Spirit of the Times
NYPL misc
The Traveller, Family Journal, Spirit of the Times and Life in NY (horse in center of masthead)
Chas JB Fisher, 20 Nassau st, $3, vol 2.
GSM describes a coon hunt
August 10?, by Fisher & Inman (now editors? Issue is defaced), Sept 7 likes Mrs Wood Dec 1833.
Spirit of the Times, 180 Broadway, $3/yr
Jan 3, 1835—1st issue? P. 2 Salutation fr Wm T Porter, manners of the Town reformed, follies amended, villainies exposed, pretensions to rebuke, abuses to correct, exposures of its humbugs, factions to censure, ours is suited to your fancy. (prior did Atlas and Constellation). ‘Ptgs and Statuary’ columns for free discussion, esp as practiced by native Americans, invite send us their criticisms and if approve of their spirit and impartiality, will insert even if not our opinions. Note Ball Hughes doing Toby and widow, Thom also, Panini pics even better archit persp than Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre. Has anecdotes of the ptrs fr Dunlap.
May 21 1836 notices NAD highly creditable, gd and admirable pics, Mount’s entitled to esp notice, Weir of Hudson highlands, Morse well but Page better, 2 or 3 glowing compositions, Durand does him honour, Inman noble of Col. Morris, best head ever saw. Ingham has not increased his rep. Chapman has cabinet of unques merit
Aug 13 1836 p. 204 defends Willis, unjustly criticized by Knickerbocker, American and others
Apr 15 1837 celeb scenic artist of Park theater John Evers delicious lscape for NAD, view on Long Island
Mar 23, 1839, noticed ED Marchant, praised for excellent likeness of Clay, Harrison and Dr. Beecher
June 15 1839 p. 169 The Lie of the Evening Star: defends itself, were not paid by the Cliftons to talk down Hamblin. Nor are in conspiracy against the Mirror, have praised the Mirror, but are close friends with Greeley at new Yorker, don’t understand why Park Benjamin with him doesn’t like Morris’ poetry, likes it and the Corsair very much, think it manly and bold and full of spirit, not frightened into insipidity.
Sept 14 1839 Geo Hite minis
Jan 15 1842 rhapsody on Powers fr a letter, contrib fr ‘C’
Mar 12 1842 Animal Ptg, success of Troye, mentions some other Engl artists, Owings an Am
Feb 4 1843 MacDowall the sculptor (fr English paper?) (later has account of Thorvaldsen’s funeral)
May 10, 1845 p. 117 NAD, by C
No comparable promenade and lounging place. No brilliant display of portraits, need caustic satirist to ridicule host of common-place people present their likenesses. Miss masterly Page, not on best terms with managers as they rejected his Psyche as indelicate a year or two since.
9 AH Wenzler, lady in full winter costume ready for Broadway, coloring firm and rich, a beauty that none other has, nothing indicates consciousness of canvass, no effort at looking fascinating
23 RW Weir, of Col Thayer, v accurately drwn well colored energy in every line, espr of decision of char, makes other ports in vicinity appear doubly tame and characterless. Attitude seems truck for the occasion, one arm shorter than other, great redundancy of frame and canvass.
28 Shegogue, lscape can be seen nowhere except at a theater, and there not where Bengough’s pencil is
30 CP Cranch, without being great, quiet and natural compos, promising, sky deeper orange that we’ve ever observed, but persp gd and water limpid
63 RA Clarke Port of Fashion (the mare, Willis also admired, wished we would breed humans for beauty), heroine has no reason to glory in this counterfeit presentment, shadows forth a wicked, vicious looking animal of no partic beauty whereas she is amiable and beaut
39 Durand, v charming compos, all his peculiar excellencies, old man’s reminiscences, tells story well, old man under wide spreading tree. One char pervades all his works that we don’t admire, the genl effect, result of entire is Arcadian and pastoral, belong to some other land than this, tho beaut can hardly wish them other
49 Cole, great predilection, tho sometimes signal failures, in this seem to be sippingmilk punch on piazza of Mtn Hse, air water forest all true to nature
135 L Terry, at rome, Ital Fisher boy, simple wonderful force of expr, powerful appeals to imag
83 WE Winner, enormous canvass, atrocious waste of raw material, appears by order of officers of 2nd Brigade, ea takena pot of paint and daubed likeness of his superior in rank, principal fig caps climax of absurdity, powerfully brings militia syst into ridicule
206 W Ranney, skirmish of horse, hand to hand conflict, great artistical difficulties, skilfully disposed, admires horses ptg, coloring not strong enuf for exhib
(Knick likes Spirit, isn’t doing a commentary on NAD)
May 17, 1845, p. 140 NAD cont by C
161 Henry Inman, charming little lovely scene old world, grace, free joyousness of childhood, happiest productions like Mumble the peg, lscape kept subord
114 FW Edmonds, full of char, thoro natl, Facing the Enemy, glories of temperance
168 RA Powers, v clever, promise, richly tinted, recognizable places, figs roughly sketched and detract, 113 and 236 pleasing
232 Huntington, after manner of old Ital masters, devotes of faith, earnest, contrition, expr stamp work of genius, shadows deeper than altogether agreeable
195 WS Mount, dance of the haymakers, like Hogarth, not a colorist, prevailing yellowness neither natural nor agreeable, but in expr of broad humor and farce of Am rural life, no rival, drwg accurate, every straw as it shld lie, orig, force of expr, truth to nature char every part of compos. Market value a hundred years hence!
126 C Leutze, large space in eye of connoisseur, most disting ornaments, power handled, reminds of that greatest of all Vision of the Bloody hand,Leutze carry domain of art
172 Jacob Barker, by Inman, admirably colored
171 Durand lscape compos illus striking his peculiar excellencies and faults, stream banks more yellow than nature, but persp admirable, cattle and sheep not equaled by any other native artist
107 TH Matteson, Am subj delightfully handled, sugaring off, all details well put in, entire compos promises
178 Cole, most refreshing lscape in gallery, feel soft breath of summer wind, care unus for minor adjuncts vs his usu bold dashing style, rays shine thru trees and effect superb, atmosph peculiarly Am and beaut
Sept 26 1846 Pequot p. 361 long meditation on Ranney’s ptg of Ringgold’s dead charger at Art Union; notices it again on Dec 12
April 24, 1847, p. 97 NAD, written for Spirit by Query (who also covers racing, and Jan 12 1850 has a story about Mr Snob’s New Year in which a hirsute German examins a ptg over the mantel piece where a ruffian thrusts a muscular arm thru a mudbank called the atmosphere of the picture, an undoubted original, work of a master; and Snob himself pronounces the Art Union a humbug; Query is James Topham Brady, a close friend of Herbert)
Don’t profess skilful, tho a great pretender once, prated fluently abt breadth, depth, tone, keeping, chiaro scuro and various terms of soi disant connoisseur, but appreciate beaut sub or ridic, can tell if a head looks like putty, or a lscape resembles nature. Sincere tho crude, no oblig nor motive to any artist.
Don’t believe genius must pilgrimage to Italy, unfortunately Am artist efforts restrained by precedents and rules totally unadapted to its headway. Have looked year after year not to see how our artists have imitated old schools, but how orig and inventive own conception, still v little skill on own designs.
On entering, all manner of persons stare fr walls, attracting attn. by diversities of positions, dress and expr rather than artistical execution. Old lady with a decent white cap never done anything to deserve such vile treatment is hung with a face wherein dough and sea weed unite, gman with a protrusion of hair, whisker, moustache and imperial whose studied attitude excites laughter or spleen, according to char of your company. The drapery of his apt, his velvet chair, apptments of his room awaken intense delight of upholsterers, but his face begrimed most sadly. An active exercise of fancy might mistake for shade, but actually looks like a discoloration fr violence. Turn away and alas, a lady of your acquaintance chaste in dress, tricked out in dazzling garment over which her face appears practicing for consumption. Your friend beside herr a roseate hue disgrace a toper, a child the color of early lilac on a peagreen and Span brown lawn. To set off these monstrosities what some facetious people call ‘strong’ heads, features put in bold relief by extrav light and shade such as was never seen but in Hades, look of solid stone.
Daub may produce a likeness. Mere staring faces, feeble resemblances in coloring converst them into ghosts, gnomes, midnight exhalations, sons of darkness or rubicund wassailer, abominations, shld exclude abortions which only excite ridicule and pity.
Best ports are Elliott, clean in outline, well colored, stand well out, correct and distinct. 25 Gov Bouck admirably exec, 170 (?) by him too much red, 264, by no means gd, appears unfinished, mistiness prevents usual relief. 7 pics in exhib, better to have put in just two. Vgd ports by Frothingham and others.
Shld put orig designs in same rm, not amidst wearying ports. Visitors seem to prefer Leutze’s Henry VIII, 178. Rep fr his Columbus in chains et al secures applause of pretenders with no discrim or taste who echo opinions of others. Those who think for themselves aware most illustrious not alw great, and L like veriest charlatan may produce unworthy works. Henry not great. So grave a hist pic shld present some striking incident, a specific story with point and moral, some focus in its design, nothing can more offend true taste than abortions purport to depict human incidents but have story hidden amongst stupendous archit, gorgeous furn, or extended lscapes. This Court scene has no char by which to know what date, king or incident, can’t perceive he is paying more than polite attn. to a young lady, while a stately woman marches sorrowfully toward the churchmen, courtiers curiously looking on, when told who it is, can comprehend, but no great interest even so. Figs too small to be effective, maybe better in engraving, faces no expression natural—whole is pleasing and pretty, but awakens no passion nor sympathy, admired not felt.
Sep 1847, takes review of Greek slave fr Lit World, then Oct 9 1847 a commentary p. 383 fr an unknown correspondent, slave a mere woman under revolting circumstances of shame and degradation, the lofty sentiment of triumphant and ennobled virtue incompatible with received ideas of Turkish ownership. Only redeeming trait is symp and pity awakened, desire to extend protection, but this disposition does not exist in the mass. Compulsory attitude satisfied by drapery around hips, show effort of maiden to restore scanty covering, attitude shld be more timid. We have large woman and not a very young one, attitude stiff and erect, air unconscious or indifferent, want of energy and expression, only the chain marks the slave, eyelids not modestly lowered, married woman’s breasts, straight and stiff legs, defect of whole fig which disdains to bend and rejects waving line of beauty, feet and toes not delicate enough. Idea of nudity synonymous in art with honor, purity and innocence, nature in her orig perfection, uplifts fr sphere of material association, but must slect passions so as not to shock or disgust, choose char with elevation and dignity, to represent the ennobling and good. She can’t be type of virtue, exceptionable subject. Note by the editor: don’t agree.
Dec 30 1848 p. 540 Broadway and its ‘sights’—The Duke, views with delight that splendid ptg over Barnum’s M, Major Littlefinger and Gen Tom Thumb, more meaning in it and in many respects quite as well done as some in the AU.
Mar 24, 1849, p. 54 The Duke on Broadway and its Sights, cogitations thereon
Saw placard that Adam and Eve had just returned fr Euro, followed (attractive woman? Scintillating sinner) into Soc Lib, truly delighted, attn. riveted, superb masterpieces. Darkened rm, conversation betw lady with vivacious bright eyes and young foreigner, prefer banishment fr paradise, discuss how negroes cld come of a race of such perfect beauty, serpent or Cain responsible, and very little resemblance too betw Eve and many white ladies (or men). Interupted by Down East couple shocked by nudity, who joke about no shirt buttons and dry goods bills. Duke left and dropped into Art Union where down easterners were quizzing most of the ptgs, and after seeing Duboeuf’s wonders, no inclination to be amused with indiscrim coll of respectable performances. No Titian ever left imp so vivid or so pleasing as his extraord and life like ptgs. I may have bad taste, but so it is. In office of Spirit B--- of N---liked them too.
