, stops off at Monticello.

June 1 approvingly excerpts Star’s denunciation of Herald, also J of Commerce, foul thing, outrages decencies, invades privacy of family, ridicules relig and morality 2 likes James Lanman in Hunt’s 4 Herald’s ragamuffins as bad 5 more newsboy and Herald 6 more attacks on Herald and encouragement of boycott. Stopped after June 18—volume finished the month.

2 Prosper Wetmores, M and C.

NYHS volume July Dec 1840

July 8 1840 Brackett and Harrison p.2 . They give Ogle’s speech on VB in full. Like Geo Hill. . EB hates Benton. Egbert Benson is their Junius? 28 p.2 more on Brackett

Skipped to September. J of Commerce pretends to be Whig but isn’t. NY Standard revived by John I Mumford, former editor, a scholar, ardor and zeal as when he was a Federalist, but independent. Likes Tasistro, not Alb Brisbane 9 Aristides letter on custom hse. Apollo Assoc is advert. 11 p.2 Fine Arts responds to Greeley.t ons on Bunker Hill. Oct 1 brief notice of Apollo Assoc, hasty visit, delight, so many fine pics, great Allston, subscribe. Stopped after Oct 7. 

Daily Express 1841 NYHS Jan June volume

jumped back to Jan 8, on the 11th liked Genl Gaines and his wife, , stopped on 14th and jumped to 25 1841 28 Glentworth indictment will make Whigs shine brighter than ever 29 puff pano Rome

Feb 1841 likes Arcturus. venerable Trumbull

Stopped at Mar 22.

started April 12 Tyler will be more Whig than Harrison, not locofoco 14 SFB Morse letter in Express yesterday declining nomination for mayor is a forgery. 21 p1 TB Read port of Genl Harrison, excellent full length, free, granite bldg, Thomas B Reed, promise of excellence, fr Cinti, Harrison sat last fall, certificates testify to likeness, certainly has spirit and life, shown in arm chair with newsp in hand, just raised deep and penetrating eyes, two or three other papers opened and read at his feet, open letters (critic of NAD below doesn’t like TB Read) 29 p.1 John Neal on sculpture, with editorial comments, like Neal, think he should have said more on Brackett’s Binding of Satan, tho not perfect, great merit, subj one a genius would widh to master, wants to exhib ascendancy of spiritual over natural, Satanic energy of evil contrasted with angelic goodness, writhing under agony of hatred, angel does not glory in superior strength conscious of possessing it from above. Expresses apparent superiority of evil and actual superiority of goodness, moral char contrasts with phys char, as in Revelations. Remarkable mind and hand.

May 18 p1 NAD prepared for NY Express by an educ and intelligent Foreigner still no NAD ad; gay and encouraging aspect of a v advanced art, doesn’t show that sublime style and pure taste produced by study of masterpieces, or love of art that leads artist to paint to show his talent for invention, represents in its portraits the principle to make money, but exhibits talent and skill and taste. Encourage them to admit copies of masterpieces., be more rigorous in admission. Ought to be free, but govt does less here than in Turkey. don't know any of the artists. Talbot Happy Valley, whole makes a better impression than the specialities, pic is not to be admired, stiff, not carefully elab, Prince looks like a puppet, figs carelessly done, Giraffe badly proportioned, dry trees unnatural, pic at least partly a copy. Shegogue 2 portrait very middling. Canute pretty good. E White very middling. Shegogue 5 insignificant. J Burns v bad, hard, stiff, unnatural, flesh like paper, 6 and 7. 8 Gray too motly portrait. Jewitt view of Hudson gd. Inman group of children, a little ridiculous, 10. Verbryck 11 honorable to painter and ornament to exhib, invention. AD Browere Saul and Witch, inventio poor, hard sharp mediocrity. Chas E Weir 13 port of Doane middling. F Aleander 14 port lady unfin 15 View on Hudson by Jewitt, better than his9. Marchant port should not be exposed 16. Durand portraitmiddling. SA Mount portrait 19 how possible to exhibit 19 Rev Lyman Beecher by Marchant better than his other, 19, pretty good by him. 20 Sterns Cain insignif. Page port of lady stiff style 21 shld not be exhib. RW Weir Columbus fine, invention, expressive, principle a little stiff. TB Read gman insignif 23. Wilson 24 portrait one of best heads. Inman children 25 middling. Inman three ladies charming. Huntington Mercy’s Dream well drawn and finished, invention gd, distinguished. Inman lscape 28 water bad. 29 ? too stiff. Alexander Brothers as no 14. Hicks’ Death’s first visitation, done amiss, rather bad. Marchant flesh too sfot, see 19. 33 port of Cady, good head. WR Hamilton, invention good. A Fisher port pretty gd. Marchant port insignif. 38 A Fisher port worse than his 36, not worth exhibiting. Havell 39 Passaic falls, not worth exhib. 46 Yankee Pedlar, JR Bleecker, not worth exhib. 41 Port Gman Miss J Stewart cant approve taste, too tender and sweet. 42 Gray port better than his 8. 43 Park Benj by E White, middling, face too soft. EW Goodwin port middling. 45 Shegogue Twins better than 2 and 5. Clonney 4th of July, a good idea, v well executed, blue mtns. T Matteson village doctr, stiff unnaturally colored. Mooney 48 port Achment Ben Aman, tout ensemble v gd, face wooden. 49 TB Rread lady better than his 23. Jewitt portrait, should stick to lscapes. WR Hamilton 52 boy and dog same as 34, too hard and stiff. 53 Cider Making Mount, gd, honors and deocrates, invention. Hagan 54 Stump candidate, pretty good. Ingham lady beaut, one fo best heads, first ornaments. 56 Morghen moonlight nothing partic. 57 Sanderson poor. WR Hamilton children 58 figs bad. Gray port pretty good. 60 amateur lady port, distorted. Verbryck 61 cascade, well done but too simple if can do 11. Whitehorn girl stiff and cold. WR Hamilton children 63 disting by stiffness. 64 lady amateur stiff and hard. 65 Blind Harper White, place bad, hard to judge.

May 19 NAD: 66 Shegogue lady middling. Seguin Huron Chief 67 stiff, hard. 68 Canonicus, WJ Bolton, all faces bad, too hard. 69 Winter T Hicks scholar piece. 70 Ingham child whole elab with masterly pencil, beaut but pale and dealthlike, hard eyes, ptd after death. Whitehorn family, as if a sign ptr had done it, gd for fireplace screen. 72 sea by ludlow, unnatural water, prejudicial to exhib like Whitehorn’s 71. His 73 poor stiff. Shegogue 74 stiff and bad. 75 ADO Browere Canonicus, bad,c areless stiff wood. 76 Lscape Coates good. Mooney port of Whitehorn, good plain. 78 Whitehorn boy and rabbit poor. Jewitt portrait, should pt lscapes. GC Thompson port, delicate but cold and prudish Belle, atmosphree too fantastical. 81 Me and my dog, Shegogue, may be bettter. Whitehorn lady stiff and bad. Blondell self port gd. Matteson traveling tinker 84 in a bad style, shoudld not admit. WR Powell port Peter R Livingston, style not to approve, too soft.86 port by Chev Pataxia, stiff hard rigid. Sands port gd. White lady not worth the place. 89 D Stevens by Inman hard, cold. 90 Lscape Livingston too simple and insignif. Powell 91 boyish reverie, Kane, tolerably well done. Thos Thompson NY Packet insignif. Burr port poor. Whitehorn port cant judge. Lazarus port plain, good. Shegogue port poor. Livingston lscape, 77 and 90, stiff and hard. 98 lady in riding dress Inman, arrive after bad middling and v insignif on well elab and charming, does honor to painter. Forte port stiff and hard, Wightman insignif, Eugene by Shegogue, insignif. Sands careful, gd. Novel Reader 103 Matteson scholar piece. 104 Lscape Autumn Eve by JN Bleecker, not worht its place. 105 port gman RA Paulding, flesh too soft, style not to approve. 106 Whitehorn port stiff. GO 107 painter’s children, not as gd as 133, don’t exhib. CE Weir port how possible exhibit? WR Hamilton ports 109, bad and stiff. 110 Cole lscape excellent, masterpiece. F Alexander stiff and poor. 112 Whitehorn turn to wall. EW Goodwin xmas presents, insignif, motly. Shegogue 115 stiff and hard, Nims port middling. J Hoxie moonlight indians 117 laudable subj gd pic, atmosphere fantastical. 116 Nims poor port, Bladel port insignif. Miss J Stewart port 120 diff than 41, careless, taste not to admire. TA Mount port 121 sign painter. 122 Beaumont Hudson too hard.

            Smaller saloon: Havell morning on Conn, gd lscape in v gd style, 123. 124 Cole lscape v gd, red shrubs a little too striking and sharp, not so in France. 125 amateur capture of Andre, gd idea, no exec. SA Mount port artist 126 hard stiff bad. Havell view pretty good, lady in red in foregrd v showily dressed and striking, common fault of fair in this country, ptrs of gd taste shld not imitate. 128 Cole lscape v well. JW Audubon lady 129 in no gd style, 130 Am Deer master in animals, not portraits. Wilson port tastefully elab. Whitehorn port insignif. GO Juliet 133 happily chosen, taste and skill, well drawn, better than 107. Shegogue Calash one of his best but stiff. Page 135 lady stiff and cold,s tyle not praiseworthy, sheep v gd. Marsiglia 136 in a bad style, best is frame. Faliarkie port stiff and cold. CE Weir port pretty gd. Verbryck port Bogart insignif, should not exhib. Port T Whitehorn without any talent, should only paint carpet. 141 LF Clover cabinet pic insig, stiff. Page child insgif hard. Hicks lady 143 not worth crit. Whitehorn port sign painters better. Dickinson 145 port gman in a bad style, as if he had a jaundice, contrasts with blue hair. T Alexander port justice v insignif. 147 RW Wier lscape good. Saraton 148 style not to praise. 149 Furnace CS Gaylord, not bad, too hard. 150 News Boy Inman, v gd pic, idea v gd, drawing correct, bad effect that boy opens his mouth. 152 Swain insignif bad style. 153 Dicinson port better than 145. Port of Cole by Huntington gd 153.

21 p. 1 NAD cont: Morton vgd lscape elegant 155, Verbryck Summer stiff and bad,  Ingham 157 lady best portrait of whole exhib, masterpiece like Winterhalter, Vernet, Sheffer etc, noble and eleg, beauty insignif faults. 159 Whitehorn sign ptr, dreadful. 137? Stanton, disting head, correct eleg, taste talent and love for art. Agate port no gd pic, frame best. Baggs view 162 stiff.JE Freeman port not a praiseworthy manner, eyes staring. Martin pets 166 pretty gd, indiff expr. E White v insignif. Wilgus insignif. T Stearns v insignif. 170 WM Oddie Sea Coast rather incomprehensible, pic v gd. Sexton student piece. LP Clover port 172 slovenly and artless. Blondell port below all crit. Wiljgus port in a bad style. 175 Whitehorn too bad to be crit. Despois port stiff bad. Alonso Fisher port 177 middling. T Hicks port Hart sign ptr. Huntington port v gd pic in gd style. Audubon stiff. Amateur lady port pretty gd. Megary port not gd. A Fisher 183 port beyond all crit. W Gilliard Sunday morning dreadful. 185 Hicks too cold. 131 Huntington not so gd as other port. Sjegpgie 187middling. Gillard port insig. Cole falls of Murda, 189 why in suchy a large and bad form? pic is a good one. 190 A Smith port gman 190 not valuable. Wilson insignif. Freeman port of Whitehorn tolerable. Shegogue Captive tolerable. Mooney port in a b ad style, insignif his 195 port. WG Wall view insignif. TS Agate Christ whole too soft, feminine not expressive, but better than his 161, suspect this one partly copied. Audubon port 198 can’t admire, hard and stiff, should not paint portraits. amateur lady port may do for amatuer. Morein hard and stiff. White a bad pic. Mooney port of McDonald Clarke bad, too staring. WG Wall gd lscape. Shegogue Red Riding Hood 204 without any taste or talent. 205 children Inman middling. CE Weir insignif. GC Thompson 207 port child, how be so blind as to submit this, slovenly. Bladel insignif. Durand children badly done. Stearns boys flying kite v bad 210. Inman port can’t admire. Cook Cold, Stearns port insgi, 214 whitehorne beyond crit, JR Specner stiff, JP Rossiter 216 gman v fine head, elegant. 217 Ingham gman, should not exhib this or 70, best at sweet ladies, flesh too soft, no force. 218 billet doux Gray disting pic, with 224 best of its kind, correct noble elegant taste expression v gd, should not have exhib 8 42 59, think 218 and 224 partly copies, must need assistance. 219 Allston genius 220 Spencer v bad slovenly not exhib. Jagan port insignif. Whitehorn port Freeman, disagreeable and tasteless. Marchant port squinting. Gray 224 Begging secret, see 118. TB Read ruth and Naomi, glad he calls it a sketch,, so should 10 14 1nd 16, good effect. Eyres Sergent by Powell student piece. Saunderson sign ptr port. Nims Joseph Blunt 228 stiff. Banning stiff. Marsiglia John the Baptist, bright colors may bribe public but not connoisseur, tout ensemble too soft and feminine, no force, sheep is best. his julius Caeser is better, invention gd.

            232 An Artist, too modest, v gd port. Powell port 233 not worth crit, Boggs Tughkanie Falls v gde little lscape, taste and talent. 235 SA Mount port stiff and hard. Stanton port one of best heads 236 noble and tasteful an artist, but cold like 160. W Page port cant approve his managing, coloring too tasteless. J Burford Bull middling. 239 landing of columbus hard and coarse

22 p2 editorial NAD: our critic called all sorts of hard names, ability denied, we bdiffer, he may have been too seeping but not biased or disrectful to any one class of artists. Neither he nor public know who labors more or who are self taught etc. Crit on ptg almost a new thing among us, system has been all puffs, favorites without merit blown into notoriety, we have hi regard for NAD and sent competent judge, he is not a Frenchman, bad English doesn’t affect the justice of his crit. 

24 p1 NAD Sculpture Gallery, better to have called it gallery of miniatures, equal any in the world. Likes Cummings, Gimber is poor, likes Fanshaw and Carmichael. Edw Purcell is insignif, as is JW Hill, an amateur’s cousin’s cap, Nims port of Mrs Harner. J Hoxie’s personif of echo bad. 255 Nims insignif. Hill insignif, Purcell’s David bad and slovenly. Varley pretty gd. Allom Hussars, unnatural style. Purcell America distrib her treasures,invention drwg poor. 262 middling. AT Davis gothic villa not disting. Franquinet Harrison portrait, v coarse, under mediocrity. Launitz 271 medalion better than 266? AJ Davis villa tolerable. Allom without talent. Beatty v gd, fine. Baylies useful. Baggs skill. Washburn middling. Weinedel, beaut style and taste. Weiss not worth crit. Smart not smart. Shumway v gd 289 Byron by amateur blue. Miss AD Vail pretty good. Swain valuable. Cummings fine if shrill. Purcell funny and gd invention 294. Fanshaw gd, Miss Frothingham tolerably gd,, Ames not worthy, without talent, Miss Frothingham 299 not to admire. Fanny Elssler in Tarantula Mdme Guillet fine pic, gd style. Libolt middling. WS Mount hard, stiff. GA Baker pretty well. Inman lscape pretty gd. Sketch Weir insignif. Hite v gd. Weindel masterpiece, eleg taste. Mcdougall v gd. Miss Hall v gd, best of female painters. Boggs pretty well. Shumway masterpiece. Burbank fox v gd. Shumway Henry Clay a masterpiece, 322 Fanshaw masterpiece. etc

Crown of miniatures belongs to Fanshaw, Shumway, Weindel, all masterpieces. Sculp busts 331 and 338 ok.

In conclusion: don’t give pics such bad places, can’t judge. if students admitted, put together in one saloon. In oil ptg, Alston most skilful of all, Cole greatest of landscapes, competitive with Europe. Ingham best female ports. Huntington, Inman, Gray and Jewitt are talented. Among young artists, Stanton best, has studied abroad, promising are Sands and Read.

Star is being too crit of Webster. 31 p1 NAD editorial: rec’d two letters approving critique of NAD, corresp D has begun a reply and columns open to him in spirit of fairness, columns not vehicle of personal abuse. Writer has article vindicating himself. Puffing system unjust.

June 2 1841 p. 1 letter fr NAD critic defending himself, correspondents say he favors French and Prussian school too much, this is animosity and partiality, he has published in Europe. not concerned with likenesses. Pics not day laborers works, but plastic arts that elevate life to ideal without deviating from truth and possibility/ Picture must  have deluding appearance of truth, after the laws of beauty and taste. goes on to itemize color drawing etc

 and June 3 p1, denies he favors any one school, gives history of art, Italy

and Jun 7 p1 concludes with Spain, French (became too classical but flourished under Louis Philippe), Dutch and German, none better than another. 8 likes Niblos and Vattemare 16 p.2 puff of ptgs in Lyceum by Isabey et al, of American Victories 21 sublime Bunker Hill monument. I stopped at the 25th.

Daily Express NYHS Jul-Dec volume 1841

defends Am Inst. Dislikes the Standard, which backs the Custom House. 3 puffs Clark’s stopped in to take a peep, Canova’s Venus, recognize style of all the old masters so plainly as to repudiate all idea of deception.. 9 p.1 Gallery of Fine Arts, petition now laid before citizens, a measure for which many are not prepared, some may consider impractiable, but those who have had opportunities to discover he merits of such have agreed it is highly desirable, improvement ot whole community. best works of art haven’t been brought here, 3rd or 4th rate ones have occas appeared, to mitigate the annoyance caused by the flood of worthless trash fr the manuf of Europe, even these have been seen by only a few, and the works of our own artists but poorly represent the art, seems proper to have a petition. tired of hearing no disposition in commun to refined institutions, no just ground, let us know our strength.  Courier attacking Cabinet. Courier and Comm Advert attack Pres, Express still defends.

skipped to Sept 1841. 7  p1 Statue of Elssler, visited Stout’s studio on Sat, highly delighted, ability already exhib in previous productions, but present one far exceeds any of its predecessors. Attitude easy and graceful fr well known scene of La Gitana, where gypsey awakes in apt of Prince, likeness peculiarly striking, whole fig, with drapery of couch, highly finished and beaut in extreme, America may be justly proud. In contemp to give him a public dinner. p.2 Silas Wright is crooked, puffs sale of fine oil ptgs, originals by Titian, Guido Rubens etc at Tiffany et al. LOC 3 cents Evening Express Sept 8, 1841: advert for Mr Stout’s statue of Fanny Elssler at Stuyvesant.

9 reprints Adams’ wants of man 24 puffs pano of Niagara. No apollo ad. Stopped after the 10th.

Library of Congress

NY Portfolio, Box 8, 11 The Express in various forms

3 cents Evening Express Sept 8, 1841: advert for Mr Stout’s statue of Fanny Elssler at Stuyvesant

1842 Eve Expr like Major Downing, describe tableaux vivants at Dickens’ dinner, notices death of McDonald Clark, loves Emerson’s lecture, puffs panorama of Jerusalem. Pro-Clay. Public school petititon to keep system as is in Merchants Exchange the longest one ever seen—thousand names. Notices Clark’s Gallery and another gallery of ancient ptgs. Lots of coverage of the st Patrick Day banquet at City hotel.

1843 (two cents) excerpts fr Ingraham novel (dedic to Ann Stephens).

            March 16, Eve Exp p. 2 Tyler nomination meeting chaotic, factions there for Calhoun, Van Buren, Clay and Tyler, Tabernacle dec with portraits of Washington and Jefferson, when aWard Committee came in with banners and a port of Tyler, greeted with groans, cheers and hisses, when portrait was raised above the heads of the masses, scene was indescribable. Noah, a man of all parties, called mtg to order. Zabriskie spoke, Walsh refused.

p. 3 The Aurora was glowing, overestimates the enthus for Tyler. Standard says it was ludicrous, likes Cushing. Chronicle says Walsh was disgusted.

            Apollo Association, previously noticed them, engraving will be one of best, after Vanderlyn’s Marius, Mount’s Farmer’s Nooning next for 1843. Like the new name AAU.

Daily Express 1842 NYHS

starts Jan 1 1842 7 Herald is like Geo Sand, vitiating morals and society, mankind a set of knaves 12 Merc Lib mtg marked by rowdyism, political bear garden 18 O Brownson is a locofoco, Fanny W in trousers. Trial of Colt covered. 25 praises Apollo Assoc, advert

Feb 3 Ingraham the writer given diplo posit by Tyler 14 EB fr Wash describes Assembly Ball, dance, brilliancy compared to distrib of light and shade in a pic, or statue, bringing out more fully to admirer beauties which really exist but would have remained unobserved, in the form divine 15 condemns Heralds licentiousness, Judge Kent unfortunately overruled in putting Bennett into prison by Aldermen 19 Macdonald Clark, mad poet, committed to asylum 26 NY American is arrogant, malevolent attacks on honorable merchants; Courier also reckless in attacks on priv character. Likes Boz.

