FINE ARTS.
ROYAL ACADEMY NEWS.
Rumour is somewhat less busy than usual with the materiel and pro- babilities of the Royal Academy Exhibition : our readers are welcome to a week's foretaste of such gleanings as we.are in possession of. Among the Academicians—Leslie exhibits Juliet musing over the sleeping-draught : Maclise, Alfred in the Danish camp; a picture which, it is hinted, will show that this great artist does not, in pride of place, disdain to profit by suggestions of his juniors which be can appreciate by other standards than their mob-value. It is reported that Mulready sends a landscape, and Cope a Griselda,—the same incident, we presume, of which the cartoon has already been seen; and that Dyne and Herbert do not exhibit. Neither does landseer ; while Webster appears with three pictures. Roberts and Stanfield continue to represent landscape art; to- gether with Danby, Creswick, and Linnell.
The Associate band lacks one of its best champions—Mr. Egg. Ward sends, as a companion subject to last year's scene in the Temple, Char- lotte Corday going to execution. Mr. Frith has selected Pope making love to Lady Wortley Montague, and contributes also a smaller compo- sirion of his wife and child. Of Mr. Elmore's subjects, one, we hear, is conventual.
The Preraphaelites, strong in their principles, and confident in the vi- tality of these and their own powers of endurance, decline to be laughed down. Mr. Hunt exhibits an out-or-doors composition under the name of "The Hireling Shepherd "; Mr, Millais, the death of Ophelia, an in- ventive incident illustrative of the. Eve of St. Bartholomew, and a por- trait. Christ washing St. Peter's feet, by Mr. Madox Brown,—a very noticeable work—will be accompanied by a twilight meadow scene ; bath, as well as Mr. Collins's Act of Adoration of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, animated by the leading principles of the same school : and some newer aspirants will tend to show what are its chances in the way of prose- lytism. Hagar and Ishmael in the desert is the theme of Mr. Armitage: the trade in indulgences, we believe, that of Mr. Lear. Mr. Lucy has two works—the parting of Lord William and Lady Russell, and an illus- tration of Tennyson's Dora. Mr. Cave Thomas sends a mediceval street- scene with an incident from the life of Petrarch's Laura. Mr. Anthony appears prominently at the Royal Academy for the first time, with a fo- rest-scene of large dimensions and by no means secondary claims on at- tention.
The sculpture-room will contain a medallion head of Carlyle, and a design for a Wordsworth monument.
The three Academicians foredoomed, through their position as }flingers, to ill-construction--experience warns us against prejudging the question by saying misconstruction—are Messrs. Leslie, Redgrave, and. Creswick.
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