June 2, 1849, p. 175 Our own Art-Union, Written for Spirit by Query.(James T Brady)
Our people daily more interested in Fine Arts, but don’t have an Art-Union closely connected with S of T, whose works deserve admiration of cognoscenti. Time for it has arrived, proceed to full description of what our readers are to see, and a number of first impressions ready for use, which must save the public much trouble.Imitate those obliging and considerate friends who on the way to the Theatre minutely inform us of the plot. Our liberality does not stop here. We offer rules of conduct, hope visitors perfectly familiar with terms requisite to free as well as profound crit, and suggest they scrutinize pics thru hollowed hands, if no other means of scientific inspection be afforded. When anything has a prominent appearance, must not say it sticks out, but stands out, think of a collector of Militia Fines waiting for you to let him in. Speak of depth, Germ metaphysics may act as a mnemonic aid. And re tone, have a distinct idea of diff fr when used for a fish horn or dinner bell. Etc. Bulletin of Am AU says Edmonds’ Gil Blas has a “pure silvery tone.” That is very comprehensible and may be applied to all pale pictures. A bilious look in the sky may contrast with Claude, but change the subj lest minute enquiries be made as to who Claude was. Call artist’s room his studio, and his ptg a pencil. Don’t explain the design of a psychological picture, just ascribe the high ideal, men are sure to understand after a late dinner generously served. If scene on canvas resembles prizefighters, speak of it as full of power and hint abt force. Distinct lines—purity, and when exhausted, time for ‘finish’.
1 Study of a Head, T. H--. Subj a warm one, and not easy to subdue.
2 Yellow Kids, Lord G—G--. Effort of an amateur, this will prob be finished next season
3 TheTrot, WT P (editor) this artist wld go ahead, not so successful in distance, colors fast, known to possess Spirit.
Joke on Webster, on a leader without a party, Hugh Maxwell’s expectations of an office in the Customs Hse. 9 Infinite, RW Emerson, jokes abt transcendentalism. 10 Distant View of Whtie Hse, Lewis Cass, how admirably idea of distance here conveyed! 11 Town Major, MM Noah, connected with the Times
12 Morning, Noon and Night, E Windust, characters, all of whom are taking. 14 Power of Music, Gemotice.(Gemotice also a writer for Spirit) 15 sunrise among hills, GPR James, familiarity will commend it to all.
Aug 6, 1849, movements of artists fr Lit World, Leutze, Chapman, Brown, Terry, hicks, McConkey, Whitridge, TH Smith, CP Cranch, Cropsey, Durand, Huntington, Gray, Brown the sculptor in Vermont, Crawford, Page, Doughty, Lang, Rossiter, Church, White, Peele, Matteson, Kensett and Casilear, Stearns, Boutelle, Ranney, Gifford, Richards, Rothermel
Oct 6 1849 p. 396 Am AU: We are not in polit or other tastes sullied by the love ofNative American principles, but interest inc ultiv of Am talent, so desired prosperity of Am AU, dissem works of art to refine a people, stimulate desire to equal foreign art. Intl AU detracts support fr this, don’t disparage Goupil,enhance business, but dislike rival to AAU, and thinks won’t get really great art out of Euro anyways
Jan 8 1853 fr Lit World p. 560 Art Union sale of ptgs unexpected success, may give prestige to Am art, Church’s took the lead at $1800 and costing $500, G Daniels also bought Edmonds, Peele, Kensett and Rotherwell. Ogden hggerty bought a Palmer, John Van Buren a Woodville (xmas gift fr his client O’Sullivan),WH Webb bought Old 76 and Ranney’s Marion.
May 29, 1858, p. 192 NAD—still open, v gd to bad, to save trouble, call special attn. to following, and list Hicks, Huntington, Ta Richards, EE Parmelee, Champney, DM Carter, Bierstadt, EW Nichols, Gignoux, Shattuck, Durand, Durrie, Suydam, Mrs HM Field, Elliott, Gossip by LM Spencer, Stearns port of Elliott, AF Tait, F Rondel, Compte Calix, SL Gerry, Geo Owen, WF Atwood, Lotichius, S Wood jr, Wm Hart, EW Nichols, David Johnson, AF Bellows, WG Boardman
Dec 25 1858 p. 552 takes fr Daily Times account of sale of pics of late Wm Ranney for benefit of his family, with those donated by his brother artists, realized approx. $9000, lists them and prices, Kensett and Church and Elliott singled out, Caffrey too. A Jones.
March 19, 1859, Jones,, Thorpe & Hays, proprietors, Edw E Jones and TB Thorpe, Editors, 233 Broadway, $5 p.1 Fine Arts: Powers’ Statue of Webster: mocks Bostonians, refreshing to learn that they realize everything they have is not perfect, statue conceded to be a total failure, not fr any ideal model they had indulged in of the great expounder, simply from familiarity with his personal appearance. Statue has nothing resembling that, and is unhappily not ideally interesting, so lacks merit of being literal or poetical. Ball can and has done justic to Webster, but was overlooked in his native city as had no foreign airs to deck his native graces. A form without grace, face destitute of expression, head wanting in strength, are things not peculiar to Webster and want of them in the statue turns the populace sick with disgust. hope statue will be safely housed in some lumber-room, or melted into shovels and tongs. Powers cld never make a statue of a hero, his successes, all achieved before his foreign study, simply ideals of the femal, pleasing fictions. His statue of Calhoun is disagreeable and his statue of Webster is absurd, despite such extraordinary originals in mind and body. Calhoun one of the most impressive men that ever trod the earth, appearance inspired admiration mingled with awe. Webster’s head was nowhere surpassed by the best antique works, and his peculiar body gave it still more character, two conjoined peculiar and extraord form, unlike Calhoun’s, yet grand. Nation and posterity are losers.
March 26, 1859 p. 73 Fine Arts: reception at Studio bldg., fashionable overflowing, Gifford, Hart, Hubbard, Hays Bowton Reed had pictures. Also visited studioWF Atwood, improving, horse ptgs belong to Wm Astor and other horses
April 16 1859 p. 109 NA Opening, refined humor, no pic will be a marked celebrity, but most satisfactory, some first rate portraits and execrable canvasses. Small landscapes are the favorites. A large pic of French school of dying brigand, attracted att fr its dramatic effect, but predict it won’t wear well.
April 30, 1859, p. 133 NAD-1
Art now part of the necessities of the metropolis. Exhib immense variety of excellence.
Absolute excellence of E Johnson’s Negro Life in the South, 821, v diff to present negroes pleasantly on canvass, no phase of their life is really agreeable, but simple hearty enjoyment suggests a fellow feeling which if not making us wondrous kind, at least calls forth cordial sympathy. Figs natural, naturally occupied, old fellow with banjo v personification of light heart, lovers exactly to point of negro sentiment and civilize, accessories all excellent and necessary. Young missis sheds a refinement over the scene, and as she is not startled, we need not be, at witnessing.
Wm Hart a triumph in country seat of Thos Fraser on Hudson, 552 honest, literal, will have value in time as a hist subj when suburbs of NY cover the ground. Like elev country seat into works of art, no reason not as attractive as generalized lscape.
Cropsey and Cranch in Euro, only need to examine crude works of 290 and 655 and compare to those who stayed at home to be aware that foreign travel has corrupted their eye for color and destroyed their originality.
Durand only 762, largest in rm, best in a long time, vigor of early triumphs, maturity in design and exec.
S Coleman jur completely fails to realize the expectations of his little studies of a few yrs ago, 277 simply ambitious, singularly poor sky, absurd trees, effect thin.
Kensett Glimpses of White Hills 285 glorious advance, no spotty and ragged appearances heretofore so common to him, compact luminous center with surroundings beaut subord.
Wm H Brown 725 how a person can come near to excellence yet fail. Painstaking and industrious, improves his handling, but compos lamentably deficient, no pt of interest or sentiment better than all that labor, need broad masses of light and shade.
JB Bristol 450 732 hi poetic feeling, have a humanizing effect
WL Sontag sui generis, if does not please, maintains his individuality. Don’t admire his Euro-Americanized lscapes, 734 will be himself again, his early works in the rude Alleghenies a vigor more in savage spirit of Salvator than any modern, let him be a savage again.
JB Stearns, symp scene after charming style of Collins, 765 want of mechanical exec made up in suggestive idea of little rascals studying nat hist. Alw demand for such pics, children charming.
Gifford admired for Marshfield Mtn, 791, noble repose, feel stand on a sort of Pisgah, and see in dreamy mist promised land of New Engl, contrast betw blue of dist and warm hues of foregrd ingenious yet unsatisfactory, something unfinished. One of most pop in exhib.
Wm J Stillman, Camp in Adirondack 724 and Sunset 216, satisfy that in both condemns his absurd PreRaph. All his faults are PR, squareness, coldness, unnaturalness arise fr corruption of his mind, but breaks thru infatuation honest flashes of color and healthful glimpses of design.
James A Suydam,Narragansett, 633, careful study agreeable natural, grander if suggestion of contrast with repose
WJ Hays speciality, Setters and Game, needs greater freedom, simple style
James M Hart and AF Tait, Dairy Farm 640, alw a crowd, cultiv and spontaneous, carefully studied, combo of lscape and cattle, danger Hart will degenerate into timid undistinguishable masses, suggest more boldness and vigor, Tait improving.
Hicks failed with subj shld have inspired immortal work, no modern had finer head than Dr EK Kane, manly beauty, forehead cold as marble, beard singularly handsome, how possible produce this salmon-colored face in atmosph 36 degrees below zero? Regret not a triumph.
May 7, 1859, p. 145 NAD –No 2.
Baker few but well done, alw refined, no lady not pleased.
Lambdin 296 a disagreeable illus of Tennyson, poet has taken grand scriptural expression and diluted it with any quantity of his own watery substance. Censure hanging for giving it prominence. Subj singularly painful, no delicacy of treatment, no elevation to soften fearfully commonplace mortality before us, begrimed and bricky, coarse and unpleasant.
Rawstorne, 326 Foggy morning, faithful resemblance of scene in Brooklyn at early crossing, entirely unpretentious
May 635 Dying Brigand and Craig 331 Emigrant’s Grave suggest most disagreeable emotions without particle of relief, like Lambdin belong in shops of ambitious undertakers
Copestick’s Juniata 676 pictque, admirable compos
Casilear deservedly a fave, pics alw agreeable, predominating idea refinement; style seems colder, 616 lscape compos novel blending of Alpine mtns and Am foregrd, highest commendation
Hubbard steadily improves, 636 Midsummer a fave
303 Brother Artist Healy, two ptrs jointly wrought an extrav attitude, puerile pic, original want of true taste that wld give birth despite vast experience, to so much extrav
Oddie one of oldest and large and wealthy circle of friends, 259 Western VA, remarkably similar in his pics, but great judgment, despite freedom and careless touch some of most truly Americanized pics, fins ready sale and higher prices for more pics than any ptr in our city.
Ortell too much of hard Germ school, 192 would be flattered
Darby 788 Calhoun, presume copied fr photo, falls below the orig’s grandeur
Schlegel a humorist and enemy to PR, throws genuine ridicule on whole school of particulars, 630 a formidable creation/parody—or if serious work of art, then ludicrous and revoltingly profane.
J Thompson has tw, both merit, but too fond of labor, overloads conception with figs. 775 mtn injured by intro of figs that destroy the illus, and Haymakers 250 also spoiled by crowded foregrd breaking all repose
May 14, 1859 p. 157 NAD-3
Healy 185 one of exPres forCapitol, have spoken of his Fillmore, portrayed without any bowels, suggesting a phys impossibility. In this of Tyler, curious prominency in arms and legs, a spread eagle idea, his worst enemy will hardly betray so much moral turpitude as to exult that this goes to posterity as a true likeness.
Darley masterly drwg, no rival, Cooper, most charming on walls. His trapper too aged.
