9 JUNE 1838, Page 19

HOWARD'S ART OF PICTURE - MAKING.

colour as a Means of Art is a sequel to the Sketcher's Manual; and carries the student another stride onward in the royal road

to picture-making. In his first book, FRANI: Howaium showed the amateur the knack of giving pictorial effect in black and white to his rude sketch in pencil or sepia: proceeding from chiaroscura to colouring, he gives in the preseet volume recipes fur producing p innings coloured on the " principles " of the great masters of

different schools, with Musty Itive examples of their effects. Re- garded as a course of histi maim' to be practically followed, it is delusive and pernicious ; for the laws of nature are superseded by the tricks of art, and the student, instead of being directed to aim at truth of imitation, is taught only bow to make attractive eye- traps. The author in his preface complains of having been mis- understocd; and in explanation states, that these works " are ex- pressly intetitied for the amateur, or the beginner." Now it is pre- cisely iii these respects that we thisk them likely to prove injurious, by making dashing mannerists inid dextrous dressers. up of " effective pictures," at the expense of simplicity and originality of style and the correct representation of nature. But as a means of under-tanding the

prineiple" on which certain great psinters proceeded in making their

imitations of nature pleasing to the i ye, this volume is highly useful. It explains the rationale of tie art ; enabling the uninitiated to per- ceive the meaning of partienliir p itt i ial effects, and thus to enjoy the beauty of colouring that agpears at first sight inconsistent with nature. It shows that the rich glowing splendour of TerisN, the gorgeous hues of RUBENS, and the deep-toned sobriety of CARACCI—the cool Ermine gray of Manama and RessosEs, the transparest sunny glow of Barn amid Cells and the preternatural brilliancy of TURNER

are all referable to a peculiar mode of imitating natural appearances. If this be the author's object, it is an excellent one ; and admirably Las he accomplished it. That he considers the sacrifice of local truth to general effect neither right nor necessary, is evident from the following passage ; which we quote, as conveying in a few words the whole secret of true and false colouring.

" The art of composition, in regard to colour, consists in arranging objects in

such a manlier that their true colourkg will produce the combination requited by the principle adopted. The art of ton ninny of the artists of the present day consists in introducing the colours required, without any reference to their being found in nature or not." Tu muN E II, for example. " Fine colouring in the higher walks of sit, implies an adaptation of the general aspect or style of colouring to the expression and character of the subject : it then acquires the title of poetical colouring."

This is sound doctrine, and clearly conveyed. The plates illustrative of the different styles of colouring will at once call to mind the pervading tone and arrangement of the masses in pictures of the several schools; and, together with the explanation, furnish a key to the mystery of painting. An attentive perusal of this little volume will open a world of gratification to the unscientific lover of pictures; for in painting, even more than in music, a knowledge of the artist's intention, and of the system of proceeding, is essential to a right understanding of his meaning and a true feeling of his beauties.

NEW PRINTS.

THE first fruits of ALLOM'S nine months' sketching-tour in Turkey have appeared, in the shape of a few specimen-plates of a forth- coming periodical, publishing by Messrs. Fisntat, illustrative of Con- stantinople and the Seven Churches ef Asia Minor. The merit of the views consists in their fidelity, rather than in any charm of style ; though they are pleasing enough. 1 he scenes and objects themselves, however, are strange and striking ; and time work is of a popular kind, and cheap, moreover ; so that the refinements of art may be better dis- pensed with in this instance.

Constantinople, with its domes and minarets seen from the Golden Min, the stupendous Mosque of Sultan Santulli, with its clusters of domes, and the superb fountain in the Market-place, we are already familiar with in LEssirs's Sketches; but the grove of cypresses in the Great Cemetery of Scutari, where the trees look like petrifactions, and produce an appalling solemnity by the monotony of their forms and their sombre hues—the lofty crypt.like structure the Cistern of Con- stantine—mid the vast and magnificent interior of the Mosque of Sultan Achmet, crowded with Alussulmans on the occasion of raising the sacred standard of Mahomet—are equally new and interesting. Descriptions, by Mr. CA ltNE and the Reverend ROBERT WALSH, will accompany tile plates.