March 4 Emerson lecture reported, this is age of reform, stems fr moral sentiments of man 11 John L Graham as postmaster, hasn’t alw been a Whig, but good man. Emerson has vigor and novelty, transcendentalist is the Man-Poet, but wher ein Germany ideality finds itself in Fine Arts etc here it expresses itself in politics or business. No I in our epic poem, multitude submerges it, a material busy body 14 penny press must attempt neutrality to keep large circulation, be all things to all men, so it has no moral power, can achieve no purposes, a pen handled to please all, but no power to thunder out the opinion of masses of men with perfect fearlessness, can't sustain an administration, doesn't have regular readers. Doesn’t have authority of smaller circulation press, only reaches readers of  cheap publications 23 Haggerty will be nom to Liverpool consul 26 American anti-Webster, abolit 31 DA Whiting biased toward Demos

April 5 Whiting got an indictment agst all the Whig press for libel, except Courier 11 Catholic triumph over Protestant schools 14 after election riots need police

May 1842 no NAD ad 6 no opinion on Capt Levy case 14 p. 1 EB on Greenough’s sculp of GW, underwent a learned crit, ex cathedra judgment pased, it was decapitated, the head stuck upon a pole, and all below thrown into bosom ofPotomac; all the work of years damned etc. 19 Dorr is pop despotism 20 Healy, artist of great merit, commission fr King of France to copy Stewart’s celeb pic of GenWashington. humble origin, great genius, studied old masters, esteem of amateurs, many likenesses of nobility 21 Sun Morning News to be run by McLachlan and Stephens, formerly of the Express, McLachlan a principal reporter 25 moving to 112 Broadway

June 16 NAD a corresp is furnishing us with a series of reviews and remarks, haven’t seen it yet ourselves, but seems he is rather crusty. Indeed Cleopatra by Osgood, an artist it has seemed to many as well as us of much merit, he has been so harsh we have been compelled to strike out some of his preliminary remarks. page 1 has the continuation of the crit.  NAD reviews on page 1 of June 15,16,18. 22 p1 anecdote of Audubon. NAD ad, closes on the 4th and review on 23rd, 28th, 30th p. 2.

            reviews may continue—end of the volume.

July 8 1842 p1 NAD review 14 p1 The Broken Miniature MM Noah prospectus for new paper The Union. 30 Apollo Assoc happy success, purchase fr walls of Nat Acad and selection highly creditable to taste and liberality, engr one of best and in line, the highest style of art, fully worth subscription. Similar inst done well in Eng and Scot, here the fine arts can only be supported by means of associations.

Skipped to Sept 1842. gives layout, menu for Dinner with lord ashburton. 7 Rives is useless. 14 Tyler betrayed the Whigs with his Vetos. Unenthus re Preserved Fish. Lots and lots on Webster. 16 praises the newsboys as diligent future Astors, smoking Regalias 21 funny gerrymander cartoon for Ohio 26 Longfellow poem, Tuckerman story 27 death of Riker. don’t see Apollo ad. 29-30 bad shape more bad pages, skipped to Oct 10 lots on Am Inst 12 p2 Fair has Fine Arts by young ladies embroidery, miniatures worth notice fr lady visitors, McDougal of Park Pl have boldness and breadth, also Lund of Nassau st Stopped on 15th.

NY Daily Express NYHS volume Jan-June 1843 (now a penny paper)

starts Jan 2, I skipped to Feb. 27th, p.1 has port engr of Wm Miller, the relig leader, doctrines of world coming to an end, alarmed and alarming sect. Parks Godwin’s Pathfinder, new weekly, ultra demo of philosphic and poetic loco focos, xtianity must be democratised and vice versa, freedom for white, black and red men, ought to add women and small children; full of what is called fine writing. Pub Wiley and Putnam.

            Jesse Hoyt is a defaulter.

March: paper reducing in price fr $10 to $6 yr, 2 cents per issue, cash. 6 Pres nominated Wise as ambassador to France three times, was rejected three times. 8 Bryant poem, covers Emerson critically. J of Commerce speaks language of nature, natural rights, relig of nature, free trade is natural, the largest liberty in all things pertaining to laws, morals, society, trade, manufacture and commerce. Wrong, we must improve on our natural state, approach condition of civilized, regulate and cultivate nature in order to advance, in man and about him. Nature is useless. Catherwood spoke to NYHS. EB in Wash says MCs all getting daguerreotypes done, by P Haas, a gd engraver too; lots of artists here, suffering fr the times. March 15: Apollo Assoc gave report for 1842, $5000 in subscriptions, $2000 went to pictures for distrib, new name is American Art Union, objects praiseworthy 1843 LOC Misc (two cents) excerpts fr Ingraham novel (dedic to Ann Stephens).

            March 16, Eve Exp p. 2 Tyler nomination meeting chaotic, factions there for Calhoun, Van Buren, Clay and Tyler, Tabernacle dec with portraits of Washington and Jefferson, when aWard Committee came in with banners and a port of Tyler, greeted with groans, cheers and hisses, when portrait was raised above the heads of the masses, scene was indescribable. Noah, a man of all parties, called mtg to order. Zabriskie spoke, Walsh refused.

p. 3 The Aurora was glowing, overestimates the enthus for Tyler. Standard says it was ludicrous, likes Cushing. Chronicle says Walsh was disgusted.

            Apollo Association, previously noticed them, engraving will be one of best, after Vanderlyn’s Marius, Mount’s Farmer’s Nooning next for 1843. Like the new name AAU.

 17 revises statement to add that $1200 spent on beaut line engr after Vanderlyn’s Marius, gold medal fr Napoleon. For 1843 engraving Mount’s charming pic Farmers Nooning, in line, highest style. New name better expresses natl char we hope the institution will attain. Covers St Pat Day. 22 loves Willis. Eve Star still supporting Tyler. 28 like Colton on the Indians 29 loves Stephens’ Yucatan and Catherwood

April 5 NY American adopting cash plan of 2 cents a paper, only $10 subscrip papers left are Eve Post, Courier & Enquirer, J of Commerce and Comm Advert. New weekly Anglo American by AD Paterson advertises. 8 Henry Russell sang my Mother’s portrait 10 critical of Dickens views on America; Snelling ed of Sunday Times in Tombs for libel on Barnum 13 Boggs the city editor of Eve Post elected Alderman; Park Theatre’s play Merchant and the Clerks feeble, localized but unlike, melodramatic and jejune, Henry Placide only passable feature 21 no NAD ad so far 24 says Herald police reporter took a $50 bribe, Money Market reporter received the same to decry State of Ohio  St Geo dinner  Lots on the Plebeian, and the Aurora as Tyler organ. Seem to be Sabbatarians. take a letter fr NY Amer critical of taking Texas. 29 Morning Express now. Hoyt and his locofoco allies attacking the Express for last two years, Express was right about his defalcation

May 1 p.2 NAD: now open in Society library bldg, fr rapid survey of rooms yesterday during a v hurried visit, will compare in attractiveness v favorably with any prev year. 3-400 pics, a third portraits, rest lscapes historical and other compositions. Among pics noticeable at a glance, Durand’s Sunset on the Lake, Whitehorne’s port of a young Lady with the reflected face in the mirror (A bride full of blushes just lingering to take One look at her mirror at night ere she goes”), Leutze’s Return of Columbus in Chains to Cadiz, Page’s portrait of A Page, a Magdalen by Whitehorne, a Shepherd boy by Huntington, Washington and Harvey Birch fr the Spy by Durand, port by Shegogue, Rose of the Alhambra by Launitz, several highly finished ports in Inman’s best style. See advertisement. 3 Harper’s trying to get subscriptions for large scale versions of Catherwood’s drwgs, they are on exhib at the Uni

May 4 p.2 NAD we’ve had another hasty visit to Gallery, but lowering dark day, light not sufficient to play the critic. Spent half an hour before exquis 100, Leutze’s Return to Cadiz, indeed a pic for an Amer to study, suggestive of thoughts and reflections of a deeply interesting nature. It is a history in itself, and but one master hand has ever touched the char of Columbus to an issue half so delicate (Irving’s) . What an illus of the history is the pic!  calm reliance on the verdict of posterity agst his persecutors, remembrance of what he had done, and of what never could be taken away from him by his enemies, tho his enemies were his entire generation are depicted by the artist on that fine and thoughtful, yet elevated and proud countenance w/ wonderful exactness. It is a bio, and tells a story at once full of incidentand the elements of a char full of the loftiest and most magnif traits. As an artificial production, it would challenge respectful attn, but the rules of art are forgotten in  the rush of natural impulse which comes over the mind of every observer as eye first falls on noble pic, and tho he came to carp, he is spellbound to stay and study, linger and admire.

May 9 Amer Sculpture:  magnif art outstripped all others in this country in numbers and accomplishment, Powers, Clevenger, brackett, incomparable Greenough, last is in wash supervising the removal of his immortal Statue of Washf r the Rotunda. Clevenger doing Lady of the Lake and an Indian Warrior, bust of Gen Harrison here for $300. Powers a prof in acad of Art in Florence, model of his Greek Captive and eve in marble. Brackett head of Channing highly spoke of, man of fancy like him shld get ahelping hand to enable him to study in best schools. Endicott beaut lithos of boats. 12 Fourierism destroys the home. 15 praises Albion’s gallery of portraits 20 running CD Stuart series on Trinity’s churchyard, Like Hutchinson family. 26 praise True Sun 29 OPQ of Aurora is J Spencer of the Treasury? No, JE Harvey, a toady of his, and corresp Birds Eye is  is FHD 31 Fine Arts puffs sale of oil ptgs by Chas Smith, Wouverman, Chapman and other pop artists

June 2 p.1 1843 For the Express, NAD no 1: TB Read an imitator of Chapman. Livingston a rival of Cole and Durand. JG Clonney truly admirable. Powell clearly and vigorously ptd. Rousseau hard dry bloodless Fink not in gd taste (flesh) and unlike Raphael Flagg gives women ungraceful unbecoming positionsn Whitehorne striking, universal fave. Jenkins disagreeable subj Durand hard to find fault with Inman, no one finer. Shegogue, long admired Freeman. Gray hand v badly drwn ptd. Agate much to our taste. Megary too low toned for exhib, use more prim color. Huntington bold and vigorous. Cole at first disappointing but get it. Baker beaut concept.

June 8 p1 NAD Whitehorne, Ingham’s channing, Livingston, Gignoux, GW Flagg too pretty, Shegogue tasteful, Havell cold, Fink copy of nature, clumsy, Andrews, JW Audubon vg, Durand delightful, Leutze Columbus best spec of mod art, except color, Gignoux fearless, Audubon new pleasure, Powell too voluptuous, Marchant lots of tolerable portraits, don’t admire any, oily, Stearns, Loomis hard commonplace, Havell clever, Cole admirable, Miss Clifton monstrous, Bronson cabinet port all have Organ of approbativeness large, Gray presumptious, T Hicks fine promise, Rolfe wonderful medley of grimace distortion and humbug, Sully paints the soul, Page port v elab yet heavy, tints tormented, stiff and disagreeable, heard he labored on it. Powers, Gray decidedly bad

Jun 7 don’t support Irish repeal, just a Catholic church maneuver. Trib, Sun and Plebeian support it. New England Bunker’s Hill mtg, Hoxie, Col Stone, Simeon Draper

Jun 14 p.1 NAD Burford below mediocrity, Hoppins well but humans bad, Talbot rather cold, Shegogue well, LP Clover nothing gd about it, Ross swollen Sully beaut, Amateur Riding party puerile Shaw lscape tea tray style, his all alike, Rousseau Elssler we are not so gullible. Page port lady v gd, Whitehorne, Hubbard pleasing, Allston, masterwork, Cropsey passable, Heed out of joint, Jewett well, Durand too sameness, Shegogue pleasing, Chapman sisters agreeable, Bronson gman complacency and chocolate. Mooney port of Seward, in bad humor, well ptd accessories, “defy any one to equal tha document under the Governor’s hand for deceptiveness of appearance.” Cole brilliant but ineffective, Page Ecce Homo, should never have exposed this pic, his model is bad, every one knows he has no ideality, copied its defects and individualities too faithfully, flesh bloodless, expression anything but what it should have been. CG Thompson v gd, Bronson defective, Hagen all bad, D Huntington mellow, Chapman too unreal, Hicks perfect, VG Audubon singularly gd, Haskell pleasing, Self port of Page, fine and noble head, with a Grecian air, Hubbard brilliant, Gignoux fine, master, Wilson badly drawn, E White commonplace, Doughty not pleasing (eds entirely dissent on truest and loveliest pics fr his pencil), Bondfield wants air, Edmonds stealing milk describes plot, D Bronson only fine portrait, Marchant muddy, Chapman pleasing, Didier juvenile

Jun 15 Tyler refuses in the end the invit to speak to NY hist soc, proffered by frelinghuysen, Hawkes, Ogden Hoffman etc when mayor Robt Morris and others of his party urge him 21 Webster speech at Bunker Hill, draper et al in attendance. Long reviews of Niblos 27 Plebeian attacks puritans, new england men, bunker hill; are irish lovers 30 last issue in volume

NYHS 1843 July-Dec volume

July 4 Bowling green ftn beaut, design is a natural yet bold conception, on talented and ingenious Renwick, pile o rocks selected by man of taste, where he would put his residence 14 Fanny osgood, Plebeian is Van Buren org. Tribute to Allston by NAD, Morse announcement and resolution, ask Verplanck to give eulogy and Edmonds Gray and Chapman will get a bust 15 London corresp visits Brit museum, describes statuary. 

Stopped at July 17th, skipped to Aug 23, then skipped more or less to Nov 24. Likes Sadd’s  version of Stuart’s GW for Albion. Big fan of Ole Bull

Dec 2 mad that Irvin of St Andrews society gave exclusive coverage of their banquet to Herald. Expr has covered the Native Amer mtgs. 13 their Jonathan Slice doing High Life in NY 23 lots on Pilgrim day. ends 30th

NY Morning Express 2 cents, 112 Broadway, Townsend & Brooks

Aug 5, 1843, p. 2 likes Bro Jonathan, notices JB Dodge Port of Clay, likeness best we’ve seen, artist of city, traveled to KY, perfect picture, to be engr, at Wms & Stevens on Broadway. skips to Aug 16. fiction on first page.

NYHS volume Jan-June 1844

Started at March 30 covers Tyler mtg at Shakespeare hotel, ports of all the presidents with arms of their states hung around the hall, Captain Levy of US Navy, Tasistro, John L Grahm Robt C Wetmore, Geo Washington Dixon sang, Geo D Strong, Purdy Anson Herrick. satire? anti-immed annexation

April likes Wyckoff on Elssler. 4 Extra recommends Anthony & Edwards gallery of national miniatures/daguerreotypes 6 p1 Statuary for Capitol, Persico 8 Fourier’s bday celeb 10 Cozzens celeb victory in American hotel. says Nat am party sprang fr disaffected at Tammany hall 16 puffs Clarks sale of ptgs. Junius tracts—Whig 24 John W Edmonds speak at anti annex mtg 25 extra express, NAD Edmonds Mount Weir 27 EB in Wash notices Clay letter, frank manly patriotic noble, must satisfy all men of liberal and just opinions in all pars of the country, agst annex 29 gives letter. don't see NAD ad

May 1844: puffs sale of ptgs, been here for five years in Granite bldgs. love Frelinghuysen. 13 notice port of him by Peale 14 can get Clay medallion either in Roman costume or in citizens’ dress, $5 17 Cassisu Clay letter, friend of Union as it is, no TX

20 p.1 NAD May 20 NAD: accustomed to notice exhib, and shall contineu mention such works of art deemed worthy. by far the grteatest number of pics beneath crit, older artists left the field, places supplied by tyros, school boy attempts. N Jocelyn 2 and 57, head of a child, well ptd but cadaverous, fine head of Silliman clear and warm. John Rolfe no 1, culprit like air, titled Expectation, but loss at story. 4 a copy by same artist fr last year, and his portraits 97 269 not worthy of notice. M Livingston 5, Clove Road, Catskill respectable, 17 Sylvan Lake bright and clear, 34 no doubt truthful but not remarkable, 41 Ox bow, 86 Clove again, 401 clump of trees, all clever, not striking. HP Gray 6 low toned after Titian, 28 Magdalen by no means admirable, portraits about as much as one can say of this class. PP Lawson 11 port clear and clean, but not pleasing. GW Jenkins 14, good compos, harmonious. JT Harris 19 136 in close pursuit of shadows, hasn’t overtaken. Cropsey 24 dark and stormy, admirably ptd, 68 View in Orange county, labored and studied view fr nature not done in a day, not discreditable to Cole. 111 view of ruins clear cool light. 317 Greenwood and 318 falls not inferior, very promising. JH Cafferty 27 view light and beaut, worthy of much praise. 33 Port of gman with pen and ledger, if had been ptd measuring a yard of tape wld have been quite as pictque, J Pine.

            Durand 36 Solitary Oak, pleasing, beaut, so rich and mellow a light hardly fr so white a sun. 134 lscape cool and silvery, 181 244 258 and 343 all faultless, studies fr nature remarkable for closeness copies effects of light air and distance. Ports amiable air but tame. GPA Healy man standing. 97 Bishop Onderdonk, Boyle, artist should look at Inman’s 62. to be cont.

21 impeach Tyler, Bennett and Stone versus Bishop Hughes 22 letter to ed re ptg by Jerome Thompson p1., crit in various papers on his pic at NAD, sever remarks are harsh and unmerited, placed too high, so distorted, his 130, makes it appear chalky and hard, distorts drawing by giving it foreshortened appearance. At proper focal dist, would have commanded universal admiration as a chef d'ouvre. Costume is designed in character, with life like truth. TX will lead to war with Mexico. masthead lists Wm B Townsend and James and Erastus Brooks.lots of Webster speeches. Polk cant be elected

June 1 p1 NAD cont. women read the Herald and worst French novels 3 graphic scene worthy of Darley’s pencil 10 NAD is advertising 11 Dick celeb engr on Fulton st stabbed by former employee Morgan Campbell. Willis abused unjustly 13 p1 NAD 17 p2 Wash mon assoc has chosen  plan of Calvin Pollard architect of this city and raising funds 20 Inman sailed stopped at 26th

could use spring 1845 too.

LOC volume skips to Jan 3 1845, Wm B Townsend, James Erastus Brooks, editors skips to Jan 27, skip to 29,  to 31st.  Cover the trial of Bishop Onderdonk accused of impropriety with parishioners’ wives, found guilty. fairly detailed!  Not enthusiastic abt annex Tx; dislike anti-renters. Skips to Feb 3. Skips to Feb 14, notes merger of Chas King’s American with the C&E, says subscription sheets are doomed, lack enterprise.  King will do some lit stuff for them, brings with him Raymond and Daniels. Praises and publishes Cassius Clay, as a rebuke to the abolitionists!  Skips to Feb 28, skips to March 3.  Praises Poe’s talk at the Society Library.  Only a little theatre coverage.  Skips to Mar 7. skips to Mar 12.  Didn’t like Tyler much.  A bit wary of Polk.  Think Mexico has been dealt badly with. Skips to Mar 14. skips to Mar 19.  critical of the Hutchinson family doing ultra abolitionist songs.  Skips to Mar 24. excerpts Columbian mag.  A little skeptical of Graham’s.

Skips to Apr 4. doubts opera will succeed; the fashionable too fickle. skips to Apr 9. skips to Apr 14. skips to May 7. skips to Spt 18. Notices Waldo & Jewett of Cortlandt st ptd portrait of Ex-Mayor Harper (a fave of C&E, but allied with Native Americans?) Skips to Dec 25. Dec 29 p. 1 cites Mrs Osgood.  Notes Mr Cummings the ptr wants to found Schl of Des in city; thought there were two already, one with NAD the other with the Mechanics Institute.  Notes Joel Hart sculptor of KY is at Astor Hse with his bust of Clay, doing a statue for ladies of VA.

1846

Jan 1 1846, p. 1, a corresp says Jos Bonaparte’s pictures won’t be exhib here, but a Titian of a character that can’t be displayed publicly sold for 1200 pounds in London, one of his best, but of a grossness that meant didn’t realize what that would entitle it to.  Skips to Jan 3.  Notes Poe has left Broadway Journal.  Frequently responds to John O’Sullivan’s (NY?) Morning News, and Slamm’s NY? Globe, the more working class Demo paper to the Evening Post’s upper class. Anti the native Amer movement.  Puffs Plumbe’s large portraits from C&E.  Jan 9, 1846, p. 1 corresp fr Cinti CRE notes that Lester’s ‘Conversations with Powers’ created a sensation due to their local assns, astonishing how many people now claim to have known him.  he’s freq seen P’s first bust, Cath Foote, likeness is still perfect, and his last, Proserpine in Carey’s coll in Phila and agree with artist that re excellence and finish of his first bust, still unsurpassed.  Notes that corresp of C&E gives anecdote which is surpressed in the Conversations, perhaps because actors still alive, but he tells popular version:  have here an amateur Artist, old cit, highly intelligent, inveterate punster and critic, so hypercritical he’d take a tape measure to Apollo, and criticizes the marble Powers used for Eve, saying it should have been “dusky Eve.”  Powers modeled a wax fig of Alex Drake, pop comedian, for Dourfeuille’s Museum, both exhib on stage, audience couldn’t tell which was which, but Mr S criticized--so they tricked him with a live figure, abt which he said the face was caricatured.  Correspondent also says sd to hear Henry Inman sick, that his brother and friends in city were hoping for a visit.  Mr Soule the leading portraitist here, thinks of going to DC fr inducements by leading men.  Other artists busy.  Mrs Spencer, formerly Miss Martin who a few yrs ago created such a sensation in the world of Art, is in Columbus, and Beard left for NYC.  In company of amateur and professional artists, the corresp visited Stanley & Dickerman’s rms, Indian pictures, Stanley young industrious ptd fr sketches in the West, merit of mirror to nature, and competent judges say better than Catlin’s.  Only one pro sculptor now, Thomas J Jones, tho successful amateurs, inclu a lady.   Jones much merit did Clay bust for Whigs in 1844, much admired faithful likeness, (copy is on Minturn and Grinnell’s steamship the H Clay) modeling now for cathedral.

