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Frank Leslie's

Frank Leslie's Dec 15 1855 p6 (first issue), mocks Longfellow for plagiarism. 16 pages, 10 cents Wikoff's Republic in 1844 had a weekly, Picture Gallery, 8 pages, v creditable artists and wood engravers. Strong of Nassau st started Amer Illus News ca 1854, artistically fine, couldn't illus passing occurences, 6 cents for 8 pages. Then Barnum & Beach Illus news, had capital, but not prepared with large blocks of wood etc like Fanny Fern, like Duyckinck cyclopedia March 15 1856 crit of NAD having exhib in same small rooms of Chapin's church, assoc once so pop with public become indiff to their needs. Puffs Goupil. reviews Thomas L Harris poetry book (his poetry appeared in Emancipator, this book published by Brittan, too spiritualist, gives mixed review March 22 NAD fear like all academies it is depressing, not encouraging art, Inman, Cole, Weir and Elliot won't have worthy successors. Great dissatisf last year at incomp or partiality of hanging comm, good Russia duck, horribly soiled by paint and varnish, thrust under eye. Acad risks becoming as stale and common place as mere expr of a few persons incapable as artists or business men. Same page has notice of Horatio Stone's Republic, feared another basely called classic statuary that disfigures our Capitol, feared as in France herculean grasping strength of Am would be personified by Mrs Partington in cast iron petticoats holding ornamented broom stick an dpointing vacantly into heavens, but gives us animated vigor of man, proud upright advancing incivic costume of Revolution, severe simplicity perfect freedom starting into life, desires to place it in Rotunda with scroll of Dec of Indep winter scenes of Niagara March 29 defends Barnum, moral for the moralisers p. 6 NAD: many of our best artists sent only a single pic or none at all, so exhib is meagre. Same want of fairness or judgment of hanging comm still prevails, no merit are on the line, as for example 56, a potrait of a lady by Elliot, no finer hands ever in exhib, deserves study, but not within visual reach. But worth an hour, lots of promise despite misdirected industry and illus of false principles, evide our artists don't think hard and deep, but some gd spirits who worship at shrine of spirituelle, aid to elevate common cenrs and teach true purposes of our creation engr of maple sugar camp Apr 5 engr of charity ball at Acad of music. Whittier now just does anti slavery, not as good. Apr 12 front page is port of Edw Everett fr Brady dag. p281 review of Acad of Design, Cropsey Chenango, Hubbard, Coleman, Shattuck and Kensett, HP Gray is color blind, Cropsey helathful, Kensett compos faultless, but dingy. Church unmeaning monotony, petty. W Hart one of his best, not so conventional. Shattuck most promising. J Hope truthful.Hubbard a triumph, coleman promising like Shattuck, hope Cropsey won't go abroad Apr 19 critical of Xtian intelligencer. Cropsey sale. ok with Keller's tableaus, at Broadway theater, have an engraving May 3 portrait and profile of Buchanan. seem to like Griswold.. note GG Foster's death, like his newspaper work, p332 illustrate Crawford's statue of Washington for Richmond VA, he's pointing a baton, one hoof raised, horse leaning back June 21 1856 has profile of James J Mapes skipped to July 5, likes Ann Stephens and US Mag, puff Delaroche, Agassiz bust; July 12 has Fremont July 16 1856 excerpts Thos Butler Gunn on Physiology of NY Boarding houses, with its reference ot Leaves of Grass July 19 1856 Brown's equestrian statue of washington, universal satisfaction, mentions Bowling green lead statue, b'hous headed by gigantic republican blacksmith tore it down, . sorry to see fault finders in leading journals, pay attn to details of hand or action of horse, not grand design and