Church a suggestion in 384, remarkable sunset of summer solstice 1858, interesting as all fr one of best lscape ptrs living
Huntington unexceptionable in never producing things without great artistic merit, yet wonderfully unequal. Durand 283 fine artistic, not a likeness. 304 charming, science, reflection
Elliott 6 pics, 4 never surpassed. Glib manner in which he is treated by most art critics is amusing and melancholy, displays they are prejudiced or unable to understand art. His works above crit, majority treasures that will become historical. The magnif Heart of the Andes by Church lacks intellectual power of Elliott’s 620 (humans better than nature). Great mass of our fave artists just please prevailing taste, but his heads of Gov Throop etc are hist records, like Vandyke, Titian etc and when mellowed in color and tone by time, will rank even higher. Flippant critics who go into Acad as enter an oyster saloon, shld recollect Reynolds was treated this way in his day.
May 21, 1859, p. 169, NAD-4
Bogle r ports, strong likeness, 561, really is a Lady. Commercial value points to merits, profitable business.
Henry young Phila 586 781promising, hope won’t inspire unjustifiable confidence as in example already alluded to
WT Richards 4110 study blackberry, pleasure.
Gray tantalizing, drwg often perfect, attitudes unexceptionable, but prevailing saffron condemned but he persists.
Mignot Street scene, less ambitious than last yr, more satisfactory, conscientiousness
Cafferty 718 Midday Rest gd tone, satisfy lscape, sultry hush, quiv atmosphere, freedom and suggestiveness, nicely composed
Waterman 4 pics advance, boldness and orig in compos From the Hills. 367 and 369 Drwg Wood and Last Load also noticeable.
Broughton happiest in peculiar line, poetic sentiment a little morbid
Moore 3 pics, when begins to think for himself will deserve place, somewhat conventional yet, vine has no counterpart in nature
Inniss two little gems Morning evening, nice distinction of tone v charming and artistic
Butler 600 v attractive
Cropsey, heretofore consid one of best, 213 Katskill falls, not worthy of notice, no atmosph, no purity of color, jumbled, no solidity, water is grey granite. Last year his pleasant home production so full of light, life, contrast it with commonplace mechanical production
Shattuck Reminiscences of Androscoggin 702 bright ambitious, incubus of adopted style, not nature
June 4, 1859 p. 193 NAD-5
Stone v pop, delicacy charms ladies, 416 young girl womanly beauty more force to rather disdainful expr of mouth
Hows ambitious, done himself injury with too complicated pics, 775 Autumn, 160 Lily pads quaint fanciful conceit
Lawrence resembles namesake in putting his signature to his pics, beyond mapping ability, don’t see much to admire, tho will be pop with ladies as fine china is. Total want of char remarkably displayed in 114, Dr Bellows, a strong minded woman of the sentimental kind
Dix pleasing, 697 admirable, transparency, fine dist. Conturier very Frenchy, want of relief. Read several, best Head of aChild, delicacy of sentiment of poet-ptr. Wood’s La Chiffoniere excellent fidelity of her gloating, heap of rubbish well done.
Hall’s best September fruit capitally finished. D Johnson 606 Ulster, compos gd, light, freshness and orig. Griswold some of his many are pleasing, Long Island fine effect, VA mtns more pretentious but gd pts
Pirsson Passing the Stake Boat v pleasing, hennessy delicacy.
Mrs Greatorex prominent among ladies, 512 Mtg of Waters charming, Mrs Pond v pretty 594 Novel Reader port, AM Freeman minis.
The press this year with one or two exceptions have dealt more fairly with the artist than heretofore, the slashing and cutting so much affected by the ignorant Cockneys have been ignored by respectable journals, effort to treat ptrs as fairly as grocers and drygoods men. Fault among the Academicians though of tendency toward prettiness, admired by visitors, but will emasculate art. Vein for delicacy of handling is crushing thought, degenerating pics into nice little bits. Ask Ask our artists to pay more attn. to shading large portion, leaving skill on some concentrated pt, a well estab principle.Church, great master as he is, materializes fr total neglect of climactric composition.
Jun 18 1859 p1 Boston Statue of Webster: happy Webster Memorial committee of 100 resolved agst asking state authorities for permission to put the “Powers statue” on the Capitol grounds, not worthy of the proposed place. severe reproof will put an end to Powers’ pretensions as a sculptor of historical portraiture. Everett pleaded earnestly to have statue rec’d, read letters that went to prove (?) that the statue resembled W at age 40, absurd idea had no effect, Everett in dudgeon resigned. Advise him to write out his troubles for Bonner’s Ledger. Bostonians have got the “Bronze” and they are puzzled to know what to do with it, like man who drew elephant in lottery. Reiterate cast into pictque household ornaments and useful kitchen materials.
Oct 15, 1859,p. 421, Fine Arts, Exhib of Eng and Fr pics at NA increasing in public favor. 2 kinds of ptgs, gd and bad, latter the execrable monstrosities of PR, so profanely wretched.
Pleasingly symp ex of familiar art, Freres Children, tender sentiment and truthfulness, volume of humanity, future of a real woman. Jerome, Troyon luminosity of sky, Bonheur unsurpassed realism.
Ruskin praises the Stone Breaker, some of our critics think quite charming, no patience, insult, subj eminently disgusting, poor wretched brutalized being hideous by demoralization of ignorance and overtasked labor repulsive garb of convict, depraved artist, over which spread impregnates and imprints decay of mortality festering in corruption in wretched detail. Getting serious notice. Ruskin doesn’t grasp rudiments of art. War of inconsistency betw love of art and the physical realism.
Feb 11 1860, p. 12 Fine Arts Artists’ Reception, Dodworth’s, second time, Wm and James Hart, Broughton, Bellows, Shattuck, Sontag, Gifford, Jerome Thompson, Dix, Leutze, Baker, Hall Blondell, Gray, Huntington, Leutze. Quotes 2 beaut v young ladies to show they are shallow. One of leading dailies pays questionable compliment to nude forms in public: Palmer’s White Slave to Boston and Page’s Venus in DC, more freedom than antique Greeks, recall first attempt the Chanting Cherubs Cooper bought, but no more an objection, tho enthusiasts advocate drapery as essential principles of Xtian vs pagan art. Spirit of the Times seems to agree that drapery would be better for art in public places. Mentions Nubian Captive, lion by Carpendale in Shaw’s gallery, Elliott doing exGov Seymour, and a horse ptg at Nichols’ gallery
April 14 1860 NAD reception—3000 people, celeb beauty wealth and genius
Apr 21 1860 p. 132 NAD, excerpt fr the Express:5 or 6 splendid portraits CL Elliott long ranked first, but all badly hung, incensed that one in hall called The Hospital for Invalid Daubs, eddy of floatwood. Cut port out of frame, alm destroying head never had a superior. Second and third rate pics flauntingly thrust on eyes of visitor.
Apr 28 1860 p. 133 NAD 1st notice
Crowded with elite, rich in gems, public thinks hanging want fairness, Elliott.
Port ptg assuming a secondary position, thanks to photo, Elliott, Huntington, Baker and Stone still elevate them into history. But lscape and history increase, can combine and select and arrange as mirror cannot. Sunday Morning 515 Durand in best style, studies fr nature, among the first to do so.
Morning in May 356 Gignoux, sacrifices conventionalities to actual expression, brilliancy admired not obtrusive. Twilight in tropics, 613 Mignot, not proper name, no twilight there, too sudden, but truth of lunar light in foregrd, moving toward individuality. 523 Drwg the Elephant, Suydam, quiet humor, little children imitating grown ups alw pleasing.
Mating 465 cleverly told story by Johnson whose Kentucky Home created sensation, suggestiveness has circulated satin paper envelopes. Sontag 4 pics replete with vigor and strength, gets clear of effects of travel, back to wild dreams of Alleghenies.
Rocky Mtn 546 Bierstadt, largest and most pretentious, not wholly successful, a redness abt the objects in distance not in that atmosphere, no local habitation but in Germ pics. Much gd,buffalo hair visible tho ten miles off, impossible in vast scene, injures magnitude.
Blauvelt No News 280an interior, of character, ways of inhabitants. No News in the Herald is the ideal part of compos, old gman so interested he has stayed up late and fallen asleep, items of actual of 1860 invaluable as historical records.
Candacia Lake 591 Jerome Thompson, peculiar sinner, insists on doing more than needed, overwrought effect gives hardness in scene of quiet beauty.
Baptism of Christ 459 hard shell Baptists, orig expr was of the hardest kind, nothing but relig monomania justifies choice of such a subj these days.
NAD advertises.
May 26, 1860 p. 181 NAD-2nd article.
Gems of excellence, most Academicians do pleasing episodes, not grand conceptions, market demand. Now classic works ofGreece were the pop expr of everyday life. But condemn practice of plagiarism, will end up being included in vagabond, houseless, peripatetic masterpieces of bogus picture auctions.
Justly admired: James Hart’s Castle Rock, 339, Gifford’s Bay of Fundy 372, brilliant pure billowy motion, refined and pleasing. Marguerite E Johnson 530 equal to word portrait, most insensible appreciate genius who goes fr gay Dove Cote to grave Marguerite with success, almost intrusive window given light it casts suggests mental sunshine on sad face.
Innes fine ability, patronage, 427 real power in combo of light and shade, somber hue, shld make pics smaller.
Geo A Baker has peculiar merits, outline and warm color, 321 Young America in trappings of 1776, roguish, fun and mischief, children source of interest.Big Bunch JG Brown245 can’t be passed, Extra Dinner Party 570 excites warm symp for young varlets, best char pics, shld be engr, F Schlegel’s triumph, city life among juveniles.
A Chappel 576 Ld Howe fine old faces, well ptd.
The Wilderness Gifford 561 unhappy title, so misunderstood, full of dreamy beautyleaves us to people it with inhabitants of your own choosing.
More Free than Welcome 566 Tait advances in telling story, well expressed, lacks softness, vs Siesta 417 Lambdin, chickens of newsboy style, rascally and rough.
Approaching Thunderstorm 436 MJ Heade truthful expression, impressive; sunset on meadows 152 also great truthfulness, near excellence
Forest Life 527 Af Bellows, deservedly admired, trees alive, shades charming
Nov 24 1860 Fine Arts p. 507 Dubufe essentially French, at Goupil’s, biblical will salve conscience of respectable, well worth seeing.Cinderella remarkable at Schaus’s.Derby’s opening, a triumph.
March 23 1861 likes Louis Lang’s Mary Queen of Scots at Goupil’s. Cosmo Art Assoc also advertises.