Jan 10 p. 2 Puffs a beaut sculpt of Franklin, carved with penknife in alabaster by 14yr old in 3rd Ward, most perfect manner and keeping, Richd Dunphy. masterpiece. shd be encouraged.  Skips fr Jan 16 to 19. p.2 long obit for Henry Inman, poetic tribute fr Tennyson, artist, poet, scholar, friend, man, truly portrayed Nature in so many aspects.  endeared himself to all who knew him, qualities of true man, genial, eloquent, cultivated well stored, suggestive philosophy, wit, humor, illust anecdote, enjoy life.  Fame breathed on his easel, one of elect of genius, divided devotedness to Nature and his Art.  was an Odd Fellow.  pallbearers all Academicians.

Jan 20 p. 2 Harvey’s Ptgs: 11 Park place, fifty productions of Geo Harvey, ANA, oil for sale, various character, alm entire uniformity in merit, preference of connoisseur arises less f rest pict than fr taste in subject.  Shd choose two still lifes, so exquis true to nature to most minute detail, temptingly done, plucked not ptd, mouth water.  Publishing lrge pictorial wk, illus prog of civ in US and Canada, large cabinet size ptgs, western woods in season, nobles, lux elegant refined and intellectual

Jan 21 p. 1 letter fr Friend of Fine Arts praising beaut bust on granite block at entrance to Exchange, transcendant merit, gd taste of directors, exquisite--artist?

Skips fr 23 to 27.fr 29 to 31. Has pretty much entirely ignored the Herald in his roundup of city papers,  notes his cowhiding.  Likes Jack Downing.

Feb 3, 1846. p.1 Inman gallery tickets selling well at Art Union rms, in Broadway, oppos Hospital, not at the Academy. skips to 5th. notes Thomas S Cmmings elected Prof of Arts of Design in NU Univ unanimously.. skips fr 6 to 9.  Feb 11 p. 1 Gaspard Ottaviana vs Joseph  B Burke. plaintiff, an Italian artist, action agst pastor of new Cath church St Columbo on 25th st, for note of $96, balance due for large ptgs of scriptural scenes on inner walls of church, defence is that work not properly executed, which is denied.

Feb 13 1846 p. 1 Rose Standish, Tableaux Vivans; or Living Pictures, The Statue of Love. Feb 14 p. 3 Hse of Representatives: Campbell of NY resolved find artist to finish panel for Rotunda left incomplete by Inman, if will cost no more.  Inman had rec’d $6000 of $10,000 allotted; his pupil Huntington offered to finish panel for remaining amt.  CJ Ingersoll didn’t like the resolution, thought there were as gd ptrs as Huntington.  JR Ingersoll agreed it wasn’t gd economy.  Sd there was hardly anything in the capitol deserving name of art, even relievos had not left the poor Indian room to die in. Had seen works by Huntington of the highest character, but none, by Inman, of an historical character.  Adams thought it bad policy for one ptg to be done by two people. Money secondary to having a work worthy of the nation, shd be open to genl competition. Winthrop of ME sent it to committee to see how much progress Inman had made, if competition would be expedient, and Schenck of OH proposed they also look into expediency of employing H Powers to exec a piece of statuary illus some grt national event.  Express is v crit of Chas J Ingersoll in this debate. (Schenck and Ingersoll political enemies anyway)

Critical  of Cornelius Mathews. Lots of puffs of Inman.  Advert for Peale’s C of D, Broadway and Leonard st.; Chilton and White daguerreotypes.  Notes C&E and now Mirror have shown how Herald’s praise of artistes (eg de Meyer) is plagiarized from reviews of Handel, or Goethe, in Blackwoods, or Broadway Journal;  calls it part of Herald’s blackmail of artists

Feb 24 p. 3, covers Rev Orville Dewey of NY’s sermon in Hse of Reps DC, final paragraphs a just crit of art in grounds of Capitol and exhibits Washington in the loftiest position of moral greatness.  Greenough’s statue so much abused as doesn’t put him on prancing steed, or battle, or cares of state, but true ideal of GW enters so necessarily into an estimate of his character that an effort to embody it worthy of public commendation not censure.  Dewey: his greatness was that better sentiments were his governing principles. Duty, principle, is what the sculptor has set forth by showing one hand surrendering sword of command and power to his country, other pointing his allegiance to heaven.  This is sublime xtian greatness Napoleon et al incapable of.  Corresp is EB (Erastus Brooks?)

Feb 27 p. 3 Phelps of Vermont in Senate asked erection of equestrian statue to GW by H Powers.  Some Evening Expresses bound up with Morning.

Skips fr Mar 5 to 11, Eve Express p. 3 notices Brackett young native sculptor success in Boston in town at Hotel Julien doing busts. Skips fr 12 to 16, p. 2 rumor fr DC of putting Inman panel of Rotunda up for competition, making a prize affair of it.  nothing more preposterous, tried in London for Hses of Parliament cartoons, best artists refused to try, only unemployed sent designs.  Same here.  Men like Huntington and Sully never submit to decision of appraisers over whom personal and polit influ might have more effect than artistical merit, endangering reputation and interest of the artist, nor spend years creating a piece that might be rejected.  A rejection would doom rising artist to absolute and positive ruin of his reputation.  Result would be a poor  unworthy picture, conferring undeserved success on artist of inferior grade, and comparative injury to disappointed.  Let a gd artist be employed whose works are known, will do honor.  Country shouldn’t offer prizes like a charity schl, small business.  US able to pay 10 thou for a gd picture, gmen of committee not so ignorant of our arts and artists that they can’t pick a man of tried genius.

Skips fr 17 to 21.  Notices Audubon--highly ornamental, fashionable as none but wealth and intellectual taste can possess it, useful to readers of natural history as well as student and man of science, national as preserves No Amer rapidly becoming extinct before prog of civiliz.  Noah’s Messenger likes Poe, Express thinks his criticism is too caustic.

J of  Commerce a Polk paper, or at least anti-Clay.  Express seems to have been firmly Clay. 

Apr 1 p. 2 notices West’s Christ Healing the Sick crowded solemn admirers, truly magnif ptg, in he church, fr Natl Intelligencer. Skips Apr 2. Skips fr 3 to 6.  Apr 7 p. 1 notices the News exulting over Hawthorne’s patronage job, Express in past has asserted that most of the intelligentsia, writers, etc are Whigs, and cites French Revolution as example of a revolution run by poets, here the Middle Interests and sound common sense are Whigs.

Native party supports Cozzens for Mayor?  Argues voting for a Native candidate rather than Whig is like giving the office to Tammany.  Skips Apr 13. Apr 15 p. 3 Evening Express, Powers denounces recent work published in NY by C Edw Lester in following letter to Saml Yorke Atlee in DC, pubd in Western Continent of April 11th.  It’s the Conversations with Powers in his studio--Lester published things meant to be private, put words and sentiment into my mouth, made an apology which is destitute of truth foolish and ridiculous, circumstances are falsehoods, did not revise nor correct manuscript.  Made me use pompous vulgar language, lasting disgrace to my memory, will correct the volume he owns

Apr 16 p. 1 Eve Exp, Card fr Lester: motives gd, did not intend to injure Powers, , but render art and artist a service, and press has not criticized the comments he made in the Conversations.  An unworthy source accused him of fabricating the Life of Powers, he ignores his enemies, but in case of Powers’ letter, he must refute, has the manuscript and publishes letters fr Powers, saying he wants to avoid discussions of his opinions, so does not want to seem like he wrote the Conversations, conceal that he used naked female models because of prejudice in US.  Editor says Lester’s defense/evidence is credible.

Skips to 28th. Then to May 2.

So. Americans and Irish can’t be republicans, not born to it. Supports tariff, seemingly, agst free traders at Eve Post.  No poetry, really, not much fiction, mostly all national news. Skips to May 13th, then to 18th, then to 23rd, skips the 26th

Skips June 1, 1846, June 2. Jun 6, Eve Expr, p. 3 Chas Edw Lester, Consul at Genoa vs Thomas Smith, for assault and battery.  Thos CN Smith a wealthy citizen of Ohio took offense at words of mrs Lester, punched CE, who was awarded $500.  Skips to the 10th..  Skips the 11th. Skips fr 12th to 16th.  J of Commerce also coming out for free trade.  Skips the 19th. Excerpts a story by Mrs. Ellett.  Poe’s Literati of NY in Godey’s attacks Thomas Dunn English, who responds in the Mirror; Express thinks TD English is even more caustic than Poe.  Skips the 28th-29th

July 1, Morning Expr, p. 2. Supports Catlin’s offer to Congress to buy his gallery.  Notices Flagg’s beaut pict of Shylock and Jessica, which they’ve praised before, is up for a $5 raffle, worth $300.  Approves of H Raymond.  Likes Spirit of the times a lot.  Story fr Graham’s now.  Critical of alcohol booths in Park, mayor won’t stop it, a tool of party.  Likes exMayor Harper, and his publishing firm, hires women.  July 11, p. 3, Eve Express, proposed Morse shd get Rotunda panel, petition for this signed by Durand, P Hone, James Harper, Jon Goodhue, Judge Edmonds (the spiritualist!), Verplanck, Mapes, artists Elliott, Cummings, Chapman, Ingham, Cropsey and Shumway.  Healy, disting young artist, asked by Bostonians to paint Webster defending Washington treaty before the Senate.  Other than Plumbe, doesn’t notice advertisers much.

Skips fr 18 to 22.  ‘go ahead’ is fr Davy Crockett. As usual loves Columbian mag, its spirited embellishments, ORmsby engr fr ptg by Ward.  Cautious re Godey’s has gd sketch of artist Huntington and his style, spirited engr by Dick, more Poe.  Dismissive of Graham’s.  Jul 28 p. 2 another puff of young sculptor Richd Dunphy, who did Franklin with a penknife, now has port of his friend James Lawson Stafford, in marble, first attempt fr life, judge grace of position, form, likeness, merit.  unfinished cameos promising.  extraord first efforts, no instruction, 283 third ave.

Jul 29 p. 2 meaningless correction fr Tribune that Healy is ptg Webster delivering a tariff speech agst Hayne, rather than defending a treaty, says there would be no diff in the ptg itself.   Note on Lester-Powers, Calvert friend of Powers long statement in Eve Post, with testimony of patrons Smith and Longworth, case is strong agst honor of Lester.  Hope it can be resolved so both are fair fame.  Skips the 30th.

Missing Aug 3.  notices GW Dixon skeptically, Longworth and Melville favorably, skips fr Aug 5 to 12.  Aug 15 notes litho of Major Ringgold, had earlier noticed image of him in a periodical positively, excellent likeness full length pub in Baltimore. notes arrival of marble statue of Stephen Girard by Fr artist Gevecot

Thinks Trib is alienating Dems who would otherwise be Whigs. 

Skips fr Aug 24 to Sept 4.  Defends the Keans and the Park fr attack by Eve Post, which says Park has been bad to Forrest.  Sept 11 p. 3 Eve Express notices Christ Healing the Sick, fr Albany Herald, at Methodist church there, more imaginative skill than ever seen, even if he had nature before him. Skips to 14th, skips 15th, Sept 16 p. 2 Mary O Cannon arrested on charge of stealing picture $3 fr Horace Thayer of Second Ave.  generally fond of Puritans, Carlyle, New England, hostile to Empire, and Californians.  Supports Whig candidate for Gov, Young, tho not their choice (preferred Fillmore?), but he has Whig principles, so can’t leave party on basis of men Skips fr 26th to 30th, p. 3, Eve Express, Amer Artist Vanderlyn arrived, hope he’ll exhibit his Landing of Columbus.  Gives list of picts bought by Amer AU so far, inclu at top Huntington, Durand, Hinckley, Doughty, Terry, Innes, Le Clear, Gignoux, Harry, Bingham, Cropsey Cole, Hamilton, Powell, Cranch, Ranney, TA Richards, Boutell, BM McConkey, Peele, Bonfield, Williams

Sips to Oct 7, skips to 10, p. 2.  Promise to review Vanderlyn’s ptg when he shows it, say what’s what.  unimpressed by Yankee Doodle.  notice a magnif coll imported oil pts in Chambers st gallery at Braodway, selected in Euro by gman of taste, for gmen with fine residences.  I don’t see the ad.  Notices Am Inst Fair considerably.

Skips to Oct 16, skips to 20th, p. 1 Eve Expr, notices Columbian ed John Inman, Osgood et al, gd engr fr picture by Hicks.  Notices Vanderlyn’s exhib, v highest terms, superb work of art, one of best ever prod’d by an Amer, many beauties, who love true beaut.  puffs auction again too. Skips to 22, then to Oct 27.  love Dickens of course. p. 6, letter fr Viator re Powell’s Columbus, need societies promote enourage arts, so native talent fostered, infant genius guided into correct refine taste, at present our artists must seek instr in other lands, immortal productions of master minds of old, fit themselves for contest with glory of the past.  Recent arrival of Powell with beaut pict of interview betw Columbus and Cardinal Fonseca, unmingled satisfaction, eviences of talent matured by experience, happy influence of  astudy of morals, homage of centuries.  Ptd in Italy, assns of classic land, favorable for subj interesting to Americans, written abt by Prescott, noble attitude, prelate in pomp, tells story clearlyl, happy pictque effect of grouping, brilliancy of coloring, beauty of composition, compare advantageously with any recent productions, thanks to liberality of one of our citizens, monument of Amer genius will stay here, now in his studio, also other works of his fancy, on Broadway.  Oct 28 p. 2 notes ad fr Dubouryal, has studio here, disting artist, miniature pors, exceedingly fine, in DC patronized by Webster, Calhoun, has copies, also of French beauties also does paper in sketchy masterly manner, 274 Broadway.

Skips fr Oct 30 to Nov 4, notices Upjohn the architect. prefers Winthrop to Sumner. Skips fr 7 to 13, fr 14 to 19, then skips to Dec 1, 1846

Skips to Dec 5, Eve Expr, p. 1 regularly notes book auctions, also a reminiscence that never attend a picture auction without recalling Aaron Levy in his prime, sell 500-600 pictures weekly, gd picts freq offered, purchased to gratify refined taste in those days.  today most are comparatively worthless and purchased by spectators, Colman gallery sold last Friday, some of best in years.  Prices:  water view by R Wilson, 47.50, a pleasing Innes $42, a still life by Harvey $9, a Ruysdael $62. 50, lscape by King, a copy of a Wilson by Talbot

            calls attn to ad for sale in Granite Bldgs, better than for many yrs, exceedingly beaut, attrib to old masters but don’t know on what grounds. 

p. 3 notices Chas F Hoffman approvingly. Anecdotes of Art Union: a compliment to Matteson’s Sugar Making, an unsophisticated provincial admires it.  Story also abt a flower piece by Geo Harvey being won by someone who owned others of his

Skips fr Dec 7 to the 15th, puffs AAU more, notices Cropsey on a masterpiece, Elliott port of Mt and Austin the auctioneer, Durand a splendid, admired by artists, Cole Cross and World, Beard Last of his race, v promising, Edmonds Christ weeping will add to his rep.  Candidates for Rotunda are Morse, Mount Huntington and Beard.  Notes exhib of Brown’s statuary.   Vanderlyn ad p. 3

p. 2 Vanderlyn’s ptg a grand noble work honor, highest ornaments, central grp exceedingly fine artistically alm faultless, historical propriety of boy w/oriental cast to face? chiarascuro bold clear brings out effects masterly, figs stand out fr canvas, dreamy, distance pulls eye leagues. antiquarian truth fidelity costume etc.  gd judgment to give thoughtful expressions rather than joyous, belongs to an earlier moment, that might be the subj of an even higher art.  Here they meditate consequences of discovery, means to enrich themselves,

            persp exceedingly deficient, main grp doesn’t agree with rest, sight point is not sufficiently elevated to permit us to see so wide an extent, hi horizon line increases discrepancy, diminution of scale also seems wrong, too exaggerated a shrinkage, Indians also too small.  Headland in backgrd injures relief of principal grp, for sake of a local effect, a general and artistical one is lost.  Preferred a younger Columbus (he’s described as filled with hi enthusiasm), don’t like Spaniards kissing ground in petto, need more variety and imposing boldness if a ship instead.  foliage indiff, not knowl. re tropics

            imperfections in minor matters, heart and soul, discoverer and companiosn, stamp it as highest and noblest yet

Dec 17 p. 2 notices Brown’s statuary at NAD exceedingly fine specimens even to most fastidious critic venerable Ambrose Spencer chiseling admirable, remarkable resemblance, extraord deal of character.  others Ariadne Adonis Ruth Pleaides some blemishes, but exhib gives enviable rep

Skips the 18th, 19th p. 2 Mapes is the pres of Mechancis Institute.  Fine Arts: lscape Passing Shower by Cropsey for Jos. Chandler of Phila, happiest fr his pencil.  assume it’s a composition, as seldom an actual view disting for grt a variety of graceful lines and beaut combinations.  a genuine work, not an accident. index to artist’s mind, he is devoted lover of nature, most delicate refined sentiment, principles of lscape ptg.  An orig, not an echo of fave master as were some of his earlier.  color a little leaden, too green, sand not so natural in foregrd, but genl effect and breadth of whole superb.

            suggestive, touch the feelings, tells a story abt what the farmer will do now the storm has passed

Skips to 24, p. 2 Chester gallery auction of forty picts not sold too grt a sacrifice, picture speculators disappointed.  a f ew undoubted origs by eminent masters, honr a Euro gall, $40 for a supposed Rosa battle piece offered, alleged Murillo Holy fam didn’t receive a bid, limit was $1000. private sale for those who can appreciate genuine works of art

Suffering seamstresses etc shd turn to domestic servants. Regularly attacks the administration

Dec 26 p. 2 Fine Arts: Mount port Edw Nicoll of this city, they like the orig, port is masterly, no fault in likeness, all characteristic expressions, coloring rich glowing flesh tints do not look like art,, drwg strictly correct, accessories appropriate.  Ports of Nicoll fam best he’s done, embalm them with spiritual sunshine, wonderfully fine, Nicoll voluntarily pd extra.  Anecdotes of earlier payments, first port of a shoemaker gave him shoes, later a monied aristo tried to bargain him down, he shamed him into his one price for everyone by offering it as a gift.  Does a beaut port in a two hour sitting

Skips the 28th.  Dec 30th p 2 praises Appleton’s Thomas Moore, the gift bk Opal, notes Coleman’s sale of pictures that an orig Wilson but a poor picture brought $55, an undoubtted Verboon and v beaut lscape $390 to Almerd.  A lscape by Ward was $50 to Mr Gregory of NJ.  A number of ptgs, even oils, sold for 12 shillings to 3 dollars

Dec 31, p. 1 Fine Arts: ridic spectacle of a picture sale in Gotham, judgment of our millionaires vindicate their pretensions to vertu by bidding 20 dollars for a fine orig and a hundred for a copy of a copy, ignorant, not men of sense.  A Frenchman told me at an exhib sale that six yrs ago he sold a fine old master for little more than nothing, then he offered a new ptg by himself, that brought ten times as much.  Now he doesn’t throw away gd things here, but paint as much as possible, and everyone says beautiful.  blush with mortification for my country that nineteen out of twenty times, daubs glare upon me in splendid dwellings.  liberal expenditure on external decorations, but cabinets and galleries glitter with paste and varnish not veritable gems.  cynic foreigner truthful that signboards in America are its pictures, and its pictures only fit for signs, we have not educated eyes enuf among our merchant princes to disting chaste truthfulness of real art fr meretricious splendour of bright colors blazing under varnish.

            Dreamt the grt museums of Europe were here for throngs on Broadway, overheard comments:  stale, old things satisfy dotage of rickety old world, sd one, disting for his wealth and lavish patronage of mod art, but I am too much a puritan to put any faith in this traditionary excellence.  Ten to one these Raphaels and Corregios are spurious, no confidence in authenticity, wld rather have one ptg I know an orig than all these musty relics.  Another Savan sd may be authentic pedigree, buttheir day is over, like Halleck’s Fanny, only way to enjoy their merit is have them copied in the same bright tints they had at first.  dark dismal things belong to dim misty past, Frenchmen and Italians all born and bred among ruins, may cling to them, but give me pictures, pretty, bright and new.  a 3rd patron of the arts middle aged agreed, go to Gotham Temple of the Muses nr the Park, beaut realizations of these shadowy inklings, eternal glory of young America.  I was a reluctant witness of growing penchant for at least the nude of the antique, flippant hero of the hammer dilating ona Madonna still moist fr the easel, Raphael would envy, an undoubted copy, handsomer than the original, sells for 3000 doll. to Mr Greenhorn, a treasure, heirloom of nobility.  Pope offers greatest treasure of Vatican for free--it’s refused--greenhorn points to his copy and says that glorious picture is the style for Youung America, Pope and his rubbish can moulder together in ruins or sepulchered superannuations of Pompeii.

1847

Skips fr Jan 5 to 7.  Jan 9 p. 1 New Engl Twilight by Page: think him one of v best port ptrs of the age, but lately seen fit seriously to perpetrate a pictorial abomination, shall not scruple to speak of this lscape in plainest possible manner.  opinions we entertain, with one solitary exception, accord with the public generally.  No reason to look on this picture as an intended joke, tho it is known by the title of Page’s Black Joke, so treat it with becoming seriouslness.  most ridiculous effort of a respectable artist which we have ever seen.  as production of a novice or an experiment, considered alm wholly destitute of merit, but by an artist of rep pronounced utterly abominable.  describe nightmare. stripes and spots.  idea which suggested this picture was truly poetical, Wordsworthian twilight, and in artistical pov, contains one beaut feature, the tone of the sky between and beyond clapboard looking clouds is worthy of a better picture, true to nature, strongly appeals to feelings of those with passion for poetry of the sky.  black mass below no merit, opaque body without a solitary shadow, clouds also false to nature, storm clouds rushing at zenith, quiet nr horizon, an amalgamation neither common sense nor laws of nature allow.  horizon ones straight regular carved out of burnt pine board still offend the eye.

            deservedly a disting ptr, fame firmly estab, no right to gratify vanity by imposing on that public.  when a partial friend of the artist avows this picture to be a “miraculous production,” fear injury done to the arts by the united influ of these gmen.  We admire and esteem Page as highly as his most devoted admirers, but duty to art we love won’t let us keep silence, its exalted character and mission in danger of suffering fr the blind applause of one friend for another.  Page shd curb his overweening ambition.  Da Vinci and other ancient masters could not paint everything, height of folly for P to imagine he can.

