The Press. — London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS. JULY 23, 1833. Sint istts. phis pictures that Sir William fears danger to art, I especially at the present moment, when a certain school are endeavouring, by their scrupulous attention to detail, to revive the practice and ias they hope) the excellences of the early masters. Now, in spite of the labours of this school, we beg to observe that we think there is as yet little danger that over-finish should become a common defect in our exhibitions. The tendency of the public taste is to admire " generali-af ," as far as it is consistent with tolerable truth ; and on the part of the artist there must always be a strong bias (especially when his fume is established and orders multiply) to em ploy as little labour as will satisfy the public. As to the degree of minuteness with which► the details of nature may be copied, there has always been, and always will be, among artists a difference of theory and of practice. While different schools admit the same general principles of art. in the application of those principles, there is a wide debatable field open for discussion. We do not see that the dispute is in the least affected by photography. We have not heard that the school to which we have alluded have derived any fresh impulse from the study of photography; nor do we see how they can quote its results in their defence. The minuteness of detail given by even the host photographic view is far less distinct than that of Nature herself; nor can we see any objection to copying the forms deli neated by the lens which would not apply to drawing from the natural objects. An artist who should habitually and systematically substitute for the study of nature the study of pho tographic views, imperfect as they are now, and im perfect as in some respects they must ever remain, would, indeed, commit a blunder which we need not qualify till we hear that some one has actually eom , miued it. It is only as an auxiliary in the study of nature that we think photography, whether with a well or ill adjusted lens, can be of service to the ar tist. APPLICATION OF P HOT OG RAPHY TO ART. Is acknowledging a communication from Sir William Newton, last week, on the application of Photography to Art, we promised to give a further consideration to his method of taking studies for the use of the artist with a purposely ill-adjusted lens. Sir William seems a little displeased with our hint that he would have done well to reserve for his brother artists the explanation of his plan, and he reminds us that he expressly stated his remarks were addressed to artists alone. Undoubtedly he did so state ; but as they were read to the Photographical Society, and published in their journal, he must not be surprised that his photographical friends, as well as ourselves, paid more attention to what he did than to what he said, and that, accordingly, his meaning was misunderstood, anti the time of the society was wasted in discussions foreign to their main object. If the reader wishes to form an idea of the view of nature which Sir William's method would present, let him take his opera-glass without adjusting it to his sight, and look round his apartment, or let him adopt a simple device well known to all who sketch from nature, and, half shutting his eyes, let him look through his eyelashes. He will thus obtain a general view of the light and shadow, undisturbed by sharpness of outline and complexity of detail ; in fact, by a sort of practical abstraction, he will le able to divert his attention from all other elements of the scene before him, and to concentrate it on what is technically termed the " effisct." But it must not be forgotten that the view thus obtained will not be identical with the picture produced by Sir William's ill adjusted lens till the art of photography is brought to absolute perfection. In its present state, aerial perspective is (generally speaking) en• tirely defective ; and we have, in our former remarks, explained how the different degrees of intensity ADELP II I TI I EAT RE. possessed by the differently-coloured rays, and the Os Wednesday evening a travestie of Sardanapahis excessive power of sunlight compared with that of was produced at this theatre. Like its prototype at the local colour and the reflected light, combine to the Priucess's, it is excellently got up, with clever make photography a very imperfect guide in chiaros curo. We must not without the greatest caution dances, =militias and countennarchings, brilliant new dresses, and scenery sufficiently well painted. admit a photographic picture as evidence in an y dis- Of the author's merits we cannot speak favourably. Anted point of light and shadow. We cannot, for in- He has given us a certain sprinkling of tolerable and stance, allow that photographic views of inteiiors jus intolerable puns, but nothing else. The story of the tify Rembrandes strong lights violently contrasted original is not followed, and that which is substituted with deep shadows, which are hardly relieved by any is