The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-05 00:00:00

432

Mr. Taylor's pictures exhibit their usual brilliancy
and va iety. " l'he Marauding Troopers " (No. 29)
on the whole struck us most.

Mr. Burton's picture (No. 239), "Peasants in
Franconia waiting for Confession," is a very striking
performance. In the arrangement of the quantities
we think there is too great a predominance of black
or very dark colour ; but the truth of expression and
character is delightful.
Mr. Gilbert's "Charge to Jessica" (No. 9)—a
hackneyed subject—is a tine drawing. The effect is
broad, and the coloring vigorous ; but the lady's
head is not refined etr.ugh to our fancy either for
the Jewish type and beauty, or for the spectator's
notion of Sliakspeare's " pretty Jessica."
Mr. Oakley's "Fisher B " (No. 94) is very
pretty ; and the " Grandfather's Watch," by Mr.
Goodall, is a very pleasing picture, of a high order of
merit. But if we go on to mention all that has in
teresteu us, we should be as tedious and nearly as
long as the catalogue.
The landscape (No. 18) by Mr. G. Fripp appears
to us fine and truthful representation of mountain
scenery. The torrent foaming and chafing among
the rocks in the foreground is inferior in execution to
the lest of the picture.
No. 28, "A Pool of the Conway," by Mr. Bran-
white, has much breadth and repose. The body-
colour with which it has chiefly been painted is so
employed as in a great measure to obviate our objec
tions to that opaque medium; but we must protest
that in employing it to express the bright, sparkling
ripple, and the clear lights of water, the artist has
created an unnecessary difficulty for himself, which
be has not been able—because it was impossible—to
overcome. _

The pains which Mr. Davidson takes in studying
the forms of his trees are highly commendable; but
he must permit us to say that we think his greens
might be improved both in freshness and truth. No.
54, " Pevensey Castle," is in many respects a line
drawing, but the green or rather yellow of the grass
seems to us neither true to nature nor in harmony
with the rest of his coloring.
No. 81, " Scene in Glencoe," by Mr. Richardson,
is a fine drawing, but the composition of the fore-
ground is not quite satisfactory. The position of the
a/merle!l does not appear natural ; the fragments
of rock are not sufficiently massed ; and the figures
are not placed so as to contribute as much as they
ought to the effect. Figures in a landscape are
mere acces ones, and woere they do not tell with
good effect they had better not be introduced at all.
Mr. Duncan .s " Harvest Mo,n " (No. 50) has great
beauty as well as truth—a quality in which moon
I,ght views a'e generally deficient.
" A Summer Day on the Coast" (No. 186), by
Mr. Jackson, is a very beautiful drawing. It renders
wi h admirable truth the luminous mistiness in
which the landscape seems bathed and the harmoni-
ous and imbued colours which it presents when the
eye of the spectator is directed towards the sun.
We have selected for notice some of the principal
pictures in this Exhibition, but want of space com-
pels us to omit many others which are sell worthy
of remark. Upon the whole the Exhibition may be
said to display a higher order of merit throughout
than we have seen in any of its predecessors.

ROYAL ACADEMY.—The Exhibition of the Royal
Academy was opened to private view on Friday
morning. We shall take other opportunities to
notice the pictures in detail, but we may here remark
that this year's exhibition is by no means above the
average. There are few historical works of striking
merit, but there are some good landscapes, a few
good portraits, and some exquisite cabinet paintings.
Mr. Grant and Mr. Desanges show the best portraits
in the room, and their pictures are very favourably
hung. Mr. Leslie, Mr. W. H. Knight, Mr. Webster,
and Mr.Fard, exhibit some of the best cabinet pictures,
and the names of Danby and Stanfield will answer for
their productions. The name of Sir Edwin Landseer
does not appear in the list of contributors, and Sir
Charles Eastlake, the President., exhibits only one
picture, a very mediocre production. Cre'.wick,
Cope, and Mac'ise also exhibit, the latter only one
picture, while Mr. Millais lays claim to, in more
•nses than one, the most remarkable picture in the
ethiiiition. The Miniature-room possesses some
be tutiful specimens, Mr. Thorburn being pre eminent
among the exhibitors. The rooms were neither fully
n d. very fashionably attended, though many of the
principal connoisseurs in art were present. Her
Majesty had visited the exhibition on Thursday, and
was pleased to express her royal approbation.

& FESTIVAL in commemoration of the opening
of a new wing of the Hospital for Consumption, at
Brompion, will take place, on Wednesday next, at
Willi,'s-rooms, St. James's ; upon which occasion
• his Grace the Duke of Richmond will assume the
piesiOency. A large and influential asseanl•iy is
espeeted to attend.