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¦1^ 46?. MincS 5, 1859.1 THE LEADER. 30&
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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A Pleasant Hour Or Two May Be Passed At ...
Campagna . " The pose of the women chatting at the well is easy ; they are well drawn ; their drapery is adorned with decision , a » d the distance is well handled . We look upoivthis . lady ' s u Glacier of Rosenlaiii from the Grand Scheideckj as a masterly wprkj but have no space to-detail its many merits . It is worth study by . such as have not revelled in Alpine scenery , and will charm those whose memories it may quicken . " Wild Flowers , T > y Ellen Cahtelo , is a sweet morsel . The " Study from Nature , " by a Norwich amateur ( Kl . b . ) , ¦ much-thought of in that good city , is a very wellfinished hit of still life in a larder , composed of pot , nan platter , baskets , and dead game . MissYetts has a ** Path in a "Wood , " in which the chequered shade is well and promisingly managed . It is hard to imagine whence the Honourable Mrs . Monckton Mills found .-her authority for the portrait of a shrivelled little old lady , entitled " . 'Marie Antoinette in the Cbnciergerie . " Miss Florence Claxtou ' s satirical Progresses of " the Old Maid " and " the Old Bachelor " are almost painfully truthful . We were arrested on our tour and charmed by the striking truth of the unpretending " Grisedale Beck" of Miss Georgina Hibbert . Mrs . Rimer ' s " Hoses " ( 212 ) show taste and freedom of handling , though ¦ we cannot admire her background . Mrs , Blaine ' s imposing " Colossi at Thebes , " and Mrs . Needham ' s copy of Turner ( 208 ) , ( the latter sold for 105 / . ) , will both of them challenge observation , as will several oi
meritorious copies , wmuu that by Miss Babbs ( 212 ) , after Francia , is perhaps the most striking . But the curiosities in chief of the Gallery must be allowed to be the mystical production of Mrs . Wilkinson , of Hainpstead . This lady , whose name is a household word among those who interest themselves m » the socalled " spiritual movement , " has , wo presume , in the flower pieces , 240 and 215 , entitled " From Dreamland , " attempted to depict those spirit-world flowers , in outlining which , on dit , her pencil has been guided by unseen Tiands . Our curiosity is now pkiued to know whether the elves of the loo table— -the Lares of the new belief—who suggested the come t-petalled convolvulus ,- dictated also its blue and golden sheen .
Oij Monday evening , the Ceramic Curator , at South Kensington , gave his second lecture . He discoursed learnedly and pleasantly on Chinese and European porcelain , explaining and illustrating by specimens the chemistry , technology , and characteristies of Chinese , Japanese , \ Eggshell , Crackling , Dresden , Berlin , Chelsea , Derby , and Worcester wares . He ' told us how the mania for old Chin a raged far more fiercely in Canton than in May Fair ; fragments even of renowned manufactures being set
in frames as ornaments and heirlooms by enthusiastic mandarins . He showed specimens of the priceless and now inimitable " pea-green , " the secret of whichis lost to Europeans ; and a simple plate out of a service made for Catherine of Russia Nearly all the latter was burnt at Moscow , and tlie rescued portion , after being sold * and travelling through various European cabinets , had ultimately , with the one exception now at Kensington , been reacquireil by "the Russian royal family .
The demonstration in Parliament with reference to Lord John Manners' selection of Mr . Gilbert Scott ( the author of a Lombardo Gothic design ) to be the architect for the new . Government pffioes , is satisfactory , as' showing that a certain number of members , of no small consideration , may be relied upon to keep watch againafc fine art jobbery , in excehi's . That the noble , lord is to blame for his choice is the deliberate opinion of those most competent to judgo ; not because he declined to give the commission to the first prizemen—for nil competitora vere aware that Govei'nment , in their conditions , reserve to themselves freedom from such obligation—but , bocause he has selected a gentleman who , though lio
has been concerned in planning highly ornamental churches , cannot bo considered , afirst-riito dosiguor of buildings' whose utilify is a primary consideration , or a . sufllcient master of tho art of labour economy for thi ? present occasion . If flic principle of oonipotition was to bo deviated from—as was always Intended in this instance—tho ultimate choice should hava fallen upon flomo person eminent in both these reepects ; and of such there are several in tlie profession more eligible than Mr . Scott . That a captivating draughtsman nood not be a good architect wo havo already proved to our cost afc Westminster . That
ukase . Mr . Scott ' s position in his profession as a practical architect—church building exceptfed—entitledhim to no more consideration than was shown to the . first prizemen . He should have been paid his honorariut o ; his drawing should , like those of others , have been appropriated ; and he should have been forced into competition with a limited number of high-class men , recognised by their , compeers as such Sir Benjamin Hall ' s original idea wa 3 of this kind ; and in the first instance he obtained a vote of 1 , 200 / . for division among a dozen of the best architects . That my lord is willing to accept the responsibility of his choice will be no consolation to Scott turn to be second
us , should Mr . put a Barry . Should the day of responsibility ever . arrive , the noble lord may either be out of office or may simply deride the taxpaying complainants for having trusted him . He and his friends may very safely indulge iii their bravado about their acceptance of moral responsibility . Lives there the man , out of a certain charmed circle , who can place this moral responsibility for the parliament-house bungle upon the right shoulders ? or if placed there , would it gall them ? And , if it did , would any suffering of theirs restore us our hundreds of thousands ? The only sufferer is the poor deluded Bull , w ho pays for all . The votaries of Gothicism go so far as to
threaten the Vandals of opposition with the arrest of the whole business , if complacency is not maintained . Let it be arrested by all means . We pant not to see the grand officials luxuriating in the splendid mansions that are ever , so glorious in the drawings , and are to figure in the accounts by and bye . The transfer of the Indian establishment to Dowriing-street is not so very pressing . If the acceptance of a particular architect is the sole condition , of public office consolidation , which all . admit to be desirable , the public , who have waited so long , can just contrive , perhaps , to Wait a little longer .