meaningless; and, except in MissWoolgar's " dream" reflected light at all. It is true that such are the effects of an encounter with a cabman, and in the car of t hese views present, but this result is solely owing to Sardatuipalus, which is drawn by two of those cylin the imperfeetion of the art. The highlights are over drical steeds dappled with round r ed wafers, and done by the action of the lens on the sensitive surface, with tail and mane of rabbit-skin, hallowed in the while the variations in the shadows are scarcely memories of infancy, the re were no bits of genuine marked. Now, none of the de fi ciencies we have men burlesque. it was posvely painful to see Mr. tioned are obviated by Sir William's method ; and Keeley struggling to be amusing in a part, which though we are quite willing to admit, on his judg defied even his power. We are bound to say that merit, that the pictures he produces by it are highly the audience appeared greatly p leased with the sug gestive to the artist, wo must object to their piece ; and it is quite possible that the manner in being quoted as authority, or considered as the which the burlesque is got up , a s well as the p o p u• faithful transcript of the chiaroscuro of any actual rarity of the subject. held up to ridicule, will ensure a scene. considerable success. In outline we presume Sir William does not pro pose to derive any advantage from his method. The PRINCESS'S THEATRE. universal indistinctness of a view purposely thrown Os Wednesday last a new farce entitled Chesterfield out of focus may, indeed, resemble some of Turner's Thinskin was produced at this theatre. In the Ilia later pictures, but it entirely contradicts the truth of logue of this piece there is a certain quaintness, but nature, which is equally violated by too much outline the utter absence of anything like a plot or motive and too little. It is, indeed, a common fault, espe- for action is quite curious. A most, patient mid in (gaily of young artists, to present too distinctly the dulgent audience, with every disposition to be amused, boundary lines of every object—a fault which gives listened during three quarters of an hour in the ever to their most finished pieces the effect of a mere battled hope of something or another happening upon sketch. Bat we do not see how it can be corrected the stage ; but as nothing did happen, except two by studying nature when reduced to a general haze kicks vigorously applied by Mr. Harley to two ser by a defective optical arrangement. If we wished vants. after the time-honoured fast ' of the Christ to convince the young student how much of the out- mas clown, the curtain fell to very faint applause and line is confused and lost in every natural scene and considerable expression of disapprobation. All praise in every truly artistic representation of that scene, we is due to Mr. Harley for the unflagging spirit and would not refer him to Sir Edwin Landseer's "Chit- energy with which he did his work ; indeed, but for dren of the Mist," where the accidental effect of fog his exertions, and that respect which a London is so admirably rendered, by an universally-blended audience invariably pays to an old favourite, the and softened outline, but rather to the pieces of still piece must have come to an untimely end. In a life by the Dutch and Venetian masters, who have theatre like the l'rincess's, where so much is said so wonderfully portrayed Nature under her ordi- and written about the representation of plays with nary aspect, by faithfully painting all that they saw "proper dramatic effect," it seems, to say the least, and nothing they could not see. On the other hand, we extraordinary that all the pieces lesser importance do not see how photographic views taken in the usual should be so carelessly dressed and put on the way can injure the study of art by the sharpness of their stage. This habitual neglect breeds a suspicion in outlines. lf, indeed, the outlines which are blended the minds of unprejudiced observers that no trouble and lost in nature were given clearly and distinctly or expellee is bestowed unless Mr. and Mrs. Kean by a well-adjusted lens, too mach could not be said themselves enact the principal parts, or unless the against the use of such a lens by the artist but no line production of the piece with elaborate dresses and can be strongly defined in a photographicistudy which decoration is deemed likely to put money into the is not so defined in nature; and, if the detail sometimes manager's pocket. Mr. Kean so ostentatiously relies appears too sharply drawn (especially in pictures upon his reputation for correct stage costume, that we taken in sunlight), this must be attributed to the assume, as a matter of course, that he personally imperfect chiaroscuro, and the want of demi-tint supervises the whole department. If, therefore, he which we have already remarked. has not sufficient "esthetic" power to observe his We apprehend, however, that it is chiefly from the fellow - men , let him for a while abandon the inven minuteness of the detail exhibited by photogra- tion