Spirit of the Times mfilm LOC Reel 2 Feb 1837-Feb 1839
Feb 18 is first issue 157 Broadway, Wm T Porter ed, $5 year. excerpts a letter fr Forrest to ed of Plaindealer. 25 Isaac C Pray, coeditor fo Daily Herald and Boston galaxy has new play. A looker on in Venice, their Wash corresp Mar 4, is a real snob, goes to White house and saw a rabble, such as might convene at the Park, elbowing their way upon splendid Brussels carpets, at the same time munching cheese. am a Republican but don’t want to see the unshaved laborer with his dirty boots rubbing agst our hi bred sil stocking genre, shld be in drawing rm unmolested by cartmen, hack driveres and gmen blacklegs. Geo P Morris poem. Mar 18 admire Webster’s eloquence. Mar 25 says Mirror is improving every week, one of its editors, Fay, appointed to court of St James, Willis expecting to go to Vienna. Willis G Clarke looking to Legation of disappointed office seekers in Dismal Swamp, his namesake McDonald to the moon, p 47 At the Palace saw the admired port of the Old Hero by Earl fo rCity Hall at Wash, likeness not strong, but persp baut and conception admirable, represented very appropriately under a triumphal arch, with his back turned on Congress, the Capitol in the distance, full height, pillar and shillelagh, hat thrown down, Andrew Jackson, I am the state. Bust of other heroic expresident, champion of free discussion and petition, by Persico, a speaking likeness. Capitol becoming embellished with art, like the celebrated mons capitolinus, Pettrick has two beaut classic groups. A few years hence may be the Am Vatican, A Looker On in Venice. Apr 29 Willis story May 20 beaut engr of Willis in Mirror fr Harding port, capital likeness sweetest poets, Mirror also has Inman Noah Dunlap etc Aug 12 TD Rice’s marriage and Edw Forrest’s marriage. Aug 19 love Miss Clifton and Willis, Rice writes to him. Sept 9 gives the Hamblin controversy as it is playing out in Sun (and Herald) Oct 28 Woodworth benefit, aecdote of French painter and a monkey. dec 2 Lockhart’s Walter Scott delightful
1838
Jan 13 excerpts Knick on loafer 27 puffs DR Barker 547 Pearl st portrait ptgs. lots on duelling. Pickwick papers. Mar 17 A Cleopatra by Guido at Saunders’ Divan 157 Broadway, call attn of artists and ocnnoisseurs, beaut and rare, others in room worth a visit. lots of Thom Hood. Am Monthly right spirit, good to bring politics to lit. Apr 28 p86 A Traveller writes in to promote Peter Delcour’s pictures of sporting scenes of Canada. Douglas Jerrold. June 23 friends with Miss Missouri, died a victim of the most rapacious selfishness, but Miss Clifton not to blame. Yellowplush. Jul 14 Cries of NY, inclu newsboys. 21 Tell Noah of Star that we have no enmity to Hamblin (who he defends), suggest Noah (and C&E) will profit by his rebuilding the Bowery, but he behaved badly to Miss Missouri. Colt’s advertises! Oct 27 The Vision of Rubeta, a satire on newspaper press in NY, esp Col Stone, who is Rubeta, . Isaac Pray is writing for Miss Hildreth. Mirror is read chiefly by boarding school misses and is adapted to their tastes and capacity, shouldn’t have published a scandalous letter (on LEL and Lady Blessington and Byron?) fr a foreign corresp, seem to be motivated by an attack on Willis who has been their great contributor Nov 17 publishes Willis letter to Mirror refuting earlier letters comments on Landon, Blessington and Miss Jane Porter Nov 24 puffs Dunlap exhibition, Dec 1 notes that new pics added, two by Cole for PG Stuyvesant, Past and Present, gorgeous natural beauty, crowded by ladies. Dubufe pics in Barclay st. Dec 22 Willis our friend starting a Lit Gazette, all his writing in it, joint editor
1839
Jan 19 Willis and TO Porter Corsair, Porter is William’s brother, has written for us. Likes Albion. Sully’s Queen Vic, compromise with St Geo society will be exhib for mutual benefit. Has regular London theater/turf letters. Also cites NY American 9 still critical of Hamblin, and Simpson for engaging him at the Park Feb 16 story by Michael Angelo Titmarsh, Painter’s Bargain, mentions Dick Tinto, jr), from Fraser’s mag Feb 23 like Mlle Rachel
Reel 3
Mar 9, have enlarged, will do engravings. Collab with Geo Kendall of NO Pic. Wanted Inman to do portrait of Augusta, got a friend to do it fr memory. Corsair joins them and Albion Mirror on Barclay st; La Verite by Grandjean is no more, they mock him as awigmaker 16 praise clever plan of our citizens for the benefit of artists, Apollo assoc, explains plan. Don’t like the name. 23 Ed Marchant, spoken of favorably by Hammond, of Cinti Daily Gazette, friend of Stuart, praise him, was here in NYC for six or seven years, to collect statesmen, Clay, Harrison and Lyman Beecher. poem to engraving of Augusta. May 13 love Webster. May 25 Cadwallader colden, one of our best families. June 1 sad re Leggett. Jun 8 Mirror attacking Spirit (nd New Yorker, and Corsair) thru pages of Star?, and Star’s regular Friday puffs of it injure it. Mirror has encouraged London profilage penny a liners fr Sunday press, devoid of principle, scoundrel, slander is their fave, author of O. Hum was connected to Mirror. Jun 15 denies Star saying this paper got money fr mom of Miss Clifton to write down Hamblin, she is only a subscriber. Mirror fears conspiracy, Horace Greeley and Park Benj at Nyer, Greeley an old friend, don’t know Benjamin who doesn’t like Morris poetry, accuses him of bad taste satirically I think. Miss Clifton did send him champagne. TB Thorpe writing for him. Aug 17 dull spiteful editors say Corsair not interesting, has Willis sparkling letters. Conservative Democratic? Sept 7 city papers becoming spicier, New Yorker, Park Benj made it safe to say that the Charter Oak is not better than Childe Herald, indep of crit astonishing given advocates of humbug. Tattler says just what it thinks, Star picks at it Sept 14 praises Geo Hite’s miniatures, showed at Amer Acad of Des at Clinton Hall, Vesey st. dick doing engravings for them. Oct 5 take side of Stephen Price over Wallack 12 Star is leading crusade agst Price and Simpson of the National, backing Wallack; the Reformer (?) is attacking Noah 19 praises Chapman’s Landing at Jamestown in Mirror. Whig editors compelled to expose Noah continually as they don’t like him espousing their principles, so Courier Gazette and American attack him. West’s Christ rejected draws visitors, a masterpiece by a American so shld be seen by everyone. (they advertise) Nov 2 Star pub letter fr Tasistro that says Porter had gotten money fr courtesan Miller, silver goblet and champagne story, we denied it in the Courier. Praise the Globe hotel. Nov 30 actress’s legacy, recollections of a port ptr, Dublin U Mag Dec 7 Gouraud dags. Troye is their animal artist.
1840
Feb 1 Yankee editors in Gotham: the Express,, Tattler, Whig, Sun, Dispatch, Signal, Herald money articles and slap news, Commercial, Eve Post, Gazette J Commerce, C&E. Star American Times and Eras are only uninfected papers. mirror assistant editor a yankee, spirit of times, corsair, new yorker, observer, ladies companion, knick NY Review merchants mag 29 last issue
Reel 4
March 14 everyone wants to paint Prince Albert’s port. Apr 11 Recollections of a port ptr, Dublin UM Apr 18 Dag in the harem, Horace Vernet; Catlin in London 25 moving to new offices, out of basement of Am hotel. Not much orig content other than the letters. June 6 Cries of Ny an unpub ch of Mrs Trollope privately addressed to the painter, but intercepted and sent to the Spirit of the Times by J Cypress jr. most profitable bk Wash Irving ever wrote was this title, embellished with pics of a man crying clams, an Irish loafer selling watermelons etc. Tombs is a school for cries. They cry log cabin and hard cider now, politics are done by cries, and so is the music Jul 4 praise CF Hoffman, of Knick and Am Mo Mag Aug 1 portraits of Chas Kemble; takes fr Eve Tattler Life in NY by John M Moore, poem on cellar barroom signed Mephistopholes 15 design for a genealogical table. engravings of horse race trophies. Sept 12 more on annoying NYC street cries. James F Otis writes for them. Oct 3 needs subscribers to pay up. praise JJ Audubon fr a London paper. Nov 28 more recollections of a port ptr Dec 12 front page Newspapers by J Cypress jr, on all the papers and magazines of the country whose columns may not be bought, are hired agents for parties, includes relig papers, mags all belong to a partic interest, an indep article in any of them would get then discontinued by their patrons, mercantile interest, lawyers, mechanical, military masonic abolitionist, all papers belong to some clique,, even the Sun, licentious no wonder Cooper sues them, people ought to read the Constitution instead. won’t acknowl the Herald. Dec 19 front page, Cole’s pictures, series of alleg Voyage of Life, sustain his rep and surpass all former works, describes them, excellence in general tone of them, avoidded the russet so common in lscape, autumn is beaut but object to nature alwa in a state of decay, succeeded in painting her in full health.
1841
Jan 30 more on Mrs Norton and LEL Feb 27 love Knick
Reel 6
Mar 5 Cypress jr also publishes in Am Mo Mag, Mirror, Wm P Hawes Mar 12 animal ptg, success of Troye brought competitors, but he has most freedom of touch and aptitude for details, precise color. have 2 orig by Herring, doesn’t get color right. Browne here an english artist, also Burford, Fisher of Boston de Lattre. ad for splendid color engr of animals. excerpt fr Galignani on Ball at Tuileries. June Astor hse advertising. doesn’t seem to have been overwhelmed by Fanny Ellsler
I stopped after June 1841.
Reel 11
Feb 27 1847 has an illus of a billiard room, with a youthful player. Fremont. Mar 20 Advice to young Nimrods. Lit World is capital new weekly, deserved trib to our esteeme friend Audubon and his stwo sons, and Dr Bachman their relative. 27 A painter out of a job fr Louisiana Apr 10 Truth is writing abt Genls Taylor and Scott Apr 24 front pageNAD by Query. lots of portraits, old lady, hues of dough, gman with profusion of hair, begrimed, anad strong heads, most extrav light abd shade not seen but in Hades. best are Elliott, Gov Bouck admirably executed. Frothingham. Visitors like Leutze Henry 8, but not great, no strikin incident, clear moral, no ocus, abortions hide story, need title to understand but still doesn’t have interest, figs too small, pleasing but awakens no passion May 22 JT Headley Jun 5 sketch of Eugene Sue, the Savoyard, lots on Taylor and the war
stopped after June L
excerpts fr Lit World on artists, also Knickerbocker, and later Harper's Mag
Spirit of the Times LOC mfilm reel 13 Feb 1850-51, ed by Porter, opposite Astor hse
Feb 23 p2 satirical masthead Trumpet Blast of Freedom, a journal devoted to politics and polite lit in general, and to the public and private interest of Buncombe in particular, use the let boundless continents distract their powers, Buncombe’s bright circle shall concentrate ours. Satirizes willis known as News boy, caused disturbance in Union Square, left his friends who paid for Corsair in lurch. Buncombe prints include J of Commerce, Express, Trib, Bennett, Mirror. 12 pages.
March takes fr Knickerbocker and Lit World, has ongoing story Taking the Census by Johnson J Hopper. Mar 23 has Wm Ross Wallace on Carlyle, shame to you (bk review), has C Mathews’ Moneypenny with capital hits at NY society, and satire of design for Washington monument, based on a barn, and mocks a connoisseur in ptg Apr 6 excerpt Knick on Rotunda of Genl Wash in middle, doing penance before a church door, fellows try to stick a cartot in his eye, three model artistes jump over his head, portraits of Guy Fawkes and Judas Iscariot horrible conortions, artist some rln of young genius taken by his father to Powers to sculp. p77 same issue has saitre of diff mag, the Bunkum Flag-Staff and Independent Echo, pub by Knick Apr 13 p 96 opening of NAD, in new galleries, one devoted to sculpture, praises it as eceeding any other year. 27 p120 King’s bust of Webster is the best of them all, now at Astor hse, most real and life like, has impromptu of FH Davidge on seeing it in lib of congress. Lots on Lind.
