FINE ARTS.
THE CONDEMNATION OF MARIE ANTOINETTE : PAINTED BY DELAROCHE.
A picture of this great historical subject, just painted by Paul Dela- roehe, has been on view at Messrs. Colnaghi's ; and is about to be en- graved in line, by the engraver of the "Napoleon Crossing the Alps "— M. A. Francois, of Paris—under the superintendence of the painter himselL The moment selected is when the discrowned Queen, having just heard her sentence of death pronounced, turns to leave the Convention, followed by the Republican guards, amid the howls and menaces of the spectators. In one face alone are there distinct traces of sympathy—that of a young gild to the extreme right of the composition, who gazes tearfully at the Queen. This head is earnestly expressive ; but it may be said that in Marie Antoinette's face and figure centres the whole interest of the work. The other personages, some dozen in number, are kept back by conventional tones of colour and an artificial disposition of the lights and shadows, and are indeed of themselves comparatively valueless. We cannot acquiesce in this system on the grounds either of technical at or of the proportion due to the subject : but that face and figure will compensate for much. With only faint traces of its old auburn in her whitened hair, with eyes red from watching and endurance, but unchanged by any immediate emotion, and unswerving from their forward gaze, her head erect on her erect neck, she walks straight on. There is silence on her face : to her judges and her enemies she has spoken for the last time ; and now scorn is stamped there final and su- preme-.-a scorn not indicated by any movement of the features, but the expression of her whole self. It is the scorn too of a queen at bay ; which will produce revolt and rage in the popular heart, and the deter- mination to bring it down anyhow, rather than remorse or compunction. Such is the main expression but it is complicated with nicer shades of feeling—disdainful pity and strong self-mastering effort and all are sub- dued, as well in the undemonstrative action of the figure as in the coun- tenance, beneath the calm mask of dignity. In 'virtue of this figure the picture IS a grand one, truly and highly historical.
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