FINE ARTS.
GOSSIP OF THE Woitl.1) OF ART.
TIIERE is something so revolting in the wilful destruction of a work of art, even of the humblest kind, that nothing but a malicious pur- pose on the part of the artist can justify it. When the late Mr. Hope cut to pieces a picture called " Beauty and the Beast," which was converted by the painter into a libel of him, every one felt that he was right; and the spiteful painter was universally de- spised for degrading his art to so mean a purpose. But when a picture is sacrificed to appease wounded vanity, the act admits of no pallia- tion. Such an outrage has been perpetrated under the following cir- emnstances; and it has excited the disgust and indignation of all but the sycophants of the individual for whose gratification, we suppose, it was committed.
Sir JOIIN Soarer: was requested by the Literary Fund Society to sit for his portrait, which was to be hung up with those of other muni- ficent patrons of the iii,titarion. M'CLisn was the artist named by the committee; and the portrait, when finished, was liberally presented by the painter to the Society. After a while, however, Sir JOHN was told by some " damned good-natured friend " that the portrait was " a caricature: " the fact being that the resemblance is a finthful one, in which the wrinkles and toothlessness of age are not disguised. That the venerable sitter did not himself perceive this, is accounted for by the circumstance of his being nearly blind. Sir JOHN SOANE now proposed to the Society to substitute a copy of Sir Thomas LAWRENCE'S skilfully-flattered likeness of him for the decried truth. teller. To this the Society properly demurred, out of consideration for the feelings of the painter ; who, however, being apprized of the circum- stance, at once released them from the dilemma by offering to take his picture back again. Even this would not calm the irritated egotism of the original ; who, alarmed at the very existence of a true copy of his face, stipulated for the " unconditional surrender" of the delinquent picture. To this unreasonable demand the Society felt they had not the power to assent ; since the portrait, though it was now theirs by free gift, had been presented for the express purpose of being placed in their rooms. A meeting was, however, called to discuss the subject ; but in the interim, the Gordian knot was cut by the penknife of the editor of the Literary Gazette, Mr. JERDAN ; who, availing himself of his privilege as a Governor of the Society, entered the room in the ab- sence of the Secretary, and slashed the picture into ribands. What the Society will do, remains to be seen. The lawyers say the act is felonious ; and we do not see that the motive being to pamper the over- weening vanity of a superannuated egotist makes the offence less fla- grant. IlAvirox said in his lecture, that historical painters were apt to make their portraits " too like :" this was the damning fault of IVI‘Cuses portrait of Sir John Soane. Can we wonder that portrait- painting is degraded into a system of pictorial flattery? Oh, all ye young limners be warned ! and know that the rule of the profession is, as it was expressed by an Academic teacher, " always to make people handsomer than they are." HAYDON'S picture of " Xenophon" was raffled for by the subscribers onMonday, at theThatched House Tavern : the Duke of SIMIERLAND in the chair. The painter threw for the absent parties. The Duke of BEDFORD, who had taken three shares, was the winner ; and Lord MULGRAVE, who had two, was the next highest. Lord DURHAM had three shares, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT four, and Lord FRANCIS EGERTON six. The King, the Dutchess of KENT, the Princess VICTORIA, and several others of the Nobility and Members of the House of Commons, were on the list ; which was also honoured by the illustrious name of GOETHE. The subscriptions amounted to 8401. The picture was painted to be raffled for,—a mode of encouraging art that we hope to see superseded by the more sensible and satisfac- tory process of purchase.
WILKIE'S picture of the " Peep-o'-Day Boy's Cabin" has been bought for 1000 guineas, by Mr. VERNON, of Pall Mall ; liatim's pic- ture of "Sir Thomas More," by Sheriff SALMONS, for 300 gaineas; and two of Casteorr's landscapes by Mr. CARTWRIGHT, for SOO guineas each.
Louis Pamir has returned the compliment paid him by HARDING, in dedicating his " Sketches " to him, by presenting the artist with a tea-service of Sevres china, which was selected by the King himself.
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