May 4 1850 fr a young am in Paris, signed Docteur, Battle of Eylau pano hard to beat, cites a French critic as saying the Capitol is bastard architecture,gigantic body without a soul, great quantity of ptgs and profusion of statues, incapable of awakening any echo for the future. p.125 notes death of James Thom, who came here in pursuit of the exhibiter of hisTam O shanter, now at home of Roswell Colt in Paterson, calls Trinity church a costly architectural blunder
Jun 1 1850 p173 letter fr Powers in Charleston Mercury on Calhoun statue, calls him a cast iron man Jun 22 native grapes by N Longworth. Has Olla Podrida column. Aug 10 has a James Linen poem Aug 24 front page, Paris Corresp fr Docteur, Banvard, went with party of Americans to see Healy at work on great Webster’s Reply to Haines, bids fair to be capital thing, all faithful likenesses, Webster and Calhoun truly grand, studied with great care, price $10,000 a small one. Ports of our Pres for Louis Philippe at Nat Gall Sept 28 how Jenks joined the Odd fellows Oct 5 good review to Isaac Pray’s Roman consul at Astor opera hse. Oct 12 pano of Cuba best ever. 19 Tupper to Taylor and Sylv Cobb; taking the census joke about lying about age in rooklyn, Times and Trib use it to mock J o Commerce 26 curiosities of art, European. seem to support Great Exhib in London Nov 9 JT Headley denies writing the books they reviewed a couple of weeks ago, frauds by John S Taylor Nov 16 satire of Trumpet Blast of Freedom again, support for mock offices Seward, Fred Douglass, Garrison, Lucretia Mott, Wendall Phillips, Swisshelm, CC Foster, Gerritt Smith, Lucy Stone, Emerson, LN Fowler, WH Channing, Ernestine Rose. Solon Robinson a corresp., has become assistant editor to Amer Agriculturist Dec 14 Am AU has big ad 21 p520 has poem about painter and his studio (Sir Joshua)
1851
Jan 25 taking the census continues ends Feb. 15
Next reel: Mar 15 p 45 Parke Godwin has story about Audubon (in KY statesman). Mar 29 hi praise of Hamblin Apr 12 obit for Noah fr Trib, praises him. Lots of Knick “gossip.” Aug 30 doing America’s oldest patrician families. enthus re Catherine Hayes. Mrs Oakes Smith is disgusting. Nov 22 more on Audubon Dec 6 loves Moby Dick Dec 20 Kossuth’s portrait v superior, Henry Gazbanati 60 Fulton st, praises Currier’s lithos, advertises. Corbyn’s saloon ad, Corbyn also does a gossip column for the mag about the theater
1852
nothing on Jackson statue. 24 start having editor’s drawer fr Harper’s 31 front page Acorn on Matters in Boston, Brackett’s Shipwrecked mother, Am marble sustains highest finish, no stains, attitude of entire repose essential to happiest effect of scult, entirely nude, beauty more touching than life, pathos in exquis conception, tells tale without words, face lovely, lines perfect harmony, will achieve celebrity equal to Greek Slave
next reel 15
Feb 21 likes Catherine Sinclair in her roles on stage. don’t see NAD ad. May 22 fr Albion records 46 subscribers to bronze statue, $500 each, Greenough and HK Brown will design statue in Union Square, leupp Grinnell Lenox Astor WS Wetmore Belmont J Phalen Minturn Little Knapp Shermerhorn Lorillard J Suydam W Aspinwall HA Colt G Stuyvesant and H Fish Jun 19 Carl Benson mentions Murillo in your city example of peasant style, others in Marshall Soult’s collection thronged, he got them cheaply. JH Payne’s death. Like the Lantern. Aug 14 Nat port gall. excerpt fr the Express. Aug 28 even like Pierre! and Mdme Sontag. ad for Democratic saloon, sign of Franklin Pierce Oct 30 Chas Lanman in state dept at Wash is doing a book on Webster, warm obituary Nov 13 Welch’s magnif port of Wash fr Stuart’s Athenaeum, under superintendence of Sully, pub Geo W Childs and Wm Terry. don’t think Mrs Forrest a good actress. Geo H Peabody was for many years their principal corresp in London.
Dec 4 p. 494 L O’Connor on Hero of New Orleans, wondrous horse, fiery eyes distended nostrils and swelling neck, I am endemoniado, not being extravagant, fire breathing steed of Apollo, flash of the cannon and roar excite him, dilated eyes wildly strive to pierce smoke, mocketh at fear and is not affighted, sees his comrade in death struggle, he recoils upon his haunches with forefeet madly pawing air ad distended jaws strive to elude thraldom of the bit, read all this in eloquence of art before you? to you, horse is a text book, can you detect one fault of conception or expression, mighty neck curve, flanks heave, veins swell, better than Bucephalus will warhorse of Hero bear its creator to a loftier fame. I have seen the sculpture, General is now mounted, dress facsimile of New Orleans uniform, face and fig want nothing in resemblance, treated difficulties of a graceless costume and a fig naturally rigid, great beauty in contrast betw hi phys excitement of the animal, and intellectual quietude of rider, iron force of will here expressed not by harsh and passionate lines but by repose, feebleness agitate but decision is quiet, the cowardly at New Orleans can no more escape than the frantic steed he reins from his iron muscle. Other horses needed extrinsic support to maintain position in which equine display highest grace, fire, and power, but Mills perfect union of genius and science, charger remains self balanced, self controlled, thrown upon its haunches, taken new stride in statuary.
Dec 25 p530 Geo Shea, Secretary, on Costoli’s Columbus, marble group proposed for Wash, repres in most beaut and char action of his life, unveiling the new to the old world, position of figs gives clear view of standing of the several countries on our globe, and their qualities, Asia, seated hi, cradle of man, Euro first rank for cultiv has spiritual expression, Africa prostrated under slavery hardly notices, America astonished, uncertain whether to be grateful, bids them defiance. Men of taste in Euro approve, Ital friends want to aid, Fabbri bros in NY agents, $150,000 to be raised by ale of litho prints of group at $1 each, acad of fa in Florence recommends him, model is at offices in Broadway
Spirit of the Times “Pipe-Stems” in the “miscellany” Nov. 20, 1852
Praises the elder Wallack in martin Heywood
Praises Chanfrau in Toodles
Mentions that his old friend Cafferty is President of the NY Sketch Club and capital heads of “first citizens” are in his studio
1853
Gleason’s adverts a lot. Jan 8 p557 Crawford’s great Wash monument, Rauch’s of Fred the Great smaller, base is a circle, star on top, then equestrian fig, eagles, and colossal statues of eminent Amer surround, Henry Lea Mason Marshall Allen and Jefferson, 70 feet hi, Muller’s foundry in Munich in bronze, vast conception of artist, reliefs on sides have Liberty with its foot on tyranny. 15 death of Hamblin 22 Bubble on the Inauguration of The Jackson statue, fr the city of Magnificent Distances, fine procession, speech by Douglass, to my eye one fault, the hat in the right hand, why do they alw make the poor Genl hold out that hat, for variety, a pistol, even a pocket pistol would be better. Everlasting chapeau in bad taste, arm looks stiff, forever holding it before him, but plain old hero is doomed to be for ever seen with his hat in his hand.
Feb 12 last issue on reel.
LOC mfilm reel 16 Feb 19 1853-Feb 11 1854
Feb 19 1853 p 7 letter fr Wash city, so many pens busied with Jackson Statue, in your Jan 22 issue, misinformed, objects to hat in General’s right hand, but statues must have a theme like every other intellectual composition, and theme should be fully expressed, subj is not only Gen Jackson, but him reviewing troops before New Orleans, salutes in due form to regulation height, it is necessary, and an officer on duty cant dispense with it, would look even stiffer on his head, nor can hang on saddle bow. It is our prerogative to decide on grace in the lords of creation, and I contend hand and arm have all the ease compatible with formality of a military salute, and hat could not be better placed. Regret Congress havent paid the artist yet, has been pd 12,000, but put in much more money over five years, most glorious achievement of its class in modern or antique art. We don't belong to Woman Rights convention but give thought to rights of others, things that embellish life distorted by party spirit etc, signed HFR.
Feb 26 1853 p19, The Jackson Equestrian Statue, letter fr Bubble, to editor and Richards, responding to HFR, won’t argue with a woman, monument has simple majestic beauty, Mills gained fame March 5 p30 she replies, Mills came to Wash in 1845, did a design. Jun 11 ELF letter fr Wash says for interior of Congress a Senator engaged Mills to do bronzes of America’s true poets, a man of taste, did it for a small sum until influ of Tammany man. glorious creation, genius doomed to assaults of ignorance, prejudice and envy.
July 9 transl Mysteries of New York fr Courrier Jul 23 excerpt fr Home J. Noticed that Cryst Pal opened on the 15th, but nothing on it thru Sept. HW Beecher on trouting Sept 3. 17th has defense fr Benson of the idle rich. p363-364 has Greenough’s Triumphs of Civilization, loaned by Clark Mills who is supervising the arrang of the work, transl fr Italian, describing the group, civ man strong in moral power seizes savage and by inspiring in him a sentiment of humanity hinders him from killing son of woman, face of white man intellectual and kindly expression truly philosophical considering the awkward job
Oct 1 p386-7, HFR is friends with Miss Landon, Mills symp with Greenough. some NY journals marvelous discoveries and crits on Jackson statue, his Wash will be even better. Editor is friend of John G Saxe, has his poems. Oct 22 Noble Savage—Dickens doesn't believe in him, Catlin’s Indians dreary, wretched, low, inexpressive.
1854
Jan 14 UTC IS the National theater. 21 anecdote of Haydon, first statue of Canova. 28 excerpt fr Richard S Willis’ musical journal. Happy Harper’s back fr fire.
proq mar 11 1854 letter fr Miss Read, describes views of Washington, denies being a feminist
proq 1855 Cosmo Art Assoc subscirbers send to CL Derby at Knickerbocker Mag office (regularly promotes Cosmo AJ)
proquest jul 19 1856 mace sloper goes to lit reception
LOC rare books bound volume Sept 1856-Feb 1857, first volume of Porter’s Spirit of the Times.
editors are Wm T Porter and Geo Wilkes, still have a police report. $3 year. the old Spirit of the Times, without his name on it, is being pub by John Richards.
Sept 6 1856 full color litho of horse Flora Temple. p1 has portrait and profile of Wm T Porter. new office is in Appleton’s. Has HW Herbert story. 16 pages. Ned in Hoboken writes abt yachting.. Oct 4 Picayune does supportive cartoon of them. Brougham writing. 11 notices Sunday weekly Dispatch issuing a morning paper, we will subscribe. Approves Am Inst fair. Oct 11 p104 Boucicault’s quarrel with Trib criticism, but think he’s egotistical Nov 1 Herald attacking James Phalen and Acad of Music, defends Max Maretzek. 15 p174 satire on NPW letter to Morris for Home J as silly. have a column of a dog’s view of politics. 29 p216 EGP Wilkins, drama crit for Herald, opened comedy Young New York ephemera of recent incidents of real life, observant author, lots of hits at flying folly, praises it, has also written my wife’s mirror. At Keene’s. Dec 13 -239 Longfellow’s Hiawatha, papers have all loved it, but we agree with Trib’s TCP that he plagiarized, hostile to Harvard too. anti-women’s rights. Stanzas to memory of poe by RDP at Fordham NY
1857
Jan 24 Troye celeb animal ptr 31 praise Sunday Leader, got common council advertising Feb 14 p383 Euro corresp fr Rome, Wanderer, likes Gibson’s Venus, notes Hosmer worthy of praise, and Rogers. poet WW Fosdick liked
new volume Mar 7 1857. Apr 4 p77 queer marriage of Boker and John Dean, produced romantic moralizing, parsons of upper tendom left off Dred Scott to illus awful conseq of going fr Fifth ave to less perfumed locality. After judge determined marriage was legal, told her at her father’s house, but she was not forced to go with her husband, visited him, advise him to go make money. 11 cartoon on Wash statue as Tom Thumb? 18 happy with Admin at Wah DC. May 2 doing a Eugene Sue story. love Matilda Heron. Critical of Matsell and incapacity of Walker. Need govt backing. JW Orr doing good engravings for them. p243 obit to John S Stevens, assoc with Geo Steers who was known to Spirit circle too, wife Maria died 1855, brother in 1856, landscape gardener. Jun 27 p265 Greek Slave by the Powers was an illus joke in John Brougham’s Lantern, but orig was brought to hammer, sorry to say she was nude, but Stewart bid $5500, Cosmo Art Assoc $6000
Skipped July and skimmed August.
