Called on Robt. Hoe last evening. Saw a new picture by Boughton "The Minstrel" a large picture which did not strike me as favorably as some of his other pictures. Talked with him about my picture which he wants me to exchange. Is to send it to my studio, in fact it came today. Have been running about all day. Took a long walk in the morning. Find great pleasure in going into parts of the city I am not accustomed to. Today went down Hudson St. and came up Greenwich. Much interested in the elevated railway. Shall go the whole length of it some day. Just after I got back Gifford came in and gave me a card to go to the Union League Club to see the pictures shown at their reception. As I was tired I rode up. Many people there but was much interested. The Roman Spanish School seems the fashionable one just now. A characteristic example was a "Spanish Birthday Festival of the 10th Century" by Alvarez belonging to Governor Morgan very clever in detail, very bizarre but looking at a little distance like a piece of calico, very interesting for its strangeness but lacking in my estimation in the higher and enduring qualities of Art. I think it will go out of fashion and the time is not distant when it will only be regarded as a curiosity. Geromes "Gladiators" has higher qualities although the painting is not what I like best, still it is an intellectual work of a high order and shows great knowledge and a power to transport one to the time and the actual scene. A picture by Constable was too coarse in execution to be really fine. Most of the foreign work was technically meritorious but the aim was not high, not high enough to present anything more important than their execution. After I had been there Silleck came to see me about the frame for the Wilson picture. I had to go with him to his shop to settle on the ornaments which I did and he is to have the frame done on Feb. 22. one month from today. Gifford and I dined with Whittredge. After dinner Eastman Johnson came in. We intended to go to the Century but it was so late we did not. Snowed a little but rained when I came home.
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