ART.
.113.6 ROYAL. ACADEMY.
[MST NOTICE.]
THERE is usually some question at this time, when the RoyaP Academy Exhibition for the year first opens, not only as to the merits of the particular exhibition, but also as to whether there has been any advance in the English School of painting generally. That such an advance seemed to be promised some few years ago is undoubted, and the question arises of whether that expectation has been justified. The influence of the so-called Pre-Raphaelite movement still exists amongst the younger artists, but the chief leaders have either forsaken the Academy Exhibition, or modified their views. There could be, for instance, few stronger contrasts in the manner of painting than that between the painter of the " Ophelia " and the present style of Mr. Millais The practical result of the teaching at South Kensington, and its various dependencies throughout the country, seems to be chiefly in the more or less decorative character ot the art of many of its students. Perhaps the most noticeable feathre of this year's exhibition is the lack of pictures exhibiting attempts at really high art. There is an abundance of good portraits and many clever and painstaking landscapes, but of subject pictures of anything beyond the genre style there are hardly any. Most of the Academicians are content to continue in the track they have erewhile trod, and more or less to repeat their former essays. Mr. Millais sends several portraits and a large landscape ; Hook several of the bright, English sea-coast scenes which we know so well, and they are, on the whole, weaker than usual, though still bright and sunny ; there are some clever effects of mist from Peter Graham, and good sea-painting from Colin Hunter and
Macallnm. Leslie contributes another of the drawing-room idylls of which he has painted so many, and Pattie and Orchardson still repeat their mediaeval incident and clever management of yellows and browns ; and so on with the rest, excepting Leighton and Poynter, each of whom sends a large picture, both, at any rate, attempts in a higher direction, though neither is wholly -satisfactory.
There is a greater number of contributions from comparatively -unknown artists than usual, and also a notable absence of the majority of the foreign contributors. Can we, then, say that there is in the Academy of 1876 any signs of a steady advance in the right direction,—any attempts on the part of the older artists to rise superior to themselves, any honest, painstaking efforts in the higher styles of art from the younger contributors? The question will be variously answered, no doubt, but it seems to us that, speaking for the present only of figure-subjects, not only is there no such advance towards a better style and nobler aims, but rather a retrogression. The Premier has told Sir Francis Grant, at the Academy Dinner, that the eyes of not only England, but also of Europe, will be fixed upon many of the works now hung upon the walls. It may be that he spoke in all serious- ness when he spoke of the originality of the English School, but if he did,—which is very doubtful—never was there so un-
fortunate a time for such an assertion. Originality in fainting (to be of any use) must be the result of earnest -thought, fatient, unwearied striving after a better and nobler ideal,—must show that the artist has put upon the canvas all the nobler part of himself, all his love of truth, his .aspirations after beauty, his sympathy with his fellows, and his reverence for his God. Can we say that this Exhibition shows us such things as these? The fit and only subjects for high art are thoughts which are worthy of record, deeds deserving of song, all the joys and griefs, loves and passions of humanity ; and the wider is the interest embraced and the deeper the passion, the :nobler is the picture. Narrow and selfish passions, shallow or ignoble interests belong to a secondary form, while Art sinks to its lowest ebb when it but depicts the trivial incidents of every- -day life and the manifold eccentricities of manner and costume.
It is impossible, however, to bestow all the blame upon the -artists, who do but reflect the taste of the buyers of their pic- tures. Were there any real demand for the higher styles of art, there would be found plenty who would gratify the taste. The fashion of the day is to regard anything heroic or sacred as only a subject for ridicule or weariness. In the same way as the public -demand and enjoy opera bouffe upon the stage, so do they demand and enjoy pictures of a similar character,—some subject that makes no demand upon their intellect, no appeal to anything higher than a little cheap sentiment. On the whole, this year's Exhibition is up to the average of its predecessors, but that it is .so is chiefly owing to the numerous good landscapes, the greater part of the figure subjects by the Academicians being decidedly inferior in merit and interest. We purpose in this first notice to mention only two or three of the most striking pictures, leaving further and more detailed comment for another occasion.
Undoubtedly, the most important work of the year, and the -one that occupies the place of honour in the centre of the large gallery, is "The Daphnephoria," by Leighton. This repre- sents " a triumphal procession, held every ninth year at Thebes, in honour of Apollo. Its name was derived from the laurel- branches carried by those who took part in the festival, the laurel, or more properly, the bay, being sacred to Apollo." Taking the procession from right to left, the order is as follows :—In front of the Daphnephoros, or priest, who takes the chief part in the cere- mony, is carried the symbolical standard sacred to the god ; im- mediately behind him is borne a trophy of golden armour, on a .standard. In the centre of the picture the Choregus, or choir- master, directs with upraised arm the band of girls and children who are singing the paean. Behind the maidens are boys, bear- ing the votive tripods, while on the extreme left the picture is -closed by the town of Thebes. The scene is a laurel-grove in front of the temple, overshadowed by heavy tree-trunks, which somewhat overpower the figures of the procession. This is the largest picture that Mr. Leighton has produced since his " Alcestis," and the only classical composition of any import- ance. It is really little but decorative art, but regarded as such, it will rank among the artist's most important works, though it is destitute of the interest which should attach to a picture, as distinguished from a decorative composition.
The picture by Mr. Poynter of ‘, Atalanta's Race" ranks next to Mr. Leighton's "Daphnephoria," even if it does not deserve higher praise. The time chosen for the picture is the moment
when Milanion has thrown the second of the apples given him by Venus, and Atalanta has arrested her steps to pick it up. She is but little ahead of him, and hardly fifty yards from the goal where sits the old king on his throne under a marble canopy, and in front of him stands the masked headsman, leaning on his great sword. The mad excitement of the spectators, one of whom has passed the barrier in his eagerness, is well shown, and the position of Atalanta, in her sudden pause, a most difficult one, well conceived and carried out. The great blot upon the picture is the figure of her lover, Milanion. On his face there is none of the desperation and conflicting passions of a man who is running for prizes of life and love against a penalty of death. This might be a Cambridge undergraduate taking his morning "spin" on the running-ground. The colour of the whole picture, and particularly of the distant landscape, strikes us as a little cold and chalky.
With these more important works may also be mentioned, as illustrative of the same classical ideal, a small work by A. Moore, the only one he exhibits this year, entitled " Beads." The sub- ject is two girls asleep upon a couch. The figures are clothed, as is the manner of this artist, in soft, semi-transparent draperies, the warm flesh-tints just showing through the folds. The rare dexterity with which Mr. Moore has managed the few pieces of positive colour, as instanced in the yellow and blue of the sofa- cushions, is worthy of all praise. Indeed, as a work of purely decorative art, this picture is the most perfect in the Exhi- bition. The figures and draperies are most graceful, the colour very pleasing, and the painting both easy and good.
There are three contributions by Alma Tadema this year, all of great merit. Of the larger one, entitled, " An Audience at Agrippa's," we shall speak at length in our next notice. Here we have only space to mention the exquisite study of a tired Bac- chante (No. 927), entitled, "After the Dance,"—a young girl, ivy-crowned, still grasping her tambourine in her hand, asleep upon a bear-skin ; by her side lies a great knot of yellow ribbons, which harmonises excessively well with the black of the fur rug, and the soft, creamy flesh of the figure.
We must leave to another time all mention of the " Cleopatra " by the same master, the pictures of Marks, Leslie, and and the whole company of landscape artists.
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