FINE ARTS.

THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.

THE exhibition of modern pictures in this gallery, which opened to public view on Monday last, affords indisputable evidence of the down- ward progress of the British Institution, under the system of gross mis- management that we have so repeatedly protested against. It would be too much to affirm that its present state is the lowest to which this once flourishing exhibition can be reduced ; but we may safely say it has reached a lower point than ever. The death of Mr. SEGUIER, who was very influential with the Directors, led us to anticipate a change of some Sort; unfortunately, it is a change for the worse. The drag has been removed, and the concern is fast going to destruction : at that stage it will shortly arrive, unless some firm and resolute hand seize the reins in time to prevent an upset. It rests with the Directors to appoint a competent person. Perhaps the disappointment reported to have been expressed by Prince ALBERT at seeing a number of pic- tures here that had before been exhibited at the Royal Academy, will have more influence than the grumblings of artists, or newspaper re- monstrances.

There has not been an exhibition of modern pictures in London for these six months; yet out of the four hundred and thirty-six works of art in this gallery scarcely a score of pictures will engage the at- tention of those who visited the Academy last year. Here, as well as at Trafalgar Square, Academicians and Associates claim, as of right, preference for their unsold performances ; and others, aggrieved at having been "badly hung" there, make the British Institution a court of appeal against Academic injustice. The wonder is that any new works at all are sent in ; seeing that, besides the prescriptive claim of the R.A.s to the best places, there are a favoured few whose productions are always found "on the line," while others less fortunate, must put up with the alternative of exclusion or a bad place : yet there have been as many rejected "for want of room " as are admitted. No artist of repute will risk the rejection of an important work at the British Institution : he prefers to take his chance at the Academy ; and it is not worth while for Academicians to send new pictures where stale ones will be equally acceptable. Thus, a gallery established expressly

for the promotion of high art is reduced to the condition of a lumber- room for the Royal Academy-a sale-shop for second-hand pictures, or new ones " made to sell" to Art-Union prize-holders. It is almost ,superfluous to say that there is nothing like originality of conception exhibited, and but little to leave a lasting impression on the mind : neither is there much art of a high degree of excellence.

The only Designs of elevated character are two small Scriptural subjects by H. O'NErn; and these are placed in the worst room, among

the odds and ends. Naomi and her Daughters in-law, Ruth and Orpah,

(367,) is a graceful group, skilfully composed, and replete with refined sentiment : the tearful countenances of both daughters bespeak tender emotions, and the devoted affection of Ruth is expressed in her look and attitude : but Naomi is not a very loveable mother-in-law, and she has too modern a physiognomy ; there is too much of the governess

about her. Hagar and Ishmael, (389,) is less successful: neither the

anguish of the mother nor the exhaustion of the boy are adequately depicted. In both designs the artist has sacrificed simplicity and nature to an artificial notion of ideal beauty, in which the pyramidal principle in composition is carried out to a pedantic extreme : the painting, too, is dry and meagre; but the drawing, for the most part, is admirable. Mr. O'NEIL is a designer of high promise : his perceptions of beauty and character are intellectual, though too artificial.

The cynosure of the gallery is a tableau de genre, by F. GOODALL- /We de Manage, (48,) a wedding festivity in some provincial town in

France. A ring of dancers occupies the centre of an open shed, in one corner of which the wedded pair are receiving the congratulations of their friends: the modest pride of the bridegroom as he listens to the benevolent cure, and the blushing confusion of the bride, who is over- whelmed by the compliments of an old gallant, are admirably expressed. This, however, is the only interesting group : the merriment of the dancers is not infectious ; and they have more of Dutch than French character: indeed, they remind one too much of the merry-makings of TESTERS. We wish this clever young artist would depict English character, and look into the world around him : be is in danger of re- peating himself and copying the works of others, by trusting to re- miniscences and travelling-sketches for making pictures from. We would also recommend him to study Nature's laws and the principles of art more closely.

Mr. ETTY has sent two or three smudges of colour, that find many admirers on the strength of his name ; and Mr. ISSKIPP exhibits a cha- racteristic sketch of A Veteran of the Angle, (l45,)-vigorous daubing, harmonious in colour.

