NEW PICTURES AT THE BRITISH INSTITUTION.
SECOND NOTICE, IN CONCLUSION.
THE pleasantest part of our duty is to point out the indications of rising talent—to call public attention to the buds of promise that from time to time peep forth in the garden of art. There are two pictures in the present exhibition that drew our attention again and again, and inte- rested us beyond what their mere executive merits bad the power to do: we had marked them for notice, of course ; but it was not till we came to write about them that we perceived they were both the work of the same artist, and one whose name is new to us—C. W. COPE : it bids fair to be most welcomely familiar. They are " Mother and Child," (154), and " A Capuchin Convent-door, at noon," (410): both are remarkable for that finest quality in a picture, expression, and they are carefully and elaborately painted, though the execution is somewhat crude and feeble, as if the painter were young and timid. The ab- stracted look of the mother, while, with hands crossed on her breast as if in prayer, she gazes with pensive fondness on her sleeping infant, is touchingly expressed. The troop of armed men in the distant land- scape tells that this is now the wife's only comfort. The child is a beautiful study: its limbs are round and its flesh glows with health; but it is not in all respects so perfectly life-like as the bands, whose little fingers are relaxed in sleep. The pallid cheek of the mother contrasts well with the rosy hue of the infant. The scene at the con- vent-door reminds us of EASTLAKE. Two monks are serving out soup to a group of Italian beggars. The old man seated on the ground eating his mess with a look of grateful satisfaction, the woman leameg against the doorway with a face of sorrowful resignation, and the old blind grandame, led by the little girl, are admirable fur the delicacy aid truth of character : the unconscious children in the group complete the reality of the scene. The sidelong glance of the monk who is going in, as if calculating how many more candidates for the convent bounty remain, is a happy touch of nature, amid conveys an idea of what is beyond the picture-a point that is seldom regarded. The sober richness of the colouring, and the purpose and painstaking evinced in these pictures, augur favourably of the taste and feeling of the artist. There are a few other Historical and Poet:cal designs ; but their merits overbalance their defects : ex. gr. final's " Young Alfred" (87), is somewhat theatrical; JONES'S " Masaniello" (366), is alto- gether so. " Sir Henry Lee and his Family witnessing the Progress of Charles the Second after his Restoration " (-164), by J. NASII, looks too like a group of portraits after VANDYKE: the characters are not influenced by the spirit of the scene ; the execution, moreover, is man- ,. nered-all the oljects are of one texture. "Dunstan and King Fahvy " (255), by hoops, is utterly deficient in expression. " Lady Jane Grey going to Execution " (408), by CHISHOLM, is feeble and lachry- Inoe. " Sterlle'S Maria" (38), by C. LANDSEER, is not STERNE'S Maria ; for besides being tau modern-looking, her sorrow is not real.
COMIC SUBJECTS AND SCENES OF FAMILIAR LIFE.
In these the painters are more successful ; though their efforts are slight, and the subjects are in many cases hardly worth the pains be- stowed upon them. ItICHTER has told the story of " Gines de Passe. monte stealing Sancho Panza's Ass "(94), very humorously, though not in an original manner. Sancho sleeps snugly on his propped-up saddle, and the knave grins with roguish delight as he leadsDapple stealthily from under his load ; while the Knight in the distance, leaning on his lance, seems in no danger of waking: be and Rosinante are both fast asleep. EEDGRAVE'S " Gulliver" (456), is capital : be is properly dressed in the old-fashioned military costume, and looks the size of an ordinary mortal, notwithstanding the gigantic grapes and wasp, the wand of a pen, and other colossal etceteras prove his comparative diminutiveness. The Brobdignags, however, are failures. " Rehearsing a Tragedy " is one of Buss's comic extravaganzas, which never fail to provoke a laugh. The hero who, like Bottom the weaver, is to play the Lion's part, is rehearsing in full costume, only he has laid aside his head to enable him to roar with greater vigour. The best praise of the artist is that so utter an absurdity as a spectacled wigbt buttoned up in a lion's skin, and roaring out of a book, should seem probable. The gusto of his drollery is the effect of his being in earliest. " The Village Jeweller" (241), by WEBSTER, is a good study of a Jew pedlar, delicately painted : the look and air of the young fellow showing the ring to the girl is exactly characteristic olu country gallant. " The Landlord's Friend " (2), by FRASER-an innkeeper discussing the merits of a fresh tap of October with a knowing " ale-conner "-is a capital piece of painting ; for though the still-life part of the scene is a little too ostentatious, the looks of the two tapsters tell the incident. his " Interior of a highland Shepherd's Cottage, in Winter" (416), with the powdery snow drifting in us the door opens to admit the shepherd and part of his dock, while the pot is boiling at the other end, with the wife and children seated round the tire, is a characteristic scene. " Returned from Kirk " (126)-the old widow of one of the Covenanters con- templating the broaci.s‘eord affil 1 och:111er axe of her gudeinan-is a forcible study of character by DANcoea. " Christmas Cheer" (159) -an old woman plucking a goose-is one of CLATEIt'S best bits of painting. Aliss wiA JoNEs's studies of a lishwoman of Dieppe (129), and " Fisherman's Children " (158), arc bold and individual: the style of painting is still, however, too coarse, though the Ilesh tints are more clear than before. There are two small studies of fishermen by STEED- SIAN (7), and PARKER (421), Of great merit. A Swiss girl rowing a boat of garden stuff across the Lake of Then (27), is a pretty rustic " Lady of the Lake," by J. J. CHALON. " Theresa, the Vine-dres- ser's Daughter " (164), by UWINS, is a modern Bacchante, but sober and staid : the head is too set and bust-like for a painting. A portrait of a young man in an antique dress, by JOHN WOOD (453), is ex- tremely well painted, though the attitude is stiff and the face wants expression. Two little girls in Vandyke dresses-" Pets," 229, by Mumessrots-make a pretty picture ; and it is painted in a much better style than some others by the same artist, which are hard and fitly.
