FINE ARTS.
FRESCO-PAINTING: LETTER II.
STATE OF THE ART IN THE TIMES OF MENUS AND WACHTER. ITS RE- STORATION BY CORNELIUS AND OTHERS.' WORKS EXECUTED BY THEM LT ROME AND GERMANY. CRITICISM ON MYTHOLOGICAL COMPOSITIONS, AND UPON THE SCRIPTURAL PAINTLNGS OF HESS AND CORNELIUS.
20th December 1841.
Since art and its critical illustration were thus situated at the period men- tioned, it is apparent, notwithstanding his extensive and refined knowledge, how limited could have been the influence of MENUS. However be may have directed opinion upon its mere external characters, drawing, and a kind of ideal treatment of form—however beneficial he may even have considered a more essential and thorough improvement—yet to that which is the real essence, the inward life and soul of art, his restoration never reached. WACHTER and the rest felt this: their judgment, studious and refined, soon discerned that even the external merits of MENUS, inasmuch as they did not spring from true principles, were valueless, and were at once to be repudiated, to prepare the way for the maturation of art in the vigorous excellence of uncorrupted youth. Did men trace the cause of this corruption of taste ? It was found in a me- chanical routine and absence of refinement, an entire disregard of nature and of the early productions of art, but more especially in a singular deficiency of mind and feeling, and the indulgence of an imagination at once conventional and unreal. It was natural, however—for it is difficult, wherever reason is in- fluenced by imagination or the feelings incidental to our favourite pursuits, to be strictly just—that these praiseworthy attempts should for a time en- courage an exaggerated homage of the Old Masters, nay, even tend to an unfair depreciation of works the merit of which consisted rather in treatment than conception. Yet all this was not merely natural, it was at the same time right. The truth is, art bad degenerated; it had sunk to a mere mechanical manner- ism. To re-create and endow it with fresh life, there were no other means than by recommencing its career. But here to atop was impossible, and was never intended. The old art was dead ; it was to reappear on earth as a child. Yet not for this, after the fashion of what is sometimes termed knowledge of art, or critical taste, should its first efforts be condemned as childish ; for if art at that period had striven to give evidence of the reason and circumspection of age, it might have shared the fate of much similar infantine precocity, and it might never have become old.
With far greater success than the artists above-mentioned, CORNELIUS, OVERBECK, VEITH, and SCHADOW, associated to effect the complete resto- ration of Fresco-painting. At the villa of the King of Prussia's Consul, the Chevalier HA.RTHOLDY, they found the desired opportunity. Their pictures from the history of Joseph are even now admired. The " Ex- planation of the Dream," and the " Recognition in Egypt," are by Coo- NELMS ; the "Sale of Benjamin," and the "Year of Famine," by OVER- BECK; "The Garments Stained with Blood," and "Joseph in Prison," by SCHADOW; and "The Year of Plenty," by VEITH. Apart from their intrinsic merits, these pictures derive a particular importance from the consideration that they were the first productions that had been seen for centuries, of art pure, powerful, and refined. With reference to either, they will exist as invaluable monuments, worthy of the present and of succeeding ages. To these artists Prince Massart gave at a subsequent period a far more extensive commission. At the Villa Massimi, in the neighbourhood of the Lateran, the hall and two chambers were directed to be painted in fresco, with compositions from the three greatest epic poets of Italy. JULIUS SCHROER undertook the " Orlando Funoso " of ARIOSTO; OVERBECK, with JOSEPH FhHRICH, the " Jerusalem Delivered " of Tess°, for one of the side-rooms; and VEITH, with Kocu, the " Divina Commedia" of DANTE, for the other. VEITH'S task, the " Paradise," was originally to have been painted by CORNE- LIUS ; but just as the design was prepared, he was called away to fulfil the duties of Director of the Academy at Dusseldorf; and thus its completion was delayed. However sanguine the expectations in which, after the works ex- ecuted at the Casa Bartholdy, we might indulge, yet the surprising elevation which Fresco had attained was throughout remarkable in the decoration of this Tina. Independent of the excellent pictures of OVERBECK and VEITH, full of original genius, JULIUS Scriaroan's graceful compositions in rich landscape exhibit this branch of art in an entirely new point of view. Komi, the land- scape-painter, in his compositions from the Hell and Purgatory, displays an imagination at once animated and powerful ; and surprises us by his vigorous conception of the poet's somewhat mystical ideas. Fiinarcn, also, who now for the first time enters the list as a fresco-painter, impresses us with a favour- able opinion of his talents. If rigorous critics require a more complete