25 MARCH 1843, Page 20

WILKIE'S ORIENTAL SKETCHES.

THIS volume of lithographic fac-similes of a selection from the sketches made by Sir Davao WILKIE during his tour in the East, is interesting, not only on account of these sketches being among the latest produc- tions of his pencil, but because they exhibit the great painter of Scot- tish life and character in a new field for the exercise of his genius, and on which be entered with a deep religious feeling. WILKIE seems to have considered that the want of Oriental characteristics in the Scrip- ture pieces of the Old Masters was a serious disadvantage ; and he medi- tated the production of a series of paintings from Sacred History in which this deficiency should be supplied. With this object he went to the Holy Land, for the purpose of studying the physiognomy of the people of the East, their costumes, buildings, and modes of life ; and of visiting the scenes of the great events in the life of Christ which he intended to represent : the present volume includes some of the studies he made for his intended pictures, with others of miscellaneous character.

The mistake of supposing that by portraying national and local pecu- liarities in representations of the sublime subjects furnished by the Bible, they would be rendered more impressive by such approximation to literal truth, shows the matter-of-fact tendency of WILKIE'S mind : confounding history with portraiture—the ideal with the actual—he overlooked the obvious considerations that the sentiment and expression of a picture of any great event determine its impressiveness ; and that the observance of petty details tends to lessen the grandeur of the idea by pinning down the attention to unimportant particularities, which should be lost sight of in contemplating the great whole. The two sketches for pictures of " The Nativity," and "Christ before Pilate," exemplify the fallacy of Wroux's theory, and the unfitness of his genius to deal with such subjects: but they are curious, as illustrations of misdirected powers. It is extraordinary that the head which WILKIE chose as his model for Christ is that of a " Persian Prince"; this is in direct violation of the principle upon which he started.

The most striking sketch in the volume—indeed, in point of expres- sion it has all the qualities of a picture—is " The Tatar relating the news of the Capture of Acre." Whether the scene be an actual or imaginary one, we know not ; but it is highly dramatic, and full of character. The scene is a coffeehouse in Constantinople ; pipes are laid aside, and the smokers bend looks of astonishment and incredulity, mingled with stronger feelings, on the narrator, who appears to resent the general disbelief. A more characteristic and animated group WILKIE never depicted : the feelings of each individual are visible in his countenance, and the startling effect of the tidings is exhibited with the intensity of momentary sensation. " The Letter-writer of Con- stantinople" is also characteristic ; but the two women listening to the contents of the letter, like all Wir.arres females " have no character at all." There are some sketches of ladies—" Three Greek Sisters." " Madame Ginseppina," the beauty of Peru, who was the artist's hostess at Constantinople, and " Mrs. Moore," the wife of the British Consul at Beyrout, which display more than usual elegance of style : but they appear deficient in individual truth ; we have no faith in the likenesses. Of the male portraits, the Dragomans of several Consuls are much more interesting persons than their masters, and are vigo- rously hit off. The two most striking studies of character, however, are a " Sheik who accompanied Sir David Wilkie to the Red Sea "- an Arab of commanding presence ; and the " Daughter of Walker Bey in a Turkish dress "—a sweet little child, who looks with timid scrutinizing gaze from out the chrysalis of muslin and embroidery in which she is swathed.

The lithographic fac-similes are by JOSEPH Ness ; who has preserved the character of the originals with fidelity and spirit, and rendered the coloured sketches into black and white very skilfully.