GERMAN EXHIBITION.
THE German pictures selected, according to the advertisements, from the academies of Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Konigsberg, and now ex- hibiting at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, do not adequately represent the merits of the school. In point of interest this exhibition is far inferior to those displays of German pictures which, under Mr. Gam. bart's auspices, took place some few years hack in Bond-street. Many of the pictures here gathered together look like the sweepings of the studios. Some have been painted years ago, some are actually crack- ing, others are worthless. Of historic pictures with any pretensions to excellence there is but one—good domestic pictures are scarce. Animal painting and landscape are the only branches of art at all worthily represented.
The most important figure picture in the room is one by Professor, Rosenfelder, President of the Royal Academy, Konigsberg, The Electress Elizabeth of Brandenburg surprised by her Husband, Joachim I. while secretly taking the Sacrament." The priest, robed in black, is administering the chalice to the Electress, who heels at the foot of the altar in a white satin robe of simple yet piquant fashion. The figures are the size of life, well drawn and painted, but lacking movement and vivacity. Their want of action is, however, amply atoned for by Joachim, who enters through a tapestried door in the background. He waves his arms "windmill- fashion," and disturbs by his theatrical gestures the otherwise digni- fied treatment of the picture. "Mary Magdalene" is an academic study by Herr Hommel. " Reminiscences of Past Happiness," by Herr Amberg, is a sentimental young lady in a black dress contem- plating some initials enclosed in a pair of hearts which have been carved on a tree-trunk by the departed lover. " A Solitary Walk" represents a girl in light summer dress pacing an um- brageous garden-walk, attended by a little spaniel who carries her work-bag. The sunlight plays through the foliage, chequer- ing the path and glancing on the girl's white dress. The re- flected unlit on the face is painted with truth, and the landscape is good in tone and colour. " Ariadne," by Herr Grad, is a coarse, ill-favoured woman in white and amber robes, with an ivy-wreath in her hair. She looks profoundly melancholy, and being very badly painted, it is only natural that the gazer should adopt a sympathetic expression. Scarcely better is "St. Cecilia," by Herr Kornek, who is, however, mere satisfactory in a work: of humble pretensions, "Children Playing." "The Unwelcome: Guest," a dog eating the bread-and jambelonging to a child, and- " Rustic Amusement," boys piping with reeds gathered from a stream, by Herr Dornschke, are bad, vulgar, and common-place. if sold at a price considerably above their real value, they would scarcely realize the cost of their transit from the country in which they were manu- factured, yet here they are placed conspicuously on the line. Herr Sondermann is the only worthy representative of the domestic school. " Domestic Happiness," though not to be compared with any work of Frere, is nevertheless pleasing in its honesty. The scene is laid in a peasant's cottage. The baby has just had its bath; the mother guides' it along a wooden bench which surroauds the earthenware stove to the father, who pauses in his smoking to toy with the first-born. The picture is carefully painted throughout, but the heads are very defi- cient in expression. Herr Schultz exhibits several pictures, chiefly of military incidents. " The Dying Chief" shows a Highland officer expiring in the arms of a private while he gazes at the inevitable miniature. In "Foraging Party of Hussars," a mounted and drunken trumpeter is the principal figure. He holds a bottle up to the light to see if it still contains anything worth notice. To his saddle-girth is tied an ass laden with panniers containing wine. Beyond, a soldier has succeeded in twining the lash of along whip round a goose's neck and is about to secure the prize. Others are driving cattle, &c. These pictures, and others under the same name, are coarsely and heavily painted, though occasionally displaying. afair notion of character. Loose drawing is also perceptible now and then, as in the donkey's body, which is of such extraordinary depth as to exceed the length of its legs. It was ill judged on the part of the management to exhibit the small pieces from the hand of the late Professor Stilke. They are very indifferent specimens of that painter and will convey to the Eng- lish public but a feeble idea of his powers. Herr Gemmel's " Interior of St. Mark's" is capitally painted. The conflicting lights from the sun and the lamps are very skilfully managed. It is cheering to find that plagiarism flourishes in other countries than our own. Professor Heyden, in his "Praying Monk," has exactly copied Zurbaran's " Monk," the original of which, unfortunately for the Professor, hangs in our National Gallery. The comparison he provokes will certainly not detract from the reputation of Znrbaran. " The Meeting of Wellington and Blucher on the Night of Waterloo," by Professor Rechlin, is one of those battle pictures which everybody can imagine for himself. The shot-torn trees, the dead and dying soldiers, the rearing horses, battalions performing incomprehensible movements, are all there, as they have been in all battle-pieces ever
