2 MAY 1835, Page 16

PICTURES AND ARTISTS.

EXHIBITION OF THE SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER COLOLIRFI PALL MALL EAST.

Tars is the most universally popular picture-exhibition of any; and deservedly so, for it contains fewer bad pictures than any other, and a larger proportion of good ones. Moreover, it is the one best under- stood and most readily appreciated. Its prominent characteristic is the successful imitation of actual nature, principallyin landscape, for which water-colour is peculiarly well suited. The mind is not elevated nor the imagination excited by vivid creations of fancy or soul-stirring in- cidents of history ; but the eye is pleased by a succession of modest and truthful pictures of scenes that are always welcome for their fresh- ness, repose, and homely beauty. The very deficiencies of this exhibi- tion, which consist in the limited range of subjects and the iteration of style consequent upon the comparatively small number of its contri- butors, have the effect of making its impression more distinct and forcible. The unaccustomed eye is not distracted by a heterogeneous variety of modes a representing nature, or puzzled by the mixture of good and bad in the crude efforts of tyros. The artists composing this Society are all veterans, and accustomed to work together. Their very mannerisms, too, are respectable. We decidedly think this year's display the best. To enumerate all the good pictures is out of the question. Our notice must be con- sidered rather as a report of the progress of the respective artists than a guide to the exhibition. The visiter need not pass by any picture, though he will linger before some longer than others.

LANDSCAPES.

Foremost among the scenic pictures in mastery of execution and power of effect, is HARDIS.:*S large picture of " The Grand Canal, -Venice" (177). It is the gem of the collection. It has almost the solidity and force of oil painting combined with the transparency and aerial freshness of water colours, and is brilliant in tone without o'er- stepping the modesty of nature. The same subject has been treated by BONINGTON ; but the view is taken from a different point, and the two pictures have nothing in common but their excellence. The ar- rangement of the composition, the grouping of the figures, and the "making up " of the picture are most skilful. We only object to the snowy whiteness of the domes of St. Salute, which are not in perfect harmony with the tone of the rest of the picture ; but this rawness may be easily mellowed down. It is by far the finest work that HARDING has produced, high as his reputation already was. Being his only picture, he has put forth all his strength in it. Were artists to paint no more than they could do full justice to, they would make greater progress, and be less likely to repeat themselves. Some artists literally spawn. COPLEY FIELDING exhibits numerously, but never one too many to please; for though he repeats himself, we never tire of him. His two masterpieces are " View of the Weald of Sussex" (14), and " Bow Hill, Sussex" (151). Both are admirable for sobriety of tone and purity of style. The imitation of nature is perfect, and the effects are such as are most characteristic of our climate—fresh and bright, but cloudy. In Bow Hill, the light fleecy clouds, rising from behind the high ground that hides the horizon, convey a vivid idea of atmosphere and space on the other side. The smooth surface of the downs, varied only by patches of wood, and the fleeting shadows of passing clouds, are represented with the nicest truth. We think of TURNER'S splendours, and admire these chaste realities the more.

DEWINT, we regret to find, does not shine to so great advantage this year—perhaps because he has attempted too much. In his large pic- tures he is not successful. " Scaw Fell" (44), is lumpy, feeble in the foreground, and wants atmosphere. " Water-mill at Bampton " (68), is an elaborate drawing and a graceful composition ; but it wants the force of effect which we look for in pictures and find in nature. In simple rustic scenes, requiring little after study to convert the sketch made on the spot into a picture, Dewixr is at home. How charm- ingly true is this view of a village (80), and a lane at Kilburn (267). His view of Torksey Castle (31), is one of the most pleasing and ef- fective of his more extended views, though somewhat hard.

Cox's drawings are slight sketches ; but we never wish him to attempt further, lest he should lose that delicious freshness with which be pictures the distant shower, the mountain breeze, the flowing sea ;— be makes us feel out of doors. We cannot enumerate all the points of truth in his sweet little transcripts of nature and the elements. In one of his larger drawings, however, " Lancaster" (153), he shows he can paint sunlight as well as air and water.

