In the mean time, under the control of simple good sense, our artists and artisans, acting in harmony, are keeping pace with the advancing wealth and culture of our people. Palatial residences, fine public buildings, and especially beautiful houses of state and of worship, are rising up rapidly around us. We can, it is true, show but few specimens of pure Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian; but we have preserved and used something of the spirit of them all, while the semiGothic, Old English, Romantique, and various composites, are giving an air of wealth and taste to our church and other edifices.

PAINTING.

We are not disposed to make pretentious claims of progress in the fine arts in America. This would be absurd, as we are yet in the infancy of national life. We are quite content with the simple truth, which shows a real and relative development of taste worthy of our land and our freedom.

In portraits, we began in Boston as early as 1667; but, according to Mr. Tuckerman, the colony now known as Rhode Island was the scene of our earliest art.* Here Smybert began his work, and by a copy of a cardinal by Vandyke, placed in Yale-College Gallery, kindled the fires of genius in the soul of young Alston, so famous in a later day. In Pennsylvania, Benjamin West arose from obscurity to become the great representative of American genius, and give distinction to our country by such productions of his master skill as "Christ Rejected," and "Christ healing the Sick."

Jarvis, the eccentric nephew of John Wesley, came forward to attract attention. His "Perry at Lake Erie,” and numberless other productions, combined with his genial social qualities to make him a general favorite. The "Ariadne” of Vanderlyn was also "regarded as a miracle of beauty."

* It gives us pleasure to refer to "American Artist-Life," by Mr. H. T. Tuckerman, — a new work of great value. We are under special obligations to the publishers, G. P. Putnam & Son, for the use of the proof-sheets in advance of publication.

Henry Inman, than whom no votary of the pencil in America had more of the true traits of artist-genius, whose few refined and graceful compositions, and portraits of Wordsworth, Chalmers, Macaulay, and others, amply attest his skill and originality, was cut off in the prime of his years and his faculties. Thomas Cole, a landscape-painter, as truly alive to the significance of our scenery as a subject of art as is Bryant as one of poetry, and who united graphic powers with poetical feeling, had but just reached his meridian when he passed away."

Charles Wilson Peale, an honest mechanic, found the spirit of art stirring within him, and became a student of West; rose to distinction as a portrait-painter, and contributed much to the progress of art and natural history by his museum in Philadelphia, and his influence in founding the Pennsyl vania Academy of Fine Arts, to seventeen annual exhibitions of which he was a contributor.

Rembrandt Peale, second son of Charles Wilson, added to the reputation of his family and his country by his brilliant talents as a painter. His "Roman Daughter," "Court of Death," and portrait of Washington, gave him an enviable fame as a spirited idealist as well as a truthful delineator.

The name of Charles Loring Elliott, born in Scipio, N.Y., 1812, has become historical in American art. He is justly celebrated for the accuracy of his likenesses. Fraser, Trumbull, Stuart, and Durand have also added lustre to the artfame of their country.

Frederick Edwin Church was born at Hartford, Conn., in 1826. His spirited drawings and brilliant colorings have raised him to the highest position as a representative of American art at home and abroad. His famous view of Niagara Falls, in the judgment of English critics, " in the rush of the waters and the fine atmospheric effects, realizes the idea of sound as well as of motion, and has done more than any other of its class to impress Europeans with a knowledge and

* Tuckerman's American Artist-Life, p. 10.

appreciation of American art." * But we cannot give even a catalogue of our deserving historical portrait and landscape painters.

"Within the last few years, the advance of public taste and the increased recognition of art in this country have been among the most interesting phenomena of the times. A score of eminent and original landscape-painters have achieved the highest reputations, private collections of pictures have become a new social attraction, exhibitions of works of art have grown lucrative and popular, buildings expressly for studios have been erected, sales of pictures by auction have produced unprecedented sums of money, art-shops are a delectable feature of Broadway, artist-receptions are favorite re-unions of the winter, and a splendid edifice has been completed devoted to the Academy, and owing its erection to public munificence; while a school of design is in successful operation at the Cooper Institute. Nor is this all at Rome, Paris, Florence, and Dusseldorf, as well as at Chicago, Albany, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, there are native ateliers, schools, or collections, the fame whereof has raised our national character, and enhanced our intellectual resources as a people." t

SCULPTURE.

