ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE ANNUALS.
WE took occasion two weeks ago, to say a few words on the general effects likely to be produced by these works in the school of engraving, and embraced that occasion for noticing the embellishments of the Keepsake for the approaching year. We now recur to the subject, in order to make an observation or two on the engravings of some of its brethren ; though, from their great number and variety, a few lines must suffice for each.
ACKERMANN's Forget Me Not still claims consideration for its merit, as well as in right of primogeniture. Paour's view of the " Place de Jeanne d'Arc, at Rouen," has been tastefully engraved by LE KEUX, and will be one of the chief favourites. The fine mass of building introduced in front of the picture is well relieved by the more distant gleams of sunshine through which the houses forming the back- g n round appear, with a curious air tone, produced by the frequent in- terruption of the sun's rays : the figures introduced make the scene truly French. CHISHOLME'S " Orphan Family," engraved by DAVEN- PORT, presents a beautiful group, not only in the interest their appear ance excites, but in the successful mode in which the parts are ar- ranged so as to produce a very effective harmony : the Complexion of the whole scene is amiable, without anything being lost in liveliness or vigour, which is too often the ease when artists undertake to be sen- timental in their efforts : the engraver's portion of the work is executed with skill, but, perhaps, in endeavouring to preserve that simplicity which the subject requires, he has a little fallen short in depth. COL- LINS'S " Tempting Moment," engraved by SHENTON, is another of the best plates of the Forget Me Not : the old woman in particular is full of meaning and power, and one or two of the mischievous rogues who are stealing her apples would be near to her in excellence, but that they appear to be somewhat strained in execution, and to want that firmness of pencilling which the artist has given to madame. The Iris makes its first appearance this season ; and the design of confining its pictorial department to the works of the Old Misters is one which we not only approve in itself, but which we think calculated to insure for it no small share of popularity, as it stands in this respect without a rival. MuainLo's well-known Madonna and Child stands as frontispiece to the work ; and in most respects is well engraved; though we hardly think that Mr. GRAVES has succeeded in reaching' the exquisite joyousness and grace which the Spaniard has thrown into the countenance of the infant; Jesus. LIEVEN'S " Lazarus," which of itself has long made Mr. KNOWLES' collection famous, is en- graved by WARREN with considerable power ; though no power can really do justice to the strength of the design, which is something IR REMBRANDT'S style, were it not that the effects of the light and shade are carried on in much more extensive sweeps than that master ever used, and that. the obscuro is by no means so excessive : the sudden appearance of the dead man's hands beyond the boundaries of his grave, gives dreadful note of preparation for what is coming ; and the glaring eyes of the old man, who is intently looking downwards on the scene, produce an awe and trembling, in fine unison with the nature of the subject. LUDOVICO CARACCI'S "Incredulity of St. Thomas," is full of all the wonderful genius, so startling and yet so true, that belongs to the CARACCI school ; besides which, it has the merit, as it struck us, of being the best engraving in the whole volume : Mr. RADDON seems to have fully understood his subject, and to have set about it in a masterly manner. We would recommend, the countenance of St. Thomas to all artists, as a sample of power and expression and mean- ing, without the slightest straining after effect by undue or unclassical means.
