CRIMEAN PICTURES.
The French are perhaps the most military nation of the Continent; they are beyond comparison the best painters of military subjects. We might say (allowing for an exceptional case here and there) the only painters ; and enough, by themselves, to sustain the honour of that difficult and peculiar branch of art. If any of our readers doubts it, we would re- commend him to visit the "Fine Arts Association" at No. 22a Morti- mer Street, Cavendish Square, and look at two pictures there by M. Pretais, an artist who was attached to the staff of General Bosquet during the Crimean war. We have not a very distinct idea what may be M. Protais's standing in his profession ; as a battle-painter, he cer- tainly ought to rank very high. The Battle of Inkerman, with the se- cond charge of General Bosquet at the head of tilt Zouaves, Chasseurs, &c., yields to no French picture we are acquainted with—it can only be compared with French pictures—for its vigorous massing together of multitudes of furious men, fighting for the dear life. "The Retreat of the Russians in the Ravine of the Abattoir," a smaller work, is more in- teresting and varied in pictorial material, and very admirable, among other merits, for the way in which the distant lines of soldiers on the heights, lost at first in atmospheric effect, bristle into distinctness and action as you look at them. Both pictures exhibit, not only the native aptitude for treating such subjects, but the hand of a thorough artist as well.
With these is to be seen a water-colour copy, by M. Guerin, of Yvon's great picture of the Storming of the Malakoff, painted for the Emperor Napoleon. This exhibits a somewhat different phase of the genius for military art; presentin,5 less of its multitudinousness and iron shock, and more of epic individuality in particular figures, in the manner of Ver- net. A photograph of the picture is about, and gives a high idea of its spirit and ability. While France paints the fighting part of the cam-
paign, England, equally faithful to her Minion for the domestic in art, looks after the hospitals. A couple of pictures, the work of Mr. Barrett, are at present on view at Messrs. Leggatt's premises in Cornhill. The first is Florence Night- ingale at Scutari, giving directions for the disposal of a wounded soldier ; and includes portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Braeebridge, with some of the other ladies of the expedition, Lord William Paulet, Sir Henry Storks, M. Boyer, &c. ; the artist himself who was actually on the spot looking out of a window of the hospital. Mr. Barrett has undoubtedly aimed at truth, not effect, in the figure of Miss Nightingale : we cannot but think more interest might have been given to it. The second picture, which has been exhibited before, is the First Visit of the Queen to the wounded soldiers at Chatham ; and here the same oppor- tunity for introducing portraits of interest has been taken. Both pic- tures are simple, unexaggerated works, painted with adequate skill and freedom from pretence. They are now in course of engraving.
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