• FINE ARTS.
SOCIETY OF BRITTSII ARTISTS, SLVFOLK STREET GALLERY.
WE attended the private view of this Exhibition, which opened to the public on Monday ; and have much pleasure in saying, that the display of this year is decidedly superior to any former one. But, while' there are very many pictures of merit, and some few of high excellence, the subjects are for the most part of a low-grade, or those of a higher order are not successfully treated. There is slot a single historical picture in the whole collection, and those that address themselves to the mind are comparatively few. The majority are clever as works of art and elabo- rate imitations of nature ; but there is, generally speaking, too little in- tellectual feeling evinced in their production, and mere technical skill predominates.. Artists who have before been successful in one range of subjects, repeat their style and mode of treatment on objects of a similar class; so that, from our familiarity with their peculiar manner, new pie. tures appear to us•almost like old acquaintances. Neither is there that advance in improvement on the part of rising artists which we would fain perceive, and which should result from practice combined with study. and experience. There is an appearance of painting for sale, rather than for reputation; number rather than excellence seems the point aimed at —to catch the eye and please the sense, rather than to attract the mind and satisfy the judgment. Cleverness prevails instead of genius—trick instead of mastery—industry more than sentimeet. The artists seem to measure their strength by that of one another, and to apply too leer a standard by which to estimate their success. We understand that no fewer than four hundred works of art have, been declined from want of room. When we look round at some, and those large pictures, we wonder of what quality they must have been that were rejected. One of the finest pictures, and of the higliest class, is 157, " The Fes- tival of the Law," by S. A. Haar ; which represents the interior of a Jewish Synagogue, when the maneseripts of the Law, splendidly deco- rated, are taken out of the ark, and carried by the priests in procession. The treatment of the subject is masterly, and somewhat Reinbrandlisli in effect ; svhicls shadowy zeal s:arthre tone harmonizes with the scene, the characters, and costumes. The colouring is warm and rich, but snbdued to the dila atmw:pliere of the picture. The composition is grand, the drawing artist-like, and the expression elevated ; the tout enseylble is in the highest degree impressive. lire think fhe various objects might have been a litt le snore define], without diminishing the effect of the chiaroscuro. If Mr. Haar proceeds as he bas begun, and realizes the promise of these Isis early works, he will be an ornament to the British school of painting. He must not, however, confine himself to this one class of subjests ; nor need he, if he does his talent justice is studying' nature in various forms. ' His head of an old woman (
finely painted, and with great truth. -
132, "The Covenanters," by G. II.i.uvEv, is admirable for variety ahd truth of character and appropriate expression. The preacher addressing the circle of his audience is, like his flock, too modern.. looking : he is well delineated in the act of speaking, but he is no more than a zealous missionary of our awn day,—neither he nor his auditors have that wild, fanatical, and militant enthusiasm, which prompted them to wield the broad-sword in defence of their creed ; they : are sufficiently in earnest and attentive, but somewhat too passive. The picture is not artist-like in style ; but this objection only diminishes, not destroys, the value of the performance, and the circumstance may . add to the merit of the painter.
