MR. WALKER'S "DELUGE."
WHEN FUSELI was told that a celebrated modern artist had painted " Christ crowned with Thorns," he exclaimed, " Why will they not let him alone ? He has suffered enough." We are always inclined to repeat Mr. FUSELI'S words when we hear of a new " Hamlet," a new " Deluge," or any other new version of sublime scenes or ideal characters.
Mr. WALKER is the artist who exhibited a series of Landscape Designs illustrative of MONTGOMERY'S "World before the Flood :" these pleasing pictures are again exhibited, together with one or two compositions of a similar character, but of classical subjects ; and they display considerable skill as well as taste in his art, with a tendency to copy Mr. MARTIN both in his compositions and effects. His new picture, " The Deluge," is a direct imitation of the supernatural school of that artist and Mr. Daxeir, but without the triumph over space which characterizes the inventions of the former, or the splendid effects of colour of the latter. It is a tame exagger- ation of rock and sea, with a beautiful effect of sunset gilding the waves; except that the light is much too orange in its hue, and wants that golden brilliancy which is in nature, and has been successfully represented in DANRY'S gorgeous "Vunset." We doubt, however, the propriety, both in a pictorial and natural point of view, of depicting a calm sunset in the midst of a preternatural convulsion of the elements. The effect of the picture is theatrical ; and the full-length portrait of the Sea Serpent in the foreground, makes it appear as if the scene were only a back-ground accompaniment to the solo performance of this ideal personage—real only in the wide-throated belief of the Yankees. The caves, rocks, and crowds of people, are all constructed and arranged upon the approved " Martin " principle ; but the earthquake is on a very small scale. It is altogether a tame affair, and a total failure.
Previous page
