FINE ARTS.
THE LAWRENCE GALLERY.
TILE Eighth Exhibition of the LAWRENCE Collection consists of the Drawings of ALBERT DUltER and TITIAN—two painters the very op- posite of each other; the German making form and the Venetian colour the medium for representing objects, but both alike by patient elation.. tion aiming at truth of imitation. The drawings of TITIAN were few, and therefore are rare. Tlr.ey are characterized by the vigorous freedom and gusto of a master who regarded the end more than the means. But though they have nor the precision and academic skill of the Florentine and Bolognese schools, they are full of mind and meaning, and not deficient either in power or delicacy. The crayon heads of himself and his mistress (6'd and 89), are as full of character as his paintings; and the nairtiatur e drawing of his celebrated Venus (69), is exquisite. His pen ske%ches of land- scapes show wonderful facility of hand, especially in the touch of the foliage, which has all the spirit and mastery of the finest landscape- painters. The deficiency of drawing which
is as cribed to TITIAN is
only to be estimated by comparison with the wor15 of RAFFAELLE and lidicnaer. ANGELO: the difference being, that they represented the ideal perfection of form, while Turas drew -nature as be saw it in his models, without remedying individual defects
The most interesting of the studies for pictures are those for his
chefd'euvra, the St. Peter Martyr (a. ,73) in which that effect of sublimity produced by the horror of the incident, united with the wild biceetx of the scene end the sweiter.tural burst of light from above,
evidently appears to have formed part of the painter's first intention, though the arrangement of the effect and the posture of St. Peter are altered.
The drawings of ALBERT DURER are admirable as well as curious. They are mostly in outline, though come are shaded and a few coloured. The manlier is quaint, and the literal exactness of the imitations in-
creases this effect. The portraits resemble the heads of 110LBEIN, but with more of elegance in the style. Some coloured drawings of flowers have all the accuracy of botanical specimens and the finish of a
Dutch picture. The refinement and power of the painter's art is strikingly shown in a water-colour drawing of a Wild Duck (22), which as a piece of still life is inimitable : it combines the minutest fidelity
of detail with the relief and forcible effect of reality. There is no mannerism to impose on the eye ; all is fair, close imitation : it is the perfection of truth. A miniature landscape (25). is a curious example of that minuteness which in isolated objects of still life is so successful, but defeats its object when applied to scenes of external nature : the utter want of keeping and atmosphere in the picture produces a sin- gular confusion. The drawings of RAFFAELLE-a whole hundred-will he the next. We burn to see them. There is a rumour that Government intends to purchase the DA VINCIS -including the cartoon heads for the Last Supper-the Rarem.3.1.Es, and the Micitam, ANGimos, for the Na- tional Gallery. We hope it is well-founded. Their value as relics of art is inestimable, whatever their price may be.
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