On Saturday last was held one of the series of conversazioni of the " Artists' Society ; " at Langhani chambers , Portland-place . . The object of the soiree being to submit for mutual criticism the works of the members , we are not justified in more than casual references . The public will probably in due time be "in a position to judge for themselves of many works we had the pleasure of seeing on that occasion ; but we cannot but notice n , charming picture by Mr . Smalifield , entitled "First Love , " and depicting ayoung lad helping a . very young , maiden over a . stile . The expression of the figure is
good , and the accessories beautifully painted . A more ambitious work , by Mr , Galderon , leads us to imao-ine that his name will soon be better known to the public . Its subject , is some French peasants discovering their lost child in the hands of a travelling showman . Mr . Lewis exhibited one or two pictures , evincing a great feeling' for light ; Messrs . Raven , Moore , Oakes , and Hall , s . ome excellent landscapes . The water-colours of Duncan , Mole , and others wore much admired . If succeeding conversa-. zioni furnishsuch promise as that of Saturday , we cannot but augur well for the Society and its
constituent members . We can give but a cursory notice of the " dres 3 conversazione , " of tho Artists' and Amateurs' Society , held at Willis ' s Rooms on Thursday evening . A number of moat interesting works in oil and water . —some exhibited by their authors , some by collectors—wore disposed round this noted resort of the beau monclc , and a goodly company of ladies and gentlemen were gathered to be admired and lo admire . As we cannot pretend to speak in any kind of ordw of the collection , wo must recite our notes as we jotted thorn down in the room . Mr . Louis Haghc had a noble portfolio of powerful sketches , among which
some Continental cathedrals , and especially a chapel in St . Peter ' s at Rome , were remarkable , Mr . J . F , Lewia showed an Oriontal . "Kibab Shop " in oils . —two pictures in one— 'rich in all his well- * kuown qualities ; Mr . Cattermole a monkish watercolor in his best manner ; Mr . S . Read a careful and forcible Gothic gateway ; and Uv . W . J . Johnson a very delicate Mediterranean pietux'e . Mr . J . . H . Mole had several captivating water-colors of high finish . His " Gipsios" and " Boys Fishing afc Ilighgato" wore attractive ; and the sw ' oet feeling of "The Grandfather" touching tho young idea of an infant to walk waa notable , as well
as its oxquisito finish , "Tho Letter Reader , " a French boudoir study of a female , was an oxn , ulsito specimen of tli " o school , by Mons . Trayor . A Uttlci laudsoapo , subject unknown to us , by F . II . Huntfngton , was no lefts meritorious a t $ em than a small sea-side bit with numorous figures , and a woll-ti'oatod perspective by A . Willmoro . Mr . II . Brlttnn Willis had a portfolio of ao-culloil sketches ( wo should tonn them studies ) , mostly rustiu s the t ' unnyunl , mare and foal , ami un old flea-bitten grey hdrso , being perhaps tlio cleverest . Tho same artist showed an important cattle piece . Mi * . II . Mc-oro ( u rro-Huplmelito brothor ) uttraoted a ) l by his Swiss Haymakers , " a snlundhl picture , in which iv
pair of oxen , yoked to the haycart , were well conceived and executed . , Mr , Earle ' s " Sleeping Dog , " was a true and charming specimen of the master ' s power . Mr . Cornelius Pearson ' s portfolio of watercolours was , as was Mr . McKewaii ' s , a centre of attraction ; and the former artist ' s beautiful , though pale , drawing of Snowdon , taking in a wide expanse of mountain scenery , and skil f ully depicting a showery effect , was admired , as it deserved to k A glade of great beauty , by H . Jut sum , refreshed its with its cool stream and chequered shade : and Mr . G . Lowthian ' s wonderful water-colors , " The Gothic Rock—Lydslep" and " Hastings Cliff" astonished uspainted , as we are
^ credibly informed they are , stone by stone , from , nature , with truly photographic ; accuracy . E . W . Cooke had two very small works : one of them of covetable quality ; and Mr , F . Powell , an artist of whom outsiders have hitherto heard little , but will hear more , a magnificent waterTColor landscape . Here we had mountain range , boiling river , and valley vegetation all truthfully studied , and all steeped in orange hues of wondrous richness * We had well-nigh forgotten the most striking and delicious Pre-Raphaelite picture by Mr . H . B . Moore , which shows a thicket foreground of young blackberry-gatherers and a superb blue ocean disclose remarks without
