THE ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION.

(Cbncluding Notice.)

With more space at our disposal, we might enter somewhat at large into the grounds of the present depression of British sculpture, as an exordium to what we have to say of the sculpture at the Royal Ace- gems Our narrow limits, and the quantity of matter we have to com- press thereinto, warn us to desist In few words—the traditional or .cooventional character of modern sculpture makes it uninteresting ; its want of interest makes its patrons few and pretentious ; their paucity makes the sculptural profession a very close one, within which a com- mission bearing any sort of public character is but too likely to turn out a job. The baneful mutual reaction of these forces has brought us to our present pass. The sculptors do not show worse this year than usual—possibly a trifle better. There are at any rate two works Isery remarkable, though small in scale, to which we have already bespoken attention—Mr. Wool- ner's "Moses on Mount Sinai" and "St. John the Baptist"—casts from carvings on the pulpit of Llandaff Cathedral. Their essential ex- cellence is that of thought, so rare among sculptors. This develops under two aspects—the fulness and concentration with which the true attributes of the Lawgiver and the Forerunner are grasped, and the entire originality of external appearance thence resultant. It is not too much to say that these are the newest ideas of Moses and John which sculpture, or perhaps any art, has embodied for some centuries : and they are new, not because the artist has battered his brains to do something unlike others, but simply because he has tried to conceive the real na- tures and functions of the men. Moses standing bowed but rock-firm amid the thunders, the Baptist oppressed with the weight of his message, not less awful than glorious, are no repetitions : they are genuine con- ceptions. Indeed, such is the force of traditional custom that it re- quires a real effort of mind to venture even upon such innovations as we find in the costume here. To supply Moses with a head-dress, or to translate John's camel's hair into a woven garment instead of a skin, seems a small thing : yet artists after artists have been working away at such subjects, and the feat, not having been done by their first leader, has remained beyond their strength. Noble both in thought and in art; Mr. Woolner's small figures must have the further merit of decorative effect on the pulpit pannels. The other work in the gallery having some imaginative claim is "The Torch-bearers" of Mr. Leifchild, which we spoke of when exhibited .among the models for the ibieraorial of the Great Exhibition of 1851. We regret that the judges have not done themselves the credit, the sculptor the justice, and the public the benefit, of selecting this thought- ful and dignified group. The successful candidate in that competition, Mr. Durham, appears here with " Hermione as the Statue in Winter's Tale—to be executed in marble, and placed in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion-house." The figure is well intended and effective, and may represent the situation fairly enough to the eyes of those who know the edrama ; but it is a solecism to try to express by a sculptured work an ac- tual or simulated statue. "The Mother's Kiss" by Mr. Weekes is one of the best-executed figures, and the truest works of sentiment, in the room : it had been before exhibited in plaster. Mr. Bell sends three works, each of which has its prominent defect. "The Farnesina " if fleshy, is meretricious ; "Honour, a model, to be cast out of guns taken at Sebastopol," though impressive from its scale and monumental action, is used up in idea, and not here revivified by any individual touch of the artist's own ; "Newton," intended to embody abstract thought amid a series of British Worthies, attains the purpose, if at all, in a rather stilted manner. The "Lovers Walk" of Mr. Munro is an- other marble group of whose plaster model we have before spoken. It is extremely engaging from its purity and simple sweetness ; and, being removed from the ordinary conventions of sculptured groups, will hardly suggest a want to many eyes. Still, Mr. Mums) ought not to be satisfied with this pattern face of pretty adolescence, male and female, which recurs in most of his ideal figures—the "1:Incline," for instance ; and which is very deficient in strength of character, as well as truth of Proportions. Ideal subjects such as this Undine are much affected by Sculptors; yet we apprehend that the art should be chary of their treat- ment. " Ariel released from the Tree," by Mr. Hancock, is another example—a subject which it is almost as difficult to conceive as to repre- sent. There is a fluttering petulant vivacity in this Ariel, which, were Use medium of representation more spontaneous, might succeed in being simply graceful ; but sculpture involves so much elaboration that a spice Of effort and affectation mingles with the grace. This form of error is one which foreign schools are more successful in avoiding. A French- man becomes florid in such a case, but displays a vigour and abandon which save him. Thus M. Bandel's "Cupid Wounded" and "Bacchante Playing with a Panther" aim low, but attain all they aim at with great efficiency and directness. " Genius " has never made a sorrier and more Isadden figure than in the statue by Mr. Bally, to be placed in the Man- sion-house "The Death of Alcibiades" is a bronze statuette, interest- ing as the work of Lieutenant-General Sir William Napier, and con- ceived in a congenial spirit. We find also a good deal of matter well Pot in Miss Durant's "Negligent Watchboy of the Vineyard Catching Lacoste," from Theocritus ; and style, though perhaps not much sub- stance, in the "Evangeline" and "Grief" of Mr. Lynn. Among the busts there is a prominent trio. Mr. Eoley's 4‘ Major- General Forbes" is remarkalale for expression, and an air of life,— an effort which speaks highly for the art of the sculptor in a poothu- mous head like this; G. B. Airy, Astronomer Royal," is also no mask, but a face with thought and change within. Lord John Rus- sell,' by Baron Maroehetti, is a very striking likeness, and yet an un- common one—the execution broadly calculated for effect, and, though

