308 Transactions of the 



than the three latter, placing animal painting with portraiture, where it 

 properly belongs. 



Providing, then, that the execution of my pieces was only equal to 

 that of my competitors, my exhibition, embracing a broader field and 

 subjects of a higher order, must certainly be entitled to the greatest 

 degree of merit; and 1 may be permitted, with propriety, here to state 

 that the regular Committee on. Fine Arts seem to have come to this con- 

 clusion, as they awarded me the premium of fifty dollars offered by the 

 society for the best exhibition of paintings. It is also proper here to 

 refer to the fact that in addition to oil paintings in all the above classes 

 my exhibition embraced drawings in India ink and pictures in water 

 colors, thus showing work in three distinct branches of art, while none 

 of -the other artists showed in more than one of these. 



Now, as to execution, I will not speak either of the execution of my 

 work or that of the others, as I do not feel at liberty to do so; but I will 

 in general terms point out some of the characteristics of well executed 

 works of art, and to some extent contrast them with the characteristics 

 of poorly executed works, leaving the committee to determine the rela- 

 tive classification of the several exhibitions. In all historical, general, 

 and allegorical paintings no artist can succeed unless in the first place 

 he has a distinct and vivid conception of his subject and the light in 

 which he wishes to represent it. He must then convey or transfer to 

 the canvas his own conceptions, so that they may be seen and recog- 

 nized by the average public with the same distinctness and vividness as 

 he conceived them. The artist must not only understand and appreciate, 

 or as it were feel, the character of his subject, but he must portray that 

 character with living, acting, and almost speaking characteristics, and 

 in doing so he should be able to bring to his aid all the effect of brilliant, 

 fresh, and soft coloring, in accordance with the rules and laws of art, so 

 as to produce a perfect ensemble. No person can become proficient in 

 this class of paintings unless he possesses not only the historical 

 knowledge necessary to illustrate his subject, but he must possess in 

 addition the real feeling or inspiration of an artist, and be able, in a 

 manner, to act over again the history of the times he attempts to portray. 

 These requisites place the historical and allegorical above all other 

 classes of paintings, and such works are entitled to higher merit than 

 any other. 



Then in regard to portrait paintings; the artist should not only throw 

 into the picture the individual expression of his subject, but as much as 

 possible, a trace of his character as well. The execution should show a 

 freeness and ease of expression, the portrait setting out from the back- 

 ground with a natural and lifelike appearance. The flesh tints should 

 be preserved with a delicacy and clearness in all stages, from the deepest 

 shadow to the highest lights, always preserving a true relation to the 

 general tone of the ensemble. A portrait should be a thing of life if not 

 of action. t 



As to landscape paintings, their great merit is to be found in their 

 truth to nature, correctness of design, and naturalness in execution. 

 Originality should be the key to merit, as it is comparatively easy to 

 make a copy, but it requires skill to sketch and execute an original. 



Having thus thrown out a few hints, 1 will allow the committee to 

 determine how well my performances conform to the rules I recognize as 

 binding. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



OSCAE KATTSCHMIDT. 