With the exception of a likeness of Espartero-A Patriot, (284)-a flat head, tamely painted by J. PARTRIDGE, the Queen's extraordinary

portrait-painter, there is nothing noticeable in the way of studies of

character. The Lady in Waiting, (279,) by G. LANCE, is the portrait of a brocaded gown, an embroidered napkin, and a lace frill ; which

last is of the substance and texture of biscuit china : indeed, it comes within the category of still-life painting, wherein Mr. LANCE is expert ; though his knowledge of art is not equal to his dexterity of hand. In

Lift and Death, (377,) the carp is not fishy, nor the pheasant feathery enough ; and in all his pictures metallic hardness predominates : he re- gards form and colour more than substance and texture, and injures the truth of his imitation by over-elaboration.

Among the Landscapes are some pleasing studies from nature, truthful in form and colour, though defective in light and shade. An

ideal landscape by DANBY, Calypso's Grotto, (118,) claims precedence

by its poetic feeling : it is a sunset over the sea, with a tree-crowned cliff, in which is visible the grotto of Calypso, who is returning to it disconsolate for the loss of Ulysses. The sentiment of the subject is finely expressed : a feeling of melancholy and solemn repose pervades the scene, which has a supernatural beauty. The glowing radiance of the setting sun illumines the clouds and the sea, casting long shadows across the beach, and showing the foot-prints of the mourning goddess on the sand. The finish is elaborate, but the execution is too petite and smooth, giving a teaboard glossiness to the surface : the rocks are not

solid nor is the sea liquid ; the waves appear to be of sea-green silk, fringed with foam resembling an efflorescence of lavender; and the

sands strike us as being of too muddy a hue. Notwithstanding these defects, this is a work of high quality and rare excellence: there is mind in it.

CHESWICK'S landscapes have also the charm of sentiment in addition to their minute finish, local truth, and natural effect. The Brook, (36,)

with a bank of trees overhanging a rustic bridge and relieved against a

mellow sunset-the new moon just visible in the twilight gleam-is a simple scene, beautiful for its serenity. On the Clyde, (68,)--a fall of

water between grey rocky banks fringed with foliage-is a wild scene carefully studied and closely imitated from nature : the rocks are solid, and the shapes and hue of the rushing water are truly depicted ; but the appearances of liquidity and motion are not represented ; and there is a want of space and atmosphere, consequent on over-elaboration. CnEswrex's minute handling and ultra-finish bring distant objects too near, and reduce the foliage of his trees to the size and substance of lichens.

LEE has two or three bright, fresh, verdant landscapes, true in form and hue, and full of daylight, but hard and superficial : the effect of bright sunlight streaming across masses of white clouds is faithfully represented in his View of Colebrook Dale, (47;) and the sober truth of the shady perspective of The Avenue in Shobrook Park, (124,) is admi- rable: but cattle and foliage, grass and clay, are alike wooden.

H. BRIGHT has several of his bold and clever sketches, which a dex- terous mannerism and striking effects render attractive ; though his paintings are merely repetitions in oil of his crayon and water-colour

sketches, in which natural truth is made subservient to a trick of art. A view of the Palace of Linlithgow-Evening, (300,) by C. R. STANLEY,

is lighted up by a bright setting sun : the colouring is crude, the touch mannered, and the light and shade not thoroughly studied ; yet the general effect is pleasing.

There are some of SIDNEY COOPER'S cattle-pieces, and landscapes by

TENNANT, ALFRED CLINT,' PYNE, STARK, BODDINGTON, and others, which do not call for particular notice. The sea-pieces and coast-scenes of E. W. COOKE are sure to attract attention : the water in his two large pictures, The River, (105,) and The Sea, (130,) is so exactly similar that they might change names ; it is equally thin and devoid of fluidity in both. This artist's minute handling is unsuited to cover a large surface of canvass : his small pic- tures are far preferable; such as the Wreck of a Sloop, (89,) where the water is transparent though the clouds are substantial ; and Dutch Boats in a Calm, (205,)-a cold copy of CUM There is a large Interior of St. Peter's, Rome, (188,) by SCARLETT DAVIS, conspicuous by its gaudiness and want of grandeur : it has neither shade nor aerial perspective, and is equally deficient in breadth and keeping ; the consequence is, that the eye, bewildered by the glare of colour, finds no resting-place, and the mind is not im- pressed with the vastness of the structure. There are a few pieces of sculpture, but they are neither new nor striking.