slight in reality, not shallow nor poor in general result. The most me-

morable portrait of all, however, in virtue of its subject, is the " Tur- ner " modelled full-length by M;-. Bally. We cannot speak as to the

likeness : but the sculptor's aim at accuracy and characteristic expres- sion in the strange, heavy, ungainly, watchful face—the " ill-cut serpent of eternity "—is incontestable. Indeed, the whole treatment of the fi- gure is evidently addressed to the facts of the case. Mrs. Thornycroft's pleasing and faithful bust of " The Princess Royal." and Mr. Munro's of " Adelaide Ristori," which takes a front place amid his heads for exe- cutive merit, may be also mentioned ; together with the statue of " Burke " by Mr. Theed, which now stands in marble in St Stephen's Hall, not without manly presence, and capacity for action balanced by deliberate thought.

From sculpture to architecture ought to be a natural transition; but the two arts have been so long divorced, their interdependence has been

so long lost sight of that it would be vain hoping to find in the designs here exhibited any save the faintest links of connexion. Nor, while this state of things continues, will the display of architecture ever be of suffi- cient interest to detain us long.

The two monotonous accumulations to which the chief prizes were awarded, Mr. Coe's design for the new Foreign Office, and Mr. Garling's

for that of War, reappear here once again ; supplemented by a design of Sir C. Barry's "for combining the whole of the Public Offices in one mass of building in conjunction with the existing Board of Trade and Treasury buildings." The scheme is grandiose in scale null in idea.

That is as much as implied in the fact that it takes these scale, build-

ings as its starting-point. Though only their step-father, Sir Charles thinks we cannot have too much of them : the public would gladly less what exists of them already, while the architect proposes to do them half a dozen times over again. Of new works or designs, those which most

interest us are Mr. Street's "Prospect from the South-East of a Design

made at the request of the Vestry of the Parish of St. Dionys Back- church, Fenchurch Street, for rebuilding the Church, and remodelling the Steeple,"—which attains both force and character on a small scale ; and Mr. Penson's "View of a Church just completed at Wrexham," and " Limekilns in Carmarthenshire," which apply Gothic in an unpretentious serviceable manner, yet still with artistic feeling. For scientific restora-

tions, which involve doubtless more depth of investigation than beauty of result, we have Mr. Ashpiter s " Ancient Rome," and Professor Cockerell's

