LEWIS'S SKETCHES OF THE .“.11AMBRA.
JOHN Lewis, whose admirable pictures of Spanish life and character have excited so much attention in the Water-Colour Exhibition, has just completed the publitation of his Sketches If the Alhambra. They consist Of twenty-five views of the exterior and interior of this splendid
anion of Moorish magnificence; showing its towers, courts, and halls, and the whole vast pile in various points of view. Combining all that is stately and elegant in form and sumptuous in enrichment, the Al- hambra affords fine scope fur the pencil of the artist ; and Mr. (.camas has exercised his with spirit and freedom : the result is a volume of clever and attractive sketches. The artist has seized upon the most picturesque points of view, and those in which the various parts of the building are seen in connexion with each other ; so that its prevailing character and general effect as a whole are preserved in almost every sketch. The architectural student may desire greater precision of draw- ing and more exact minuteness in the details ; but that is not the object of the present work, which is intended to convey the general impression made upon the mind and eye of the beholder by this magnificent struc- ture in its present ruined state. 'fine lover of the picturesque, therefiwe, will prefer these seemingly slight and hasty sketches, thrown on the paper off-hand, to cold and formal drawings, though more elaborate. In these we are made to feel the spirit of the scene. In fancy, we lounge in the lofty halls with the smart muleteer, loiter beneath the shade of the arcades with the lazy priest, and sit by the side of some dark-eyed beauty looking out on the lovely scene around. We seem to enjoy the cooling effect of tine winter that fills the marble courts and hear the plash of the fountain ; and the eye is almost refreshed by the sober green of the myrtles in contrast with the bright glare of sunlight on the building and the intense blue of the sky above. Nothing but colour, indeed, can convey an adequate idea either of the gorgeousness of the interior decorations or the glowing splendour of the scene oast of doors; but all that black and white can do, aided by neutral tints. Mn'. 1.1.ttt has accomplished in these sketches.
line prints ain• lac-similes of the originals ; and they have the appearance of being the actual sketches themselves, made on tinted Paper, relieved with white, mid mounted on 13iistol-board. This effect is prodomed by printing an neutral tint, the colourof the paper (In which the original sketch was made, over the lithographieflrasring ; the bright lights being scraped out limn the tint, so that they tell like the white villa upon the et lend grimed. 'Piens an 1/ONS:(•1 eiriTt laf sun and shade is pro,:ii..ed, and the farce of the donaving is heightened by a rich, warm tone. As the slues's-fel effect of this ',recess depend-, molly on the printer, it is but fair to iliestion that the lithoereelly is from the mess if It i-, Nit in h iin vr, the first specimen of the kind, of any tent, that has !reed ; and its t frectivenc.•s has ::!ready indtie.. 1 t'a. • r re'-rut to it. hall nIN(....■ fortlaceming slieteltes, and ast • a • :. • a, ;n:IIO, 1% ill In' printed in this ayes.. Its ad- vantages to tI -0—he van halve:WV tint Le please.,. int l in the niana.e i the 1,;•,, ht. he elves the efreet of his ()wit handling, instcad of :a to the mecheitiral imitation 4;i' per-ors arho put on the ii hitt. ' t seperan it' by hand. .Nlor ...e'er, he t. nnahltal to lots.
Street: t•, I.
others by ll .11.41 listed. LANE Its (slily done ems w Inch
is by tin means tat: the subject is not in his way.
ate Wit■I ;.cant -s act frnetIont, tlita style (d' time'
urigi-
m:ds. 11.‘1; metes ale lty for the bust ; anti we le2let there are so feW of ti"-"" 11W di-tart view uh 1110 ..:11.1!:Iltlbra, with the city below and the moutimin- beyond, forming the frentispiece to the volume, is the most beautiful of all. It displays the finished den:rime of I Era- DING'S drawilig, and is at the same time at delicate reflection et Istavis's manner. It is on, disparagement to Liaw is to say that his style of sketching is
not eqoal in refinement to II.% enING's.I i
Nt arr thiriVallett sketcher in Hick and white. N.() nine understands Inn mi. than limit', Nit the art of indicating forms end pioducine effects by an few tonelms, and of' making what lie Ivan, a untouched tell as NVeli as What lie makes out. Lewis's ant-dour tints want Mr and space; the distant objects come forward, sinmethiluS before the fun-ground, and the latter often is de- ficient in breadth and lorry. Greater effect might have been produced
by less laileter. But the character and aspect the country as well as of' the buildings are ecnrcycal, which is the main point. pa mile!' texture in a, att•s-celour paimints, calhal sharp touelu.s produced by scraping. Ittplde &eeing; are mid,. by Learis the
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