of hypothetical antiquities, and, by a very small 'At puma. tunount of research into the widely disseminated met of " Moses and Son," clothe Messrs. Meadows and Chester in dresses which have, at an events, ROMP approximation to the ordinary garb of Englishmen of the present day. Were these gentlemen to appear out Aide the theatre in the daytime as fantastically attired as they were on Wednesday night, they would speedily be attended by so large a retinue of " young oxford-street" as would probably consign them to a police-station for refuge. The wig, too, with which Mr. Addison's head was decorated bore no reaem.. blame to any human scalp, si►d must have been bought at the sale of the effects of some insolvent manager of a penny theatre. _ _ _ GERMAN PLAYS. SINCU our last report the German company have continued their performances to good though not overflowing houses. Donnas Diana is borrowed in a great measure from the comedy, Isl Deaden eon el Deaden, written by the Spaniard Moretti. The per fonmince of this play, upon the whole, produced but little impression ; for the acting, though in some re spects very remarkable, was too conventional to secure the audience from the feeling* of weariness whteh the want of action and excellence of construc tion brought upon them. Schiller's Wilhelm Tell was a litel' more satisfactory performance as regards all parties concerned. This play is, in our judgment, the best of the author's dramatic works, and though it is open to the charge of a certain heaviness and dulness inseparable, perhaps, front almost all plays of the class, its representation is nevertheless full of interest to those who hold the drained.' art in high estimation. Devrient's performance of the hero's part was very fine. This character suits his pecu liarities and his personal appearance, and it would be difficult to find a more efficient representative of the part. On Wednesday Hamlet was performed, and last night Othello. The Shaksperian performances of the Cowman company are of so much importance, and deserve such attentive consideration, that we shall reserve our notice of them until next week. gtusit. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. _ . Om Saturday last the revival of Donizetti's opera, La Farorita, gave the subscribers the opportunity, rare in these days, of Bering and hearing tirisi and Mario perform together. This opera, which has been fre quently performed in this country, is about an average specimen of the composer's abilities; and although it has not much to boast of, either in the way of melody or instrumental effects, it is, neverthe less, both superior in point of merit and more plea sant to hear than the wretched productions of Verdi and other writers of the uoidern Italian school. The singing of tirisi and Mario was excessively good: they both exerted themselves to the utmost, and were loudly and deservedly applauded. This opera, though announced for Tuesday, was withdrawn an hour before the performative commenced. The cause given was the indisposition of Mine. Orisi. Spohr's Jo/gouda is to be brought out in a few days. Rumour says that the production of this opera has been delayed by disputes between the management and the singers, mid it is reported that all the tenors of the establishment have in turn declined the prin cipal part. We shall be agreeably surprised if this opera do not prove a virtual failure, from the mere fact of its being performed by singers totally inca pable of interpreting the music with any degree of effect. The aversion of Italian artists to sing good music it as proverbial as it is inexplicable. The remedy for their caprices and folly lies with the public, who, in these days, when there is a dearth of any very com manding talent, should assist the managers in endea vouring to keep their company under some sort of control. The indisposition of the prime donne on the nights when their services are required seems • this season almost a matter of course. On entering the theatre on Thursday we found that, ow.int to the I illness of Mme. Tedesco, 11 Profeto was withdrawn, and Roberto it substituted. W Tim CntonwE VorAL Socton have made up the accounts of their London journey. Their total re ceipts amounted to 2,20041., out of which, after paying all expenses, and reserving some small stuns for charities, they have paid 5011/. to the Cathedral building committee. Tut: ONK 111•NIIRED AND THIRTIETH FESTIVAL or THE THREE CUMIN will he held this year at Glou cester on the 13th, Ilth, 15th,, and 111th of September, for the benefit of widows and of plums of the clergy of the three dioceses named. The oratorios selected for this festival are Mendelssohn's " Elijah" and " Cliristus," " l'reation," and Handel's "Messiah" and " Israel in Egypt." The principal performers engaged are Madame Clara Novello, Mrs. Weiss, Madame ('astellan, Miss Dolby, and Mrs. lockey ; Mr. Lockey, Mr. Weiss, Signor (lerdoni, Signor Tagliatico, and Herr Formes. Mr. H. Bla grove leads the band, as usual, and among the chief instrumentalists are the leading men of the opera and