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NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.-THIRTY-NINTII ANNUAL
EXHIBITION.
J. F. CROPsEY, N. A.-" GREENWOOD
LAKE. " 57.
Surrounded on every side by dark
brown and dingy green affectations of
landscape, this picture stands out like a
little window in a dark room, through
which we can look out on the fields
bright with summer green. Not strong
and earnest in its naturalism, it is yet
very lovely in its truthfulness of color
and form. The hill-side beyond the
river is veritable nature ; the warm
grey lights and the purple shadows are
as accurate as they are beautiful. The
fresh bright color of the bank on the
right is just that of sunshine on sum-
mer green.
We said above that this picture
is not strong and earnest in its natural-
ism. For instance, the water is not
sufficiently dark to be true.  The
surface is rippled, and the sky is clear;
this being the case, the water would
be much more intensely blue than the
distant part of the sky which we see.
Water in the foreground is almost
pure cobalt on a clear day. Then, the
cottage and the weeds on the right
hand bank are almost perfectly repro-
duced in the water, but with breaks
between the touches of the reflected
color sometimes an eighth of an inch
wide. To show such breaks in the
reflection, the water must be very
much rippled, and, in this condition
could only reflect blurred masses of
color. Reflections clear and sharp as
these are possible only in perfectly still
water.
In No. 219, by the same artist, THE
HOMESTEAD, GREENWOOD LAKE, the
painting of the water is more consis-
tent. The picture is of like character
to No. 57, and was painted, we believe,
on the spot. It does one almost as
much good as a journey into the coun-
try. We thank Mr. Cropsey for his
pictures, and for the pleasure and
satisfaction we find in them, each visit
we make to the Academy. How great
the contrast between these, and the
picture of Corfe Castle, noticed in the
April number! It is strange that the
artist who exhibits these studies, and
by so doing declares his approval of
them, should be willing to exhibit, and
thus tacitly endorse, a picture so diffe-
rent in character.
E. T. BILLINGS.-" WHEELWRIGHT
Siop.'1 25.
A picture painted entirely in the
right spirit, but weak and unsuccessful.
There is no attempt at generalization,
and every part is as completely painted
as is possible to the artist in the pre-
sent condition of his knowledge. There
is nothing slurred or indistinct, all the
details 'are grappled with as they
should be, some of the tools and other
accessories are really well drawn and
painted. The subject is too elaborate
for the artist's present powers. He
should choose simple subjects, work
hard at his drawing, and study color,
with the fidelity of which he has
shown himself capable, from apples,
peaches and scarlet or crimson drapery.
So would he be in a fair way to do
valuable work.
C. C. COLMAN.-"MY STUDIO." 48.
With heartfelt pleasure we record
our admiration of this picture. It is
an earnest rendering of a real scene.
Looking at it it for the sixth time we
find it loses nothing through intimate
acquaintance. Like all things of ster-
ling worth it rewards close observation
and long study,-rewarding them, in
this case, by that feeling of satisfaction