PICTURES AND ARTISTS.
NEW PRINTS.
Tits appearance of an historical picture is of so rare occurrence, that we are always reluctant to say any thing discouraging to the painter, or disparaging of his work : but it is of no use to disguise the truth, even if we were disposed to do so ; and therefore we must frankly state our opinion, that Mr. JONES'S (not the R. A. ) picture of the " Citation of Wickliffe" is a failure, and such a one that does not give promise of his succeeding in this the highest department of painting.
The subject of the picture is the appearance of the bold Reformer before the Bishop of London, by order • of the Pope, to answer to a charge of heresy. Ile was attended by his patron John of Gaunt, Lord Perry, and other noblemen, and followed by a train of his sup- porters. This gave great offence to the Bishop, and created an ill feeling, which was increassd by the violence of John of Gaunt ; who, when the Bishop refused to allow Wickliffe to be seated, threatened " to drag him out of the church by the hair of his head." This quarrel forms the principal incident in the picture, Wickliffe being only a se- condary person. It is neither a good nor a pleasing subject for a pic- ture, especially an historical one ; which should portray an event the importance or interest of which should lend an elevated character to the feelings of the actors in the scene. The head of Wickliffe is, as it should be, the best in the picture.
His calm, determinated, sagacious, and penetrating look, are well ex- pressed, and happily blended with the likeness of the portrait. Here our praise must end. The heads of Chaucer and Lord Cobham are merely copies of their portraits, slightly modified. There are some picturesque and fierce-looking faces among the crowd in the back- ground ; but those of the principal personages are vague in character, and affected in expression. They do not look like real persons, nor do they seem to be in earnest. John of Gaunt appears like a stage-player. The partisans of Wickliffe are smug and good-looking, while his oppo- nents look ferocious and sinister ; reminding us of the schoolboy pictures of battles, where the English were all handsome, brave, and victorious, and the French miserable cowards flying before them. The picture, in short, seems made up, like the fourth. rate soi-disant historical novels, in which the incidents and names of the persons form the only historical qualities; and an affeetatiou of quaint phraseology and description of' old-fashioned costumes the only antique characteris- tics. The painter does not evince either vigour of imagination or talent sufficient to produce a fine historical picture ; neither is the feebleness of his conception assisted by skill in execution. The group- ing, the arrangement of light and shade, the treatment of the costumes and accessuries, and the drawing of the figures, are very defective, and unworthy of an artist. Mr. JONES is evidently incompetent to the task he has undertaken. We recommend him to try a humbler walk in art, where he may gain more credit, by his success, than he will by his failure in the highest.
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