FINE ARTS.

EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

(Continued.:

Nu. CHALON'S " Milt the Slipper" (18;1 is a clever and Watteau-like idea, worked up into a confused mass of gaudy colours, that, seen at a distance, looks like the gilt-pattern book-covers that adorned the history of Prince Prettyman, published by Neweetty _in St. Paul's Church- yard. It is a chaos of figures without form or relief, and the style is meretricious. It has, however, capabilities for a good picture.

Mr. Wesrm.i.'s full-length failures are nothing more than a pair of his mannered designs for an embellished edition of Faust, magnified. We dare say they would make pretty book-plates ; but to call such pro- ductions pictures, is to libel the term. " Margaret at Church" (1) is miredeemably had " Faust preparing to waltz with the young Witch" (33) is more pictorial ; and the witch is a pretty figure ; but the cos- tume of Faust, particularly the piece of upholstery, in the shape of a watered damask valance, that does duty for a kirtle, is so attractive that we call hardly discern any thing else. "Did any one ever see such a face as that of Faust ? " asked a visitor—" Oh ! yes," replied his corn- panion, " I have a hundred times—but only in Westall's designs ! " This artist's "Magdalene" (124) is cleverly drawn, and very nicely painted—except the face, which is not nature but WESTALL.

Mr. EASTLAKE'S brown and dry colouring and smooth handling are shown in designs of ability, which have also the merit of expression. "Au Italian Family" (78) is pleasing, and admirable for natural cha- racter, with the exceptions before mentioned ; and so is "A Peasant Woman Fainting ft-urn the Bite of a Serpent" (125). There is truth -and feeling in both these pictures. " Haidee" (300) looked better in the engraving by HEATH in the Keepsake. If Mr. EASTLAKE Will insist upon sacrificing his reputation and the truth of nature to a false theory of colouring, we can only regret and protest against his infatuation. Mr. SEVERN colours in the same style as though he were imitating the Old Masters, whose works are embrowned by time. There is G. Riemeasn also, who has painted a very neat imitation of an old picture, " The Pilgrim" (12), who, we dare say, will find employment by some unprincipled fabricator of veritable old paintings. Mr. Woon's " Ophelia" (128) is a graceful design, and a pleasing picture ; the colour of which is fresh and chaste—a great improve- ment on the part of this artist. But it is not Shakspeare's Ophelia; it is a classical figure with a tristful look. Mr. ALLAN'S "Lord Byron" (32) is not only a failure, but badly drawn, and a feeble picture : it is quite unworthy of his reputation. A. Coorsa's " Bothwell meeting Mary, Queen of Scots" (56) has some neatly-painted costumes and horses ; but though a painter of horse- flesh and accoutrements may beg the credit of painting historical sub- jects, by such productions as this, he will never gain it. EDWIN LANDSEER is, as usual, inimitable in his pictures of dogs and game. His " Interior of a Highlandman's House" (86) is admirable for truth and fine treatment : the character of the Highlandman is ex- cellent, and evinces higher talent than mere animal painting. "Poachers Deer-stalking" (146) is nearly as good, the action of the dog especially. In " The Poacher's Booty" (293), and "Poacher and Red Deer" (301), the flesh tints are livid, and the tone of the pictures cold. His" Little Red Riding-hood" (147) is a very pretty sketch.

Mr. LIVERSIEGE'S "Sir Piercie Shafton " (28) is a clever personifica- tion of ideal character, though somewhat theatrical. His " Hamlet" (72) is a failure : the Ghost is Fuselisgue, the Hamlet is a stage-player, and the Queen seems frightened at the Ghost which she does not see.

Mr. HOWARD'S "Circe" (92) is a lamentable failure. MUIREADY'S "Sailing-match" (98), boys blowing along their toy- 'boat, is forced and feeble—" much ado about nothing." The only vir- tue in the execution of such subjects consists in their naturalness. This is strained, and somewhat affected, without mastery; it is akin to Mr. CoLtates's pretty but tame pictures, such as "The Venturesome Robin" (25), "The Morning Bath" (138), and " Shrimpers " (299) ; which, however, are more simply true and natural. Mr. JONES'S "Esther" (134) is a picture of costume and effect merely ; and Mr. HART'S "English Nobility receiving the Commu- nion" (313) is another, in which, however, the effect is stronger, though too similar to the other works of the artist, and too Rembrandlish. Mr. HART wants vigour and grandeur ; he aims at graoe and splendour; and he copies himself as well as imitates REMBRANDT.