incessant toil Aug 9 1856 bronze statue of Wash in Union Park, first favorable impressions confirmed, gives stats, mostly a press release Nov 22 1856 p372 profile of Erastus Palmer, with engr of him and bust of Spring bought by Cosmo Art Assoc, which advertises, mentions Tuckerman an admirer and cites him, loves Palmer Dec 20 1856 Leaves of Grass intensely vulgar beastlyEmerson letter probably a forgery Jan 3 1857 greatly admire George William Curtis, splendor, popular writer, glorious career, great in all he does, love all his books May 30 1857 NAD opens, more public patronage than enterprise on part of the Acad officers, every year does something towards breaking down not only the conventionalisms of certain artists who have heretofore controlled public taste, but to bring out new and aspiring talent, may yet have a real school of Am art in NY; June 3 NAD crowded by enthus fashion and intellig, pics as a whole interesting if not startling, lscape v fine. Some excellent ports. Sale of Church's Niagara given impulse to art. Pufffs Winterhalter's Florinde at Goupil. p.14 has Triang;e's Five minutes in the NAD, mocks Shattuck for producing 15 cartloads of grass, WJ Stillman early twilight, popularly known as Black Joke school of Art. JG Chapman, Native American (pun on NA), port of gman, full of merit, it's a donkey's head. Hard to read, but mentions Whistler? Rossiter connected with the Times's argument over location of city Post Office June 22 will have more on NAD--seems to not appear until July 11, Casilear, James Hart, Elliott inherited Inman's genius, his rooms visited by Knickerbocker Clark, Kneeland, Stone the Wash sculptor, Willis and Morris., Edw White, Mignot, Church's Andes without a rival, share his companionship and soul stirring nature, Lambdin congratulated, Cropsey, GA Baker, Stillman advocates defects we regret, but his pic had most real mind in its composition. Pre Raph misunderstood, has highest finish and grandest effect, at our Acad no effect at all. Coleman is son of Saml Coleman, publisher of this city and nephew of the old printseller. Shattuck, Bogle (a friend of Vanderlyn), Wm Hart, Geo Hall, Tait July 11 1857 sale of Greek Slave to Cosmo, has checkered history Oct 31 1857 Pics in NY: British Art much curiosity, real gems; Bonheur alw new admirers; quiet unpretending watercolor ptg on exhib in Broadway below 14th st, Charles Rosenberg clever highly finished of the Statue of Wash and Union square, pov much judgment for genl effect, clever pic. Brit art exhib is advertising Nov 7 1857 Fine Arts, Professed exhib of Brit Art: we were disappointed, some tolerable but none superior, and eye becomes contaminated by wretched and worthless, suspect pict dealers, all condemn it as outrage and practical joke, crude lack harmony and drawing, despite expatiate on conscientiousness of ptrs, hope won't be bought, condemn sailor returned from sea has pustules 1857--Triangle is doing illustrations/comic series for them Jan 2 1858 TBG (Thos Butler Gunn) corresp does Charity Ball at Academy, sees contributor Doesticks, Greeley, Curtis Mar 6 1858 interior of Dusseldorf gallery, tho doesnt do justice to Greek Slave, all now property ofCosmo Art Assoc, unique and admirable, N Orr engravings of sculpture Mar 27 1858 puffs Cosmo Art Assoc again, admirable character Apr 24 1858 The Looker-On column, has not yet looked in on Acad of Design, but art critics seem to agree unusual excellence. Like private pict dealers too, dealers in dry goods ought to do the same May 1 1858 NAD has exquis lscapes, few fine portraits, rows of indiff stuff, ought to have fewer pics. May 29 illus Kensett Gifford Tait Shattuck James Hart, and on July 3 Boughton, HEaly, Elliott, in really bad condition. NAD not advancing the way the rest of the country have. Miss Church's presence. illustrate