since battle-pieces were first painted. The generals, as usual, occupy the centre of the picture, and by some providential arrangement, i
though the moon is rising and everybody else is dimly discernible in the gloom, they. are illumined by brilliant sunlight. "Hamlet and the Gravedigger," by Herr Schowett, is not Shakspearian according to English notions. Hamlet is decidedly "fat and scant of breath," and of intellect, too, to judge from his face. Horatio, equally fat, resembles Henry the Eighth in features, and is much too old. The gravedigger is tame and common-place. Professor Steffeck under- stands animal form well. His execution is dull, heavy, and methodi- cal. "Sorrowing Maternity" represents a mare lamenting over a dead foal. In the " Equestrian Portraits of the Prince of Prussia and Princess Royal ofEn.„01and" the painter has certainly not flattered the Princess. "Comfortable but rather Warm" has a certain amount of humour. A Skye terrier is sitting by a cylindrical stove which is rapidly becoming red-hot. The increasing warmth tells upon the animal. He begins to pant for breath, but why doesn't he move fur- ther off ?
There is fun, too, in Count von Krockow's " Wild Sow and Young." The mother, accompanied by her grunting small-eyed progeny, is marching solemnly through a wood. A tiny porker heading the band is trotting along in a very consequential and comical manner. " Hun- garian Horses at Play" is the largest and, on the whole, the best animal picture here. The painter is Herr T. Schmitson. A number of heavy-hoofed, "roman-nosed" horses are snorting, prancing, and rearing on a common to their hearts' content. The main group is employed in chasing two dogs, one of which appears to have received a kick. The actions of the creatures are vigorous and faithfruolli drawn, the general effect brilliant and sunny. The rutted road barred with alternate sun and shade is almost deceptive. "A Boar Hunt," by H9rr Arnold, is clever and spirited. In landscape Herr Bennewitz von Loefen occupies the first place for local truth, simplicity, and freedom from conventionality. "A Beech Forest" shows much close and reverent study of nature and rich colour. "Farmhouse" and "Landscape" will charm by the simplicity of their materials and ingenuous treatment. "Loading Hay by a Canal," in which the long lines of flat bank are broken only by the masts of the barges, is equally good. The clouded da obscures the sun. Silvery daylight is admirably rendered. "Cattle at the Brook in the Forest of 'Fontein," by Herr 9ckel, is second only to the works just mentioned. The brook occupies the foreground. A neatherd, in blue blouse and goatskin cloak, blows his' horn to summon the cattle to the water • some are drinking, while others ap- pear on the brow of the slope leading to the brook. Gracefully slender larch-trees in the middle distance are backed by a bright fleecy clouded sky. This is a masterly and veritable piece of work. The sea views of Herr Esche deserve special notice. His drawing of waves is particularly good. " The Sands of Nen Werke," is, per- haps, the best of his four pictures. " A Landscape, with Cattle,' is clever, but mannered. " The Convent of St. Benedetto," by Herr Valentine Ruths, is well drawn and powerfully treated. " Tangiers," Itty tett. Wodeck, and " Castle Sondrio," by Herr C. Seiffert, hough somewhat hard in style, are full of conscientious elaboration. Bad landscapes will be found in plenty. " View of Florence," by Herr Briickeflooks suspiciously like those questionable pictures which are hawked about by Jews in the City. A group in marble of " Hagar and Ishmael," by Professor R. Beggs, is the best of the few pieces of sculpture. The emaciated form of the boy is well modelled, and sufficiently true to nature without being repulsive. It will be gathered from the above remarks that there is little ori- ginal talent displayed in the one hundred and twenty works collected in this gallery. It is to be hoped that a more intelligent and rigorous method of selection will be adopted for the future, in case this expe- riment of establishing an annual exhibition of German art should succeed. If we are to have foreign pictures exhibited here, we have at least a right to expect that they be good. Our home supply of pictorial rubbish is unfortunately already more than enough, without receiving importations of fifth-rate pictures from the Continent.
DRY POINT.
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