Porter’s Spirit of the Times, NYPL bound volume
The American Gentleman’s Newspaper
Starts Sept 5, 1857, I skipped a good part of Oct., very fragile
Ford Atwood (Atwood Ford? WF Attwood?) their designer for the engravings. Critical of Boucicault (unoriginal, egotistical, looks out for Number One), inclu his Poor of NY at Wallack’s and Laura Keene (arrogant); at war with Ullman of the opera at the Academy of Music (glad it’s not being used for polit mtgs anymore)
Nov 21 1857 HPL (Henry P Leland) in Europe p. 182, in Genoa visits all the galleries, suspects saints like being stuck with pincushions, prefers bright laughing eyes of live girl in gallery to old masters
Dec 12 1857 HPL in Europe, p.227, spent morning in studios of Am artists in Rome, know our nation will have artists who will equal the old masters, went to see Read, realm of fairyland of Midsummer Night’s Dream, his Nymphs of the Waterfall blended theology of Nature and mythology into poetic, harmony in color and design, real and ideal, after bleeding saints and martyrs at every turn in Italy soothing to see Martyrdom of the Innocents treated in the xtian way Read has done, ascending angels bearing sleepy little ones tell of future peace with purity. Scene in Hiawatha sketched, will say more later. Sculptors at Bartholomew’s, saw his Eve, a beaut work in penitent mood, malicious serpent, graceful position, limbs fullness and completeness of first woman. Ives’ studio had Fisher Boy, Rebecca at the Well, and several highly finished busts, will speak of in future. Then visited Brown and Page, well known styles have many admirers, then Rothermel, whose King Lear struck me forcibly, contrasted forms and expressions of 3 figs, bold and vigorous char, wildness of scene, nervous force, careful study of proprieties and harmonies. Also a Life of St Agnes, Vandyke’s life, a beaut Italian girl in pictque contadini dress, sketches of Ital life and scenery.
In studio of Montalant 2 ptgs impress careful study of nature, lscape shld not just copy a scene, catch the spirit, in his Temples of Paestum, rich warm light grand old temples gloomy Campagna with buffaloes and peasants in pictque costume, motive and feeling runs thruough it that’s attractive. Palermo too, pictque, bodld rocky heights, excellent effects.
Jan 16 1858 p. 320 last page, Fine Arts, notes the Murillo Immaculate Conception, have seen Lely to Lawrence, prefer real women to ideal, tho have inartistic eye. (Murillo associated with the real), property of Aspinwall, 2 other versions, every day kith and kin expression in countenance, fine specimen.
Editor is George Wilkes; as of Feb his partnership with John DeVoe was dissolved and it’s just him. John Darcie is the music/drama critic. Walter Harrison another editor.
Feb 27 1858 p. 409 v hostile to divorce, immorality among stage (disapproves of Charles Mathews and his wife), Sunday liquor laws which hurt the poor, and notes the Model Artists: a v active reformer Sergeant Berney of the Mayor’s police went to exhib of nude model artistes at a hse in Broome st, found police captains in the audience, watched whole show, made audience members give their names.
Follow up March 20 seems to approve of these raids, of publishing names of audience as well as the girls
March 27, has extended critique of Boucicault and his Contemporaneous Drama April 17 continues his anti-semitic attack on Bernard Ullman of the Acad of Music for proposing a masquerade ball there, happy that the Courier, Express, Times, Harper’s Etats-Unis all agree this is bad. Mad he wouldn’t let in their music/drama critic.
Likes the New York Leader, ed John Clancy, they took his side in war agst Ullman
May 15 now doesn’t like the model artiste police squad as they are raiding upper class gambling houses
May 29 1858 p 192 says to spare time, will call attn to : Hicks, Bellows, Huntington, TA Richards, EE Parmelee, DM Carter, Bierstadt, EW Nichols, W Hart, Gignoux, Shattuck, Durand, Suydam, Cl Elliott, Gossip by LM Spencer, Stearns port of Clark etc, Tait
June 12, 1858, 346-348 Broadway
p. 230 The National Academy, 33rd Exhibition
at first view gives impression Am art has retrograded, many of our best artists unus scanty, Church has nothing, but feeling passes away, younger artists signs of progress.
Elliott unus fine, JT Brady 535 a speaking likeness, full length Henry D Bacon 539 bating some defects in drwg of right should er and side is noble. His best work is surprisingly tho a female head, 489, far more delicacy than usu while honest vitality and force of its color a study for all. Gray has nothing in port, but study for Anointing 496 we wld praise warmly if more carefully drawn. Hagar and Ishmael 517 special commendation on this last, admirable color. However point out to Gray that affectation of the forms of the old mastersin his clouds is a defect rather than a beauty. Rossiter splendid bit of color in lady 524, drwg tho not equal to tone and manner. Fine vigorously made-out head (125) by Hicks which hangs near Cafferty’s only port 181, Mrs Emma Van Kleek. Remarkably fresh and chaste yet rich bit of color by daylight, suffers by gaslight more than elss purely ptd ones. Half shadows in orbits of eyes deliciously managed.
Kensett in exhib stands at head of lscapes, all his excellent but one. 128 and 415 for beauty of skies, exquis true and simple, Newport 506 wonderfully daguerreotyped effect of color. Exception is his largest, Sunset on the Coast, 613 in which waves are wretchedly hard and formal, more visible by Huntington’s Off the Coast of Maine 599 which next to Kensett’s Newport is the best seascape and the best ptg of rough water. Wm Hart advances on last yr, and James Hart reverses, 18 the only one that justifies previous estimate of his powers. 580? we believe is William Hart’s largest pic, fine vigorous bit of color, with more care in detail and drwg would be great, in his others he is too green, James is growing leaden. Progress has been made by Shattuck but in his larger pics it is in the wrong direction, towards scene-ptg, 157, The Banks of the Esopus. Needs to study form. Mignot’s Among the Cordilleras 215 is most ambitious lscape this year, and a success, parts indisputably fine, and since he has glazed down the previously glaring half shadow in the front of the pic, in violation of professional etiquette, all is gd. As a success, however, it scarcely equals its pretensions. Durand Pres exhib 3 finely ptd lscapes, one we think 492 a splendid study of stem and foliage. A noble bit of quiet scenery Sundown 222 by Hubbard, one of the best in this section. A clever little lscape by John Hows 12, and call attn to 67 by Gifford, who also exhib a fine large work Lake Nemi 460 conceived in grand and masculine spirit tho in parts somewhat too positively and heavily huddled. Gignoux’s Dismal Swamp 558 is masterly striking bit of color, handled with verve and freedom he alone has, only fault is that generally he is too scenic a ptr. His other 441 is much inferior.
Of Street-Scenery, 2 ptgs, a novelty in Academy exhib. The one is the joint production of Cafferty and Rosenberg, the other by the last named artist. 374 is Wall Street, very excellent, architecture admirably ptd, some 20-25 portraits capital. As a compos of its class, takes hi rank opening up a new vein in art. 4 is Union Square by Moonlight, with snow, v clever and orig. Rosenberg an author too.
In Figure Paintings and genre, we regret somewhat deficient, tho many excellent works. As the first, we will allude to Mrs. Spencer’s Fi FoFum 105 partly as work of a lady, but v greatly upon its intrinsic merit. Expression on faces of two children worthy Hogarth. General tone is perhaps too brown. 573 by same artist, Gossip, is filled with excellences and faults. Compos is clever, some of drwg admirable, naked baby is abominable, expression of heads is as fine as possible, coloring of backgrd is poor and feeble. Mrs Spencer has undoubted genius, and it pains us to see deficiencies on her canvases. The ubiquitous Cafferty gives fine pic Harvesting in New Jersey, 179 which is as glorious a bit of harvest sunshine as we have ever seen on canvas, head of young farmer a splendid bit of ptg, deserves examination, horses as well as Tait would do. Tait’s 182 A Tight Fix decidedly his best pic, 621 barring a Sidney Cooperish feeling in the cows not its color would be equally fine. The Ars Celare Artem 520 by Ehninger a clever reminiscence. Regret that there are reminiscences on the walls by no means so clever, less scrupulous critics would denominate them “cribs.” We regret to stigmatize Huntingtons 174 as liable to this. Calix’s 6 sm ptgs fr Gil Blas exceedingly clever, tho French in treatment and handling. Regret White so inadequat rep this yr, 467 Luther at Home his only work, nor is it one which ranks with last year’s. Neither is Leutze’s 425 Interior, sunlight and finish its only merits. Darley Death of Scipio capital compos and usual feeling.
No space to point out sundry canvases which ought not to have been hung at all on the walls.
July 28 1858 gives Wm T Porter’s obit, mostly did obits in the last few months, has been working on a bio of Henry Wm Herbert (Frank Forester?). His brother TO Porter once pub a weekly with NP Willis (Willis is mentioned in an earlier issue as a friend); his other brother George was at the NO Picayune as was Frank.
Began publishing weekly Constellation, which he merged into the Spirit of the Times, forceful new style of writing. In July 31 issue has his portrait and notes that Spirit of the Times passed into hands of John Richards, so he sought Wilkes for a new venture to be progressive and American, this paper which started in 1856
Aug 7 1858 368 critic committed to legit drama, rejects ephemeral questionablye morality morbid sensibility and trashy glitter
Aug 14 p. 377 Finally identifies the Herald as being behind Ullman at the Acad of Music affair. Years ago when editing Nat Police Gazette, cross suits between us, but since then have not alluded to him or the paper in any way, but he has dogged our footsteps, going to sue him for libel for saying Spirit of the Times is obscene
Aug 21 portrait of Wilkes fr dag by Brady
Aug 28 1858 last issue.
LOC mfilm reel 20 Feb 1858-Feb 1859
Sept/Oct proprietor is John Richards, editor is Edw E Jones, 233 Broadway. friend Wm W Fosdick now in Cinti ed Comm Advert. Nov 6 has a funny description as per a naturalist of the American wangdoodle. mad at manager Ullman of Acad of music. Dec 18 p 533 James T Brady gave a lecture on American Art fr the Ranney Fund, large audience approved him, Clinton Hall, it would floruish best where free principles prevailed and commercial prosperity, our comparative freedom fr such relig influences as in Italy, goodnatured irony censured want of patronage and taste as a govt, strictures on the ptgs in the Rotundat at Wash and upon the meretricious decorations of the house of reps were as severe as justice, where our artists have achieved success results fr selection of exclusively Am subj, physically and historically. sketch of Ranney’s life. His manner a sincerity and quiet earnestness, with touches of pathos and humor. 25 sale of the Ranney pictures, with those contrib by his bro artists, for benefit of his family, at NAD, some 104 works, about $4000. Durand’s study fr Nature 240, Casilear Hay Gray Hart Rossiter. Bidding spirited the second night, E Benson Joan of Arc, Jm Faalconer, Lotichius, Mrs Greatorex, McLenan E Saintain, Wotherspoon, A Jones, FB Carpenter, Gignoux, Carrer Kyle EDE Greene Saml Coleman Church $555, Ranney $350, Kensett Elliott WJ Hennessey Boughton Hart Oertel; Tait FW Edmonds Wotherspoon Caffrey. from the Daily Times.
1859
Jan 15 Wm W Sanger’s history of prostitution in NYC, terrible pic of human depravity. 29 death of proprietor John Richards. Feb 5 he purchased the spirit in 1841. Col TB Thorpe (Tom Owen the Bee Hunter, a corresp) writes condolence, Richards printed for the NY Herald initially. Jones was active editor even before Porter died. has an article by PR on Ancient and Modern Lotus Eaters.
