18 FEBRUARY 1837, Page 20

FINE ARTS.

AN election to fill the vacancies in the Society of Painters in Water Colours took place on Tuesday, at the Gallery in Pall Mall East. There were no fewer than nine candidates. The result of the ballot was, that three were chosen; but there being but two Associate mem- bers to be elected, the three names were again put to the vote ; and the choice fell upon Messrs. PRICE and GLENNIE, Mr. FOWLER losing by one only. The merits of the two fortunate members are, we believe, scarcely known beyond the circht of their friends; but, pre- suming them to be superior to those of Mr. FowLsit, we shall expect great things from them. With respect to the other candidates, we only know of one or two of them, that, in times not very long past, the Society would have eagerly stretched out their arms to welcome such talent.

There were no Lady Associates elected, notwithstanding there were vacancies, and that Miss FANNY CORBAUX was a candidate. Miss CORBAUX is one of the first paintresses of the day : she excels both in oil and water-colours, and her power in water-colour painting es. pecially is very great : she designs with taste and skill, paints with great depth and brilliancy of colouring, and has a truly intellectual feel- ing for her art. How it happens that a young lady of such surpassing talent should be rejected, we are puzzled to think. This smacks of the Academic spirit. The elections at the New Water Colour Society also, we understand, are very arbitrary and irrational. These Societies seem to be blind to their own interests even ; and the interests of the art itselfscem utterly beyond their comprehension.