Mr. GEORGE LEWIS, the clever artist who accompanied Dr. DIBDIN

in his bibliographical tour, has commenced a series of Portraits of British Forest 7'rees, with and without their foliage. They ure drawn from nature, by measurement, with the minutest accuracy of detail, and also with a painter-like regard for pictorial effect ; and are copied on stone by the artist himself. Of the six plates forming the First

Number, five are oaks; including two noble specimens from Tiberton, Herefordshire, in their summer and winter aspect; and the sixth is an elm at Rotherwas, in the same county—remarkable for its immense size and the almost symmetrical ramification of its branches. The labour and pains bestowed on the drawings will be fully appreciated only by the arboriculturist the lovers of pictures may think them too exact and literal. The prints are intended also to illustrate the artist's Instructions for studying and drawing trees from nature. Few landscape-saiwers underst aid trees thoroughly ; their botanical character is not sufficiently regarded. The structure of the skeleton, the shape of the leaves, the forms of the masses, and the effect of light and shade peculiar to trees of each class, are all important ele- ments of the general resemblance. Most representations of trees partake more of the artist's manner than the character of nature : this is not the case with LEWIS'S "portraits," and they may therefore be studied with advantage both by the artist and the naturalist. The portion of letterpress in the first number is not sufficient to enable us to estimate the value of the author's instructions; but he seems to be on ' the right track.

REDGRAVE'S amusing picture of Gulliver in Brobdignag has been en- graved in a very effective mariner, with spirit and accuracy, by JAMES MOLLISON. Gulliver is on the table, taking off his hat and bowing to the old farmer ; who eyes Grildrig with wonder and amazement. -- This is the only representation we have seen that conveys the idea of Gulliver being an ordinary mortal in a gigantic country: he generally looks a Lilliputian in Brobdignag, and a Brobdignagian in Lilliput. The rough nap of the table-cover like green sward, a bunch of grapes the size of catnion-balls, a book as big as an ottoman, a pen that must have come from a goose equal to the roc that carried off Sindbad, and a child grasping a doll as big as Gulliver himself, attest the colossal scale of the surrounding objects. The lirobdignag gazers are too mistily indicated ; and perhaps arm enormous hand, or a pair of intense staring eyes, made out with microceoric minuteness, and appearing of such immense magnitude that there was not room for the rest of the face to be seen within the dimensions of the picture, might have been more effective. flowerer, the relative proportions are preserved, and the subject is humorously treated.

LAURENCE'S sketch of" Boz "—not that in time Exhibitimi, but one similar though more strongly like—has been lithographed with fidelity und spirit by WELD TAYLOR. All who have seen Mr. Charles Dickens will at once recognize the truth of the resemblance. A clear understandings acute perception, and grout force of character, are the intellectual qualities expressed in this face ; which has a frank, manly look, indicative of a healthful organization and kindly nature. Vigour and quickness of faculty, rather than profound and comprehensive reflection, distinguish the strongly-marked physiognomy ; but we see no traces of the vein of humour that runs through the author's writ- ings, unless it be lurking in time corners of the full rind irregular mouth.

The head is on a larger scale than the common run of vignette por- traits ; yet it makes a small print, for no space is wasted on coat and waistcoat. This is a great improvement, that we hope to see fol- lowed up.

LANE'S lithographs of CHALON'S whole-length portraits of the Queen and the Dutchess of Kent in the Royal Academy Exhibition, when coloured in imitation of the originals, have the appearance of beau- tiful water-colour drawings; and 'a most attractive pair of pictures they are, independent of the interest of the likenesses. The Queen in her lavender dress and black apron, with her hair parted smoothly over her forehead, is all simplicity and sweetness ; while her august mother, in white, with a bonnet full of blushing roses and pink ribbons, seated in a bower blooming with the flowers of spring, looks so bewitching that we wonder the garden-seat should have only one occupant.

Another rnedallion profile of the Queen, engraved in imitation of relief by the process of COLLAR, has been put forth by Mr. GLENNE. It is delicately modelled by WEEKES, from his bust ; yet the likeness does riot stiike us as being characteristic. The embossed framework is tastefully designed—the recumbent figures at the corners especially ; and the general effect is good.

A beautiful volume of Sketches of the Architecture of the Middle Ayes, by JOSEPH Nam, reached us too late fur notice this week.