PEEPS AT THE PRINT-SHOPS.
A VERY excellent portrait of Miss Mirronn, well engraved in mezzo- tint, by BROMLEY, from a painting by Joint Lucas, forms one of the most interesting objects which the print-shops exhibit. It is a striking physiognomy for a female, and very pleasing withal. The features are full and round, the forehead boldly developed, the eyes prominent, and the mouth expresses much sweetness and sensibility. It is such a coun- tenance as a woman of genius might well possess, and commands our Sympathy and admiration.
There are many faces of intellectual character which have not been engraved. Is this the consequence of the copyright system ? or are these speculations so unsuccessful ? The portrait of a man or woman of genius is not the least interesting comment upon the works of either, and it is a legacy which ought to be left to the world. Public characters—whether nobles or statesmen, actors or singers—find a ready market ; but the features of the poet, the musician, the artist even, are comparatively seldom placed before the world. To glance at the authors only, for instance—we have no really good engraved portraits of either So u THEY, COLERIDGE, WILSON, CROLY, HORACE SMITH, CHARLES LAMB, HAZLITT, BARRY CORNWALL, ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, ALARIC WATTS, THEODORE HOOK; and we are also left to conjecture the physiognomies of L. E. L. Mrs. HEMANS, JOANNA BAILLIE, Miss EDGE WOR T H, &c. The portrait of Mr. BAR TLE MAN, the bass-singer, is extremely well engraved, and has been published by his daughters ; but the poet SHELLEY'S subtle and imaginative countenance finds no record. Sir EDWARD CODRINGTON'S portrait, by LAWRENCE, is well engraved IR mezzotint by TURNER • but it has a courtly air, and the Admiral ap- pears to be doing the amiable; whereas Sir EDWARD is the beau idial of a British naval commander—erect and dignified, bold and commanding, with a bearing at once courteous and determined, and a walk as though on the quarter-deck.
"Master Williams Wynne. Drawn on Stone by W. SHARP, from a Sketch by Sir THOMAS LAwRENcE."—This is one of the most perfectly beautiful lithographic drawings from LAWRENCE that we have seen, not even excepting those of Mr. LANE. It is the bead of a fine boy, with a pleasing cast of countenance ; the original of which is the crayon sketch on canvas, the size of life, over which the artist would have painted, had be completed the picture. The drawing evinces consummate skill in the use of the crayon : the delicacy of effect, and the graceful flow of the lines, are particularly admirable. Mr. SHARP has executed his difficult task of making a reduced imitation of it, with singular fidelity and feeling ; the tints of the face are pure, and the eyes brilliantly relieve their quietness. The lithography is eminently successful. We hope Mr. SHARP will aid Mr. LANE in the production of more of LAWRENCE'S Sketches.
"Amy Robsart. Drawn on• Stone by W. SHARP, from an Original Painting by G. S. NEWTON, A.RA."—The portrait of a sweet girl, whose lovely countenance and its innocent expression well accord with the character in which she is represented. It is a beautiful picture, and admirably lithographed.
"Sir Thomas Lawrence. Sketched from Memory, by A. E. CHALON, R.A. Drawn on Stone by M. Gaucr."—A caricature likeness in profile, and ill drawn. Had Mr. CHALON wished to pay off a grudge that he owed the deceased, he could hardly have adopted a more effec- tive mode. It bears, however, a strong resemblance to the man.
HEATH'S " Historical Illustrations to the Novels, Tales, and Romances, by Sir WALTER SCOTT, Bart. Part the First. Guy Mannering."— We do not know why Mr. HEATH calls these illustrations Historical ; we should call them Pictorial. The designs are very pleasing, possessing rather poetical than historical character ; and are from the pencils of Messrs. STOTHARD, WRIGHT, RICHTER, and CORBOULD. Mr. WRIGHT's style is very agreeable : there is an ease and familiarity about it which give his compositions an unaffected air, while they evince much taste in grouping, skill in delineating character, and knowledge of effect ; he also renders coats, trowsers, and hats sightly, and modern faces interesting,—a task requiring considerable ingenuity. His style is formed partly upon STOTHARD'S : and in his composition and effects he successfully emulates that suavity of manner, and undulating flow of line, which characterize the veteran artist's designs. We observe some clever attempts of Mr. WRIGHT ill a series of " Forty Illustrations of Shakspeare," where he successfully competes with SMIRRE and STE. PHANOFF, and surpasses CORROULD, who, striving to be classics!, becomes merely academical, and consequently insipid and uninteresting. We would recommend Mr. WRIGHT to cultivate vigour and spirit in his drawing, and variety in his faces. " Burns's Tam O'Shanter, Illustrated by THOMAS LANDSEER."■ Mr. Tnosias LANDSEER'S pencil has been so accustomed to monkeys and other animals, that it can hardly be brought to delineate man. Not only are his figures almost monkey-men, but their faces have animal characteristics. The designs are clever, but too wild and confused even for a witch-poem. The hobgoblin scene in the Kirk at Alloway has merit, but is a little too extravagant. The best and most effective is Tam, and his grey mare Meg startled at the lightning. The scene in the alehouse is spoiled by the brutal countenances, and the monkey figure lighting his pipe. The wood engravings are excellent, especially the frontispiece, which is beautifully executed. "Studies from Nature. Sketched and drawn on Stone by G. BAR. NARD."—Mr. BARNARD is a pupil of Mr. IlAuunto, by whose excellent instruction• he has profited well ; for he evinces in these productions a good knoiviedge of effect, brilliancy, and neatness of style—taste in composition, and fidelity to nature. His lithography is admirable for purity of tint and felicity and freedom of drawing. We would vecom. mend him to study the human figure a little more: it is an essential part even of a landscape composition. " Seuor Juan de Vega, the Spanish Minstrel. Drawn on Stone by W. SHARP, from a Sketch by J. HATTER."—This is the very foreign- looking portrait of an English gentleman, who for ten months travelled through the United Kingdom in the disguise of a wandering minstrel. It is necessary to advise our readers, that this is not the Scotch amateur.. vagabond, of whom so much has been said, and so many bets made ; but which of the two is the original "Peter Bell"—the real" Simon Pure" —we cannot pretend to determine. One of them must certainly be a mere imitator, for no two rati"nal men, of one kingdom, possessed of character and respectability, could spontaneously have taken it into their heads to travel in forma pauperis for vanity's sake or a wager. It is very prettily lithographed; but the legs are certainly out of drawing.
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