Barmen' this year leaves "the shade of melancholy boughs," to bask in the full blaze of sunlight, at morning, noon, and eve. His at- mcaphere is luminous, but his land is not quite solid enough. We like his " Pastoral" (125), the best, because it is least artificial ; but we prefer him when he furnishes light and air to the rustic scenes of F. TAYLER. The sketchy style, and slight, transparent colouring of F. TAYLER, harmonize well with BARRETT'S pure atmosphere. In their two harvest scenes at morning and evening, on the plain of Stirling (43 and 105), Caledonia wears a bright sunny smile. F. TAYLER is not only skilful in his delineations of carts, cattle, and poultry, and all the accessories of the farm, but he draws the figure cleverly. What a vivid picture of the health and simplicity of pastoral life is this of a barefooted girl with two urchins crossing the mountain brook (247) ; and there are others like it, with equal truth and simplicity. EVANS has made a great stride since last year. He has gained in force and finish, and lost none of the freshness of his colouring and the freedom of his handling. Ile excels most in near objects, and fore- grounds,—witness his two tasteful sketches near Broderick, Isle of Arran (73 and 76); and his two pair of drawings of Poole (148 and and 158), and Christchurch (171 and 180). If PROUT be not successful this year, it is his misfortune, not his fault,—he has suffered severely from illness. He exhibits, however, besides some small sketches, one large and powerful drawing. " The Grand Canal, Venice" (27), looking towards the Rialto, which forms a prominent object in the picture. CHAMBERS, in his sea and river scenes, is nautically correct and cha- racteristic, as usual. His shipping and c. raft are buoyant, and the water beneath them is fluent and full of motion. A little more power of effect and brightness of colour would make their merits more conspi- cuous to the general eye—sailors will scarcely think them improveable .1. WHICHELO exhibits an .exquisitely-finished little marine picture—. VANDEVELDE in water-colours—" A Fresh Gale" (101).

Hoteeen--a name new to us in this Society—exhibits some deli- cately-pencilled foliage and foregrounds; in which, however, he displays a tendency to sacrifice masses to detail. His two views of " Green- wich " (313), and "Charing Cross" (320), are beautifully true and chaste in colour.

W. TURNER almost justifies the woolly texture of his paintings by

the breadth, force, and truth of his imitation of natural appearances.

es). We can only regret that an eye so apprehensive of atmospheric effects should be obeyed by a hand so mannered and mechanical. GASTINEAU'S drawings seem produced by recipe; and resemble each other more aan nature. Soorr, who has great force and breadth, has an alloy of the.drawing-master's manner, which lessens the truth and variety of his imitations. BENTLEY Las not yet found his way out of the false track that he has been pursuing. F. Nem is most pleasing in his little slight snatches of scenery. Messrs. FINCH, VARLEY, TRAMS FIELDING, HILLS, NESFIELD, and Itleceeezie, also exhibit drawings whose merits will not be unappreciated.

DESIGNS.

Here LEWIS takes the lead ; and we are happy to testify to a de. eided increase of power in his execution since last year. His figures are more animated, and better relieved ; though his peculiar manner is still too evident in the hardness and want of various texture of the dra- peries and other objects, and the opacity of his flesh tints. His pictures this year also are of Spanish life and character. Many of the persons in- troduced (females especially) are old acquaintance ; but we are very glad to see them again, nevertheless. In the " Spanish Posada after a Bull- fight" (131), the physiognomies and habits of the people as well as their costumes are depicted with characteristic feeling% The easy lounging posture and listless looks of the card-players, and the idle atti- tudes and air of the bystanders, who take just so much interest in the game as serves to keep them awake, convey a sense of the lazy, indo- lent feeling produced by the warm climate. The girl seated on the ground playing the guitar is admirably foreshortened. " Spanish Capuchin Monks preaching for the benefit of their Convent—Seville " (292), is a scene not less striking and nationally characteristic, and possessing a stronger interest.* The rapt enthusiasm of the preacher, the wily look of the graybeard who watches the dish for alms, and the indifferent air of the other two friars, point the moral of this picture of priestcraft. The various expressions in the faces of the group are de- lineated with equal nicety, and the spirit of the scene is brought out. Besides these two masterly pictures, LEWIS exhibits one equally striking, of a " Mendicant Friar receiving Alms" (266) ; and a pair of studies of a Spanish lady and peasant (288 and 297), full of life and character, and beautifully finished. These last are painted for Prince GEORGE of Cambridge : we are glad to see the signs of a good taste for pictures in a scion of Royalty. CATTERMOLE follows next ; and we congratulate him and his admirers on the exchange of his former vague and sketchy manner for a more definite and satisfactory style. "The Abbot" (152), is a powerful and spirited picture. The sensual ecclesiastic is sleeping off the fumes of repletion, surrounded, by the luxuries of art and nature, fanned by the fresh summer air, and read to sleep with a page of St. Thomas Aquinas, mayhap. A study of armour (5.2), and an ancient gallery in Naworth Castle (163), filled with relics, are also treated by CATTER- MOLE in a masterly manner.