            Art Matters: new and v beaut pict by Leutze arrived, in possession fo a celeb patron, so public won’t soon see it, gman believes Leutze and Huntington were born for his especial benefit.  Chapman’s large lscape one of his best efforts in that dept.  new and masterly pict at AU fr Chas Deas.  Gignoux beaut seasons for Dechau, famous manufacturer of artist’s materials, is giving a commission for one picture to all the prominent artists of NY.  WS Mount moving here.  Ingham suiperb portraits, Elliott finished his port of Austen, his masterpiece.  Mattison illust Landing of Pilgrims, gem of first water.

            Notes Captain Dustan’s Port ptd in Norwich, CT for Odd Fellows Hall

Jan 13, 1847 p. 1 praise Col Webb and C&E for joining in praise of Richd Dunphy, youthful meritorious, remarkable child, extraord talent, astonished by cameos, credit to first artists in Italy, constantly improving, enthusiasm, pride and ornament of country, dad a mechanic, recd encouragement fr lady of accomplishments, love of art.  Clay bust of Wm S Townsend (Express), work of genius, drwg lessons.

p.m2 Rotundo panels: Chapman gd taste, Weir, Vanderlyn magnificent.  H Inman’s would have been the best of all, design afforded scope for artist’s varied powers in all depts. where he shone, lscape port composition, masterpiece, settlement of the West, Boon and civ making its first stand in wilderness.  Huntington and Mount, both noble artists, mentioned as candidates, neither actually petititoned.  Benton recommends Chas Deas, worthy of it, perhaps due to western states, has exec sketch for a large picture of excitng scene in early hist of Cinti of Capt James Clarke hero.

Notices that the Mirror attacks Express for being too conservative, too “anti” everything.

Jan 19 p. 4 EB corresp fr DC on Vanderlyn’s ptg getting crit, throng Rotundo, cant of criticism is tormenting, admired by all men of taste and those who believe a picture shd correspond in all things with the subj represented.

Jan 20 p. 1 Ball Hughes, disting sculpt who carved statue of Gen Hamilton, splendid relievo of Bishop Hobart in Trinity church, successfully cast bronze statue of celeb Dr Bowditch, of Boston, beaut.  p. 2 Gignoux, ptr of winter scenery, commissioned to do Niagara, disting patron of art, large scale, Artist’s Power, uncommonly fine

Sips to 25th.  Cropsey going to Euro for instruction.  Skips 27, 28.

Skips Feb 4, skips the 8th.  Feb 11 p. 1 Fine Arts: managers of AU resolved to order 4 ptgs fr Cole, Durand, Huntington and Brown the sculptor, ea $500.  Union shd order a few picts fr some o fyounger artists.  v beaut bust of Flora on exhib in AU rms, belongs to Hartford gman.  Ingham completed pict for Jon Sturges, some critics proclaim his masterpiece, port of flower girl, gem of purest ray serene.  New Century Club just org, authors, artists and amateurs, bd of managers authors Verplanck and Stevens, Durand ahd Chapman, Sturges and Seymour. 

            some early Cole lscapes in back rm of music estab Firth, Hall & Co Broadway and Barclay st, a view of Boston and a euro convent.  Geo Harvey coll of his ptgs now on exhib at Chickering & Co Broadway, views fr Catskills, remarkably true to nature

            Common Council accord to custom ordered port of Havemeyer when he was mayor, given to matteson, but haven’t pd him.

            strange movements in DC re Rotunda.  Chapman’s pict replaced by Weir’s, to disadvantage of both, injustice esp to Chapman.

Approves Lit World. Notes disappearance of Daguerreotypist Pratt recently.  Approves Wilmot Proviso.  Feb 17 p. 1 Jottings on Art, Bishop Doane of NJ commissioned Durand for large lscape;  old ptg owned by Church of Beauty in the Embrace of Death, critics consider a perfect miracle of art, shd send to AU for exhib.  Elliott’s port of AM Cozzens one of his happiest efforts, Matteson’s port of ex-Mayor Havemeyer been put in Gov’s Rm at City Hall, an exceedingly weak-minded man pub letter in Commercial, blowing up NY Gall managers for allowing three pieces exquisite statuary in same rm with ptgs; Dubourjal the miniature ptr done v beaut ladies, gracefulness, deportment as a gman.  Lit World is going to weekly describe some fine picture, similar to that which has appeared in the Express.  Halleck’s poems fr Appletons illust fr pictures by Huntington, Durand, Edmonds; Wm S Mount, Harvey’s pictures at Chickering’s attract attn.  Supports married women retaining property rights.

Feb 19 notices AU’s Raleigh engr is advancing, grt credit to artist Mr Burt.  engr of Jolly Flatboatman and Sybil also in prog.  Skips the 20th.  Skips fr 23rd to March 2nd.

Skips Mar 3. Mar 4 p. 4, Senate amendment to have WH Powell do vacant panel in Rotunda, disagreed to by the Hse, led to much feeling among friends of diff artists and those in favor of special subjects: aborig, foreign, local, otherwise, but they came round to Powell.  Skips fr Mar 5 to 15th.

Mar 17 p. 2 Eve Express, argues that slavery controlling fed govt has prevented country from eroding into a democracy (!).  Art Matters:  Went to Shegogue’s studio, 7 Amity st, saw copies he made in Euro, pronounced faithful of Italian artists (Guercino etc), esp like his copy of Walker’s Cromwell, full of character, is exceedingly valuable.  Of his orig picts noticed Italian Boy, and pleasing Evening Prayer and Castle Bldg.  abound in sentiment, gracefully composed, harmoniously colored; the last partic pleasing, a v pretty country damsel dreaming of marriage, upsets her basket of eggs which smash.  His Copy of Guido fine well drawn truthfully colored, better idea of what we suppose the orig to look like, for a gman of taste wealth, ornament to his mansion.

            Cole finished large lscape Prometheus Bound, managers of NY Gallery think of adding to coll 2-3 picts by late Fred Agate, ought to have done long ago, tho Agate not an artist of the highest order, ptd a few gd pictures, was an accomplished man, majority of his composition pictures been lying in a room at NAD since his death.  Also rumored but too gd to be true that Vanderlyn’s Ariadne is to be purchased fr Durand for NY Gall.  Durand recently completed an upright lscape that some people think eclipses the two which lately elicited so much applause in lit world. 

            AU ordered a $300 pict fr Cropsey, to be ptd abroad, Appleton & Co purchased perfect gem fr Weir, Chess Playing, sm but exceedingly beaut.  Lscape Compos by Jewett at Art Union, upright lscape, masterly talent in autumn trees, one o fhis best works.  James Hamilton of Phila Palisades on the Hudson, bold masterly manner, fine effects tho v simple subj.  Oddie has sent to AU one of his truthful river views, partic fine, Talbot has new picture there, and lamented Inman has sm Dolph Heyliger frightened by the ghost there.

Skips 12, 20. Mar 27 p. 2 notices beaut engr fr John Neale of Carmine st, Spirit of Seventy Six (name of a native American paper?), by HP Sadd, after Matteson, life like, enviable rep as gifted faithful American painter. $2 ea. 

Skips fr Mar 29 to April 2, 1847. then to Apr 9. then to the 13th  Apr 15 p. 1 H Powers native sculptor recd offer $10,000 for his Eve, the copy of his Grk Slave, and another subj he can choose.  Apr 16 p. 1 Art Intelligence: NAD exhib attracts immense crowds.  AU ordered $300 pict fr WSMount.   Cole finished first of Cross and World series, thought superior to his other imag ptgs, his Prometheus superb but queer.  Geo L Brown in Florence, hard at work.  Shepard Mount back in city doing ports, heard disting critic at NAD say his was the best female head.  Cropsey sails. Officer fr Phila has miniatures of Mapes and a lady in NAD, attract grt deal of attn, Hite, the artist recently completed v beaut pict of a lady

Skips 17th.  Praises Whig victory in recent city elections, having attracted the thinking portion of the Demos, as opposed to the b’hoys (sd Tammany nominee for mayor, Brownell, invented term b’hoy), esp necessary while Natives throw votes away

Apr 21 p. 1 Mr Hubert artist now resident here, fr VA, disting for accuracy of drwg, 14 Warren st.  Cole and Weir are in city, disting ptrs.  Those of our artists who want orig subj for picts, abundant supply in Prk oppos Alms Hse, in a pauper encampment, wtg for bread, lame, diseased, famished, men, women, childrena and dogs, picture melancholy in extreme.

Skips 26, 27.  Notices Duyckinck’s departure fr Lit World with regret.

Skips fr May 3 to 7, then to 18, to 21, to 25, to 28 p. 1 notices litho port Genl Taylor by Michelin 111 Nassau st, handsomely colored, fr drwg by Edw Clay, sd accurate likeness, decidedly gd as picture, expr ready for any emergency

Skips to Jun 1. notes Anglo Amer editor doesn’t like Dickens, skips to Jun 5. Notes Corwin critical of war/admin burnt in effigy in Ohio, applauds his bravery.  Notes brutal review of Geo Calvert’s poems in Boston.  Attacks Poe.  Notes Leeds’ splendid sale of Ital statuary etc at Stewart’s store. Jun 16 Notices that Flagg of New Haven Ct, nephew of Alston, ptd fine pict of Elder Wm Brewster and wife, Winslow and wife, Miles Standish etc pilgrim settlers arriving on shore of New World, purchaser Brewster of New  Haven a descendant. Skips 17th. Skips fr 19-23.  Jun 24 p. 1 notes CE Lester who does things queerly being attacked by critics again, in (Whig) Amer Review, for his bk on Sam Houston, and by Boston Atlas for free trade views.  Notes C &E loves Edw Mansfield’s address at West Pt. Skips the 25th.  Jun 26 p. 1 copies fr Mirror complaint that no state or capital has commissioned Powers, the greatest sculptor of modern times, for a statue of our great men.  Re Wash Monument for Hamilton sq, shd consult popular feeling.

Skips to July 5, to Jul 8, Jul 9 p. 1 approves new daily, American Artisan, and the New Yorker Demokrat, new Germ artist, consid rep, Reissner, excellent decorative ptgs not inferior to Gropius, introd transparencies on stage, oil ptgs applauded, may open schl  Praise of Vattemare. Skips fr 12 to 24, to 27, to 3oth, notesAtwood’s Port of Gen Taylor at Assembly bldgs in Phila, its fidelity underwritten by letter fr Taylor to J Atwood.  first ever taken of him, in Mexico, thanks him for compliment.

Skips fr July 31 to Aug 3, skips 4th and 6th, 7th notices Dunlap exhib ptgs, at Minerva rms, of Christ, welcome news to admirers of hs style.  Aug 9, novelty in sculpture fr London spectator, Raffaelle Monti, wonderful exec of design, size of life, veil is transparent, a deception, refracted light, forms beneath are not carved, just the veil. Skips to 12, p. 1 Art Matters: Mount for AU, Cole, Hobard, Dubourjal, Frazer admirable mexxo of Edmonds Facing the Enemy is selling, AU doing well, Tice, Deas, Rossiter’s pict at NY Gall attracting gd deal attn, improves on acquaintance. Skips 16th. Covers Saratoga Springs masquerade/fancy ball in some detail of dress etc

Skips fr Aug 18 to Oct 15, 1847, notes the Mirror on the Grk Slave and its nakedness not exciting  objections in London, and agrees that now everyone knows its naked, don’t go if it will make you blush. Skips 16th.  I don’t see ad for Grk Slv, but there is one for Brown’s Ptgs 257 Broadway of heroes of Palo Alto, portraits of Taylor, etc Skips to 23, then to 26.

Oct 27 p. 1 Art Intellig, mentions Doughty back, on White st, same bldg as Huntington, moonlight picture beaut exceedingly, great effort, eclipses former.  Notes New World is abusing AU, managers aren’t perfect, writer half right, but ridiculous to condemn Cole, Durand, Mount, Bingham, White Cropsey and many more. Lit World also scolding AU, but his strictures on Fraser entirely undeserved.  May Church and Shumway rms in AU, Cropsey mentioned, Chapman illus Life ofFranklin.  Reviews Henry Tuckerman’s Artist Life fr Appletons, popular pen, essays on prominent, kindly and judicious manner, older artists, why not include Mount, Ingham, Doughty, Bingham and Fisher?  superb vol, engr after Durand, Huntington, Leutze, and Edmonds, esp Durand fine.

            Notices Young Dumphry, the Sculptor, mentioned his extraord productions at Am Inst Fair, great attn, silver medal for busts, Genl Tallmadge address surprising efforts, proud of him, highest order of talent.

p. 2 puffs Brown’s ptgs of the Mexican war, celeb, deeply interesting, rich

Oct 28, p. 1 diagram of Chapultepec. (battle was in September)  Only slight coverage of Restell trial.  Skips the 30th.

Nov 1 p. 2 puffs Leeds sale of Oil ptgs fr private gall, inclu orig lscape John Both for which 500 pounds was refused, fine lscape R Wilson, for which 300 lbs refused, origs by Geo Moralnd, decidedly, and a court dress of Murat, King of Naples.  Puffs exhib of fine ptgs, magnif coll foreign at Chambers st gallery, remarkable beaut of subj and hi finish for finest residences, also Leeds. Skips to 5th, then to 24th, then to Dec 2, then to Dec 30

1848

Wm B Townsend and James Brooks still on masthead, still 112 Broadway.  Jan 7 is first issue.  v supportive of Poe.  Skips 10-11. Jan 12 Tammany Ball decorated by Dejonge of the Park theatre, portraits of all the Presidents, full lengths of Lafayette etc. Skips to 18th. Globe and Evening Post are barnburner papers. Skips the 19th.

Skips fr Jan 20th to Feb 22, 1848.  True Sun is purchased by Hunkers, now a Demo party paper (allied with administration of Polk?), under Geo J Gallagher, has long been a locofoco paper.  Not yet a grt fan of Taylor nomination, but C&E and HJ Raymond are.  Skips 24th. 25th--mourning for JQ Adams. Chas King is now at C&E.  Mrs Osgood poem. Skips the 28th.

March 1, 1848, skips the 3rd, Mar 4th, supports Clay over Taylor? p. 2 Gen Taylor ptd by Lamden, artist of Phila, recently visited, v accurate and expressive likeness, engraving to be made.  Adams on dying bed sketched by Arthur J Stansbury, well known reporter, abt to be lithod, exceedingly valuable. Skips 8th.  Calls Taylor supporters the no-party party.Skips 13-15. Skips 17-20.  21, Mirror happy re French revolut, C&E wants Louis Philippe, Express reserves judgment.  Dr Spooner has bought Boydell’s Shakespeare plates, restored freshness, distinctness and effect, in opinion of some of our best artists.  Trib v happy abt France.  Sorry it’s got the Irish excited abt independence.  p. 4 corresp of Express by L fr DC, equestrian statue of GW by Powers is discussed in private circles, of the sculptures now in and abt the Capitol, the one of GW by Greenough is only one by an American.  This is opportunity to do creditable deed to Justice and Powers. Skips to 24, complaint that Mercantile Library didn’t drape in black for Adams, when they did for Jackson. p. 2 Model Artists indicted, Burke of Palmo’s arrested, Powell and Williams for estab in Canal st, Matthew Brenans? in Novelty Hall, Matthews, Cardner? and John F Thiers, in Broadway nr Anthony st.  Loves Kirkland’s Union Mag and Columbian Mag. Skips to 28. notices Cole memorial exhib at AAU rms, Art Intelligence mentions Shumway excellent miniature port of Major Bliss, scrupulous care and finish.  Jesse Talbot, happiest works, on Juniata, fantastically grouped rock, varieties, bold markings and bright tints of foregrd, spray too white and sparkling, sky less aerial than shd.  Huntington Hope companion to Faith, perfect and holy beauty, now doing port of John Van Buren

March 23, 1848 Morning Expr p. 2 Grand Jury indicted model artist exhibitors at Palmo’s, Pinteux’s, Tier’s saloon, Temple of the Muses, Novelty Hall, and Anatomical Museum. Police at direction of magistrate on Tuesday went to 171 Cans (?) st, lately known as Eagle Hotel, arrested manager Levi Hamilton and 6 females, two of whom exhib themselves perfectly naked, the others wearing merely gauze. Girls paid $3/night.

Skips fr Mar 30 to April 19, 1848; skips 20-21, skips fr 23-27, ad p. 3 for Ct D’Orsay’s Port  of Queen of England on her charger, and his statuette of O’Connell, bust of Coutness of Blessington, at Gothic Hall, 316 Broadway, approved of by Wellington and Landseer.  Skips 28th.

May 1 1848.  Ongoing news of Yucatan, aboriginal revolt there, threaten to exterminate civilization, Tribune sympathetic to their plight, Express agrees shouldn’t intervene if it means annexing the province. Skips the 2nd. Skips 4-5--and on one of those days, Wm Townsend’s name is dropped fr the masthead, leaving just James Brooks. skips fr 7-12. Skips 13th. May 15 notes election of new officers and associates of NAD, and v happy Darley has moved here, is working for Putnam and Carey & Hart.  Notes Cornelius Mathews’ new play got gd review in Eve Post, but actors don’t concur. May 18 notices a caricature print of Scott whipping Marcy, disapproves generally of showing cabinet members in ridiculous and humiliating position, but glad to see Marcy attacked. May 20 puffs D’Orsay, an amateur, noble Artist.  Comm Ad comes out for Webster. Skips the 24th. skips the 26th. skips 29-31. don’t see NAD advert.

Jun 1, 1848. skips the 3rd. Jun 5 notices Hudson’s pano of Ohio river. skips to 9th. Jun 10 poem fr TB Read, warm-toned. p. 2 reviews NY as it is, at Chatham, in order to critique astrologists. Goupil, Vibert ad. Skips 16-17.  Jun 19 notices opening of Boston Atheneaum, Alston, Cole, Cuyp and Ruysdael, also one by Blaas belongs to Parish of this city, ports of F Bremer, and one by Healey, pleasing. Likes Holden’s, likes Simms.  notes Thom Snowden’s death, business manager for C&E. skips 27th. Jun 29 notes Wm Gibson 77 White st robbed of two pictures, hiland scene$15, Edinburgh castle $500, W Hamilton of 889 Broadway saw them at store of JB West in Bowery

Skips July 1, 1848. Jul 3 praises sprightly, melo dramatic pen of Mr Headley, author of bio of Cromwell, recommends if wish to patronize fine arts on the 4th, shd go to Hall over Stoppani’s Baths and see Hanington’s new grand Scriptural Dioramas, or Banvard’s Mississippi, the National Miniature gallery (Edw White, dags), the Art Union free Gallery, goupil Vibert & Co exhib of Euro works, see adverts.  There is one for a Grand Coll of Old Masters 563 Broadway. Skips to 6th. Jul 7, prog of FA, specimens near St Paul’s church in Broadway, remarkable efforts of genius, fat Scotch babies, nigger family, African monkey etc, enlightened public. Skips 10-11. July 12, don’t like John Mitchel, but later notes a litho by C Holt  84 Fulton st acceptable to his sympathizers. puffs Plumbe. Admirers of fine arts worshipers of old masters I partic visit Lyceum Gall Broadway chef d’ouevres Titian, Rubens,  Raphael, Murillo celeb, coll by gman in Euro, wealth and taste, wants severest critical ordeal.  Jul 20 notices Powers’ Grk Slave, 2 copies in Phila. p. 3 letter fr DC corresp urging Congress to buy Catlin’s collection, attaches letter from Lewisi Cass praising fidelity, spirited, accurate, true to nature, not sacrificed to judgements of how things should be.  Cass is nominee of locofocos for Pres., with Henry Wise now supporting him!  Skips 22. Jul 25 Am artists mentioned as great in London only Powers, greenough, west and trumbull. Skips 26th, 28th.

I finished July, then I skipped Aug-Dec.  E Brooks joins masthead in August.  Dec 23, p. 2 lists all the winners in the AAU lottery.  Dec 20th notes $5000 commission fr state of Louisiana to Powers, for GW for state house, says it’s not enuf

1849--I skipped Jan and Feb.

