FINE ARTS.
THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.
EXPECTATION has been raised high, and much talk has been indulged in, concerning the efforts to be made by our artists for the present year. And the question, once raised, offered two sides for speculation. Would a more than common earnestness for excellence show fruits diffusively in all our galleries ; or was the strength to be concentered on the Royal Aca- demy exhibition ? This doubt gave an adventitious interest to the open- ing of the British Institution, as earliest in the field ; and none, so far as we may be justified in generalizing from a single instance, could be more thoroughly solved. The collection shines solely by the vii inertire : more unremarkable exhibition—the case demands an augmented negative —does not occur to us. No deduction from their utmost pitch can be al- lowed to Academy exhibitors on the credit of the British institution.
Indeed, the chief of such artists are very scantily represented on these
walls. Mr. Jones, Mr. Roberts, who sends a fine but we infer not re- cent work (62), Mr. l'ickersgill, and Mr. Lee, neither of whom certainly can plead his production at this gallery in mitigation of future sentence, and among the sculptors, Mr. M'Dowell, whose somewhat florid "Eve" (523) has been before made public, are the only Academicians. Among the Associates, Mr. Creswick sends two pleasant landscapes, " Glenfin- las " (2), and "England, a Day in the Country" (222)—the animals by Mr. Ansdell ; and the small picture engraved to Hood's " Haunted House" (281). Mr. Redgrave is quite behind himself in " The Ruined Hermitage" (234) ; as poor and inexact as his landscapes are generally truthful, with trees like aggregates of the loose ragged ends left in the passing of a hay-cart. Mr. Frost, in " The Sea-cave" (23.5), shows his skill as a student of the nude : would he but understand that his wanton assaults on subjects, properly so called, mythologic or poetic, are as da- maging (almost) to himself as to them ! The elder Hanby is missed, and Mr. Sidney Cooper absent. The other best-blown Academy IIIIMCS are those of Martin, whose "Arthur and sEgle in the Happy Valley" (398) reappears on these walls, together with the original des4sn of Moses viewing the Promised Land from Mount Nebo" (370), and a small pic- ture, " The Forest of Arden" (176), marked by all his peculiarity ; Lin- nell, triumphant in "The Farm, Evening" (29), with its long sunset flush and the quiet cattle crossing the stream homewards, and full of wayside beauty in " Chips" (167) ; Lough, whose model of " Gany- mede " (524) is poverty itself—the cup-bearer looking as though he had drained the nectar-goblets left from a feast of the gods till he begmi to feel just soft and foolish ; and lastly, Frank Stone. From this artist's hand we have " The View" (307). What those two young gentlemen mounted the hill to see we know not ; but it was not anything painted by Mr. Stone, and perhaps it may have repaid-their trouble. The "view" of the spectator at the gallery is limited to the two juveniles concerned, who seem to have been at such pains to look neat and clean that they have washed the colour out of both flesh and clothes ; the younger, having in his ardour brushed all his hair off, has supplied its place with a neat head- dress of shavings. " Blanche' (369), by the same artist, has some pretty coquetry in Mr. Stone's usual line.
"Mary Beatrice of Modena, Consort of King James II., taking shelter under the walls of Old Lambeth Church" (20), by Mr. Newenham, is an advance on previous works, being more effective both in colour and ex- pression, though no less slovenly perhaps in execution. This, with "Co- lumbus" (320), by a French painter, M. Colin, much resembling Robert Lauder in style, and "Tim Easter Controversy" (346), by Mr. Hicks, a subject of very meagre pictorial capacity, and receiving little aid from its treatment, are the only pictures of historic pretension at all claiming no- tice. "The Fatal Sisters selecting the Doomed in Battle" (104) is an ar- duous theme, the choice of which speaks to Mr. W. B. Scott's poetic daring ; and the result is in some respects impressive and original. Mr. O'Neil attempts "Rachel," who "would not be comforted" (137)—for much the same prophetic reason, may be, that Jeremiah's lamentations are ascribed to in the French epigram. Regarding Mr. Desangcs's " Widow of Nein" (472)—a first trial of his native genius unassisted by red and blue lights—and "The Infant Moses" (492), by Mr. W. J. Grant, we will only
look at the bright side,—namely, that, having attacked the subjects this year, they will probably leave them in peace henceforward : yet Mr. De- sanges does not allow us even this comfort unalloyed, for he calls his pro- duction "a sketch," and a sketch often threatens a picture. Mr. Lane's "Bathsheba at the Bath" (93) is a more heinous offence : and Mr. Rigaud verges on blasphemy (unintentional, doubtless) in "The Good Shepherd" (59).
most creditable and pleasing. Mr. Drummond has exhibited several works of merit, and has not yet had his dues from the London public. Mr. Wallis calls his picture "A Study" (459); a modest yet responsible designation arrogantly assumed by many, but his adoption of which is justified by minute beauty of execution and highly-wrought richness of colour. The sentiment is grave and contemplative, befitting the theme illustrated-music. There might be more in the presentment; but the feeling is maintained at the proper pitch, and suggests something beyond what is given. We are pleased to observe that the picture is sold.