Hays head of a Scotch terrier, like him better than Tait. Mention Blauvelt, critical of Rossiter July 3 1858 Whitley resumed editorial pen (poet ptr politician publisher philosopher) and called his City Gazette fr vasty deep, quite diff than the City Standard and Hoboken Gazette, appealing to a higher clkass. But his verses in the Home J are not poetry, are only equalled by an extract fr the NY Directory; lists a lot of Renaiss and Baroque artists, Leslie's adds that we are informed they are the names of the Dutchmen who keep lager bier saloons in Hoboken -throughout 1858 frequently mentions Whitley esp as judge; but also Oct 16 notices Eve Post verses on the comet fr pen of Judge Whitley, verses refer to Leslie's Jan 15 1859 Artists and their doings, Huntington, Rossiter with Mignot ptg pic of Mayor Tiemann surrounded by the Aldermen, vulgarity lives in the Tombs like Faces of Tuomey Reed and McSpedon. Kensett doing noble oak, Casilear, Durand, Shattuck, W Hart, TW Whitley portrait of EA Stevens (Stevens was a Demo presidential elector several times, member of the Union club), pose v graceful, chair in Elysian Fields with wife and infant family,likenesses excellent, attitude of lady too prononce. Elliott excelllent of Mrs Senator Douglas, laughing at Leslie's Budget of Fun in which Little Giant is fighting for White House, Geo Sanders as bottle holder notice Ranney exhibition Mar 12 1859 views of new Times establishment 1859 Ledger ads mention that Wm Ross Wallace, Carlos D Stuart, Alice Carey, Mrs Southworth writing for them as well as usual suspects May 21 1859 notice Critical Guide to NAD exhib by an amateur, clear and apropos, pub Dewitt, fine Roman hand of experienced and able critics of the Home Journal and Herald, same peculiar expression of opinion, and same fine rough style which gives criticism an impartial and honest taste. Mr Whitley himself a clever lscape ptr, has herein dissected pretensions, re-echo his dictum on Elliott's Don Quixote, he likes it. Same guide also admires Hows, as does Frank Leslie's. (Nov 26 1859, praises Palmer's White Captive as eclipsing Powers and Page, Schaus rooms crowded, Sonntag's Dream of Italy has its admirers) June 18 1859 Whitley sold his beaut lscape of Castle Point to Edwin c Stevens, lord paramount of the Jerseys, Dunning Duer purchased companion view fr Weehawken Whitley writes for Budget of Fun, as does CB Burkhardt, Brougham, HC Watson, fitz james o'brien, Pierce Pungent of the Daily News and other wags Aug 20 1859 profile Durand and Boughton's Frosty Morning; Aug 27 have Shattuck's charming Androscoggins Dec 31 1859 Rossiter's sale; Barbee noble Fisher Girl bought by Cosmo Apr 2 1859 on Whitman as omnibus driver, mentions NY Picayune of previous week 1860 Whitman's leaves of grass advertises suggest Whitley also writing for Trib? Feb 4 1860 engrave Giffrod's Sunet in the wilderness, master hand mar 3 1860 Clark Mills equestrian statue, illustrate it, give press release Mar 10 1860 rumored PResident has prohibited circulation of Whitley's Circuit Judge in Wash, as might stop the public business in Congress; notices illness of Hiram Hosmer of Watertown, father of sculptress. Corresp has double page illustration of Mills' statueMar 17 1860 praises NP Willis, notices Whitley's new weekly Circuit Judge continuation of his Hoboken city gazette, dashing little sheet, sensation story, capital editorials Susan Whitley, daughter of Judge Whitely, married Albutt of Oxford, England Mar 31 1860 Washington correspondent mentions those who regard themselves as connoisseurs lavishly abuse Clark Mills statue, gallantly defended by others, not so good or so bad. low pedestal unfortunate. Apr 21 1860 News of the Week on Elliott our great ptr cutting out his picture, Elliott says won't exhib again. Squier in Cuba, JK Paulding died, great