In this department of the fine arts, American genius has reached a very high distinction. A few names are sufficient to represent the progress of our brief history.

Horatio Greenough was a native of Boston, born in 1805. He was a natural sculptor from his boyhood. While a college-student, he formed the model after which Bunker-hill Monument was constructed. In 1825, he was in Rome. Here he enjoyed the instructions of Thorwaldsen, but learned more from his fellow-students. At Boston again, in 1826, we Appleton's Cyclopædia, art. "Church, Frederick Edwin." † Tuckerman, p. 12.

find him modelling busts of John Quincy Adams, Chief Justice Marshall, and others. But soon again he is in Italy, with his residence in Florence. His first marked encouragement came from James Fennimore Cooper, who commissioned him to execute the "Charity Cherubs." This act of Mr. Cooper was highly appreciated, and gratefully acknowledged. From the example and influence of this distinguished American he received numerous orders from his countrymen for busts and other pieces of statuary, the most important of which is the colossal statue of Washington, now standing in the eastern grounds of the Capitol. A memorial of this worthy artist, by Mr. H. T. Tuckerman, has done much to preserve the record of his labors and moral worth. He says, "Horatio Greenough left a void not only in the thin rank of our sculptórs, but among the foremost of Art's intelligent and eloquent advocates and expositors. Not soon will be forgotten his copious ideas, independent spirit, and genial fellowship. No American artist has written more effectually of the claims. and defeets of art-culture among us."

Hiram Powers was born in Woodstock, Vt., July 29, 1825. His early life was that of an ordinary American farmer's boy. At length he worked his way to Cincinnati, where he showed his mechanical genius and business capacity in connection with a clock-maker. A German sculptor awakened in him the desire to be an artist, and taught him to model in plaster. Then, for seven years, he had the charge of the Western Museum in the wax-work department. In 1835, he began at Washington a successful career in modelling busts of distinguished men. Then, under the patronage of Nicholas Longworth, he went to Italy; since which, Florence has been his home. He now needs neither eulogist nor monument. His "Eve," "Greek Slave," and "Fisher-Boy," with numerous other miniature works, give him a world-wide fame, and reflect the highest honor upon his country. He has led the way in departing from the ideal, and embodying in marble a loving devotion to Nature and truth.

Thomas Crawford, a native of New-York City, was born an artist, March 22, 1814. He began to draw and sketch as soon as he was able to move a pencil. His studies were conducted first with a wood-engraver; then with Messrs. Frazer and Launitz, monumental sculptors, in his native city; and at the school of the National Academy of Design. After producing indications of talent in portrait busts, he was found at Rome in the summer of 1835. Here he spent several years of the most devoted study and labor in the studio of Thorwaldsen. During this time, his almost incredible devotion and splendid genius produced many fine pieces, and raised the hopes of his friends to a very high degree. In 1839, he brought out his celebrated "Orpheus." This secured him the patronage of the Hon. Charles Sumner in an order from Boston for a copy in marble, which, exhibited with other works from Mr. Crawford, formed the opening to a career of the greatest success. His studios in the Plaza Barberini were highly attractive to men of genius from all countries. His colossal equestrian statue of Washington, twenty-five feet high, for the State of Virginia; his grand historical and allegorial pieces; his figure of Liberty, in group with allegorical representations of the Arts, Commerce, and Civilization, for the new Capitol, -are works of the highest merit. Finally, the colossal statue of the Genius of America is a fitting crown for the Capitol at Washington and the genius of the artist.

I cannot deny myself the pleasure of mentioning one other name, Mr. E. D. Palmer. In the city of Albany is a quiet studio which any gentleman of taste may feel himself privileged to enter. It is the home of calm thought, pure sentiment, bold conception, and chaste imagination. It is where the artist studies and toils from pure affection for the beautiful and the true. It is where the "Infant Ceres" throws out the light of a soul through marble features; where "The Morning and Evening Star" shine in bass-relief with a soft radiance indicating the very incarnation of light; where the