Feb 16 1849 Wkly Express, engr is of a Ragged School fr Dwight’s Am Mag

Mar 1, 1849.  Mar 6  p. 4 notes disagreement in House over putting a bust of JQ Adams in it, locofocos unwilling to pay. poem by Fanny Kemble Butler. Mar 9, notices AAU begun new season, notes ptgs by Gray that could form base of a school of Amer art, also Huntington, Gignoux, Doughty, Wenzler, Church and BakerMar 10, skips to Jun 27

LOC volume starts Feb 1849 but in bad condition, read Mar 13-26, then jumps fr Mar 26 to Aug 6 to Aug 20 to Sept 19 the first issue I could see. Sept 24 p2 Fine Arts, notes openings of six exhibs, record number, Powers statuary, Intl AU, Review exhib of NAD, Union Gall old masters and Dusseldorf. John Howard Payne a Whig. 25 John Van Buren leading barnburners 29 NY 30 yrs ago, celeb pic of interior of Park Theatre by John Searle, permission of Gen Van Renssalear present owner now at Stevens store 353 Broadway, 25 years ago attracted much attn in city, likenesses of 50-60 well known gmen in audience, litho is proposed Oct 2 new locofoco paper Republic one cent, p2 EB says Smithsonian would have been more useful in diff order of archit 4 lots on Am Inst 6 long column on Intl AU, 2 pics Dead Christ and Village School are masterpieces (press release? city intelligence) , unjust and ungenerous attacks on it in Trib, argument shouldn’t buy foreign imports as hurts domestic products, true love of art shld be above local and national prejudices genius is of no country. Oct 8 p2 AM AU shouldn’t fear rivals, haven’t alw treated artists well 9 Cronica a Whig ally? Express is anti free soil. letter fr Amateur re Art Union, crit of Goupil as a private concern 10 nice obit for Poe. endless Am Inst stuff. 24 p2 Lang’s great pic of carnival in Rome, a puffing letter 31 free schools by force of law 31 Local Intelligence: Powers Statuary exhib for benefit of sculptor at Lyceum in connection with gallery of old masters, Proserpine, Jackson, Greek Slave and fisher boy, attractive and enchanting, bust of P most lovely and chaste design, sweet resigned expression a thing of life. Grk Slave either not the same statue here before or some ruthless barbarian for the sake of modesty (?) has been at work, addendum also deforms Fisher boy which we noted previously but Kellogg not yet seen fit to remove Nov 1 correct yesterday’s intentional injustice to Powers and Kellogg, statue of Grk Slave a perfect copy of the first, with all its beauties and faults. Robb realized handsome profit, Western AU should’ve bought fr Powers 2 glad Smithsonian will buy Grk Sl 8 critical of SFB Morse’s efforts to stop other telegraph patents 9 notices panos of NY,  by Evers, and Townsend and Orr’s Hudson river, Burr’s 16 Kellogg port of Genl Worth, Shumway’s company mentioned, all part of funeral 17 prefer Emerson to Carlyle 20 Sun wants to get rid of common Council tea room (aldermen aren’t paid) 21 happy Webb going to Vienna 24 p1 Art Union intelligence mostly fr their Bulletin 28 Wash moument proceeding, Kellogg in Baltimore painting Chief Justice Taney then back to NYC to do genl Scott December 5 James Brooks in Congress, Erastus taking over paper 12 card fr JT Headley denying a role in publishing his Miscellanies 15 Colman sale of ptgs by Leeds, finest 17 puff of Mc Graw’s pano, Gall of Illus Ams fr Brady dags 22newsboy anecdote p2 Am AU drawing, James T Brady, Joseph Hoxie and ex Alderman Morris Franklin read the names, proud at desire to extend encouragement to our artists. 460 artworks, more than $100,000. 24 gives winner of bronzes and outlines 29 report on Prosper M Wetmore’s defalcation, will be cleared 31 p1 chapter on city life, Franklin theater continues model artists, illegal, 90 fallen females of both colors continue

LOC volume Jan-Jun 1850

Jan: 3 cents a copy. 7 Butler’s death bed of John Wesley, magnif picture, large engr, cost, but an opposition print copied fr Butler’s and engr by John Sartain, injustice to orig publishers and one of Sartain’s poorest efforts,a  disgrace to his name, loses likenesses and proper tints, catch penny woodcut, half the cost. 11 letter asking what happened to NY Gall of Fa, 15-20 thou of property with Trustees, where is it since left Rotunda? Bryant took chair at Intl AU distrib, de la Roche letter read, Mrs Marcus Ward one of the winners, Power of Music and Music is Contageious by Mount were the print distrib.  12 crit of Wetmore defalcation, tho have published his card 16 model artistes at Franklin a den of infamy 24 praises Gall of Illus Amer 31 Intl AU prize for best pic, send submissions to Proudhomme curator of NAD

Feb and March missing

April 1 has little teeny black bars for Death of Calhoun. Huntington and Duss gall advertise. 5 p1 obscene printsellers arrested; p2 Beaumont sale of mostly old masters prices given, one Stuart portrait for $300. notices pano of gold mines in Calif. (Bayard Taylor authenticates)  Fremont is involved with Pacific rrd that they support. Gayard sending a sculp of Amer Repub thru Vattemare, as reported in Post, 20 ft hi bronze, young female on a bale of cotton, banner with phrygian cap, eagle, cornucopia, plow etc. Leutze ptg wash cross delaware, two pics at Art Union, Woodville also, Hall and Johnson are with Woodville. Glass in London doing Don Quixote, Freeman and Perry in Rome 18 Goupil doing port gall with likeness of Webster, Bryant and Mount. Portrait of Fremont at Bradys. Keese the auctioneer who assisted the Goupil Intl AU does a lot of advertising. 24 p1 opening of NAD, Pio Nino, Charles Elliott, Ames 25 powers loss of Eve on ship 26 missing.  NAD is advertising. 27 missing.

May 13 anti abolition riots caused by fanatics, blasphemy, treason, but no excuse for mob, authorities did protect 14 really loved Fanny Osgood; Art union engr of Cole ready, Bulletin alone recompense for subscription 15 Shegogue, Ingham and Mayr Academicians obtained injuction fr Judge Daly agst election of new NAs under a recent amendment to constitution, on grounds it was illegally adopted, excitement among the members 22 Clinton monument, no sculptor more worthy and capable than HK Brown, facility of invention great originality learned and just appreciation of works of ancients, he is silently founding a school of sculp which will be pure, grand, full of feeling and truth and American. 24 not happy with Clay’s oppos to the Pres

June 1850: 1 seems to like Whitney’s rrd plan 2 good idea for hist soc of MD to buy copies of old masters. lots of Genin adverts, inclu his Union Hat. 8 pano of Italy 11 RA West long time assist ed at Comm Advert will take over now Inman is sick 19 take Willis side in assault with Forrest 20 no more NAD ad 21 crit of Greeley over Free Academy he wants to turn it into a workhouse 24 want a shelter for Greenough’s splendid statue, needs elevation, as currently suggests physical coarseness and monster like appearance, not majesty and grandeur. 29th is last one in vol.

LOC volume July-Dec: 1850, just J & E Brooks on the masthead, office on northwest corner of Wall and Nassau streets, July 10, 1850, Eve Exp Pres Taylor Dead, black borders

they go into mourning July 10 for Pres Taylor’s death, note Church, Gignoux and  Hubbard, 3 of most successful artists, go to Mt Desert and will find lots there.  Jewett is in SF. 

16 Healy at work on great Webster Hayne pic, twenty by 14 ft, all portraits, valuable, Mass shld buy it for state house or SC for her Capitol, or Faneul or Charleston court house. Fillmore made Corwin secty of Treasury.24 nice notice of Fuller. Mad that Mass is angry at Webster over compromise. 31 Eve post denounces Webster and Corwin. puffs Brady’s portraits.

Aug 9 Vernet—think Emperor of Russia wouldn’t like pics of a despot Aug 9 p2 Dusseldorf gall, fr NY Courier, mention Lessing’s Huss on their own 10 Corcoran helps buy slaves’ freedom Aug 20 watching efforts to raise the Calhoun statue by Powers 24 take fr Eve post description of Lessing’s Huff, love it 29 commends Plumbe, advertises. Advocating the compromise is pushing them toward more racism.

Sept 2 death of John Inman, for some yrs principal ed of Comm Advert (ceased in March), first worked at Spirit of the Times with his bro in law Fisher abt 1830, then assistant editor to NY Mirror to Geo Morris. enthus re Lind.

Sept 5 1850 puffs AAU opening its gallery, new floors, 300  works on exhib, never better specimens of Glass, Ranney, Hicks, Peele, Boutelle, Church, Hinckley, Kensett, Doughty, Gignoux, Hubbard, Casilear, Cole, Cropsey, Ames and others.

            notes that E Anthony skilful talented industrious artist 205 Broadway fine likeness of Jenny Lind fr an Engl engr and dag, most agreeable we’ve yet seen

6 covers Cozzens making Lind a member of AmAU. Banvard. engraver Ormsby.16 Darley shld be our caricaturist 19 C&E doesn’t admire Lind, Trib does 20 p1 Fine arts: Chas Miller’s statuary group, decided merit, expressive, and Butler of SC wants to remove Persico’s Columbus 25 Am AU report to be reviewed by Artists, discussion of an Artists Assoc 27 p1 v respectable group of artists dissatisfied with union met 235 Broadway, Walcot took chair and Fisher presented a report, think that out of 104000 received last year only $46000 pd to artists. Also don't like the pic prize system.

Oct: love Bayard Taylor, Park Benj, Am Inst. NO higher law.17 Goupil’s engr of Lind. Gurney. long puff of Loomis pano Cuba 21 Lessing’s Huss held up by tariff, Boker don't want to pay Nov 7 Ottarson is a reporter at Trib Nov 15 notices fr C&E that Am AU bought fr NAD. Pilgrim’s Prog advertises (noticed on 21), but I don’t see AU 19 Merc Lib protest agst sectarian speakers (a Rev Ryder) Nov 27 review of Am AU Hinckley Glass Leutze and NAD crowd Durand Church and Chappell. Sunday Dispatch advertises.

Dec: 9 cites Day Book on loving Home J; Leeds auction of stuff fr Italy 11 at war with Raymond 14 Am AU advertising, also Homestead Art Union 16 gives the catalog of art to be distrib 19 urges benefits of the Am aU, and again on the 20th, on 21st gives all the prizewinners and much of the report, calls it the great event of the year in the way of art, seem willing to remedy complaints, but imposible to please all, and our opinions often go hand in hand with our friendships and interests, but managers deserve thanks 31 praises Pietti sculp of a child in Art Union gallery 31 Whitehurst’s dag gall

LOC Jan-Jun 1851 volume

Jan 8 Timon and Darley’s lorgnette good 16 notes fundraiser lottery for victims, ptgs donated 24 praises Stanley’s Indian gall, Copway lectured 28 Audubon died 29 notices Homestead AU

Feb and March missing

April 3p1 Art Items: Duggan the Amer Michael Angelo, Wright Wash mutilating the tree, Officer andFreeman miniatures, Brent lscapes and Brooklyn Art assoc, Galt and Crawford p2 city has 18 dailies and 108 weeklies 5 praises Atlas 7 p1 NAD opens on 8th, more space, Germ and Engl artists will show too, Overbck Achenbach Maclise Stanfield Cooper etc, fashionable and popular p2 the private showing, Kellogg’s Scott and Vanderlyn’s Taylor noticed, Erastus Brooks toasted 9 praises Fuller’s Mirror. 12 missing. 14 Francis W Edmonds and others testify in favor of Anatomical Museum 15 p1 seems to have kind of a press release for NAD, mention Sketch club too. Express supports Ital republicans, C&E don’t. ladies read Dispatch. 21 missing. 23 NAD no 2: no elab crit, it’s been overdone, first brief chapter of gossip more popular, lscapes best ever, disting foreign ptrsadmirable, characteristic Koekoek exquis execution but not genuine art nor nature, similar to Tupper Apr 28 p1 Art Matters: excerpt fr Apr Art Union bulletin, including long description of Lessing’s Huss. NAD: portraits fewer, Elliott, Shegogue pop groups of kids, Stearns, Gray Duggan Long, Colyer Cafferty Rossiter’s types, Hicks Margaret Fuller Osgood Flagg of MrsOakes Smith and Baker 30 Tupper good, Martineau disgraceful

May 1851: 2 AU gall open, some clever pics; Fr artist Emile Masson has corner of Elliott’s studio in AU bldg 6 p1 Thom Jones the sculptor faithful and pleasing Henry Clay, Hone obit 10 White man’s paper good 12 p2 has Post’s reply to Trib on Huss 14 p1 has more on Am AU engravings and Bulletin, notes their NAD review. Sattler’s Cosmo. 15 Stagg’s Webster most agreeable 16 p.1 NAD no4 Edmonds Mount Whitley 17 Stimson of Day book defending Willis agst Webb 19 notices mtg of NAD to elect members and officers, Gray Flagg Osgood and Cafferty are arranging next exhib, HK Brown and Cropsey Gignoux Duggan RA Richards Casilear GW Flagg and Smillie plus others elected, Hubbard and J Thompson associates, Falconer and Kellogg and Ruggles honorary Root’s dags advertise 22 p2 London Expo expensive $1.25 and US makes a poor showing, Greek Slave attracts admiration, no small praise amid the sculp here, alw a crowd around it; Expiring Indian another striking effort of Am genius  and elicits universal praise. Tons on Webster and Fillmore. 31 attempt by the Unitarians to read out Fillmore, Webster, Everett, Jared Sparks and Rev Dewey for Fugitive Slave act

June 1851 13 p1 JK Fisher’s letter to Am AU, but they weren’t symp to his claims earlier. newspaper costs 10 cents in London. 25 refutes London Times that Amer ingenuity knows nothing of the unities, creates hybrid piano-violins etc 28 more on London papers satirizing the Americans, Punch’s cartoon of Greek Slave, negro woman chained, flag on pedestal, E pluribus unum, suppose readers were told that this Virginia slave was first planted by the British, should have English scutcheon. But Powers’ statue is susceptible of some farther caricaturing, if Doyle were to do a child of either sex raised in squalor working in British coal mine, or Irish beggars.

they were supposed to have continued the NAD notices, with one on lscape.

LOC volume Jul-Dec 1851 is missing July and September and Oct 1.

Aug 5 Paris corresp Spectacles on dog pics reflecting politics 6 Elliott is to paint Webster, Greenough to accompany his completed group to portico of Capitol, a type of the triumph of civ over barbarism, will add to his hi rep 12 world’s fair royalist propaganda 13 like Guizot 25 admire new engr of Harding’s Webster, striking thoughtful mighty ease and dignity rendered faithfully. EB praises architect Walter of the Capitol 27 LL inRome says principal export fr Rome is art, fancy work, marble statuary medals bronzes cameos mosaics engr ptgs mod and ancient for US market bought in cash, oftne at hi mark ups, American s here this summer in swarms buying all articles, and clothing which comes in free of duty. anti-Cuba annex and filib.

Oct: 2 p2 Healy’s Webster pic, disappointment, too cramped, architectural inaccuracy and absence of congruity, fig and port of Webster stiff and ungraceful, not inspired, one of best heads of Webster but him in repose, only sinewy clench of fist to indicate feeling. Burnet, Buchanan, Woodbury, Gales, Silsbee all graphic, but Judge Story, Hayne, benton, King and Calhoun not as happy, latter is repulsive and forbidding. In gallery can recog JQ Adams, Scott, Harrison Otis, Hone and Longfellow. Creditable. 7 praise Gurney at Am Inst 11 Genin organizing the Kossuth fund, Express is pro-Kossuth. 18 art matters: Powers’ Eve to be exhib, Crawford honored, Huntington pop in London with Eastlake and Morpeth, young sculptors. also mock Geo Putnam for going to women’s rights convention 22 Greenough here. Whigs become abolitionists and then switch to locofocos. 28 p2 Leutze’s grand Wash cross Delaware, magnif natl ptg, deserves warm eulogiums, glad engr will be pub 29 Eco d’Italia firm Whig 30 Franzoni bust of Kossuth is spirited

Nov 4: praise Leutze again, story clear to all 8 p1 use American materials and models for Capitol expansion 24 editors committee for Kossuth inclu Parke Godwin, John O’Sullivan, Lewis G Clark Paulding Briggs Frederick Hudson HW Beecher P Lynch CD Stuart, Paul Arpin (Courrier) and M Jacobi (German Whig) –Butler of J of Commerce and Froe? of Zeiting also there, Greeley, Bryant 27 Huntington back, Ehninger pic of Dietrich Knickerbocker at Art Union. Non intervention in Euro.

Dec 1851: 4 more praise of Leutze, GW aided by divine providence 13 Garbanati port of Kossuth 15 Am AU has big ad 18 in coverage of Forrest divorce, Mrs Parke Fanny Godwin testifies to their friendship, boarded with Catherine until she went to Mr Ingham’s on Great Jones st. They visited us and F brought his port in the carriage, to the hall, 3 or 4 feet square, hung in dining or drawing room, a matching one in the drawing room. Thom W Whitley sworn in,artist and dealer in wines and spiritts, 543 Broadway and 147 Prince st, knew Forrest, met him at Eve post, Broadway theater, Florence’s and Opera Hse. forrest said when they split up she wanted his portrait, which is why he took it to Godwin’s house (Whitley was wanted to comment on Forrest’s frequenting brothels) 24 C Edwards Lester also testifies briefly. lots on Pilgrims 26 fire at Wash destroyed valuable ptgs, Stuart’s presidents, columbus, Bolivar others, a statue of Jefferson, an Apollo in bronze by Mills, superior likeness of Wash,bust of Taylor by an Italian and bust ofL Lafayette by David 30 Leutze best hist ptg in the world

LOC bound volumes for 1852

Jan-Jun 1852

Jan 1 Jarvis port Mayor Woodhull 5 T Meighan lives near forrest 6 Duggan as per Knickerbocker 9 new abolitionist paper Democratisher Voelkerbund by Guyurman pro Kossuth 14 sorry Dusseldorf gall leaving 20 excerpts Corn Mathews fr Lit World 23 associates good time coming with Trib style philosophies, Hutchinson abolitionism. SJ Osgood travel writing for them.

Feb: Mrs Forrest’s stage debut triumphant. 5 defends capt Jonas P Levy 10 Whitehurst dag port litho of Mrs forrest 11 Clay medal modelled by TD Jones, p2 Nat Intellig account of medal presenation Clay sd capital likeness, didn’t think his nose was so prominent, artists haven’t succeeded well in the past which is my fault as my face never retains long the same expression. Also puffs Wms Stevens and Wms coll of valuable ptgs, Trenton Falls by Mrs Kummer a perfect characteristic, Mrs Carmieneke wonders of Ital scenery, truly charming, also equal merit of truth of effect and finishing by Mrs Muller. 12-13 missing. 14 art matters: Cropsey’s magnif war and peace regarded by his bro artists as his greatest; Oddie at Wms and Stevens, well designed Gothic cottage in region where no log huts look queer. kenset white mtns happy, Leutze Schuyler, Stearns surpassing all with Last Hours of GW, Ingham and Frazee ill, Carpenter mayoral portraits, eminent Am artist in London deprecates the influ of Am AU, best artists of the city have become sinecurists 20 Elliott doing port of TO Porter 25 support the Aztec children (Herald doesn’t?) 266 lots on Cooper memorial

Mar: 4 gets art matters fr Home J, Whitley port of Bryant residence at Wms and Stevens, to be engr for a mag; Boutelle, Huntington, Gray, Piatti, Church natural bridge of Virginia fasinaiting and faithful manner, for Field; JP Cranch castle of Guadolfo, poetic vein, conception, and his bro doing Falstaff, Leutze repurchased pic fr Goupil hope Wash will buy it; Cinti AU in debt, Artists Association there competing; Anelli on a Venus. “Love Among the Roses” another vile attempt on the part of a conceited artist whose obstinacy resists all attempts to confine him to his proper sphere; effort so miserable, so inefficacious so contemptible that to survey it is to feel a dislike for its author, wish to obliterate fr human recollection. Ed of Exp adds doesn’t know who this is intended for.. Sunday Atlas wrong. crit of Lamartine. 20 Blunt the DA started proceedings agst AU to confiscate property, O’Connor (counsel for Mrs Forrest?) hired by managers p2 love Delaroche’s Napoleon (brooding over giving up his crown) 23 cites Eve post on Art Union’s legality, says it is not a lottery and p. 2 gives court proceedings 27 p2 Art Union decision: complaints have abridged its benefits, but believe managers have been sincere and it is useful. 30 missing.

Apr 3 lists those involved with creating the crystal palace, includes Belmont, FW Edmonds, Theo Sedgwick (lawyer for Ed Forrest?), Chas Stetson Mort Livingston 9 old fogies and young america at war over homestead bill, shld be called presidential question 12 p1 Hone’s coll for sale v rich, Ingham port of Clinton best extant, Leslie’s Anne Page, Newton’s Cole’s. Brackett’s exquis doomed mother and child, already noticed at Stuyvesant, was noticed by attache of our journal years ago in plaster in Boston, eulogistic, and same hand wrote of it in another NY journal, as well as this one. didn’t work to win him attention. Approve of model artists being arrested. 15 brief notice of Mech inst fair. 26 NAD advertising they are open. love Frederick West of the Atlas (British writer) 28 p1 Paris corresp notices slight charge now for Salon, to help buy pics for Luxembourg 30 gives prices of Leeds sale, Cole Kaaterskill falls for $290 by far his highest price, Leslie and Newton went for $800ish

May 1852: 1 EB visits Wash mon 5 Boker sale. want Fillmore for Pres. 14 missing. 17 fundraising for bronze equest Wash statue here. account of geo Law dinner.22 Payne died. 26 like Brougham’s Lantern 31 Goupil pic of Napoleon noticed by Paris corresp. Scott is a sectional nominee.

June 1852: NAD not advertising, Duss is Delaroche. 3-11 missing. 12 Paris corresp long report on sale of Soult and Morny collections of old masters, very high prices 22 artist ss osgood arrived fr Calif (has been there travel corresp there too). will support Scott. 23 cite southern reviews of Uncle Tom. Paris corresp notes death of Pradier extensively. 26 or 27 missing. 30 black borders for Clay

July-Dec 1852 LOC volume

I skipped to Nov 22, 23 John Clark’s forced sale of oil ptgs old masters spirited bidding. Sketch club met with Dallas at Cafferty’s rooms, Moore the subj, Chapman, Hagen Thompson Miss Kyle Blondell Cafferty Petit. Club is full with 22 members. Herndon on So Am. 27 Eve post mad that Aldermen paid Peter V Husted at the Custom House $1650 for a marble bust of Clay by some obscure Western artist; Express says one of most beaut works of art ever wrought, so say best artists and Clay so regarded it. If politics were diff, Post would praise. AE Baker is police reporter for Herald. no isms or strikes.

Dec 4 supports reopening of NY Gall of FA, new bldg, need to get some great pic with name and fame anduse proceeds for exhib, we think Leutze’s celeb Wash, engravings sold at $40 each, Marshall O Roberts bought it, should loan it 10 gives Bancroft’s lecture on Am art 11 Columbus litho unveiling. Banvard holy land great. defends Segwick and Crystal p 15 Powers statue shld be bought for Wash. AU sale, valuable ptgs 17 lists prices of AU sales and 19, 20, notice Sketch Club. stopped there

Feb-April 1853 LOC volume

doesn’t say “for the Union” in masthead. Wall and Nassau st office.