LANDSCAPES.
Modern English landscape-painters give the truth of nature, but not the whole truth. TURNER sacrifices details to general effects : he paints the elements; and only shows substantial objects inasmuch as they are necessary to produce the effect he desires,-see his " Wreckers" (53), and " Fire of the House of Lords " (69), passim. CONSTABLE is literal and rich in detail, but he sacrifices the truth of his imitations of local objects to that absurd notion of his own that he imitates the freshness and sparkling brilliancy of sun after a shower by sprinkling his canvas with white spots, as if a shower of sleet were falling,-see his " Valley Farm " (43). In carrying out this principle, he has, we are told,.attained to the unenviable distinction of never selling a pic- ture; and we dare say he boasts more proudly of it than EDWIN LAND- SEER does of the reverse. These are extreme cases, it is true ; but the present exhibition furnishes us also with a variety of others. LEE, for instance, is one of the truest painters of an actual view, and his green landscapes are thoroughly English in character. What a homely rustic scene is this in Penshurst Park (144), with the light seen through the trees, and the distant cottage ! How cool and fresh is the air in this picturesque view of Stoneypath Castle (136): but the imita- tion either goes too far or is not near enough ; for the trunks of the trees are real, but the foliage is as hard as they, while the freshness of the grass and clouds is obtained by the absence of warmth. His view of Whittinghame (403)- so faithful-looking that the estate might be sold from it - is also an example of an occasional meagreness and poverty of style. His marine view (341), is made more cold-looking by the brightness of the fish in the foreground : it is a coldly correct representation of stormy weather, and elaborately finished. STARK, who has made a great advance in truth of representation and executive skill, exhibits two views in Norfolk -" Marum Hills" (175), and " Coast Scene near Cromer" (194)-in which the sandy soil, with a scanty covering of grass, is imitated with minute accuracy ; and the general aspect of the scene is conveyed also : it has air and day- light ; but in these the light is cold, though bright. Where there is sun there must be a degree of warmth, even in frost : coldness in the aspect of nature is comparative. TURNER is the only landscape-painter of our time that paints the warm glow of sunlight to perfection. LINNELL has given a splendid burst of sun in " Evening " (348), but the trees are on fire : the effect of the slant rays and approach- ing twilight is well represented, however, and a sense of repose is con- veyed. 'There is a mellow twilight effect by O'CONNOR (375), also, that is truth itself; and a sunset by R. T. BONE (217), that has the warm tone of nature, though it is poorly handled. Coming from these glowing pictures, one feels a chill at looking at the landscapes of STARK and LEE. "Clifton" (128), by PYNI:, is the artist's best work; it is °Illy a little deficient in keeping. " Water-mill " (75), by WITHER.. INGTON, also wants unity of effect. There are three large and carefully-painted landscapes by STANLEY (152), Cesswies (108), Nes (98) ; but they all want sunlight. Itoilears's view of the Al- }iambi a (1), like all his out-door scenes, wants atmosphere, though less than somethe sunny effect is confined to the foreground. Mas- terly as is his treatment of architectural subjects, his pictures lack that variety and vivid truth which only the effects of nature can give. ALFRED VICKERS has similar defects, which destroy the interest of his view of Cracow (430). F. C. Lewis's cold blue green helps as much as his peculiar mannerism to lessen the value of his otherwise charmingly mineral sketches,-such as "Endsleigh" (pa). hoelats's views are faithful and pleasing, and they are less cold than hard in tex- ture-ride 434. LINToN's view of Windermere (135), is aerial, and not chilling; it is only too misty and faint. A flood of genuine sunlight poured through them all would have a most magical effect : light and warmth are essential to landscape.
CATTLE
SIDNEY COOPER'S cattle-pieces and Woonwann's horses and dogs are only inferior to LANDSEER. The drawing and grouping of the animals, the texture of the various coats of the cows, sheep, goats, and asses, in COOPER'S miniature pictures, are unexceptionable. " Milking" (16'2), is a bright sunny meadow scene : his mountain view, " Cross Fell, Cumberland " (347), wants atmosphere ; but the figures as well as the cattle are admirably painted. " Welch Haymakers" (116), by WoonwAno, is a charming bit of rustic life : time girl sitting on the horse dragging the sledge of bay reminds us of STOTHARD'S women. It is most tenderly painted : the horse's coat is too silky, perhaps : the colt is capital. The King's Ox-Stable (481), by W. H. DAVIS, is powerfully painted ; and BARRAUD'S Cavalier waiting for his adversary at the place of meeting (425), is almost good enough to take the pic- ture out of the ,class of animal subjects.
STILL LIFE.
LANCE'S fruit is as juicy and blooming as ever ; he exhibits severe heaps that charm the eye and make the mouth water. The texture of the surface', however, is not always so true to nature as is the rich deep tone of colour. LANCE having shown that lie can paint fruit to per- fection, we are bound to insist upon it. Cosss follows in this line, though at humble distance. " Carp " (343), by IlAwsixs, are real, if not alive.
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS.
ScAnt.IITT DAVIS is iniancoadied in this class of' subjects : his in- teriors of the Florence Gallery (475), and of the Church of St. Bavon, are all but perfection. Time tones of the paintings in the Florence Gallery are imitated with surprising truth. These pictures are some- what slightly painted, but their effect is wonderful.
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