LOC microfilm Reel 21 starts Feb 12 1859, 233 Broadway oppos Park fountain, Edw E Jones and TB Thorpe editors, Hays also a proprietor. $5 year. New volume and new editors, senior editor 23 years ago went into business with Porter and the Spirit, struggled, John Richards bought it, died recently. One of its early southwestern humorists also has joined now to carry it on, as well as Dick Hays. Among their NY correspondents are Ada Clare, AF Banks, Amor Aquitis, Dick Dashall,CC Grick, Old Whip, Pequot, Pennant Halyard, Pod Bars, Relasca, Stowree, Sam Test, South Side, Sargent, Thoroughbred, Tally ho, The Big One, Volticeur Vale White Oak Yachtman
Mar 5 1859 engr is of Alexander H Stephens of Georgia fr Brady photo, a whig who sustained Harrison, but favored annexation of TX so joined Democracy, but supported Taylor over Cass. In 1850 stood for states coming in with or without slavery, In mexican war stood with Calhoun that troops should not be advanced, labored to ensure that four slave states should be carved out fo TX. Advocated the Kansas bill. 1855 fought Know Nothing org, found his early friends opposed to him. p. 43 Our Wash corresp: monument to GW temporarily arrested by conflicts, struggle for supremacy, but now orig board of managers in office
Mar 12 p50 Metairie’s Reminiscences of GW, unfortunate that impression of his appearance derived fr a pic ptd in old age, when the char of the mouth destroyed by false teeth. Engr of Leutze’s fine pic of Crossing of Delaware ought to be owned by every Amer to correct this misconception, for in it W looks the hero nature created him. London corresp notes Nat Gall. Henry Wm Herbert also a contrib to spirit before his suicide.
March 19 p1 Fine Arts: Powers statue of Webster: a total failure, not the merit of being either literal or poetical. Ball could do him justice, but no foreign airs. Powers could never make a statue of a hero, his successes were female ideals, pleasing fiction, disagreeable Calhoun and absurd Webster. form without grace, face destitute of expression, head wanting in strength.
March 26 1860 p1 Fine Arts: reception at Tenh st studio bldg, crowded, Gifford, Hart, Hubbard, Hays, Bowton and Reed fine pics, tone of conversation was art, pics being appreciated for their real merits. visit studio of WF Attwood on Tenth st, improvement of his works, increased patronage, ptgs of horses of Wm Astor, WL Bowen, other portraits of horses.
Apr 9 1859 p.1 Fine Arts: have circular letter signed by Thos Rossiter, Henry P Gray, Junius Stearns, John Kensett, Huntington, and T A Richards, Committee appointed by NAD to report alterations in the constitution, effect of adopting them to popularize the institution andadd greatly to its usefulness. Increase number of members, enlightened views, liberal policy, academies never made artists but do much to popularize art by bringing works before public. NAD by paternal and republican spirit shed on art all the charms that result fr freedom, fair field and open competition
Apr 16 p.1 NAD opening, private view, elegant jam, high toned forbearance and refined humor, no ptg of marked celebrity but prevailing excellence, ports comparatively few and excellent tho an execrable few canvasses. Lscape small canvasses we are happy to notice dominate. A large pic of Fr school of dying brigand dramatic effect, predict on examination won’t wear well so don’t be too enthus abt at first sight. 800 pics, old and new ptrs. Unlike Tenth st receptions, beard and hair did not predominate, so idea of well gotten up amateurs did not force itself
Apr 23 p. 129 HFR in Wash, nasty toward Indians, reports on House Comm on memorial of artists of US asking for Art Commission to draw up fit plan of décor for Capitol, ought to hire native artists, of our Capitol, parrots and peacocks whole aviaries, bouquets may dow ell for dining rooms and boudoirs, but not legislative halls, nor dumpy cherubs in the court. Ten dollars a day to the painter of these charms and proportionate sums to his disciples year after year is a rather heavy tax to pay for worse than nothing, addition without improvement. Artist of equestrian Washington HKBrown has a speaking bust of Senator Crittenden, did Calhoun last spring for Monument in SC and goes soon to Columbia SC for colossal medallions of Hayne and McDuffie for their Capitol
Apr 30 1859 p. 1 NAD no !: love Negro life in the south, fellow feeling, natural, exactly to the point of negro sentiment and civilization, accessories excellent and necessary to tell the story, great good taste in intro of young missis, sheds refinement, not startled so we need not be. Hart, Cropsey, Cranch latter two have crude works, foreign travel have corrupted their eye for color and destroyed orig. Durand the largest lscape in the room, best in a long time, vigor of his early triumphs, maturity in design and exec. S Coleman completely fails, ambitious but absurd; Kensett glorious advance, no more spotty and ragged appearances but compact luminous centre. Wm Brown comes close, painstaking and industrious, but deficient in copos, no p oint of interest or sentiment, need broad masses of light and shade. Bristol poetic, Sontagg sui generis, not admirers of his recent European-Americanized lscapes, but early works had vigor in savage spirit of Rosa. Stearns sympathetic scene, demand for little rascals. Gifford deservedly admired, noble repose, Wm Stillman condemns his absurd preRaphaelitism, his faults are coldness and unnaturalness, but healthful glimpses of design promising. lunatic in asylum. Suydam peculiar taste for blue sea and warm rocks, grander if suggest a storm might destroy repose. Hays careful study, needs freedom of hadnlign. Hart and Tait happy in Dairy Farm, alw admirers, beaut cow under shade of bridge. Danger Hart will degenerate into timid and undistinguisable masses, Tait improving. Hicks failed with immortal head of Dr EK Kane, delicate yet manly, but salmon colored face.
May 7 1859 p1 NAD no 2: Baker alw refined yet popular, good for ladies, Lambdin disagreeable Tennyson who has diluted bible with watery substance, censure hanging committee for giving this a good place, painful subj, no delicacy elevation or softening color for commonplace mortality, begrimed blacks and bricky reds, coarse drapery commonplace attitudes unpleas persp. Rawstorme foggy morning faithful unpretentious May Dying Brigand and Craig Emigrant’s grave most disagreeable emotions, no relief, with Lambdin elong in shops of ambitious undertakers. copestick pictque. Casilear a favorite, idea of refinement, colder than usual, Alpine mtns with an Amer foregrd. Hubbard improves. Healy port of a brother artist, consultation of two painters wrought an extravagant attitude, puerile pic, want of true taste. oddie large circle of friends, hung out of way, repetitive style but great judgment and freedom careless touch some fo most truly Americanized pics, appeals to pop taste. Ortell industrious, Darby port of Calhoun copied fr photo, much to admire in ideal but falls below the orig, god-like stamp. Schlegel a humorist and enemy to Pre Raph school, but if he is serious than it is ludicrous and profane. J Thompson too fond of labor, overloads compos, destroy illus, breaks all repose
May 14 1859 p1 Church’s Heart of the Andes (cultivated and spntaneous alike admire it, triumph) and NAD no3: Healy port of Pres for Capitol, have spoken before of his production of Fillmore, gmanly looking man is portrayed without any bowels,a phys impossibility. In Tyler, prominence of arms and legs suggests a spread eagle, his polit career shld be condemned but worst enemy won’t have depravity to exult at this pic. Darley masterly, tho his Leatherstocking is too old. Church a suggestion of a sunset of summer solstice of 1858, this outline is interesting. Huntington unexceptionable, his port of Durand fine but likeness not perfect, too youthful, female port fine study. Elliott six pics, four never surpassed by living, glib manner in which he is treated by most of the “art critics” amusing and melancholy, they are prejudiced, he is above crit and shld be sought after as historical art treasures, even Heart of Andes lacks intellectual power of 620 (ex Gov Throop). heads of Throop, Morton, Cheeseman will live with Vandyke Titian and Rembrandt, solidity breadth and richness. flippant critics who enter Acad as enter oyster saloon, treat him as Reynolds was treated in Westminster review.
Christopher Oliver says Spirit of the Times review of Heart of the Andes mocks pretense of connoisseurship of the crowd—Albion review similarly doesn’t like the framing; sense that it’s humbug,
May 21 p.1 NAD no4: Bogle faithful, commercial. Henry. WT Richards pleasant, unpretentious blackberry. Gray tantalizing, drwg excellent, atttiudes unexceptionable, but prevailing saffron he persists in obstinately. Like Allston, unequal. Give up the jaundiced yellow glaze. Mignot smaller than last year but more satisfactory, conscientious. Cafferty Midday rest gd tone, satisf lscape, sultry hush, nicely composed. Waterman improves, Broughton happy, Moore promise, Inness little gems deserve better place, Butler, Cropsey Falls of the Kauterskill not worthy of any notice, seems work of a tyro, no atmosphere no purity of color, trees jumble together, water gray granite in impossible shapes. last year home production a pleasant pic full of light and life, versus this commonplace mechanical production. Shattuck bright ambitious
HFR of Wash is Harriette Fanning Read
Jun 4 1859 p. 1 American Artists in Paris fr a lady friend, 8000 pics to salon, less than half accepted, disappointing though, lack of sentiment and feeling in mod French school, tech excellence sought after. Troyon an exception. Rothermel 3 pics, the Antiquary, Last Days of Doge Fascari fine spirited compos points of great excellence superb accessories. Evening on Prairie FC Welsch calm repose, palpitating with light, full of sentiment, studied nature, has honor place in exhib. Edw May several pics, Prayer of Francois I well thought, noble royal and dignified no gaudy color or artifice. Nothing fr Edw White.
NAD no5: Ston v pop with ladies, Howe ambitious but tried for too complex. Lawrence has mapping ability, pop as fine china is, total want of char displayed in Dr Bellows port, a strong minded woman of the sentimental kind. Dix pleasing, Read’s best is child with delicacy of sentiment. Wood’s La Chiffoniere excellent, fidelity, heap of rubbish well done. Hall capitally finished. D Johnson Ullster gd compos fresh, Griswold pleasing, Pierson, hennesy. Among ladies Mrs Greatorex v prominent, charming, Pond pretty, Miss AM Freeman worthy.
In lscape have surpassed Euro, press have been fairer this year than before, slashing and cutting of ignorant Cockneys ignored by respectable journals, but faultof Academicians is prettiness, admired by visitors but will emasculate art. delicacy of handling crushing out thought and degenrating into nice little bits. Need a more concentrated focus as with Rembrandt
Jun 18 1859 Boston Statue of Webster p.1 committee for Webster Memorial have decided statue is not worthy of placing on Capitol grounds, won’t ask for permission of state authorities, severe reproof to Powers put an end to his pretensions as a sculptor of historical portraiture, never succeeded. Everett pleaded great earnestness to have statue received, read letters to prove it resembled Webster at age forty, absurd idea, Everett resigned as Pres of Committee, suggest he write out his troubles for Bonner’s Ledger. Embarassed as to what to do with the Bronze, melt it into useful kitchen ornaments.
Jun 25 hostile to Beecher. Jul 2 London correps praises great watercolorist David Cox; likes Chev Wyckoff
sept 10 Sat Press is spritely, HD Clapp edited has assistance now of associate editor of our old contrib, AF Banks, Thought Fillings, poetic and prose sketches signed Growler.
They are an enemy to Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times.
Oct 15 1859 p.1 Fine Arts: Exhib of Engl and French pics at NAD increasing in public favor, good sense and appreciative taste. 2 kinds of ptg, the good and the bad, latter execrable monstrosities of preRaphaelite, profanely wrteched, shouldn’t appear in good company. Like Freres Children truth tender sentiment humanity real woman, Jerome Duel hi finish powerful truthfulness awful solemnity. Troyon wonderful sky luminosity genial scene. Rosa Bonheur miracle more successful in others than Hayfield, but patient oxen fastened to rude cart could not be more oxen, more reality. heaven sent artistic powers. Stone Breaker praised by Ruskin, some of our own critics, insult to art, subj disgusting, brutalised being hideous demoralization in garb of convict, depraved artist, impregnates decay corruption wretched detail and labor, repulsive.
Nov 19 p1 Fine Arts: White Captive, admirers of Palmer’s works, fresh and orig fr foreign and conventional models, while Powers constantly degenerating, Palmer takes life around him, marked improve over Indian Girl. at Schaus’ gallery. Bogle fine copy of Stuart’s Monroe.
Nov 26 p. 500 Visit to Heart of the Andes by 3 stars: entry marked by advertising mania, crowd could be heard quoting jargon fr newspapers. failed in harmonizing his sketches, sort of a weird complaint about his accuracy, cites Eve Post.