Feb: Clay monument promo; like Trinity church monuments.

Mar: ok with Pierce’s inaug address.7 extra Horatio Stone’s bust of Fillmore 8 Wash exhib at NY Gall of FA advertising, and 9p2 notices it, Roberts has lent his Leutze, others Cozzens Geo Austen Verplanck Daly etc have arranged 16 notices Brady and Lawrence dag rooms 24 Intl copyright won’t pass, people want cheap books Mar 30 p1 Ital corresp Genio says Am artists in Rome and Florence  are regarded as equal to the Italians, Crawford a noble Wash, Story his father the judge, Page best port ptr in Rome, Nichols fine and Brown of Phila best lscape ptr. Have a club that receives the Express, Home J, Post and others. Powers doing a Goddess of Liberty, which he calls America, points to heaven, rests hand on nat symb of strength and foot on a sceptre. Congress slow to buy it, but Genin of Broadway trying to help, if he succeeds more of a triumph than Lind. Powers also doing a statue of Wash deliv farewell address, his Calif beaut alleg fig, studio truly interesting

April: 2 notices Duss gall. Cryst Pal don’t open til June 1. 13 missing. 15 big ad for Sartain’s view of Ashland 16 p2 delightful private opening of NAD 18 missing. 19 p1 opening of academy, full of beaut, marred by fewer inferior and repulsive ptg (tho there are enuf of that sort, it must be confessed,) than usual. superb lscapes Durand, Cropsey Gignoux Kensett Church Doughty and others, four of finest are by the four first abovenamed artists, ordered by Chas Gould of NYC, approve of encouraging art that way. Sunset by Church attracts all eyes as do 3 of Elliott’s magnif portrits, that of Curtis never been transcended even by Elliott. Hicks remarkable port of old lady a marvel of art. Stearns two fine ports this year. Intend future  notices. 21 NAD advert (but doesn’t list it as an amusement in editorial column) 28 JP Beaumont sale of his ptgs. 29 missing. 30 is last issue in volume.

July-Dec 1853 LOC volume

1 gives minority report on Central park; Stowe feted in London bcause they dislike US 2 Tallmadge speech at NYU commencement on sculpture, divine author, kind of nonsensical 13 v enthus re Cryst Pal, all private enterprise (headed by Theo Sedgwick, Bryant wrote song), list art fr Italy and France item by item, emphas on sculp, colossal Pio Nino by Tenerani, a Canova Thorwaldsen Cellini etc 104 marble statues, inclu Wash and Columbus, Magnione of the artists 14 a miniature of Wash monument at Cryst Pal to encourage donations but not getting much, too bad; engr of giant delaroche alleg 15 opening day festivities works of art fr foreign and native pencils or chisels gleaming up coldd, white and still among the throng, wave of smiling life eddying around them instrking contrast with their wan and touching lifelessness 16 group of 12 apostles striking, black backgrd, but most graceful and life like work of art is the Amazon on horseback in conflict with a tiger, attitude peculiarly striking, bending forward, position of the horse well conceived, nothing more natural. Pic gall on 2nd floor incomplete 18 notice Frankenstein’s pano, advertises, notes it repeatedly, at Hope chapel. Don’t open CP on Sundays, desecrate sabbath 22 govt shouldn’t do pacific rrd. (young men recently killed at Niagara add to pano interest?) 26 Genio is Genio C. Scott. Praise humorous pics of Dutch school at CP, shipwrecked woman and dogs, attacks an abolitionist quilt. 30 Cryst pal on entering see lions fighting boa constrictor, lions look too starving, positions well chosen and natural, master hand; bruin devouring a hunter, French exhibb damaged in transit, bear too platonic for inspiring horror, and hunter seems dying for effect, studying most becoming attitude, bronze of warrior fighting serpent, serpent throat not big enough to eat them whole, but a work of some merit. Country cousin visitors, son asked his pa if that wasn’t Genl Jackson, he’d be horrified to think he was mistaken for a naked savage on horseback armed with a crossbow, but our schoolboys think every equestrian statue is Jackson, even Kiss’s Amazon serves this delusion. farther old man on excellencies of equestrian statue of Wash to young relative, officer in Brit army, then thought Amazon a man. Likes Ital peasant girl threading her needle, perfect keeping, some people don't think much of little boy her companion, but graceful. Statuary as a whole too many cupids, boas and sleeping babies, need hist and myth groups

Aug 1 p2 Cryst Pal sculp cont: Ital dept Eve after the fall, sitting, guilty terror, rich tresses, angelic beauty voluptuousness symmetry majesty, forehead too masculine, massive. Signor Piatti Superintendent of Fine Art dept statue of farmer’s orphan, graceful boy with hoe, noble expressive but title preposterous. Ganymede in orig subject, not in lore, poetic license. Silver-leaf fig leaves at a premium, extensive demand in exhib, most had none at all, but Anglo Saxon prudery insisted. 2 Gen N Saunders is Young Am Aug 8 sides with Courier and Bishop Doane agst accusations 12 p2 Sculp at Cryst Pal: France second to Italy, colossal plaster of eagle snatching baby fr sleeping woman, expressive terror; Adam after the fall shouldn’t be on a stump, Eve not majestic enuf, Austrian work made by Italians, veiled busts most pop; Piatti shows his work in the Am section, others by native sculptors are mediocre, statuette of Webster in Brit section (have alluded to before??) of some merit 23 great attraction of CP now is Hiram Powers’ sculptures, in a group by themselves near equest statue of Wash, Fisher boy listening attitude expression equal to any of his productions, tho country visitors think all his work is Greek Slaves. 2 of most ridiculous aside fr celeb alleg group of Wash and geniuses are Malicious love and love of a small bird, cupid too old and thin, below mediocrity, Marochetti attitude of child not natural or graceful countenance repulsive. Ital Wash too cunning look. 26 more abt sculp at CP: statue of Bacchus, most statuary lacks expression, even some of Powers, attitudes and figs may be faultless but aiming for angelic beauty forget expression, mother watching death of child too passionless, but B’s drunken gravity a triumph.English Hunter reposing great merit in fatigue and repose. 27 free blacks who try to see Uncle tom’s cabin forced to third tier with prostitutes; symp with blacks in south is cheap 31 CP: picture gallery was open to see hanging, but venomous connoisseurs poked canes thru canvas of glaring daubs

Sept 1 Churchman under Seabury was high church, but now under Hecker is not.  2 praise celeb of Atlantic Cable, Trinity Church and Doane took lead. no riots. ball at West Pt. James Brooks spoke at the banquet. 3 Frank Leslie excluded fr banquet et al by Common Council/Aldermen, for his crit of their corruption TJ Barker ptg of Corso coming to Wms Stevens.  England is a Trib reporter. 6 Herring’s Village Blacksmith at Wms Stevens Wms, only equalled by Landseer, being engraved, twenty square feet, fine horse noble dog stalwart man, angelic wife masterpiece 8 defends cable managers. RA Locke in trouble with quarantine. 27 Scott still hurt from fall at Cozzens hotel. Suspect cable mayn’t be a success.

Oct 1 1853: powell’s great national pic eminently creditable 8 MO Roberts slams Eve Post, never reads it, its reports are dubious 12 Duss ptgs to be sold Leeds NY Quarterly Review leans toward progressive but not destructive. Father Gavazzi is Bedini’s opponent 18 praises Powell’s ptg, has Art in Am Inst Fair, util objects share in fine arts, fine line between them, growing appreciation of art in this country, but still much vulgar, tasteless and false, as in display of art at Fair, many objects lack novelty grace neatness beauty. Gallery for pics: miserable, devoid of originality of conception, beneath crit, destitute of ordinary execution, but excellent engr by Ritchie and Buttre, also ornamental pen. dags all good, Gurney, Mede, JW Thompson, Carden Jube Rees. Charles Muller and LeConte in bronze. bad wax sculps by women. Beebe cast fig improbable attitude, looks abt to fall. 19 p2 Sketch Club, excellent, mtgs at McLellans and Caffertys, like the idea of an annual, Powell elected honorary member as were McKenzie and Farrene of the Sunday Times, and of Le Republicain. Savage hosts next. 27 Am Inst not well attended

Nov 9 Art matters: sketch club, TA Richards, Cafferty, Blondell, also Lockwood and W Walcutt, Greenough’s new group at Wash. Condemns prizefighting but covers it.  10 praises Barnum’s UTC, Delamano scenic artist wonderful, thoroughly American ok for southerners to see it. praises Cooper’s naval history. 11 supplement Wms Stevens sale dull, Cole Doughty Rossiter Carter et al 14 p1 Crawford fr Richmond paper 21 mad that Post’s Bryant and Bigelow mix up James Brooks with Geo Law, who he defeated when running as Dem for Congress. Law refuses to advert steamlines in Post 25 p1 letter fr Amicus agrees that Eve Post terrible, were mean to Webster; daguerrotypists and committee of prizes at Crystal Palace at odds. 29 Laura Keene defends herself agst Lester and Wallack

Dec 3 p3 Wash corresp fr EB very happy with all the new improvements to the Capitol, loves Greenough’s new group and old Wash 6 YMCA debating admission of Catholics. Art Union sale of ptgs, care taken no work without decided merit should be admitted, solution to court bannign distrib. Choice works by Leutze Huntington Cropsey Lang Church Boutelle Kensett Stearns Hinckley Inness Hall Mignot Hays Hart and others. Likes Boucicault. 14 suit of Fry and Bennett, GG Foster alleging about James F Otis of Express not true, not influ by money. 17 Am AU sale, gives prices of big ptgs, David Leavitt banker bought two Leutzes, JH Richards bought another, a Mignot and Huntington but most prices below expectation, 138 pics catalogued valued at $22,000, sold for $8,000. lots on Irish Mitchell. Everett Hse and Prescott Hse much puffed. 27 letter fr Paris fr Kaleidoskopia, cites Dumas on Delaroche, Vernet and Delacroix. gifts at Appleton’s

NY Morning Express 1854 LOC bound vol slogan one country one constitution one destiny

Jan 2, 9 Phoebe Cary, woman shouldn’t write parodies, unfitting. Bennett a pariah. Marcy considered a fogy. John Mitchell’s (Irish) Citizen anti abolition 20 letter defends Pease; Herald steals an editorial 25 p3 Sketch Club met at Blondell’s rooms, Broadway and Houston, Cafferty moved tribute of esteem to memory of Hasenclever of Dusseldorf, and Cafferty John Savage and Cornelius Mathews was nominated by Pres of club, TD Jones the sculptor, to draft resolutions. Farranc eulogized Greenough, urged same resolution to his family. Humorous poem read by WW Fosdick, health of James Otis of NY Express now NO Picayune and honorary member of the Club drunk. sketches of temptation of St Anthony submitted by Blondell, Cafferty, Dallas, McLenan, Kyle, Chapman, Hitchcock and others (fr the Times) 26 Hot Corn lit a directory to dens of infamy (but prints some) 30 James Redpath cont his attack on Pease, Express endorses it, suspicious that Pease sold Hot Corn 31 mtg at Tabernacle of those who want to preserve Missouri compromise include Minturn, Hoxie, Haggarty, JW Otis, a Gifford, Bowen,  Suydam Bradish Grinnell Chapin Bryant  FW Edmonds.

Feb: Beecher and his paper (Zion’s Herald) supports Solon Robinson 6 Louis M Glover chairs mtg in support of Neb q 9 another notice of Sketch Club fr Times 13 puff of Goupil’s new warehouse 14 Henry Arcularius resigns as street lamp commissioner, did a bad job. Bleecker auction noticed. Anti-Bedini sentiment by Ital patriots part of attack agst Cass. 17 women outside the home is a monster 26 praises Herndon’s Amazon report 22 199 newspapers pub in city, 94 periodicals 24 Darby new studio on Broadway, his engr of Bishop de Lancey good. Has regular review of relig press.

Mar 1854: E Brooks opposes prohibitory of liquor law 2 Wms and Stevens ptgs by Lauder and Herring, engravings avail. Everett and Broadhead vote to exclude emigrants fr polit voice in KS NE bill? 16 p2 Thom Jones doing Welsh sculpture for Wash monument 21 newsboy lodging house noticed 31 Express is opposed to Nebraska bill, as is Hiram Ketchum, p3 Wash corresp ‘W’ says Houdon’s statue has been copied in plaster by Hubard and is in Rotunda, differs fr all others which are ideal, Judge Marshall says perfect likeness, copies in bronze for $1000 should be in reach of all state houses, hopes ones will be ordered for Capitol

April 1854: 7 Pease involved with Am Inst; Duganne on European revolutions to Society of the Iron Man, highly artistic (dislike it) 8 p.1 NAD hope new rooms will be near Merc Lib and Astor library; faves Leutze and Rossiter not there, but Durand Huntington Elliott etal praises all of them, LMSpencer so natural it causes much amusement. NAD and Banvard advertising. Eve post critical of Edw Everett 21 NAD closes soon; gift of plate to Durand on view. Supports Crystal Palace reopening 25 p1 fr Newark advertiser on Amer artists, Read ptg cabient portraits of the Brownings, and other compositions, Edwin White historical compositions of Puritans and Columbus taking the sacrament, Nichols Kellogg Gould and Tait, latter fr Cinti, promising, Kellogg and Gould just do portraits. Hart of KY mechanical genius. love exPres Fillmore. 27 Wm Ross Wallace wins prize ode for reopening of Cryst Pal, judges were Chapin, Geo Wm Curtis, and Geo Ripley 29 notes sale of old Dusseldorf gall

May: 4 Trib and Post like Genin for Mayor. Nicolay and Sintzenich, moved to 16 Wall st, S was chief salesman for Leeds, specializing in art, also have rooms at NAD for sales of objects of art 5 p1 grand reopen of Cryst Pal, beneath dome, genius lcoi, 12 ft female fig repesenting America, outstretched hand a crown of bays, Amer eagle trampled on broken chain, Borup and Muller, pupil ofThorswalden. Baron Marochetti’s equest statue of Wash, little gallery of busts of GW Jackson and Clay lifelike, Webster not as good. 15 praises Schaus’ store and engravings23 presentation of plate to Durand. Sunday Atlas crit of Fillmore.26 their Wash corresp W a big Corcoran fan 30 more praise for Thoms D Jones, medallion port of Bishop Hughes most faithfullikenesses, strikingly artistic, disting position, confirmed by bas-relief for Wash monument

June 1 Courrier takes southern position in favor of popular sovereignty, as does Mitchell’s Citizen. New Temple of Art: Tiffany’s, modern Italian archit, sculptured entablature, lots of plate glass, bas relief 6 Bedini sent engr of Madonna 16 American Art: lit and art both rapidly reaching perfection, freshness vigor and originality in young artists, effete school of Old World, self reliance make us eclective and improve upon the past. Occasionally some brilliant corruscation of genius commands our attn, studio of Wm Marsh of Brooklyn, beaut marine piece, clipper ship the David Brown, brilliancy and distinctness of reality, shipbuilders confirm accuracy 29 long diatribe agst Sumner

Express LOC volume Jul-Dec 1854

Jul 3 Art Matters: fine ptg by Rembrandt Lockwood of Newark, Day of Judgment, orig treated, highly effective 7 likes Melville and Bayard Taylor. James T Brady an Indep Dem 12 John Brooks letter fr France, praises Versailles as spreading taste to artizans and manufactures, Louvre far fr money lost, a great school of art open more or less to everybody, without money and without price, humblest workman can go and refresh with a raphael, Academies of Fine Arts are not less accessible 14 bronze statue of Tom Corwin in Ohio, genuine western man, Tom Jones to do it is best judgment, intimate acquaintance with Corwin and modelled best bust of him, enthus admiration for him, unquestionable artistic genius 15 like Buckman plan for city hall 20 Meagher beat up McMasters of Freemans J 29 p1 The Arts: Powers statue of Wash for Louisiana grand work, engaged on statue of Webster for Boston in attitude of defending the Constitution, firmly grasped in one hand while other rests on symbol of Union which it secures. Newark Daily Advertiser says better than ancient sculpture, no head to compare. In SC Powers’ Calhoun left arm holding constiution at bottom of the sea, intimation that state policy is a little onesided, and try again with bronzed statue of Calhoun monument  on marble catacomb and base, an underground tomb above the surface. 

Aug 9 excerpt Willis and Home J, one of our most fascinating writers 14 Calhoun monument wears a cloak, classic air, doesn’t name artist. Trib also supports Cryst Pal 17 JB inBerlin praises king and country for lavishing money on museums, result is Berlin bronze work known around world, money not wasted 19 JB on picture gazing, even expensive pics not a bad spec for a state, artists come prints are made, if in Rotunda would return 10% to city of Wash. His pov as an Amer towards art, he acknowledges, is to calculate its utilitarian value. 23 statu of Thorvaldsen his fave in palace at Dresden 26 anti-Jesuit Crusader has engr by artist-editor of Bedini ready to stab 30 mocks idea of raising money for GW monument by putting advertising on marble

Sept 13 p3 atelier of Innes 34th st near Broadway marble busts of disting citizens faitfulness expressiveness style of execution credit on talent and taste of gmen, unquest merit, but not known 14 p2 Lockwood’s Last Judg previously noticed opens near Metropolitan Hall, v respectable meeting of artists and others at opening, mentions ministers and judges. advertises, as does Cryst Pal 22 John Hecker of Churchman a Barnburner, took over a couple of years ago, Henry N Hudson his editor, and contrib fr Onderdonk and Seabury

Oct 7 love Leutze’s Wash at Monmouth, noble, stirring Oct 10 p1 James F Otis our old music editor received with cheers by Sketch Club, speeches by WW Fosdick, Cornelius Mathews, Kyle, Jones, Dallas, McLenan. subj was Campbell poem, excellent ones by Mrs Greatorex, Miss Kyle, Hart, Boyle, Thom, Ransom Dallas and McLenan. Otis back to New Orleans. 17 gives a history of the battle of Monmouth because of Leutze 20 Wm R Wallace in J ofCommerce 23 notices a Derby book dedic to the Know Nothings 28 Greenwood on Sunday, visit grave of mad poet volume ends on 31st

NY Morning Express—LOC

J&E Brooks, Wall and Nassau sts, One Country—One Constitution—One Nation

Starts Feb 1 1855, but I skipped Feb

NY Morning Express, One Country, One Constitution, One Destiny, Wall and Nassau, J& E Brooks.

Feb- July 1855

Feb: seems to like F Wood, very anti-Seward, Feb 5 Art and Xtianity: Magoon’s art gems fr Euro, water color, orig designs. 9 editorial seems to embrace Know-Nothings. Feb 10 calls Fred Douglass in the NY Senate the rise of Young Africa; cover Italian demo at Tabernacle, celeb Roman Republic of 1849, officers of meetings included Prof B  Silliman, Henry Ruckerman, Gajani, Fred Conkling, Hon James Brooks, Chas A Dana, Greeley sent a letter. 12 p. 1 notices NAD new property purchase; Lockwood’s grand ptg of Last Judgment sold to Cath Cathedral in Phila for $12,000, retains engraving privileges. Aristocratic Union Club moving; Day Book compositors all women. 13 covers the Young America meeting in detail, J Bullock of paper of that name, v anti-Seward/Hughes too. 14 house in Mercer st kept by Josephine Wilson on Monday night had demoralizing Model Artist Exhibition, reported and indicted, women sent to prison as vagrants. 20Asmonean disagrees with Belmont’s politics, his being appointed a foreign ambassador, as does Express, wants Americans. 21 Fine Arts E Schenk auction of old masters. 24 reviews Fry’s libel trial agst Bennett who called his Opera hse a home for gamblers, prostitutes, etc., has taken years to come to trial, p. 3 corresp frWashington says Powell’s pic now in the niche is subjected to severebut just crit, may dazzle the ignorant, but will never satisfy refined and eleg taste, Powell here petitioning for whole commission payment. 26 not enthus re Ole Bull, dislikes Kossuth

March—skipped fr 1 to 12, where there is lots on Bill Poole’s funeral procession, I Die a True American. 14 p. 1 notices the NAD opening, v small affair, many exhib Engl and German so not really national, coll as a whole better than usual, good bad and indiff, some lscapes of exceeding merit. 19 Restell writes a defense letter re squib in Tribune. 21 Prescott F Harris proprietor of Broadway Belle, Bowery Boy and Whip indicted for obscene in public streets, $1000/locked up. 22 covers extensively the meeting in oppos to the Police Bill, fear will make it more partisan, like the current system, attendees include Robt Goodhue, John L Aspinwall, Peter Cooper, Robt B Minturn, James Boorman, James Lenox, Havemeyer, Kingsland, Westervelt, Greeley, Phoenix, Ruggles, Chas King, Thom Tileston, Joseph Hoxie, Astor, Cornelius Lawrence. Bradish, J Watson Webb. James Jarper, C Vanderbilt et al Jon Sturges etc. 26 Trinity Church purchased Thorwalsden group of statuary on exhib at Crystal Palace for uptown. Forrest’s style hasn’t changed, maybe softened, has not genius but is physically great, and a certain class think him in eminently great even in Shakespeare, and what he calls the hireling press crit and scientfic dissections can convince otherwise. 29 Putnam’s a fave mag. 31 p.1 gives Cornelius Mathews address on Americanism at NYU, liberal views. Dislikes new non-Seabury ed of Churchman.