perfec- tion in detail, and desire a deeper study of nature, they should consider that in these compositions the artists for the most part were limited by conditions which rendered it impossible for them to design any very extensive prepara- tory cartoons. About the same time, OVERBECK painted in the church of Santa Maria degli Angel, near Assisi, upon the end-wall of the chapel of St. Francis, an admirable fresco, the subject of which relates to the history of that saint. Of this there exists a lithograph. Coaratrus, who considered fresco-painting as the most suited to the highest aims of art, was the first who introduced it into Germany. When Director of the Academy at Diisseldorff, he immediately commenced the decoration of the Hall of the Glyptothek at Munich with designs from the Greek mythology. These paintings, the first important works which, as Crown Prince, the present King of Bavaria in his love of art com- missioned CORNELIUS to paint, are now so deservedly celebrated, that it would be superfluous to enter into details either as to their subjects or arrangement. With regard to their general conception and treatment,' and individual delineations of character, it has been objected that they are neither Grecian nor antique. Now on this point these questions arise : Whether it be possible, and now particularly, for us really to conceive and to create in the pure spirit of the Greeks? and even if it were possible, whether we ought so to do? The first question may at once be negatived; and the other, assuming the first question to be even answered in the affirmative, can present no difficulty, if we direct our attention to the general scope and end of art. Now art is conversant with representations of organic forms, originally acquired by means of the senses, but combined in harmony and beauty in the inner world of the artist's fancy, and reproduced from thence in order to excite in others corresponding impressions. Accordingly, such images only should be introduced in art as exist really in the mind and soul of the artist : they should be truly moulded, as they are truly felt, in the artist's pure con- ception, and not affectedly or artificially. The sympathy or unison of feeling which such works find in the public mind, will depend upon the degree in which they correspond with the spirit of the age and its predominant tendency. But it is not always necessary that the artist'si
tibjects should be taken from the actual world, in order that the public should be interested in them : they may embrace all that is dignified and generally characteristic of human nature, however remote may be its conditions of time and place.
" All that the genial ray of morning gilds. And all that echoes to the song of even,
All that the mountain's sheltering bosom shields, And all the dread maguidcence of Hea% en."
For the world of Fancy is unlimited and endless. Whatever the human mind can embrace, is its legitimate province. It is a despotism at i,..c•r,latio- rant and absurd to confine the artist within arbitrary limits; for example, to withhold or to exclude the highly poetic my thology of the Greeks. Such treasures, as a Greek, be cannot indeed possess, nor yet for Greeks Bails bran re-create them but merely as they appear in the light and s
and of national habits. This variable and accidental
in points unessential and subordinate. the immutable principle, _ _ which belongs to the art of all times, can be alone the property ohntts however,
and that
this point of view, should appear to us, thereaC, The readmission of the Greek mythology within the sphereofour0airtr°, asuckeninit circumstance that CORNELIUS has imbued his ancient spirit of our own times, that they do not, like the figures in the „wv- es little objectionable b:ectionable as the require a particular study, much text, and more learned commentary sodee ly.t riut.hLehe stand them. For to enjoy we must comprehend—that is, if the mind be the Vsfuscan vases, source of the pleasure. But this is not the place to define the essential differ- ence between the principle of classic and modern art: yet it is sufficiently evident, that paintings in the style such as PAUSANIAS describes those painted by POLYGNOTUS in the Lesche at Delphi, in our days would appear at once singular and ridiculous. But it is precisely in the execution of these mythic pictures that tLc power of Couxamus is evinced. Character and dignity arc here united with a high degree of grace : the drawing is severe, the colours simple, as the object required. The pictures of this great master through-. out exhibit the true principle of Fresco-painting. Many obvious inequalities and imperfections (except in those parts painted by ZIMMERMAN and SCHLOTTHAUER) proceed from the circumstance that many young artists of less skill and expenence participated in their execution. During the progress of these works in the Hall of the Glyptothek, the open arcades in the Hofgarten were similarly painted in fresco by many pupils of CORNELIUS, the majority of whom had followed him from Diisseldorff