Friendship'sOffering is in some respects verybrilliant this year. WARD'S "Lyra," engraved by DEAN, forms a beautiful frontispiece: it is replete with grace and ease, and so managed 'as to give the most entire effect by means almost imperceptible. ARNOLD'S "Echo," engraved by GOODALL, is another beautiful little subject; and is touched by the engraver with an almost fairy lightness. WILKIE'S " Reading the News," is a subject in the genuine style of that great master of humour, and worth a hundred of his Italian princesses wash- ing pilgrims' feet, and Spanish heroines riding cock-horse on cannons at Saragossa: it is well engraved by ROBINSON; though perhaps the outlines of the different figures of the group would have been better had they been a little more distinctly marked. The Literary Souvenir, in having an engraving of HARLOWE'S per- sonation of Mrs. Siddons as "Lady Macbeth," will draw after it the gaze of all the admirers of the only representative of that character in our times : both the action and the look will be instantly recognized, though the engraver has hardly done justice to the subject as left by the artist. MARTIN'S design for a tournament, engraved by WILL- MORE, is one of those subjects within the immediate range of that painter's walk ; but we suspect that he has sketched this design some- what too hastily ; many portions of it are crude and indistinct, and the minutiw are terribly tame in some parts: as a whole, however, it is amazingly bold and vigorous ; and would Mr. MARTIN take it into consideration for a finished picture, we have no doubt that he would paint a picture giving a real notion of a tournament which no painter that we know of has yet been able to do. COLLINS'S "Sale of the Pet Lamb," engraved by ROLLS, is a pretty subject; and the land- scape especially is sweetly imagined and executed : some of the figures, however, want power of expression, and it only does as a sort of rural subject; where weaknesses are overlooked for the sake of ge- neral representation. The Winter's Wreath is much improved. A Sunset View on the Welsh Coast, engraved by MILLER from a drawing by WiLniamsom,
is well touched, and produces a warm effect in some parts : there are,
however, portions of the engraving where the tone is frittered away by an attempt at too much airiness. JAN STEEN'S beautiful picture of the
"Peasant's Grace" will be much admired ; though the engraving, by
LIZARS, is somewhat too hard and unpolished to do justice to the style of the master. The infant restrained by the mother from attack-
ing. the food till the grace is completed, and the old man too intent on his devotions to perceive that the little dog is helping himself in another quarter of the room, are the most striking features of the picture.
We now come to the Juvenile Annuals ; which we are glad to see flourishing. ' The Juvenile Forget Me Not has many pretty things within its covers. WRIGHT'S " Schoolmistress," engraved by SHENTON, is just such a subject and so handled as to come home to the feelings of those for whom it is intended : with the schoolmistress we are in-love, because she is so old and disagreeable ; with one or two of her scholars we are in love, because they are so young and so pretty. Miss SHARPE' s beautiful little picture of" Playing with Time concludes the embellishments of the volume, and it is delightfully engraved by ROMNEY : the astonishment of the little creature who for the first time is listening to the ticking of a watch, is playfully ex- pressed ; and poor Tray, who is watching behind, is a happy acconi- paniment for the innocence of this player with time. The Juvenile Keepsake has a beautiful engraving of Paou'r's " Castle of Pfalz, on the Rhine," executed by KELSALL : the style is full of briskness and truth ; though the interest of the subject is much abated by the dull chain of mountains, which range from the front to the very back of the view, and afford a most inhospitable and unpromising vista. The "Heir of Newton Buzzard" is a good sub- ject for a Juvenile, and shows the skill of Mr. WRIGHT in handling such matters : it might, however, have been better engraved, for at • present there is a degree of weakness in the touch, which prevents some of the best portions of the design telling with their proper effect.
The New Year's GO is exceedingly promising this year. FRANK HOWARD'S design for the Vignette is full of life and spirit—we would even say fun—on the understanding that the word shall be r eceived without meaning anything gross or exaggerated : it represents some younkers who have fallen foul of sock and buskin with the determination of strutting their hour on the stage betimes : the girl who is half-buried in one of Ancient Pistol's boots, has got from the artist the present of a most winning happy face, and her cunning look round to demand attention for her what-about, adds in no small degree to her excellence. GAINSBOROUGH'S famous picture of the "Broken Pitcher" is delight- fully engraved by RosiNsoiv:- the expression in the boy's countenance is almost beyond description ; such a resolute doggedness of look— such a making up of the mind for all sorts of disaoTeeables—tell the poor fellow's misfortune on the first glance. HAMILTON'S " French and English," engraved by ENGLEHEART, is extremely pretty, and will remind many an older person than the New Year's Gift is in- tended for, of the scenes and sports of their childhood.
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