“Sam” seems to be his stand-in for nativism

March

5 Advocate for ‘Sam” and the Am party, Breckinridge attacks. Notices American Artists residing in Paris who have applied to 1855 Salon, Healy, Hunt, Mrs Emily Breete and August Wm Breete, TP rossiter, AG Powers, DB Walcutt, Wm P Babcock. Dislikes Fanny Fern, her Life and Ruth Hall akin to connoisiseur who passed two genuine lscapes by the old masters, the one a Claude and the other a Loraine, he had forgotten which was which.

Supports Mayor Wood. Who stops liquor selling on Sundays  and won’t curtail Central Park, and does mass arrests of streetwalkers, J of Commerce too. Sympathetic to Bill Poole, ‘I die a true American’

9 critical of Brit army buying officers. 10 p.1 describes Dr Townsend’s Hse in 5th Ave, new and unique, writers with diff opinions respecting plan, style and decorations. Design was the proprietor, construction by Sefton, Mixed-Corinthian style or what proprietor calls Young American Order. Ptg done by Carlo Lafata. Lots of frescoes.

Doesn’t wish (with Courier) for police system to change; critical of Hughes

26 Trinity purchases Thorvaldsen statues fr Crystal Palace? 31 extracts fr Cornelius Mathews speech on Americanism at NYU

31 gives annual report of Cosmo Art Assoc (Grk Slave in distrib)

April missing. L  May 1855

3 contradicts in long article Putnam’s on Amer citizenship, it’s a birthright, not something acquired. 19 Herald omits HJ Raymond’s speech at Jewish Hospital dinner. 23 argues with Crayon article on dress, which says we sacrifice beauty to utility, can’t see how an artist can say that of women, who fr bonnet to pinching shoe, nothing of utility, who is a sacrifice of utility to beauty whether or not successful.

Volume then skips to October,

Oct. 1—Matsell born in England, so object to him. 4 Theo Tilton of NY Observer marrried at Beecher’s church. 5 Am Inst Fair pict gall no longer has pictures. 10 back to liking Putnam’s, a Goupiil port of GW. 11 notices Duss gall

22 p.1 Clay monument assoc met at Appleton Bldgs, E Brooks president, subscriptions nearly $50,000, mostly from Kentucky, contract with Launitz in NY to build it. 24 notices Brown’s bronze statue of GW in progress, Am Inst pic gall has wonderful Brady dags. 26 mixed review of Forrest, genius but perverted taste. 31 pro-Manifest Destiny

April 1855 is missing

May

1 notices Duss gallery, esp praises Lessing’s Huss (advertises). Don’t see NAD.

2 suspicious of Union Club as secret? Notices Am sculptors in Euro, that Powers has done fifty busts of Proserpine at $400 ea, disappointed in Congress buying semi colossal America, also doing his California, employs 9 workmen, couldn’t afford to live in the states. Notes war on newsboys, Duyckinck at NY HS, critical of article on nativity in Putnam’s (Mr White of Courier writing stories for it too)

7 Fine Arts: paper hanging replacing oil ptg (advert?)

Anthony Bleecker a big advertiser. Not enthus re Maine law

23 critique of the Crayon thinking dress is utilitarian, esp women’s30 unenthus abt Bancroft or Putnam’s under the new editors Dix and Edwards

Feb-Aug 1856  LOC volume

Feb: anti-hutchinson. Live Oak clubs. 16 critical of Niblo 18 Young America paper improving. Fillmore and Donelson for Pres. Jumps from Feb 29 to

April 1, 4 crit of Putnam’s mag’s politics. Farewell address of Wash is keystone for Brooks. 7 p1 picture and bookseller on Nassau st brought before the mayor for selling nude pictures, indecent 9 artist Richardson arrived with trunks containing ptgs, seized and appraised at $1000, sold for $1500, proceeds paid into court, not exempt fr duty, defence said were tools of trade of artist and had been painted here, verdict in favof of the govt p.2 very hostile to Bishop Hughes. Jacques Bonhomme the Paris corresp says Louvre magnificent, statues fr living sculptors listed 10 p1 Doughty ill, mtg Astor Hse, Oddie, Bryant, Magoon HP Gray Huntington, no exhib of his pics but a subscription. 11 Merc Lib Assoc buys v1822 vol Hogarth to replace one that is worn out by readers. Gives from the Post the result of Cropsey’s sale of pictures and buyers, Dr Bellows bought 13! GW Curtis and Jarvis bought 1, and a Mr. Bronson bought 11. Brooks active in Clay festival. 15 p2 controversy over Louis Keller’s tableaux vivants, he says are model artists, indecent, though claim to represent sacred pictures, that Pope approves is part of his system to make world worship pictures in lieu of God. Rubens is ok, in a cathedral, Keller wants him on the stage (low). Hughes is allied with Seward. 16 NAD advertising 18 death of GG Foster, gaslight foster, critical notice. 21 erratic Richd Bengough scenic artist of Olympic left 4 kids to bro a merchant who just died

May: sad re death Ogden Hoffman 3 p2 Works of Art and Charity in the City worthy of the Attn of Strangers: admirers of ptgs are a little too late for the exhib of the productions of our native artists. With few exceptions, this is no great loss. The annual exhib of all the ugly ports ptd to be in time for the Nat Acad, is to us, alw a source of discomfort. large eyed children and old ladies, no high art. Proud of Durand, Kensett and Church, Kensett a universal favorite. Not a fan of Mayor Wood. 10 p2 Union Square Wash monument, getters up of the affair keep themselves out of sight, costs $25-30,000 but private subscribers unknown, fr moulds by HK Brown of no mean talent. J of Commerce says statue is completed, others say it is very good. 23 Where is Lucy Stone to answer question of equality of intellect, woman great ptg or statue, poem, drama, opera or music invention or cook, have only written clever letters, toelrable novels, no ptgs worthy of the name, no music or sculp or inventions other than hats 26 not much to say re caning of Sumner, calls it an outrage, many national men join in indignation, but it’s being used by aboltionists to intensify sectional hate 27 Union square statue in Brown’s Brooklyn studio, supposed to be noble work of art, face on Houdon’s bust owned by Gov Fish, horse trotting, hand extended in address, gives weight and cost Preston Brooks ready to challenge Webb of Courier 31 Silliman loaned Trumbull drawings for Irving’s bio of washington; recent death of Mrs Rossiter, wife of artist and daughter of Dr. Parmly, in Paris

June 1856 missing.

July: 2 Very shabby; orig Wash monument effort fizzled out, now Col James Lee and a few wealthy have done it, and city won’t chip in for inauguration of it (attack on Wood I think) 3 city votes $25 for statue. happy that Putnam’s hires southern writers, like poetic crit of Patmore and TB Read 4 Fillmore clubs agreed to participate in inaugrating the statue of Wash 7 front page coverage of inaug of statue, wild enthusiasm, sun came out. Fremont a Catholic. 16 Courier describes a sheet copper Washington statue, have seen it, parlor of his house on Carmine st, John Neumann, German, untaught, dignified attitude fr port at City hall, praises proportions etc, art and curiosity. Copway speaks at Fillmore club. 21 American charivari journalism: first ones imitated Punch, done by Londoners, before our current Picayune, or TW Strong’s Young America and Yankee Notions. T Dunn English, Cornelius Mathews, John Brougham, T Powel, C Corbyn Harry Plunkett tried earlier. Praises WH Levison’s blackamoor humor in Pic, Brougham, And Doesticks Mortimer Thompson, JC Hayne. Young Amer harder to know its contributors, lacerated Geo Law, but Briggs formerly of Putnam’s Monthly helps, Charles Gayler a former junior editor of Express, Joe Barber their poet. Artists involved are Bellew, does for Harper’s too, also Gunn and McLellan 26 calls NY Herald a black republican paper? 29 weird letter critical of portraits of Fremont in shop windows

August 22 p2 nasty diatribe against Germans as anti temperance (pro Sunday saloons) and pro Fremont, lots of mean caricatures including one of HW Beecher’s dog noble with a lorgnette, spying for Fremont as fox. (has map of Covington-Cinti where a Union demo was held) 30 don’t mention Negro minstrelsy much in Express, they say

Express LOC volume Sept-Dec 1856

Sept 6 Porter trying to start new spirit of the times by affixing his name to it, praise his career, fighting with C&E. Plymouth monument. 18 praises Scribner and NY secy of state JT Headly. no comment on Franklin statue in Boston.

Oct has a regular family marketing column on the front page that gives prices, what’s available etc 4: eve post has poem attacking Erastus Brooks as a liar, mentions dog Noble again p2 Am Inst coverage includes Neumann’s copper Wash, dais in centre of pic gallery, exquis dags surround it, admired for labor as well as art.ompares well with several other statues of Wash in the bldg, face improved by bronzing, hope city will buy it for Governor’s room. E brooks seems to BE the dog Noble. 9 running Sylvanus Cobb story. 10 praises Currier litho caric of elction candidates. Lots on Am Inst. really working to defeat Fremont. 24 likes another Currier caric p.2 praises commercial galleries like Goupil and Wms Stevens as saving Am art 27 p1 Fillmore a Catholic as has a crucifixion in his drwg room, Fremont carved a cross in Rockies 30 attack on Martin Tupper for promoting abolition

November 1856 missing

Dec: Duss gallery advertises. 6 p3 Palmer marbles, of Albany, at Church of Divine Unity on Broadway, mostly of already owned pieces, including Cosmo Art Assoc Spring, some for Hamilton Fish, one of most beaut ever exhib here, Indian Girl main attraction, showing at request of Fish, Huntington, Bryant Durand Cronkhite, L Bradish,  Verplanck, Church, Appleton Leupp Thos Hicks most disting resident sculptor. Like Miss Keene. regular items abt Jewish festivals Like Headley at NYHS. 26 p3 a Wash corresp, new wings of the Capitol, gorgeous fresco finish, cupids cornucopias gay colors of rich flower pieces and bird plumage, with the extremely crockery and fantastical quality of the entire walls and ceilings. naval room better, prominent actions of our navy well frescoed, but overwrought with finnical if not entirely unmeaning profusion of detail. Indian room is exquisitely ptd, gorgeous with color but in grouping and harmony v delightful, associations of the Indian accoutrements and animals of the chase in panels reconcile mind to garishness. impt that antique forms plced before our students in prominent bldgs, no originality except maize and tobacco capitals. Edgar of YMCA censoring the Press (the Express anyways; think he’s abolitionist)

LOC volume 1857:

Jan 9 notice Jewish Messenger, Bernard Lemann, Myer S Isaacs, David E Josephi Joseph Hess and Saml Cohen, SM Isaacs rabbi contrib, 695 Houston st, nonprofit. 17 puffs Reichardt’s Niagara gallery at Stuyvesant, came here to paint it. 20 praise Lt Viele v pict plans for Central Park 22 v crit of Young Am as ‘fast’, confirmed novel reader 23 Beecher on ministry of the beaut for School of Design lectures at Tabernacle 27 Simonton of the Times Wash corresp being made an abolitionist martyr; city will not encourage works of art, only insignif appropriation for railing to include Equestrian statue of Wash, and still not done; proposal to purchase Neumann’s copper statue and Powers’ bust of same have lain unacted on before Common Council, Tammany has no artistic perceptions. 2 cents a copy.

Feb: hostile to Strakosch who is affiliated with Herald, who sneers at the merchants who support the Opera as codfish train oil and candle merchants. Express and Comm Advert were only Fillmore journals in the city 20 Hecker of Churchman involved in libel case; EW Hudson Herald money editor accused of stock jobbing in Potosi and Missouri lead co, shows unreliable. Pike is Wash corresp of the Trib 24 News J of Commerce and Day book only Demo papers in city 25 Trinity church committee L Bradish, Cambreling, Lorillard and JD Wolfe, Minturn

March 19 covers Boker’s daughter’s legal issues related to marrying her Irish coachman 27 Leader has improved. AE Douglass sale of pics, Stuart portraits go for more than $500, British artists mostly

April: YMCA a Republican club; have a column of Gossip, Chit-chat etc 11 JG Batterson doing Genl Worth monument, $24,000 approp by city for it, bronze equestrian relief, Broadway and 25th 14 Thom L Nichols and wife Gove Nichols former free love advocates 16 very critical of Howadji (also Gregory pseud?) who used to write gossip for Express, now at Trib, silly sentimentalities. but likes Melville’s confidence man. 22 Leeds sale of pics, living artists 25 p1 Thom’s free stone monument of Wash to go up in front of city hall, marks on it of stones flung by Irish laborers at Rondout in a riot some time since, owned by Dr Main, tho orig cut for Capitol at Wash DC. No NAD ad.

May: 4 Leeds sale of art consigned to Goupil, inclu priv coll of ptgs by Geo Hall, Mount, Brown Kummer  Lang Annelli opsey Sontag Gignoux Ranney Carter Mignot etc. Oils and candles is one of their advertising sections. 6 Beecher spoke agst theater, contradicting Bellows, Chapin defended Bellows somewhat 8 Powell hired by Ohio leg to do Perry scene 18 Thom’s statue being criticized, they defend, the Connery mentioned is a coroner supported by the Herald 21 p2 NAD notice, not many American subjects, just Carter’s historical ptg. Church’s Andes of Ecuador finest lscape in show. Church’s Niagara advertising it closes on the 27th. 22 p2 Gould sale follows in success of Douglass gallery, Dutch old masters, plus Cropsey, Talbot, Hope, Gignoux W Hart 23 p1 sale of old masters in Paris huge prices 25 p2 NAD don’t criticize too loudly in the gallery; dislikes Lang and Whitley and Kellogg 26 Word for Art and Artists, Manchester exhib, should buy old masters. eager to start the dog killing. 27 p1 Clay statue in Richmond, complaints abt Joel L Hart of KY not finishing p.2 NAD no 3, enthus abt Rossiter p3 statue of slave at Merchants exchange 28 p1 Leeds selling W Schaus coll before going to Euro, mostly Amer but some superb Fr andGerm, W Walcott’s Overthrow of statue of Geo 3 attracts most attn, work of eminent merit, stirring local incident

June: Walker is wicked. 6 David Richards selftaught sculptor busts in Merchants Exchange Jun 9 p2 NAD all the papers commenting kindly on it, likes Carter pretty well 10 likes Yankee Notions and Knick 15 yellow plush aristo are servants 16 p1 Remb Peale address NYHS on his Wash portrait. NAD ad closing on the 20th 19 p3 gives Peale’s speech and a bio of him, Peale critiqued portraits of him including Trumbull’s a fable and Wurtmuller’s a foreign air, Savage’s has little rep, his dad’s and Pine’s have faults, Stuart’s Wash is florid enough for an Irishman, lost his expression fr false set of teeth. 20 Express supports Mayor Wood in police war in principle (he’s fighting Republicans); I didn’t see a last NAD article 24 p4 sale of greek slave to cosmo art assoc

LOC volume Jul-Dec 1857

july 1 $6 year. p1 Equity writes abt Remb Peale’s lec to NYHS and slurs on Trumbull, absurd that an artist after many years cld fr memory paint a better pic than when Wash sat for him. 9 Healy making $12,000 in Chicago ptg ports 21 need a poet to celeb beauties of Hudson. 22 Simeon Draper forced to resign as head of police? suggested James Watson Webb take his place? Hughes hates Raymond. 31 p2 corresp EHB in New Rochelle praises ladies tableaux, country courtship, coquette, seraglio, Greek Slave—merriment at “Pathrick” with hod and pipe bestowing blarney grins so peculiar to his race. Notes Beranger’s death. Bio of Bonheur, frequenting horse market, adopting masculine attire. Cholwell of police is in Amer party.

Aug 11 urges women to take up paintings with cornhusks leaves moss, twig bark sand and crayon perfection of color. Geo W Curtis was working at Putnam’s. 18 Death of Sue, all his work questionable tendencies 26 DA Hall (Oakey Hall) lately a penny a liner for a sensation daily re Cunningham baby case? (herald? paper had an interview with her) 27 don’t believe in Wall st panic

Sept: occas poem, fashion column. Still loves CP. 12 funeral of Jacob A Dallas, the artist, Rev Thorp officiates. Repubs censure Draper for leaving city to Fernando Wood, and thank Nye Bowen and Stranahan. 28 p1 Bonheur’s Horse fair on exhib, it’s wonderful.30 praises Gurney’s Wm Hall at Am Inst fair at CP, Hall is one of directors. Brady’s life size photos later.

Oct 6: keep cool, panic will pass in a week. 9 thinks England will send gold. 14 p2 describes panic, says people act like sheep, Partington dame crushing and pushing, Irish women weeping and wailing, cursing and swearing, poor working girl waiting her turn,Bowery Boy, freest sort of free speech, doleful miseries, countryman had good sense to leave his gold, trust ea other not in gold and silver.p3 a contradictory account. ruggles in Erie rrd. 20 notice galleries of Fr and Eng art, 21 longer notice mostly Bonheur, noble and intellectual, fire of genius. Notes Crawford’s death. Fredericks’ photog. Wishes they had a national bank. Dark lantern a know nothing symbol.

November 5 NYHS has busts of Wash Franklin Clay and Webster in new bldg 6 p1 long review of Brit gallery, symp to pre Raph somewhat, likes Ford Madox Brown, late Turners not good examples of him 7 Alexander Ming, now F Wood’s secy, gave speech against monstrous banks in 1837, encouraged riot to Ely Hart’s flour store, smashed, denied responsibility. genl Jackson’s appointee Saml Swartwout turned Ming out of his office in customs. Approves of Central Park work as welfare. Fredericks photog again.Worth monument—continues big spread on the 26th. 19 p2 will support Tiemann for mayor tho a Demo, anyone other than Wood, who Herald is supporting, Judge Russell is a relative of Bennett. Praises Hosmer’s Beatrice Cenci. Like Charles Mackay.

Dec 1 p2 praise David Richards young self taught sculpture of Queen Dido in Rotunda of Merchants exchange 2 admires illus Bryant poetry book. notes death of Stimson of daybook. 5 p1 Huntington in London on men of science, Cropsey’s autumn thought Young America til Ruskin visited, Hunt’s French flower girl gem of last year’s exhib, Darley working on Cooper; letter fr Italy praises Canova p4 funeral of Crawford, meeting of artists in Rome praise him John Gibson Freeman Chapman Terry Cephas Thompson Geo L Brown Rothermel Wm Page Mosier Whittredge taken fr Commer Advert. 7 p1 has more on NY funeral, with Kensett, Hicks, Sumner Tuckerman, GW Curtis and Rossiter 10 Greeley knows nothing about poetry. Wood is devil incarnate. Gives corresp about Belmont exhib “previously referred to” Has Meissoniers. 11 Bennett attacking charity ball bcause not invited 14 Aspinwall’s genuine Murillo $30,000 16 p4 Mackay’s Picture on a wall, praised by Prosper Wetmore. Dem John McKeon removed fr office for not supporting Wood in mayor election. 30 Saml M Bigelow, who was connected with Express, died. Big ad for the British ptgs at NAD rooms. 31 p1 review of Belmont pics, mostly covers Euro artists, mentions Eastman Johnson’s chimney sweeper has washed his face

Feb-Nov 1858 LOC volume

Feb: Lecompton juggle. 5 more on Thom’s statue of Wash, to be bought by city, deformed? 9 gives amounts donated fr exhib of Belmont’s pics 10 Rev Hawks who they like lectured on Old America’s msg to Young America at NYHS, Wash farewell address 15 p4 takes fr the Post notice of second Artists’ Reception, elite of the city there, Durand good 17 p3 Geo Wm Curtis on Sydney at NYHS, Peale on Wash coming, Hawks giving same lec at Niblos 19 arrest of model artistes (me: not the known gmen in the audience) 22 Peale again 26 crit of Bayard Taylor 27 Aspinwall’s exhib, another American Murillo, overcleaned

March 1858 missing

April: 5 corresp in Italy on new monuments to Pope and Immac Conception, both pretty ideal/alleg, and loves gallery of Vatican, new Murillo, grace and tenderness. Simpson’s great hist ptg at Schaus advert. 7 money raised by Aspinwall’s Murillo 10 quite a bit on Thom H Benton 12 critical of NAD exhib lack of hist and compos and Church. Don’t see an ad. 14 p4 NAD opens, large crowd, fine exhib, Elliot Baker Kensett Hicks Ehninger Blauvelt Darley Healy Edw White Lawrence Gignoux Mignot Santain Tait subj and manner of treating them far aboe the average, fash lounge Apr 16 p2 NAD hate Cafferty’s Wall street, love Elliott’s Glentworth (!), W Hart too labored 17 p3 Eve Post had special access to plans for Central Park, polit connections? 19 p4 Troye’s oriental ptgs, peculiarity ptd at localities, Damascus studio 1855, all fr reality, actual portraits. Simeon Draper selling old masters owned by Gideon Nye, lists them 21 p2 publish corresp on NAD, appears on p3, complains of over 300 portraits, critical ofDr Stone’s Art convention lobbying which secured for Healy ptg of Presidents portraits, NAD leagued with these corrupt politicians, Healy and pres of acad. Liked Alanson Fisher’s Jas R Whiting, not been made NA while Stevens, Cafferty Richards have. Hostile to Crayon, made an error with Elliott, he’s not pre Raph. Praises Jenkins, Bierstadt clever, Gifford like Church, Richards and Lazarus and Rossiter bad. 23 p1 Wash corresp Saratoga dissatisfied with Meigs new hall of house of Rep, profusion gilding and bright colors, no art, a provincial concert room, not a single Am artist fills panels with approp ptgs, his intent is to hire inferior Ama rtists cheaper instead of disting Huntington Leutze Rossiter Elliott Durand Kensett, apps rejected in favor of mediocre Brumidi. Committee rms in same unmeaning and tawdry style of eating saloons, chaste beaut library by Walter, architect of capital. Why there needs to be an Art commission, all favor it, Dr Stone has done is John Hancock, HK Brown bust of Calhoun, and VP and Cavlin p2 NAD, by Lover of Art writes in, likes LM Spencer. Hate red and Black Republicans. 24 praises AJ Williamson’s New York Weekly. James T Brady  and Greeley share platform with Lucy Stone 27 Express moving to Park Row; evening Express is on cash plan, morning Express is on yearly like J of Commerce Post Courier Comm Advert. 29 p1 Wilkes of Spirit of the times quarreling with Ullman of Academy of Music; Wash corresp responds to Star, which impugns his motives for criticizing Capt Meigs treatment of Am artists, friend of a disappointed ptr? denies it, only knew Doughty. Estel been discharged in favor of Brumidi. 30 p4 gives descriptions of prizewinning Central park plans; prices of Nye sale.

