FINE ARTS.
EXHIBITION OF THE NEW SOCIETY OF PAINTERS IN WATER-COLOIJES.
Excessive mediocrity, with the almost utter absence of remarkable pictures, has characterized the year's art-galleries hitherto ; and we can- not say that the New Water Colour Society is an exception to the rule.
Its affluence of figure-subjects, which had formed the prime distinction between this society and its senior competitor, seems to be on the wane ;
the declension extending unfortunately to quality as well as quantity. It is not to be called a bad exhibition ; but it is one which, three or four years hence, will scarcely live in the memory apart from the common run, in virtue of a single work.
Mr. Hagho stands decidedly at the head of the figure-painters, 'with a couple of designs, one of which especially would be remarkable from a
less accredited hand. The "Salle d'Armes in the Castle of Salzbmg " presents a military group of the early part of the seventeenth century, talking and lounging, not like mere talkers and loungers, though they are as unconstrained as other men, but with a true soldierly aspect over all.
The lighting of the hall, the architectural arrangement, and that of the groups, are exceedingly well managed ; and the execution of the whole is complete without any obtrusiveness. "The Happy Trio "—a young lady of the Stuart period playing to her lover, while her father dozes over his dessert—is less to our taste. There is some rich harmony of colour
in the sunlit red curtain and the whole left side of the picture ; but the gallant's cobalt doublet is somewhat crude, and the subject is not so worked out as to be of much value.
The President, Mr. Warren, is not in his happier vein. "The Walk to Emmaus," though rather well lighted and coloured, lacks all the higher requisites of the subject, whether in the conception of the personages or in incident. The lower limbs of Christ are either too short, or made to appear so by an injudicious disposition of the drapery. "An Augsburg Peasant-Girl with Fruit for the Market" is stony and supercilious, and "Danger "—an Indian girl sleeping in unenviable proximity to a snake — forced in attitude, without being elegant. Mr. Warren's "Fairies" are conceived with some quaint appropriateness ; being less like mere miniature men and women than those of most artists, at the same time that all approach to the monstrous is avoided. Mr. Corbould
is quite as deficient in feeling as usual ; while we have seen more dextrous displays of the sleight-of-hand execution which he bestows upon his works. "The Magic Mirror" represents Lord Surrey's vision of Ge- raldine, from the Lay of the Last Minstrel. The magic chamber is cram- med with the " rattletraps " of glamoury—vapours, and implements, and the enchanted circle ; but the human agents bear little trace of the mystic influence. The magician himself is far too small for his place on the paper. This is better, however, than "The Decision by the Flower "— the garden-scene between Faust and Margaret ; where Margaret is showy and meretricious, Faust silly, and Mephistopheles a puppet on wires. Mr. Wehnert contributes only a single design—a sketch illustrative of Longfellow's poem of "The Singers," where the, poetry of imagina- tion, of passion, and of devotion, is personified in three men. The
sketch is of the German kind—talented enough ; containing a number of compartments in which the incidents apposite to the case are intro-
duced. The tone of colour is aptly varied ; pure and joyful for the first section, glowing for the second, sombre for the third. Mr. Kearney has an ambitious subject in "The Fatal Statue"—a passage in the life of the sculptor Tcuzigiani; but the actions are poor. There is something of the
right character—what we call the Jesuitic—in the head of the Spanish nobleman. Mr. Keeling's and Mr. Weigall's illustrations of Scott are snore than indifferent ; and the latter 'gentleman does not send anything of greater than average merit in the way of animals. Mr. Augustus Bouvier sentimentalizes and prettifies "to the top of his compass, and nothing can well be conceived more nauseous than the affectations to which he has vowed himself: yet hints of what might be a better kind of prettiness peep out in "The Haunted Stream." From Mr. Absolon we have one of his most pleasing treatments in No. 243, where the lady manages her fan with much espigle coyness : but the lover is slurred over unpardonably. "The Nun "—a very boyish damsel—if she might be worse, might also be infinitely better. The two Spanish sketches are feeble and disagreeable. Among several small pieces,—of rather remote date, we fancy, in most cases —the "Gleaners," which has a nice indica- tion of sunset light, and "A 'found," are to be distinguished. Mr. Lee maintains his position by Mr. Absolon's side. "We shall soon be home" is a pleasant little group ; and in "The Loiterers" there is a very true expression of affection in.the girl's face. The artist's largest composition, "Happy Times—Straw-plaiting, near St. Albans," is the least satisfac- tory; the defects of coldness and stiffness in the colour being strongly displayed, and the faces ordinary. The infant, however, is extremely good. In Miss Egertou's three contributions we find less to look into than usual yet each has something which severs it from the merely commonplace,—especially the "Jenne Paysanne," (361,) with her alert look, Mr. Davidson shows to great, even to unusual, advantage in landscape. No. 33 does not fulfil the promise of its title, according to which "the sun sheds his kindest rays." But the piece is beautifully treated and finished throughout, from the country-path at the left to the trees which shiver in a light wind. "Barnard Castle, Durham," ranks perhaps as the highest subject the artist has yet worked upon; and is excellently and originally painted, with fine sentiment. On the Tees, looking towards Barnard Castle," is charming in its light airy daylight hues, and in the quiet narrow stream which indents its banks : and No. 233, "Homeward the rooks their weary flight are winging," has the true poetry of the subject. These are not by any means the only ones of Mr, Davidson's numerous contributions which might be singled out for special praise. Mr. Penley seems to have had a notion of joining the Preraphaelites ; but he has to learn that crude colour, stringy outlines, and spotty stippling, are not the essence of Preraphaelitism. In Mr. Carrick we discern unmistakeable advance. Both "The Peat Moss" and "In the Isle of Arran" contain bright crisp colour, well-defined form and couleur locale and some nice feeling in the figures. Mr. J. Cook has a calm sweet deepening twilight in his "Sunset in the mountains near Llanberris, N. Wales" ; and Mr. S. Cook—(are the gentlemen distinct ?) —a fresh cheerful sea and well-designed cliff-slopes in "A Breezy Day on the Sands near Torquay." Modest but most undoubted merit is the characteristic of Mr. Archer's "Oxford Castle—Moonlight" ; as quiet and silvery an effect as one may easily hope to meet with.
We must not quit the landscapes without glancing at the uncramped mastery of Mr. Bennett, varied this year by several little works in a lower key ; the artistic but somewhat slight and mannered contributions of Mr. Rowbotham junior ; those of Mr. Pidgeon, which in water-colour art bear affinity to what Mr. Clint is in oils the Italian amenities of Mr. Vaulter, and has more deep and effective "Shrine of Santa Rosalie, Palermo " ; the marines of Mr. Robins • and the sunny, if rather panty, pieces of Mr. E. G. Warren. Mr. Lindsay shows a capacity that may be worked to good purpose; Mr. Collingwood's "Mont Blanc, from the Lake of Geneva," though sketchy, is impressive ; Mr. Mole, in landscapes better than his domestic groups, shows a poetic eye for colour; • and Mr. Maplestone pushes a strong perception of subject a trifle too far. Miss Steers is, as usual, in the first rank for sweetness of colour and attractive touch.
Mr. Harrison Weir for animals, and Mrs. Marg,etts, Mrs. Harrison, and Mrs. Harris, for flowers and still-life, are as good as they generally are ; which implies no niggard praise.
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