ratification mtg at Park Hotel Apr 7 Hoboken, (Demo) Governor Rodman Price, Genl Wright, Judge Whitley and Judge Pope May 5 1860 WB Astor bought a copy of Budget of Fun with Leslie's burlesque pics of NAD June 30 1860 dislikes new daily paper the World Nov 10 1860 Miss Landor celeb sculptress is guest of CL Derby of Cosmo AU, reputation second to none Dec 1 1860 opening of Derby's Institute of Art, CA Derby founder and manager in interest of Cosmo Art Assoc, first art gallery in America, splendid marble bldg, celeb Jarves Feb 2 1861 Whitley lecturing on Art and LIt, including Ptg and Politics, very amusing, out of his element in PResbyt Church, first attempt at port was a pic of the Devil Mar 9 1861 approve of artists conversaziones, Gignoux, Church Farrar TB Aldrich, Geo L Brown Mar 23 1861 Whitley to get Consulship to Plymouth Mar 30 1861 Our Weekly Gossip, opening of exhibition, no women, we were glad, rich in lscapes, Church sent small but striking, many potboiler portraits, chalky and soulless, Gignoux LEutze HOwland Hunt Stone Gifford McEntee E White, Hows Tait Wust Haas Brevoort Darley Boughton E JOhnson Hubner Huntington Beard Bellows Thomson Durand Zimmerman Cafferty Bierstadt, Richards Ingham and two works by Page, the best abused in the exhib Apr 6 1861 hard to read again, agreeable lounge, looked again at swollen monstrosity by Page Infant Bacchus, good taste to sell it and not keep it himself, grossly distended skin, bulbous excrescences, fat boy on acre of leopard skin, washy backgrd of a bad old master, rich coloring and dainty manip amount to nothing. JW Hill still life exquis. Wm Hunt port of his wife fine, well managed, also like his other portrait. Gifford's Twilight the great pic of the exhib, exceeds Church, brilliant and gorgeous, Kensett magical, Shattuck fine -also has profile of Col Fred W Lander, the Pacific Rrd Explorer and Engineer, has covered his marriage to actress Jean Davenport Apr 13 1861 NAD review continues: Page's other pic Dolce far Niente not much better than Bacchus, ghastly blue grey permeates it, ungraceful, Indian squaw not Italian, Dutch build, miraculous lamb, ridiculous. Darley great. Wust, HB Brown, Frank Howland Gems for the Market, admirable pic, mass of rich coloring, reflection, oriental richness, great spirit and freedom, traist of various races preserved in marked character. Bristol, McEntee, Leutze's Mdme Lafayette earnest, free fr conventional stiffness, hi snetiment Apr 20 1861 OUr Weekly Gossip, lots of interest NAD cont Gifford wonderful, THos Hicks Trenton Falls masterly moonlight but mass of chalky matter unlike water. Shattuck striking, Brevoort, Wenzler only one of several advertising pictures there (hotel). Bierstadt Capri clever, rich. Huntington portrait fine. Kensett truthful, Wm Hart, E Johnsonexpressive little gem worthy of Hunt. Oliver Stone charming. Zimmerman full of character. Apr 30 1861 NAD continues, should not have accepted A Lawrie's Ladies at Pioano. Lumley, Fredericks (has done stuff for them before), De Haas, Hepburn, Suydam, Hows fine, (have a Wm W Fosdick poem, praise the poet as if know him) Sept 30 1865, at his rooms in Broadway, died Thomas Worth Whitley in his 49th? 69th? year, man of eminent simplicity of character, kindness of heart, ability as an artist and author, twice elected Justice of the Peace in Hoboken, integrity and humanity. Born in Cornwall. 1868 obit for Anson Herrick, b Lewiston Maine 1812, 1836 in NYUC journeyman printer, JOhn F Ropes and Jesse Fell began Atlas. Democratic politician, 1853 Board of Aldermen, Naval storekeeper by PRes Buchanan, 1862 elected to House of representatives Jewish messenger correspondent Saxon criticizes Harper's Easy Chair for anti semitism 16 July 1858 SW A Ramble upon Art for Hebrew Literary Union 28 Dec 1860p194-5, very purple prose