Missing May-October!

November 1858: 4 Banvard 6 long crit of Rachel, not that good 12 notices Cosmo Art Assoc has bought Herring’s Village Blacksmith for $7000, will be engraved. p2 James Brooks going to Europe, not responsible for polit course of paper, haven’t belonged to a party since 1853, am a Conservative Whig of Clay and Webster and Crittenden school of Const law and order; Express follows with note that with senior Editor in Euro will continue indep Am school, knows no politics in past but liberal Clay and Webster. 13 love Everett’s Wash p4 Meagher lecturing on Central America with beaut ptgs by Paez (relation of the General?) and Kyle 18 love Oliv W Holmes, regret Powers delaying trip to Am 19 publish Bonner’s response to Times crit of its writers (Everett) 20 p2 indig mtg of Isaraelites in Phila of abduction of Mamola Mortara, cit of Bologna, Alfred Jones in chair. Remarkable sale of pics, priv coll gmen eleg taste, Thom Cole Kensett GH Hall gignoux, JT Peele, Wm m Brown DM Carter, Jam M Hart, Casilear, Shattuck Coleman and Londoners. Art Matters: Unnevehr student of Thorwaldson busts and half reliefs, plaster, accuracy grace delicate fancy love of beaut, has order fr Century Club and other institutions, 109 pearl st . Dislikes Gov King. Notices Mills and Winterhalter’s Empress Eugenie.  Seward and J Davis both un patriotic. 27 Supplement repeats Unnevehr notice, adds that Schaus has a ptg attrib to Rubens, Magdalen, nothing elevating in it as is typical of him. lots of notices of school exhib of drwg at Cooper Inst 30 last issue, Erastus Brooks and Ketchum at big demo for keeping bible in schools. 

[Hudson of Herald down on Erie rrd that Express likes]

LOC volume Jan-Jun 1859

Jan 1859 masthead doesn’t have “for the Union” anymore. Stephen Douglass reception. Big Home J ad. 6 p2 Artists reception Dodworth’s, started last winter of 1858, principal artists, most cultivated and elegant circles, pics superior to last yr, charming lscape Shattuck, Greene, Ehninger doing Miles Standish, Huntington, Bellows Hall Rossiter 8 poetry hoax 10 p1 letter fr senior editor fr Paris, secret to Parisian prosperity is its free and open Pic Galleries, Apollos Dianas Rubens Murillos, eyes of Paris artists designers workmen educ by looking on beau ideal of Beauty, mind is corrupted by the ugly if that is all you see, mud and dirt of the city or clods of the furrow, need beauty kept before u. need parks monuments landscapes as investments for laboring classes educ them up to the beaut. Thi is why it monopolizes the  luxury trade. 11 p1 Wash corresp M says petition going around to pay $15,000 for Life and Travels of De Soto by John Sartain with engr by JW Orr, describes his assasination, Congress to commemorate the discovery of the Miss purchased a ptg at $10,000 for the Rotunda, need a faithful history too for distrib to state libraries. Buncombe. 14 p1 Art Intellig more on the reception, Huntington graceful Lady reading, Durand two studies, Ehninger, Greene, Mignot, Jackson bust of Beecher; fr Rome Freeman masterpiece of Campagna and oncoming tempest, story told at a glance, his wife a sculptor, model of infant in marble and has now done Culprit Fay 15 p2 Hubard’s bronze copy of Houdon, Express is surprisingly critical, prefers Crawford’s 17 p1 regular Wash corresp notes dinner of Wash Art Assoc, Bowen, Kensett, FP Stanton and minister Ames and Col Lander of Pacific rrd exploring expedition, bro of Louisa Lander just got a Harvard commission, also interested in the arts and an artist 20 p1 Artists reception, Gignoux’ Niagara is for Belmont,  Times praises its solemn grandeur, viewpoint 21 praises Hart’s statues of Clay, they got Clay’s endorsement 22 p1 Barbee’s Coquette in New Orleans spirited, Greek Slave too tame 31 Gignoux’s Niag by moonlight fitting companion for Church’s, at Goupil’s as a benefit for poor.

Missing Feb and March!

April 1859: Am sculptors in Rome Ives Stebbins Hosmer Rogers (John Adams and Capitol doors) Mozier. Geo Morris turned down consul position at Havre; Fuller dined with Edw Bulwer Lytton. 12 Salon opening in France (Sir Oracle corresp) 13 p4 NAD opened v crowded and fashionable, city editors speak highly of it 15 critical of NYC refinement morals taste, best men of city go to rat baiting. Crit/hostile of Republicans. 23 The Fine Arts is headline for a boxing match. loves bonner. 27 Extra p2 Odd fellows. Saratoga, a Wash corresp, notes HK Browne’s bust of Calhoun and model for a statue to SC, his colossal bust of Genl scott admired at last Washington art assoc exhib. Art commission for capitol appointments delayed by Pres, so Meigs’ army of Germs and Itals at work birds flowers fruits gods all oblit when Commission sits 29 partial 30 missing

May missing!

June 7 Goupil ad for port Empress Eugenie, Bonheur. Dick’s engravings. 21 have letter fr Am artist in Paris to Boston J re annual exhibs, Cropsey given a fair place in London, Inness too and is crit by Times. In Paris Troyon, onheur absent, Rotherwell and May of Americans prominently placed, contemp art here gets much higher prices than at home. also fr Albany Argus notices Palmer’s White Captive in his studio, expressive and exquis, doing Commodore Perry for Belmont and bust of Gov Morgan Bangs old master sale. dislike Young Am. 25 p2 compares Church and Gignoux versions of Niagara. NAD advertises it’s closing that night. 27 p1 Art intellig Brown Lambdin and Kensett now on art commission at Capitol, step towards artistic decoration will put an end to saloon daubing. On exhib at Cap a statuette fr design by bro of Greenough of an old Indian, staring at an axe emblem of power before which he flies in vain, fallen branch a token of his race 30 p1 Art intell Powers still head of Florence, doing Jefferson and Franklin for Congress, copying California which approaches excellence of Grk Slave; Galt doing Jefferson for UVA (fr Balt American)

Skipped fr July 7 to Aug 10 p1 EB fr Washington on new bldgs, hears complaints on extrav and bad taste, new Capitol ill contrived, no comparison of House of Rep in taste style and finish with old, ceilings and walls exceed tawdry and tinsel in flash saloons of NY, gold and paint, gilding and gay colors, everywhere tire the eyes. This done mainly by foreigners and those of an inferior class. Senate chamber is better, but too much gold and paint, esp committee rooms ridiculously excessive in design and colors; Young Italy may well laugh at Young America. VP room perfect, grand imposing beaut Amer marble, but too many mirrors, hope no paint will spoil simplicity and harmony. Archit carving on pillars and ceilings effective, spoiled by excessses. Intense admiration for splendid statuary by Crawford, genius of America now on green and illus of Art Commerce and Labor grratify common mind and give pleasure to most accomplished, marbles of the truly American type, plus fine Rev figs that recall earliest struggles, long may Crawford Powers Galt Palmer and Stone share in glory. 14 favors a Pacific rrd 15 p3 Art intell fr Wash by C: a good time coming, artists are wide-awake, got wish for an art commission selected by themselves, Horatio Stone preparing designs for fountain of Hiawatha and Minihaha, poetical design, enchanting 25 Rogues’ gallery of dags at police station

Sept 5 approve Wainwright’s new Weekly Mail 6 p1 Worth monument a disgrace, should be finished, Harper’s Weekly had capital caricature last week, parent telling his son this is the reward of virtue. wants Bible in schools. 8 approve movement to restore Onderdonk 12 opening of French and Engl ptgs 14 Greeley too much of a partisan. Express belongs to American party. 19 give text of Everett’s dedication of Webster statue, editorial praises his breadth of vision and warmth of feeling 21 Parsons and Thompson work at Daily News (an LS Parsons is involved in American party, but of Albany, Joel T Headley of Westchester? also involved, as is Duganne of NY, and Brooks.24 p2 abolitionists don’t like Webster statue; review of pre-Raph in French and English exhib, including Stone Breakers 26 notes Forrest bought a Napoleon ptg fr Intl Art Gall 30 p2 doesn’t really like Edwin White’s Washington; reviews French pics at the gallery including Couture, Frere, Troyon, Bonheur etc

October missing!

Nov 1859: 5 letter fr Boston corresp re Webster statue 9 p2 Fine Arts: Bonheur, Powers lacks imag, Sonntag Dream of Italy great 16 p2 praises Palmer’s White captive at Schaus and Powell 24 approve Rossiter and Mignot Home of Wash 28 p1 Disderi’s portrait visiting cards fed by desire for celebrity of ord people 30 death and genius W Irving

LOC volume Feb-May 1860

Feb 4 p3 notices Fitz Hugh Ludlow clever, GW Curtis, unamiable Poe, GL Brown’s Ital view at Athaneaum club, Dick Tinto is FB Goodrich and transl Balzac, Aker’s pearl fisher at Duss, NAD opens 12 Apr closes 16 Jun, Hicks nearly finished Lit Men of America with Irving at center, Leutze and Lang pic at Artists Reception their masterpieces 17 Richard’s statue Boy and the Butterfly sold by EH Ludlow at Merchant’s Exchange $410 to FL Talcott 21 p3 Rossiter’s scriptural pictures at Goupils, long press release, by the rivers of babylon, noah and Miriam 22 Lit and artistic notes: Miss Landon's Hawthorne and Evangeline busts at Dusseldorf, Geo Hall much admired leaving country auctioning ptgs at NAD, at Schaus’s 629 Broadway v clever view of Placid Lake by James M Hart, Beatrice Cenci sentiment by Emile Beranger pupil of de la Roche, Frere’s exquisite genre the Housekeeper, Hawthorne’s Marble Fawn, Scheffer photos, new Ruskin volume (and Gaskell etc) 23 p3 coverage of inauguration of Wash equest statue by Clark Mills, Senator Hammond intro’d orator Thomas Bocock, several cities have erected monuments to him, Greenough’s colossal statue watches over Capitol, and an incomplete monument designed to sustain another colossal statue underway to watch over White hse, inaugurate today one by a living artist, tardy completion of one resolved on by the Continental Congress! no suitable National artist heretofore obtained, public voice pronounced that Mills has been found competent, Battle of Princeton, Wash rallied troops, soul fired with zeal, greatest enthusiasm seized the forces, Wash waved hat in exultant triumph, artist presents him as he challenges his fate, dashing toward enemy guns, firmresolve, fearless. Pres spoke. Mills said intended statue for higher elevation, on a three story pedestal showing land with Indians, settlers, then Rev era in relief; fr Upham’s life of Wash p230, face fr Houdon’s life mask, Trumbull source for milit details of horse, facsimile of uniform 24 Art matters: praise Geo Hall’s Don Quixote, Tennyson, Shakespeare etc 25 Times praises Mills statue admired but already considered for removal, Trib abuses it “bad enough”. Fan of Darley.27 dislikes Octoroon

Mar 1860: 3 p1 Paxto writes in with a view similar but finer than Church’s Heart of the Andes, made him feel so insignificant 5 p1 P the regular Wash corresp says he has visit planned to studio of Mills, he is much talked of. p3 death of Boker, Duss, notoriety of daughter’s marriage 7 p1 US Art Commission fr corresp H, appointed in May and have been in session for several weeks, submitted 20 page annual report, much sound criticism on system of decoration, HK Brown, JR Lambdin and Kensett, recommended by Am artists convention, conversion of Govt patronage into fostering Am art and transmit historical record, no more foreign artists imbuing their national style into our subjects 9 p1 Occasional Wash corresp A Republican Patriot: praises colossal size and permanence of Capitol, begun under Fillmore, carried out by Jefferson Davis, shows his clear, pure intellectuality, chaste spiritual delicate true to nature frescos, Crawford’s America, Davis requested removal of liberty cap as strictly an aboriginal one, name changed fr Freedom 10 p2 praise Leutze’s Wash at Princeton 13 discovery of missing Rembrandts in NY begrimed etc 27 white man is the barbarian not the Indian Supplement notices Geo Schwartze’s pilgrim fathers at Goupil’s favorably with some reservations about Miles Standish 31 p2 Bonheur engr; Duss new management much improved it, sculp gd, Crawford Barber and Aker, Miss Lander’s Hawthorne finest port in marble seen for several years (gave marble faun a lengthy and accurate review); big ad for Bonheur.

April 2 Peale puffed 4 Wash Irv bday speeches by Bryant etc, p2 Art Matters: a crystal palace exhib in England is not elevating taste; Jarves is collecting pics, Crayon interesting and condensed for Express, no rival in country, gives prices of French art, Peale E Johnson Coleman Shattuck 6 Powell, Lander. death of Paulding, Irving memorial. Ralph Easel is their Paris corresp. Apr 12 p3 NAD opening packed, finest ever, most prominent artists on walls 17 Col FW Lander (and Potter) in a duel with Chisman/Pryor? p2 gives ok review to Peale’s Cof D 18 p2 Art mattters: Powell’s Irving hung over commemoration festival and now at Goupils, Bierstadt going west, Rowse to east, E Johnson going to study Indian type in west, Cooper port at Home J, Raud’s Bryant, Farrer a Ruskin student can be seen at NAD, Leutze doing Catholic pilgrims and NAD rejected more than 100 pics p4 Richards of NAD about the Elliott Apr 19 millard Fillmore commends Peale’s C of D 21 praise Cooper Institute exhib/reception p.3 Elliott letter and Crayon letter. Need Evening Express. 23 p1 WJA Fuller writes art items for them, published their note to Elliott. 27 p2 NAD review, critical of Launt Thompson

May 2 p1 Art in Wash (corresp) Clay statue committee raised money, Brown will prob be sculptor, in SC for his pediment of the new State House. Kensett superb lscape in his studio in Wash, Leutze sold his Battle of Princeton, Stone doing his John Hancock for the Capitol, Hicks painting a portrait, Ward sculptor studio in Capitol, House not acted art commission bill yet 4 p2 Powell’s Irving 5 p.2 NAD notice no 2. Does not like Leighton. Elliott, Lang Gignoux Huntington Leutze Mignot 8 Worth monument still unfin. it’s Jarvis’ Cooper at the Home J. 10 p2 Thorpe’s Niagara 11 death of SG Goodrich Peter Parley 12 merc lib assoc in dissension 14 p1 Paris corresp ridicule there of Am taste in matters of art, deceived by old masters, happens in France too 15th p2 long list of art items 17 Joe Jefferson pop at Keene’s, W Hays scene painter too 24 p2 lit and art, cosmo art assoc is directly across fr Keene’s. want Sunday laws enforced.

Dec 14, 1860 (1859?) Eve Exp p.1 Stray Topics, too bad that ads for Edwin Booth are in style of Bowery Theatre or Chatham beer saloons, fulsome laudation, unfortunate for a real artist. SP Hunt has engr Church’s Morning in the Tropics for the Ranney fund, only poor idea of peculiar excellencies of greatest of living landscapists, but pleasing, pub by Avery and Knoedler. Times supports Union mtgs (v conserv Repubs, F Wood types, Express)

            p.2 Art: fine coll Engl ptgs at Harding’s studio at University; Page’s lectures to merc Lib Assoc, will attract attn, genuine feeling, ability, study of principles and abroad, a worthy teacher to a people who have much to learn. Artists’ Fund Soc Exhib.

Dec 22 1860 Eve Exp defends institu that take truant and vagrant kids off streets and reform them, not evangelical.

LOC bound volume Morning Express Jan-July 1861 Vault

Jan: isues missing. like Raphall. Love Crittenden. Repubs insolent. 7 p2 Art: French gallery, Gerome, Knaus, Troyon; Cosmo Art assoc; women sculptors, Page, Hicks’ King and Tiemann. Calls the South the Revolution.10 Union memorial requesting conciliation signed by Ham Fish, both Astors, Aspinwall, Peter Cooper, MH Grinnell Robt Minturn AT Stewart, a Wetmore, Belmont, Blatchford, WGHunt, RB Connolly. Republicans causing the problems in Wash. Still sort of hope for reconciliation. 16 p2 Art: Ven Lerius’ Cinderella and her Sisters at Schaus is closing, Hubner’s Germ Emigrants coming. Athanaeum Club showed a Lintz, Century Club reelected all its officers, exhib by Hazeltine Gignoux Hays Lang etc; Derby is showing Leutze’s Catholic pilgrims, bits of this worthy of esteem but disappointing 18 Gurney’s Prince of Wales 19 p2 newsboys selling the Constitution for 3 cents on the corner. Art: Geo L Brown’s latest, View of White Mtns, at Athaneaum, as large as his bay of ny, successful contrast of sun rise and cold light of morning, long v enthus description 23 p2 Jarves gallery: pretty fairminded review, authenticity aside, valuable historically and aesthetically. Still like Tom Corwin. 25 p2 Art: Intl Art Inst, new works include Leutze’s Return of frederic, one of the best of his recent, Hasenclever, Von Bremen, etc. French gallery at Goupil’s for auction, a Troyon sold for $2000 last week, have Fichel, Frere; Tenth st studio bldg artists at work, Hazeltine, Gifford is great, W Hart good, Suydam and Brevoort, Dix Launt Thompson busy at Grizzly Adams. 26 rrd convention men plead for Crittenden 28 p2 Art Miss Stebbins’ Lotos Eater, at Goupil’s didn’t like her Labor and Commerce but this is v successful in perception of character, listless melancholy nude boy, dreaminess contagious, long praise of Gignoux, prefers him to Church.his Indian summer is set in Virginia. Goupil’s and Page’s venus advertise. 29 hope Lincoln will retreat fr storm to peace 31 gives editorial on Express’s position, want South to concede all territory above a certain line, if not peaceable secession

probably had some NAD reviews in March.

Skips to April 1: Art—notices a bust of Fillmore. Issue of Crayon not a good one, notices a paper by Lewis P Clover, an NAD notice, and uninteresting art gossip. Don't see an NAD ad. 3 p2 Art: Gifford’s Twilight has attracted most attn, he has developed out of his mannerism into moe careful finish and execution. danger that individualized artists degenerate into mannerism, can only do one thing well, don’t grow into catholic power, real manliness. Gifford has old charm and grace, delicacy of imag and touch, sentiment and coloring, but more freedom, more enlarged and profound, daring contrasts, golden effulgences, penetrable darkness, silver outlines, genuine and hearty feelings. Hazeltine:transferred Italian experience into Am lscapes; Eastman Johnson akin to Burns, loves him too. Powers’ Franklin and Jefferson for Capitol will give satisfaction. Hart doing another Clay, a portrait of Cooley, Gould. 4 Ralph Easel still their Paris corresp, says French artists doing battle pics for salon opening on 15th, envious of Frith getting $45,000 for a ptg. 4 more Gurney’s Prince of Wales. 5 Art: Central park will apply with NYHS for museum, casts of all Crawford’s works promised to it, EW Nichols White mtns at NAD purchased as gift to treasurer of Acad of Music in Brooklyn. Innis’ Old Saw Mill attracting attn in Boston, Cooper exhib, Johnson sugar camp, Lang’s mary queen of scots for RL Stuart of 5th ave, NAD agree ptgs can remain in galleries longer than orig thought, closes May 1. Wight’s design for NAD very expensive, but admired. Brooklyn artists reception. Geo Brown’s Bay of NY leaving for Prince of Wales.

slogans now are Equity and Equality, justice and fraternity, no civil war, the ballot before the Bullet. Lincoln trying to provoke attack. 9 publishes Czar’s emancip of the serfs, father addressing his chilren. White russian capable of freedom, black American not. 10 p2 NAD: Bierstadt praises all his work, bowers portraits, Darley, Farrer gotten deserved crit, but has power and promise, pre Raph tendencies. Durand sends what he does 100 times before. Gray too. Greene. Hubbard charming, Howland finest, Huntington successful. 12 p.2 NAD McEntee more than previous years; Leutze meretricious, Page too theoretical, his coloring is good, but one doesn’t like to look at his sky, or the baby, dreary. Stone most interesting of subjectsdaintiness high bred court painter. Saintin remarkable. Tait wandesforde Jerome Thompson Shattuck Rowse Plagemann.

13 still looking longingly back to Clay (and Frelinghuysen). p2 will support the US govt and unity from a sense of duty. Though still wants peace. 18 mad at the mob that threatened the press offices of the Express and Herald, damaging to freedom of the press, leads to reign of terror; Express once in 1844 similarly threatened by Demo clubs. Forrest still splendid as Metamora, rapturously applauded.

20 statues and pics in House of reps boxed up to make way for soldiers accomod.

22 p2 great Union meeting, no party, all united in support, huge masses, Erastus Brooks one of the VPs (no Bennett). Art: Hubner. Hicks’ Edwin Booth. Church Heart of the Andes exhibiting.

23 new slogan: The Union, the Constitution and the Enforcement of the Laws.”

27 p2 Church’s picture: Icebergs, one of most admirable painted yet by an American, prefers orig title to The North, which savors of claptrap. new theme. daring in his originality, confident, anxious to be correct and truthful, satisfied with representing not producing the impossible. sea opens out of circle of bergs, vraisemblance wonderful. the rest is unknown to most of us, prismatic hues not dazzling white. emotional effect is not appalling, but strange, and in the end repelling.

May and June missing.