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14

CHAPEL OF THE VIRGIN 1830
SURELY IS A PAINTING [[STRIKE THROUGH]] WHICH SHOULD BE [[/STRIKE THROUGH]] TO CHALKED UP TO SUCH INFLUENCES. A MORE DIRECT LINE OF TRANSMISSION IS THAT FROM COLE TO DURAND 

JUDGEMENT OF GOG, WHOM CRITICS LIKE DUNLAP TREATED TENDERLY. IT WAS NOT TILL 1847 THAT TUCKERMAN PUT HIS FINGER ON DURAND'S TRUE QUALITIES:

LANDSCAPE 

"HE HAS BEEN A THOROUGHLY CONSCIENTIOUS WORKMAN,.... HIS EFFECTS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED THROUGH REPEATED ATTEMPTS RATHER THAN FROM THEORETICAL ABILITY ... OBSERVATION AND PERSEVERANCE HAVE BEEN HIS BEST TEACHERS ..."

FINALLY, FOR A CONTEMPORARY OPINION OF KENSETT, IN WHOM THE AMERICAN TRADITION OF NATURALISM REACHED A HIGHLY PERSONAL EXPRESSION (AS COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN IN THE EXHIBITION LAST YEAR AT THE HARRY SHAW NEWMAN GALLERY), IT REMAINED FOR THE AMERICAN ART-UNION BULLETIN TO UTTER THE JUST WORD, IN 1850:

SHREWSBURRY RIVER ---- 

"A CERTAIN COOL SILVERY GRAY CHARACTERIZES HIS PICTURES. HIS DRAWING MAY BEST BE DESCRIBED BY CALLING IT ARTISTIC; AND HE POSSESSES WITHAL A PLASTIC POWER, BY WHICH HE FASHIONS HIS SCENE IN REGARD TO PICTORIAL EFFECT, WITHOUT, AT THE SAME TIME, BIOLATING NATURAL TRUTHS."