" History " (448), by Mr. Sant, is a companion to his " Astronomy " of last year-less skilful, with too much leaden white in the flesh-tints, and barren of distinctive character. The name selected is only not less appropriate than another. " Light " (481) and "Shade" (210) are by the same artist : the first, a good specimen ; the second, a commonplace sentimentalism, treated accordingly. Mr. Selous's "Sacred Music" (517) is one of the old prosaic attempts at poetry-prosaic when so ren- dered. Mr. Joy, in the "Scene from Le Tartuffe" (299), achieves such moderate success as lies within his range ; Mr. Gilbert's "Signor Don Sancho Panza" (73) displays his more than common cleverness ; "The Celebration of St. Stephanus, in Hungary" (41), has plenty of movement, and surpasses Mr. Zeitter's wont ; and the poetic points of Mr. Wool- mer's style tell to advantage in the "Italian Villa" (433). "II Pease- rose and l'Allegro " (242), by Mr. Wingfield, is of that respectable quality which always asserts its worth amid third-rate mediocrities. Mr. Goodall contents himself with one small picture, "The Grace" (25), and that in his more passable vein ; Mr. Brooks is less offensive than usual, if equally valueless ; Mr. Cruikshank comic, but a trifle repulsive ; Mr. Underhill as grotesquely careless in execution as ever. A picture con- spicuously placed is "The Death of the Captain of the Forty Thieves" (404), by Mr. Savage ; well intended, probably, but betraying immaturity in character, colour, and action, as well as drawing. We must put it to the direction why such a thing as Mr. Pointer's " Norma " (360) is al- lowed to occupy nine feet by six and upwards ? And our recollection suggests a similar query in many other cases. Mr. Naish's " Amoret and the Wilde Man" (411), for instance, is one of those stupendous produc- tions whose appearance leaves in a mythic state the very existence of a selecting body.
To say that a work by Mr. Anthony appears in the gallery, is to say that the landscape department contains at least one record of original power. The "Village Church" (485) is less intense than many of the artist's works, and conveys a less strong ideal impression in its uncompromising subjection to nature ; but it is always truth grappled by a poet. The spreading clouds mass themselves in the distance ; but a tract of grass lies still fair in sunshine, with its graves and the girl walking among them.
Next to this, the most individual and creative landscape belongs to a name almost unknown-that of a Mr. Dawson. The effect of "Clifton Grove on the Trent" (61)-partially Turneresque-though worked out with some singularity, realizes the mellow indistinctness of summer sun- set ; the cattle and rigid trees hazy and quiet to the right, and the happy glow harmonizing all. By what normal perversity are this picture and Mr. Anthony's denied their rightful position ? It is worth notice that Mr. Dawson, the key-note of whose landscape is beauty, should dwell on an almost base human ugliness in his "Early Studies" (55). Mr. T. Danby, departing from his line this year, abandons his own vantage-ground ; and the result is not in his favour. "Poor Mariners" (77) stands in a very subordinate relation to its model, the style of the elder Hanby. The conception is by no means so powerful, and the ef- fect is little else than paint. Much the same may be said of Mr. Bran- white's "Quiet Summer Evening" (510), and of Mr. Linton's "Levan- tine Sunset" (277) : "II Rio del Carmine, Venice" (313), with its long streaks of ripple, is a finer work. A landscape singularly, daring in con- trasts of bright colour is Mr. Bond's " Dollwellyn " (347) ; but its position scarcely allows us to judge how far the bounds of truth are respected. Mr. Boddington, now fully identified in style with his brothers, is at his best ; Mr. Robins successful; and Mr. Holland in com- mand of all his dashing cleverness : the precision and elegance of orna- mental detail obtained with so small an amount of labour in the "Church of St. Vincent, Rouen" (211), are very charming. There is an admirable cottage interior (175) by a Mr. F. D. Hardy. The surname seems to imply excellence in this line.
"The Eagle's Throne" (68), by Mr. Wolf, shows the same power over the grander aspect of bird life as has raised him to the first place in its more familiar and to us interesting side. The flight of sunset-tinged birds dividing either way from the light is a fine passage. Madame De- haussy and Mr. Giles are also meritorious in the animal department. Of a clumsy caricature by Mr. Earl-"Art and Nature" (54)-we need only say that, judging from the work he has wished to attack, and its as- sociations of thought and earnest study, he appears to have a purblind inkling of the antagonism existing between such qualities and the vacuous splotchings of his own palette.
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