FINE ARTS.
ART-ONION PRIZE CARTOONS.
TWENTY-EIGHT Cartoons of Historical subjects, designed by as many
competitors for the prize of 5001. offered by the Art-Union of London for the best picture illustrative of British History, are exhibited at the gallery of the New Society of Water-colour Painters, in Pall Mall. Of the whole number only two are at all deserving of serious attention; but there are several so ludicrously bad as to provoke laughter; and whoever can derive amusement from an exhibition of pitiable incompetence may enjoy a treat of fun.
The two noticeable cartoons are clever productions; well drawn, skilfully composed, and beautifully finished; but neither of them is of the highest class of historical art. They are attractive pictures, and no more.
Queen Philippa Interceding for the Lives of the Burgesses of Calais, (10,) is the best of the set; for, besides its picturesque composition, the pathos of the subject is expressed, though not in a grand and impressive manner. The artist's treatment of the affecting incident is deficient in simplicity, elevation, and dignity: the Ring looks perplexed, rather than moved to compassion; and the patriotic Burgesses have more the air of slaves or cri- minals than of free citizens ennobled by their act of self-devotion.
The Welcome of the Boy-King, Henry the Sixth, into London, after his
Coronation, (23,) is a showy and brilliant pageant, of a theatrical kind: the selection and grouping of splendid and quaint costumes divert attention from the event to the scene; and the persons are subordinate to the dresses they wear. Comparatively few faces are shown among the crowd of figures, and these are mostly devoid of character and expression.
In short, the results of this competition are disappointing; and should open the eyes of the Art-Union Committee to their mistake in inducing artists to attempt subjects they are pretty sure to fail in, instead of en- couraging their efforts in treating such as come within the scope of their powers.
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