"Mausoleum at Halicarnassus." Mr. Armstead's "Design of a Medal to commemorate the marriage of the Prince and Princess Frederick Wil- liam of Prussia" in the costume of the age of chivalry, though smacking too much of revivalism to be quite appropriate, is of a superior order. The miniatures, in the absence of Mr. Thorburn and the compulsory incompleteness of Sir William Ross, show less strliil;tgly than usual. Sir William's exquisite art, however, as far as illness has allowed it fair play, is at the best. Together with a charming female head or two, he contributes a very admirable male portrait, 'with a spaniel full of spirit and truth. The group of "The Due and Duchesse d'Aumale, the Prince de Conde, and the Due de Guise," has been left in a state of incom- pletion much to be regretted; but is extremely natural and fine in man- ner up to the point which it has reached as yet Every one to whom

the supremacy of our school of miniature art is dear will be hearty in wishing Sir William a speedy recovery, and this picture an honourable

conclusion. The only other first-class miniature-painter is Mr. Wells, who has never before perhaps combined so much graceful ease and finish with discipline and skill. Mrs. Matthias Boyce" is especially satis- factory. The artist has been fortunate in a sitter of true womanly presence and refinement, which he has rendered with a reserved mastery such as leaves scarcely anything to be desired.

The water-colours, little as they ever arrest attention in the Royal Academy, are well up to the average. Mr. Morten and Mr. Smallfield would be noted with high favour anywhere else : here we do not dwell

upon them, as their chief works appear in other exhibitions. Mr. Ab- aolon, absent from his own New Water Colour Society, sends a large and rather favourable specimen, "Boulogne, 1857." Mr. Cave Thomas's

°" Christ in the Prsetorium " has a depth of resigned expression which re- 'quires and grows upon deliberate inspection. Mr. Bell's "Sketch in _Colour for the last arrangement of a Cartoon of Richard II. giving the

Charter to the Goldsmiths' Company" possesses qualities of style which rank it among the few historic works of some genuineness in the gallery. This work and some others by Mr. Bell indicate his capacity for a position

which some incompleteness in himself or other adverse influence has al- ways prevented him from securing. "The Burial of the Lord of Ros- lyn" by Mr. Payne shows harshness and immaturity partly producing and partly allied in purpose to a certain grotesqueness : we think there is some real stuff in the artist, which may produce results of mark at a

future time. The introduction of a beggar-cripple in modern costume

amid the medimval knights and priests evinces an aim at naturalism, un- sound indeed, but not without promise. The sea-side views of Mr. Anelay and Mr. C. F. Williams, the floral studies of Mr. Burcham, and

the "Study of an Ash Trunk" by Mr. A. Moore, are all the works of faithful eyes and hands. The "Deer-stalking" of Sir Edwin Landseer in coloured chalks is a splendid sample of his swift power on a great scale. Mr. Mulready's single contribution, a chalk study of Mother and Child weakly exemplifies a style of execution in which some of his triumphs have been achieved.

In quitting the Royal Academy:, we must once more repeat the stale story of unfair selection and hanging. Every year equally furnishes ma-

terial for it ; and, if we generally suppress it, this is only through sheer

shame and weariness at saying the same thing over again. livery year we learn instances of the exclusion of fine works, while rubbish is rarit- pant on the walls—and doubtless others would produce as many in- stances in their respective circles—and every year we find good things ill-placed. The cases of Mr. Anthony and Mr. Oakes among the land- scapists, and Mr. Woolner among the sculptors, are conspicuous ex- amples ; and we could name massy others. The recklessness of the Academy to 'the merest justice towards outside-contributors, -when the sacred interests of an Academician are at stake i

, appeared also n the fenc-

ing off of Mr. Frith's picture, rendering it almolutely impracticable to

examine the four or five works hung below it. We do not by any means say that the hangers this year have been falser to their trust than usual ; perhaps rather the reverse. But they have consented to be ac- complices in an abominable system. The Academicians are clearly en- titled to take good care of themselves in the first instance. After that, they should hang nothing indifferent till everything good has been pro- vided for, and nothing bad till the same has been done for everything indifferent ; and, if they have not space for at any rate all the good— which we do not credit—surely so rich a body might afford to hire some sufficient premises, if only as supplementary. The just system would produce any year an exhibition of such public interest as the Academy has never yet held. Meanwhile, if they will act wrongfully, the art- ists who are not of them should not be with them, but should take care of themselves and the cause of art generally, by some vigorous move of their own.