Dec 3 likes Doesticks
Dec 10 p.1 Fine Arts, Colton’s chromo of Peale’s C of Death, best pf pir ear;oer [rpdictopms. advertoses. Home of Wash after the war. Heart of Andes impresssed England, Johnson’s illus of southern life fresh and gneuine, Palmer’s marbles won him enviable, now in history home of washington after the war, boldness and originality, strength and glow, individuality, invaluable, new rendering of character, pastoral unoestentatious, no posturing, type of gman, story well told, Lafayette, Rossiter and Mignot understood ea other, harmonious result. Thorwaldsen Christ and his apostles reminds us of Crystal palace, one of few pleasing works, litho of group at Goupil
Dec 17 hate Boucicault’s Octoroon, false, trash of Boucicault school, libellous that white men would marry a nigger, Wendell Phillips idea to break down caste by false sympathy. crowded audience, press crit besotted ignorance true pic of the south as in the Times, make it draw and show Times’ real sentiments. 2 column denunciation.
Dec 24 1859 p1 Fine Arts: Peale’s CofD, moral and suggestive, press release basically
1860
Jan 7 p1 Fine Arts: an illnatured article appeared last week in a daily on Palmer’s White Captive, alluded to Schaus’ elegant store where it’s exhibited, no gman in citywhose conduct is more honorable and whose feelings as far as Captive is concerned are purest desire to encourage most exalted exhib of art. Palmer at head of his profession and shld be congratulated on this association. exhib is attractive and elevated.
Jan 14 p1 Joel Hart disting sculptor returned fr Florence, to KY to do statue of Clay for legislature, his statue for VA here now. Statue of James Madison contract with Wm R Barbee for VA leg.
Jan 28 p1 Artists Recpetion 10th st: brilliant time, jam, Wm Hart, Gifford, Boughton, Shattuck, Leutze, Hays, Casilear, Nichols etc. Leutze’s Battle of Princeton most rominent, indiv parts can hardly be praised enough, but as little like a battle and unlike Wash as can be conceived. rearing horses impossible, used up in Napoleon, GW had majestic repose, finer pic and more truthful if GW had been imperturbable. Main pt of pic is theatrical coup, unworthy. Hays advances without a rival, Gifford and w Hart had art poems, Gignoux brilliant colors, Shattuck straying into delusions has come back to charms of nature. Leutze Venetian Carnival more to our liking than pretentious battle, no equal in figures. Hubbard improving.
Feb 4 ends reel. excerpts Dixon’s scalpel.
proquest: WJA Fuller writing for them in 1860; Charles Lanman a regular contributor since 1847, mostly on sports)
LOC Reel 22 Feb 9 1861 to June
Feb 9 1861 p1 lists some of oldest ubscribers, Cadwallader R Colden, Astors, Irving, Bayards, Elliotts, Ten Broeck, Beekman Wetmore. Fine Arts: Brady order fr Prince of Wales about 500. Cosmo Art Assoc drawing postponed.
Feb 11 1860 proquest p 12 Artists Reception Dodworths, lists exhib, notices Huntington's Suspicious Billand Leutze's Carnival, charming reunions, quotes two ladies one of whom isn't interested in art, notes from a leading daily paper notes progress in tolerance of nudity with Palmer and Page, we are like sybaritic people of Pompeii, tho strong party who oppose aesthetics of paganism. Comparison is right given indecent scrawls on walls of our city and naked and disgusting statues in the streets. Elliott doing ex Gov Seymour, and port of our friend Bonner's horse Lantern.
Feb 16 p.1 Jones the Sculptor: our friend, formerly of this city, now of Cinti, just did bust of Honest Abe. Jones is exceedingly ugly himself, alw v modest abt his personal appearance, but since has modelled the President elect set himself up for a Western Adonis complaining he has not appreciated himself. bust is v faithful but Jones acknowledges not the slightest appraoch to Hogarth’s line of beauty in entire coutnenance.
notes death of Dr John W Francis.
Feb 23 1861 p1 Brooklyn Art Assoc first reception, thousand people the elite of the city listened to music and artistic genius, moonlight scene on stage. Church contrib Sunset and cool tropical scenery, Gifford and Wm Hart diff manner but both perfect refinement of expression, Leutze wife and daughters visiting Lafayette in prison, attracted attn. Gignoux large lscape of Am forests happy coloring, Thorpe’s Niagara prominent, East Johnson barn interior cornhusking, delighted familiar scenes deservedly popular living histories of rural life. Durand, Page, Huntington Shattuck Hubbard Wmson, Oertel Leclere Allen Parsons Wilson etc represented, not surpassed
Mar 2 cover inauguration of Jefferson Davis, grand impressive imposing. Mar 9 Col Thos B Thorpe sells his share to Edw E Jones, will conduct on his own account, but Thorpe will still contribute
Has increasing amounts of Army/Navy intelligence
Mar 23 p112 Art and Lit Gossip Louis Lang’s beaut touching hist ptg Mary Queen of Scots on exhib at Goupil’s, dividing her jewels before her execution, magnificent, inspires with love of true art and piety. NAD opened with private view. David Roberts and Em Ward. ads fr Chas H Williamson in Brooklyn, daguerreotypes, WF Atwood the portrait painter of horses, Gurney’s and Brady’s
Apr 13 Cosmo Art Journal 548 Broadway, interesting publication, Chas Godfrey Leland portrait, splendid engravings of Louisa Lander etc, have advertisement p. 155 long column on Intl exhib of 1862
Apr 20 Ft Sumter fr Charleston Courier; inside gives fr a correspondent the address of the Cinti Sketch Club parlor entertainment at Pike’s opera house p.164 London art gossip, Boucicault making a lot of money with Colleen Bawn, Ruskin donates Turner drwgs to Oxford.
Sept 22 1860 new inst of FA p400 proquest, its HW Derby proprietor of Duss who is erecting it, will have artists studios, has Euro agent, designed by JR Hamilton, alleg frontispiece over door of cherubs leaning ona globe, palm and laurel, caryatids of archit ptg and sculp (fr Eve Post)
Seems to have less orig material. I stopped at June 8.
Wilkes Spirit of the Times, LOC rare books
Sept 10 1859 first issue in volume, Geo Wilkes 348 Broadway says it’s the first number, in 1856 with his own capital started Porters spirit of the times, for three years worked on it, had to separate himself. Business partners were James Devoe and then Theodore Tomlinson and Abraham Dayton, who mismanaged the money. Wilkes had secured Tomlinson’s seat in the state legislature for him. Mike Walsh a mutual friend, Chas O’Conor connected too, as was James Smith of the Sunday Courier. Genio Scott writes for him on fishing. Daily News approves. Trib also attacking Tomlinson when he was City Attorney 1848-9. Carl Benson a corresp. Oct 22 black borders for David Broderick, involved in violent polit campaigns in Calif, here in NYC lost to Fred A Talmadge. died in a duel. Ruth Hall writes them fr Chicago.
Oct 29 letter fr White Buck in Pyrenees, recommends to our Belmonts and Aspinwalls that they buy Span Morales, editor agrees Nov 12 letter fr Old Sub says the other Spirit of the Times is a lumbering five dollar a year slow old coach, filled with lame passengers, thanking driver that their vehicle is not so fast as flash concerns passing them; old fogy. Rose Clinton also writes for them. Nov 26 upcoming mayoral contest as Simeon Draper for Peoples’ party, DePeyster Ogden for Old Line Whigs (Republicans), Wood for Demo, Havemeyer for free soil Tammany. Dec 3 likes Tgiving dinner cut in NY Illus News, 63 Ann st, 6 cents. Has a Doesticks column. 17 White Buck friendly with Darley, mocks his punning habits. Supports Wood, critical of Irish who joined Tammany forces. Fears Garibaldi has sold out. Boucicault’s Octoroon is absurd and sensational, his earlier plays were better. has a ladies’ column sometimes.
1860
Feb 11 p1 has engr by Waters & Son for a story, and 18 engr of Tom Sayers, stripped to the waist, but Am Heenan shown fully dressed 25 Wilkes going to England for the Sayers Heenan fight Mar 3 1860 p408 Capitol unveiling of Clarke Mills equest statue of Geo Wash, 7th regiment participated, most imposing portion of the spectacle, fine oration by Bocock of VA, Buchanan eloquent on Am people one and indivisible now and forever; statue is at battle of Princeton, ridden forward to rally his troops, in great peril. Diplomatic Corps refused to attend the inauguration
Mar 10 is in next volume, p6 a True Story of a Miniature. love Ethiopian minstrelsy.
Apr 7 Herald and Trib both copying Wilkes’ letters and Frank Leslie’s has his portrait fr photo by Brady. May 5 have moved to 335 Broadway, have engr of the prize fight. Isaac McLellan is their poet, passionate to arms, for Italy Jun 2 whole cover is of Heenan, stripped for fight . Compares itself it to success of Ledger. Aug 4 p338-9, Carl Benson urges study of classical tastes as only possible antagonist of money getting spirit. hostile to cheap novels as lit, mediums as science, relig fr new light.
new volume: Sept 8 1860 starts it 15 admire engr of Bonheur’s Horse Fair. 22 likes Central Park, crit of a morning paper looking for a sensation and being hypercritical. seem to be somewhat symp with Wm Walker. Oct 13 Ruth Hall doing a book of actor’s life in early years of profession, inclu Forrest, Cushman Oct 20 like prince of wales. Wilkes in Paris writes that ladies who visit Louvre must leave fastidiousness at threshold, easier if spent time in Paris with nudities of shop windows and pleasure grounds, lead to indifference or curiosity, necessary for eaming pics devoted to debaucheries of a profligate mythology, naked allegories, or scriptural episodes requiring a leaf, though we are continually imposed on with the story that fine arts refine and elevate. It is said to swell the pomp of those who are interested in ostentation, value Old Masters above Vernet; would be to American benefit for decline of fine arts Oct 27 p114 GW next letter more on Louvre, loves the Apollo Belvedere Oct 27 Genio Scott p119 says ball for Prince was a failure, fossilized committee organized it, staid and dutiful formality. 27 on the other Spirit, Hays proved an embezzler, Thorpe is a worn out story writer. Nov 17 Augustus Rawlings writes for Frank Leslie’s. A lot of rowing engravings that look like Eakins.
1861
Jan 17 still hope Civ War may be averted. Feb 2 coercion not the remedy for people of 15 indep sovereignties, southerners earnest and sincere, after coercion cant live lin lasting peace, war inadeq remedy will leave inexorable hatreds. Now still one homogenous people, and if separate in peace, will still be united agst foreign aggression; peaceful separation with the South will be mostly on paper, Amer sentiments won’t be altered and will still be fraternal. Feb 23 portrait of Jem Belcher, champion of England, with classical statue on niche behind the boxer p 386 GW in Rome describes his love for Apollo Be;vedere Mar 2 Lincolnd at Wash in hurried and clandestine manner
next volume starts Mar 9. 16 Lincoln is Micawberish. Apr 6 Wilkes back. Apr 20 Lincoln precipitated the war. Stopped there.
Wm W Fosdick writing for them in 1861.
Papers of the Bibliographical Soc of america, vol 48, Second Quarter, 1954, Norris Yates, The Spirit of the Times:Its Early History and Some of its contributors. 117-148. Yates also has a book on it. Henry Clay Lewis (HCL), John S Corbin is Boots, W Harris Paul (WHP) a London correspondent, John P Curry is JPC, TK Battelle is Corinthian (Porter used pseud early on), George Suckley is PR, CA Pope is CAP, Elisha J Lewis is EJL, John D Vose is JDV, Curtis Guild is Bob Lively, Martin Wilson Philips is Petit Gulph, H Porter Andrews was HPA, J Parker was John Smith Jr of Maryland, Arden R Smith was Ard, Ned Burgevin was Toby Small. RL Baker was RLB, TJ Wells was a Turfman, Lysander W Babbitt was Far West, and Randolph Spalding was Mark. Col Thomas Bangs Thorpe wrote for them too, and Demo Gov of Mississippi McNutt, Thomas Dunn English under a pseud, HW Herbert
Richards was the Governor, James T Brady was Query