But we can no longer suffer our arrangement of pictures to keep us from speaking of TURNER'S resplendently natural productions. Indeed, though landscapes, they ought properly to have been spoken of first, for there is more poetry and imagination in them than is to be found in the whole exhibition besides. Here is the charm of genius, by whose magic power scenes the most gorgeous and lovely are depicted on the canvas, that carry us out of ourselves as we contemplate their beauties.

We have gazed 'linked on this ideal picture of 44 Caligula's Palace and Bridge" (162), on the shores of the Bay of Bain, whose golden sands, and emerald verdure, and blue sparkling streams, are lit up with a flood of light pouring through the arches and colonnades of the stately ruins above them ; the deep pools gleaming, and the plashy ground glistening in the yellow rays, and the fringed trees refulgent with gold. The in-

:tense glow of the sky, which is

"One unclouded blaze of living light,"

-and the ruddy warmth of the marble, harmonizing with the bright sunny distance, and the richness of the foreground, all combine to make a picture where art and nature blend their rarest charms to produce an effect which appeals to the imagination even more potently than it does to the eye. We have seen this picture several times, but we cannot admire it enough ; it haunts the mind like a vision of splendour and beauty. Italy had her CrAtinz —England has her TURNER: CLAUDE dwelt among the beautiful scenes he painted ; but TURNER lives in a Northern clime and .breathes a foggy atmosphere. Even the "Vision of Medea" (178), where a group of puppets dressed in coloured raga are scattered over the scene' by its gor. geous combination of colour only, fills one with wonder and admiration. We turn from these works to the sober truth depicted by the same mas. terly hand, in " Life-boat going off to a stranded vessel making signals of distress " (73) ; and what a beautiful yet simple pike of nature is before us ! The blue lights bursting against the cold black clouds are of them- selves a picture. Then there is 288, " Admiral Van Tromp's barge at the entrance of the Texel, 1645 :" what a splendid yet chaste effect— how finely is the rich gold of the Vessel relieved from the cold hue of sea and sky ! What a gorgeous sunset is depicted in 406 ; where one of our cruisers aground is exposed to the attacks of batteries and flying artillery on the French shore ! The snit sinks like a ball of fire in a furnace of cloud, while all around is cold and sullen with the coming storm. Let the painter who presents us with such pictures as these, amuse himself with freaks of colour and tricks of art, like a " Watteau Study by Fresnoy's rules" (298 and 263), as often as he pleases, provided he gives US such landscapes and marine views as we have attempted to describe. Mr. TURNER may draw figures like bundles of old clothes or ragfair

if he will also paint such pictures as " Palestrina" and " Caliguhi's Palace."

Mr. CALLCOTT has several of his beautiful classical landscapes, clear,

cool, and chaste; but his sunny effects are too pale and cold to be truly natural. His " Dutch Coast' (11) is a scene where this fault is not perceptible ; it is a delicious picture and reminds us of llommyrws's coast scenes. But his "Italian Lan;Iscapes, Morning" (97 and 122), want warmth, mid are too hard, and the former is mannered in compo- sition. "Canal of Bruges," and " Mill Dam" (135 and 136), are very true and pretty. Mr. CALLCOTT paints the diluted sunlight and aguish tone of Holland very faithfully. " View of Trent in the Tyrol" (307)

is clear, but very cold. "A Sunny 1‘ turning" (417) is nature itself; the pale bright yellow light of an English morning is beautifully given. Mr. Commei.e has a large picture of "Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows," which has all the truth and freshness of nature, exaggerated by mannerism into something disagreeable. The inky clouds, and the shower of meal that seems falling in the foreground, destroy the keeping and natural effect. Mr. Coxsietni.e once painted with equal truth and freshness, but he sacrifices these real qualities to a trick of art.

WITHERINGTON'S "Corn Field'' (197) is a pretty scene of rural life, painted in a literal style, with pleasing effect ; the corn is very naturally represented with the blue and red flowers in the stubble. Mr. LEE has a " Landscape with Birch Trees," in which the latter are extremely well painted—much better than the rest of the picture. Mr. JONES'S " Prague" (83) is a clever picture, painted with the usual rich effect of this artist's style ; but it is not natural.

Mr. DANIELL has some clever marine subjects and Indian scenes. One of the latter, "Au Alligator attacking a Bullock" (241) is curious and well painted. O'Cosxon has another of his green rocky glens, with a waterfall and threatening clouds, cleverly painted ; it is a "Scene in the Dargle, county of Wicklow" (290). [To be continued.]