upon his appointment as Director of the Academy at Munich. The subjects chosen were from the history of the Princes of the House of Bavaria. Although in this series of paintings there are many which exhibit a considerable want of practice in composition and execution, they are all, nevertheless, an evident example of an enthusiastic impulse on the part of the young painters, and that directed to a great end. In ad- dition to this recommendation, there are many in themselves deserving of the highest praise as compositions. Other works of various merit, as LANGER'S pictures in the Lenchtenberg Palace, those in his own house, the ceiling of the Odeon, that in the Protestant Church by HERMANN, the pic- ture in the Church of Sendling, by LINDENSCHMIDT, and others, are not to be compared with those commenced immediately after the completion of the Glyptothek, in the new wing of the Residence, and in the Castle Chapel. The ability of the artist was quickened by success; yet, active as it might be, it was but equal to the patronage it received. HENRY HESS was commissioned by the King to paint the Chapel of All Saints in fresco, in the Me,-Iiieval style, upon a gold round. He was assisted by I. SCIIRANDOLPH, CARL 116.0C11, and J. B. MILLER ; and of these, excellent lithographs by J. G. SCHREINER have appeared. The subjects are chiefly Biblical, and comprise the leading incidents in the Old Testament and the Life of our Saviour. It may be justly asserted, that no church has been for centuries so harmoniously and consistently decorated. Its impression is most effective, and conducive to devotion. What- ever of well-grounded objection may exist or may be urged against the revival of a style of art belonging to a period deprived of social interest from its remoteness while it wants the charm of antiquity, (and not only in relation to this church, but in regard to all other architectural efforts at Munich,)—yet a principle which has so powerful an influence on the feelings of every one must be admitted to be legitimate in its nature, and has claims that we cannot disallow.
In the Royal Palace, the Nibelungen Halls are important in the history of Fresco-painting. JULIUS SCHROER has in these rich compositions given further proof of the talent displayed at the Villa Massimi. The apart- ments of the King are decorated with paintings illustrating the Greek poets; those of the Queen, with subjects from ancient and modern German poets, partly in encaustic and partly in fresco ; all in intimate connexion with the architecture, and for which the sculptor, L. SCHWANTHALER, designed the compositions. In the Church of St. Lewis, the dramatic character of the three pictures painted by CORNELIUS IS in powerful contrast with the calm symbolic composition of HESS in the All Saints' Church. They occupy the entire end-wall of the choir ; so that in the centre, opposite the chief entrance, the " Last Judgment " is in the larger space, and in the two side-walls the "Nativity " and the "Crucifixion" are represented. It is more espe- cially the " Last Judgment," which for greatness of style, powerful con- ception, and skill of execution, surpasses all that modern times has witnessed of the kind. True as it may be that the comparison of different works of art has for the most part a tendency to injustice, yet we may venture, for the of more convenient consideration, so to examine the pictures painted by CORNELIUS in the tyurgess in the All Saints' Church, and those executed C! church just mentioned, and without the risk of careless imputation, ask, with reference to the claims and wants of our times, which of these two great masters has struck out a style of church-decoration most in accordance with the present state of art and of national refinement ? This merit, and without the least depreciation of the excellence of HESS, rests with CORNELIUS ; for an unpre- judiced judgment must discern that a merely historical and for us long obsolete spirit prevails in the compositions of HESS, which cannot be founded on pre- sent habits, but must be artificially created from a remote period and from re- dons of facts and sympathies peculiar to that period; so that, precisely on this ount, a style thus formed must be, as it were, engrafted, and cannot flourish eprived of natural culture and of a congenial soil. Imbued as an artist may with the classic conceptions of the past, adroitly capable of their adaptation to the present, the result must ever be an adjustment,-an accommodation pos- sessing, indeed, all the attributes of genius, but deprived of that free, sound, vigorous, natural growth, so remarkable in the compositions of COKNELIUS. Yet in a period which has the misfortune of being a kind of herbarium victim for all kinds of plants and of all times, the adoption of a dignified though anti- quated style of art, such as HESS with so much feeling has restored, is not to - In! depreciated, and cannot be despised. S. It. H. In! depreciated, and cannot be despised. S. It. H.
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