tance . Nor can we our a word in memory of F . B . Forge , the fine quality of whose seven or eight works here exhibited only added to our regret that he had all too soon beerv taken away . We are glad to watch the progress of this and kindred associations . It seems to us that they not merely give the pleasure of reunion to artists and amateurs , but that ,.. . by allowing fair field as well to their members as to judges , they may , in course of time , have a salutary effect upon the sometimes thoughtless and sometimes unfairlyprejudiced " hanging" authorities at the recognised public exhibitions . Institu
Since publishing our notice of the British - tion Exhibition , we have seen some of the rejected pictures , which are not only far better than many of those admitted , but considerably above the average merit of the works exhibited this year . Of course , in the case of societies whose managers are artists , avc laust expect that they will give a preference to their own . productions , and , perhaps , some favour to their friends may even be excused , though not excusable ; but , from an institution whose committee is non-professional , both artists and the public would reasonably expect something like impartial justice in the admission or rejection of pictures ; The exigencies of hanging may sometimes involve the exclusion of a good painting , and if the bad ones were all in bad places , no one would havo a right to complain ; but when it is evident at in laces
a glance that there are many pictures good p which have escaped adverse critioism solely on the ground that they , were hopelessly bad and their , authors incorrigible , it is distressing to find that good ones have been sent away to make room for them . We have no wish to impute unworthy motives to the directors ; perhaps they mayimagino that bad pictures , like the Spanish ladies' ugly duennas * enhance the attractions of their companions . Most probably it is their judgment which lias been in error ; but ,, at all events , it appears that mistakes have been . committod which , besides being an injustice to painters , have tended to lower the Institution in public estimation , by rendering its exhibition Jess attractive than it ought to have been . We mention the subject in the hope that in future greater care will be taken in selecting the pictures .
The Tasmaniuns havo lately boon getting up an Art Exhibition at Hobart-town , which appears to havo beon cuncui-ved in a liberal spirit , and very qreditably carried out . It was originated by a faw private geiUlomon , without any view to profit , was opened by tho Governor of tho colony , and continued for six weeks . The expenses wore paid by tho sale of season tickets , iukI , as soon as a sufficient number of these had beqn sold to cover the ouLlay , the exhibition was thrown open to tho public free of charge-. It is stated to have been completely successful . Tho collection consisted of 260 pictures , mostly by modern painters | with specimens of statuary , bronze , & o . Among tho artists' names wo notigoa that of tho late Mr . Glovor , it water oolorwt , m whoso works tho colony Is rich , ho having died there , and nlarfo oolleeU "" of his works liaving bqen disposed of by unction after his dccousi . ' .
Visit of a London Exquisite to kin Maiilon Aunts tn U > o Country . WuHrutod by Tht ^ ^^ ^ ^ Wn aro ulad wo rofrained from too hastily noticing this bound viluniiAf otol . ii . y 8 . It )> n » been ton u month before us , « n « l wo were at llr « t not nniirossed in its favour . Jiut having now found tlwio und taken heart to go carefully throutfl ) tho , Jlvo-ftiultwenly plates , wo two ublo to pronounce oon « olon-Uuiibly tlmt tl ( o dcslynwr , who , wo havu huur . l , is u
the Gothiu style , beautiful thougli it is on paper and in outside form , is noither economical of money , space , or light , is , wo fancy , clear enough in tho case of tho groat Now- Palnco failure at Westminster . Without waste of time or words , wo miVy clearly toljl our readers tlmfi tho Gothic is not tho proper stylo for the now Government olllucs ; and evqn if it vvoro , Mr . . Seott is not the best ' umi ' i by several dogrqoo who could have beon educated to plan ana carry thorn out , Thosontimontnllsm about tho dominant stylo of tho neighbourhood may bo fair in talk , but is an inndonuatoexcuso for Lord Mnnnors '
¦1^ 46?. Mincs 5, 1859.1 The Leader. 30&
¦ 1 ^ 46 ? . MincS 5 , 1859 . 1 THE LEADER . 30 &
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 5, 1859, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05031859/page/21/
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