114, " The Eleventh Hour," by E. PnEtser is, is a representation of one of those painfully true incidents which impress a moral more effec- tually upon the mind than all the sermons that ever were preached. An old usurer on his death-bed, with parchments, &c. spread before him, is supported in order to sign his will. He seems to cling with all the energy of terror and bodily decrepitude to the hope of life, yet inward despair appears to liii him with horror at his approaching dissolution, and he heeds not the exhortations of the minister of religion beside him. On the foot of the bed is seated one of his sons,—a brutal gambler, whose red coat, and the cork-spur and card peeping out of his pocket, proclaim Ins pursuits, but not more plainly than his looks do his character. Ile gazes with a sullen, stupid stare of indifference, on the dying man. In the group, formed by the physician, &e. at the bedside, is the other sor.,—who appears a little further reanmid from the callous- ness of his brother. At the window, is the lawyer's "man of busi. ness,"—a heartless, sordid. trap-facol fellow, mending a pen : the action of his hand, and the vice-like compression of his lips, are in good keep- ing, and, together with his professional indifference of manner, illustrate his character completely. The old nurse, in a fit of lamentation, with, a gin-bottle peeping out of her pocket, is a good touch of character. This is a picture the expression and conception of which would have been not- unworthy of HOGARTII. ITERLSTONE is not successful in his pictures this year. We cannot admire his "Enchantress, Armida" (438); the flesh is livid in colour, the face is flat, and the lips are bits of scarlet cloth. His "Portrait of Master Campbell," in a tartan dress (109), is good, with the exception of the legs,—the plaid drapery, too, gives an appearance of high shoulders. Not so well treated is the portrait of a boy, "Viscount Slane" (45); which we could scarcely believe to be his. It is like the attempt of a provincial dauber to imitate the peculiarities of LAWRKNCE'S popular picture of Master Lambton: the arrangement of the hair, the colour of • the dress, and in part the attitude, are obviously similar ; but the drapery is quite unworthy of all artist of Mr. Hunx.sroasa's reputation, and we cannot say much for the figure. INSKIPP has several very clever pictures of single figares, which aga.. modified repetitions of his peculiar style ; his colouring has set in ruddy, and his faces are mostly from one model, and are too brown and fiat for nature. "Adverse Winds "(4) is a richly painted drapery on a mu.. latto,—whose features are copied in" The Poacher's Daughter" (66), "The Harvest Moon" (358), and even in "The Jack Trimmer" (20I). The colour of" The Gipsey " (236) is a little too strong even for an. au. tumnal sunset. Mr. INSKIPP imitates GAMSBOROUGH too much, and we fear he is in danger of becoming a mannerist ; which, with his skilland talent, weshould regret. We gladly nun to his" DiSinnaand Brenda" (164), from the Pirate,-7-a very clever picture, naturally designed, and pleasing: in expression. Ile is worthy to undertake this class of subjects, and to 'succeed in them. An artist, in painting real or ideal character, takes
the only means of testing his powers and of forsaking the narrow track to which he confines himself, when painting purposeless pictures and christening them at random : the last are merely useful as studies or exercises for the hand, they do not draw much upon the taste and fancy of the artist.
J. P. Knmur's "Auld Robin Gray" is a very clever picture, though a somewhat worn-out subject. Jenny seems " owre wilfu ; " she is fat and fair, stubborn and stocky. The mother's expression is good, but the father is rather fierce. "Auld Robin Gray" is a very excellent re- presentative of the character ; and the expression of his face, and his air and manner, are good. Mr. Kneaur copies one model for all his old men, and treats it too much alike : we have the same old fellow in "The Grandfather" (80.)
A. FRASEWS "Stirrup-cup" (330) is too drag*, indecisive, and cold ; but it has the elements of a good picture, were it completed. 32, "In- tenor of a Mill in the Hebrides," we do not like so well, and it has simi- lar faults.
W. BOXALL'S "Recollection" is one of his clever female figures, pro- bably a portrait. His Portrait of a Gentleman (458) is well studied and painted, and has living character. This is a nice size for portraiture, and in many respects preferable to life-size. People want cabinet pic- tures of history, and yet have their own physiognomies on canvass as large as the hall-door.
'The Grave-digger" (78), H. LIVERSEEGE., is an excellent study of character, quite Shaksperian, and well painted.
"II Penseroso" (18), T. 'WEBSTER ; a rubicund toper repenting in the village stocks. The conception, expression, and execution are admira- ble. The shadow of the tree under which the jolly penitent sits, dapples his florid visage, and produces a beautiful effect; and his ample propor- tions, and good-natured visage with its genial look, plead for him in miti- gation. It is a masterly picture, and highly amusing. There is none of that hardness and forced character which too often detract from the merit of this class of subjects.
"Reading the Manuscript" (25), by A. G. VICKERS, is not only much toa sketchy, but is a direct imitation of Bois:moron's style; which is re- peated in a "Sketch" (141). They are both clever, but are indications of a dangerous sort of promise.
"The Stingy Traveller" (282), IV. Buss, is an idea from LISTON'S Lubin Log. The "stingy traveller" is taking his departure, baggage In band, from the inn; and with a knowing leer, is winking at the "boots," chambermaid, waiter, &c., who are crowding round him to receive their accustomed gratuities : the landlord is the only merry face of the group. The picture is cleverly painted, but it is not equal to come of this artist's productions of the same class.
[ We shall notice the Landscapes and Portraits next week.]
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