24 JANUARY 1846, Page 19

FINE ARTS. THE world of art, acknowledging the influence of

the seasons in the world of fashion, already gives signs of unfolding its pictured beauties; and in artists' ateliers, print-shops, and exhibition-rooms, the business of showing and selling is actively beginning. The British Institution—Alpha and Omega of art-shows--will soon open with a display of the doings of the oil-painters during the last nine months. This gallery is the best of any for seeing pictures comfortably and to advantage; and with good manage- ment it might become the most attractive both to the producers and the seers of pictures. The prospects of the publishing season are rather pro- mising—judging from the glimpses one gets of the printsellers proceedings: there appears more of the art of picturing and less of that of humbug than used to be the case. Among the fine prints about to be issued, are four, of a large size, after Wilkie; and Mr. Joseph Nash has far advanced towards completion another volume of Wilkie's Sketches. His well-known picture of the Village Festival, in the National Gallery, has been engraved, for the first time on a scale suitable to its importance; the Queen's First Council, and Sir David Baird at Seringapatam, are in a state of forwardness; and proofs of the Village School have been issued to the subscribers. This last picture, which Wilkie left half unfinished, has been completed from the painter's sketches, by Mr. Burnet; who has engraved the plate in line, in a rough but vigorous manner. The character of the old schoolmaster, "severe and stem to view" as ever Scotch pedagogue was, is depicted with Wilkie's happiest skill and greatest force; and the scene viewed altogether is worthy of the painter, if it were only for the admirable composition and arrangement of light and shade. The action of the boys is better than the character and expression of their faces; for either painter or engraver has performed the proverbial impossibility of putting old heads on young shoul- ders. Webster is the artist who would have done most justice to the sub- ject and to the painter; for he reads the heart of childhood, and his pictures reflect "the sunshine of the breast" that glows in the cheek and beams in the smile of infancy. But the difficulty of the task renders one anxious rather to appreciate the merits than dwell on the defects of Mr. Barnet's share in the work.

Catterniole's Sketches are now about to appear; Mr. Griffith, of Pall Mall, having added these matchless lithotint drawings to the attractions of his gallery of water-colour paintings. Signor 'foschi's line-engravings of Correggio's Frescoes', at Parma, are conspicuous ornaments of Messrs. Col- naghi's new print-room in Pall Mall East. Edwin Landseer, of course, has furnished his quota of pictures for the engraver; and his vivid sketch of the dripping stag startling some wild-fowl from the sedges on the border of the lake that he has just crossed in the twilight, has been rendered in mezzotint with striking effect. These productions of sterling quality in- cline one to hope that the days are over for such ludicrous displays of incapacity as Mr. Salter's Waterloo Banquet; which, in the black and white of the engraving, appears in all the poverty and nakedness of the painter's utter destitution of skill and talent. It is not the names of Wilkie, Landseer, and Cattermole, but the exquisite art of these great painters, that makes their works popular in the present day, and renders them per- manently valuable; and those are short-sighted speculators who rely for success more on the gullibility of the public than the influence of genius. The study of art is now pursued by ornamentists and amateurs as well as by artists, with zeal and energy that only need right direction to attain satisfactory results. The drawing-gallery in Maddox Street is fully at- tended in the day by amateurs, and in the evening by the students of the School of Practical Design; and the classes are so arranged as to include learners in different stages of proficiency. The efforts of the young men who were excluded from the Government School of Design, to establish a self-supporting school open to all corners, have been hitherto successful, so far as numbers are an indication of success. What they will accomplish in the way of self-improvement, with their limited means and opportunities, remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, a light shines from out the darkness in another quarter, whence it was least expected: a ray of truth has actually penetrated through the dense fog of ignorance and prejudice that shrouded the Government School of Design. Mr. George Wallis, Principal Master of the Manchester School of Design, has published a Letter to the Council, developing a system of instruction, so sound, rational, and complete, that if his plan be carried into operation, the success of the Manchester School will be such as to make that place the centre of ornamental art as well as the focus of free trade. We commend this pamphlet to the attentive perusal of all who take an interest in the progress of art-teaching; for although upon one or two points we differ from Mr. Wallis, in the main his views and opinions are enlightened and correct. We incline to think, that if he had not been restrained by endeavours to shape his course of instruction as near as he could to that followed by the mis- director of the Government School, Mr. Wallis would have done more justice to his subject. And this attempt, if intentionally made, has been unavailing: the bats and owls of Somerset House have already uttered screams of dismay at the light let in upon their haunts; and if it be in the power of the Council to effect the removal of Mr. Wallis, they will do it. He is one of those teachers who are dreaded as "too efficient." Let the Manchester men look to it. If they would do for art what they have done for cotton and corn, they can—with the aid of Mr. Wallis.