JOsEPII NASH displays great talent in design, but not yet so much knowledge of the figure as is requisite. " Sir Halbert Glendinning and the Lady of Avenel" (41), is most successful in point of expression. Don Quixote, in 181, looks rather terrified than angry, and he is not stately enough. Melva°, in 172, is too clownish. Nasn's colouring is rich and powerful in effect, with a tendency to mannerism however. His knowledge of architectural detail shows to great advantage in his treatment of Gothic buildings.

STONE'S Falstaff (32), wants geniality ; he is as bard as a drayman : the Merry Wives, too, though gay, are not enough conscious of the jest they are playing. The picture is forcibly and brilliantly painted. The face of his Macbeth (165), vividly expresses the agony of conscience- stricken guilt ; it is haggard with terror. The way in which Macbeth holds the two daggers, in one hand, is a genuine touch of nature; but his attitude is too studied. The intentness of his wife's look is finely expressed in her action, for her face is scarcely visible: she appears self-possessed, yet seems to look and listen with breathless eagerness. Miss L. SHARPE is now Mrs. SEYFFARTH ; but she has not changed her style with her name. Her scene from Lau Rookh, of the young poet chanting one of his stories to the Princess, is quite worthy of the subject. The lady is just enough concerned to give interest to her lovely face, and old Fadladeen looks as dull and perplexed as some of his brother critics. The faces of the fair attendants are radiant with beauty; especially one with a wreath of roses, and another whose blight eyes are made more lustrous by a starting tear. Mrs. SEYFFARTH has portrayed the converse of her own situation, in " The Good Offer" (241), where an angry mamma is upbraiding an obstinate daughter for not receiving favourably an unwelcome proposal of marriage : the look, of the girl is not so MSS, however, BS to spoil her beauty. Miss E. SHARPE de- signs very cleverly, and paints with great power; but the expression in the faces in her pictures looks affected.

JOHN WILLIAM Witienr, we are sorry to see, has only two small draw- ings. His "Sunday Evening" (107), is a delightfully chaste and simple picture of a group of Cornish villagers of the better class : a widowed mother with a young daughter at her knee is hearing the Bible read by an elder gill. The characters and their expression are most delicately discriminated.

RICHTER raises a laugh at the conceit and asinine look of his "Mu- sical Amateur" (59); who, we guess by the way in which be holds his fiddle, is producing such a noise as may well make the laughing, good- natured girl stop her ears. The angry look of the dog is capital. HUNT'S studies of rustic character are as vigorous and as real as ever, but not so numerous. A Wood-cutter (19), is perhaps his best ; but the most amusing are two portraits of his pie-eating ploughboy of last season (79 and 86). In one, the chubby-checked urchin is intent on "a sum : " in the other, he is exhibiting his first essay in drawing, with a

smile of delight and satisfaction, which makes the effect of the school- boy's well-known geometrical outline of "the human form divine "—a circle for a head, a triangle for a body, and two right angles for legs

irresistiblyludicrous. HUNT'S interiors and studies of fruit are equally like actual nature. His melon and grapes are more ripe and tempting than'Bearnorosiew's ; whose fruit is not equal to his flowers, —they have the texture as well as form and colour of the living plants. But even HUNT'S fruit does not come up in power of effect to LANCE'S La the New Water Colour Society. In conclusion, we can only mention STEPHANOWS elaborate but ar- tificial pictures, and CRISTALL'S classic studies of Welsh peasantry. "The Loiterer" (66)—a charming mountain lass—one would wish never to proceed on her way.

• This picture is being engraved.

The Exhibition of the RoVAL ACADEMY, at Somerset louse, opens to the public on Monday.