The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-06 00:00:00

THE WINTER EXHIBITION OF SKETCHES

AND DRAWJNOS.

The "Winter Exhibition of Sketches and Draw-
, fags" (oils and water•colours), is opened this December at
the Amateur Gallery, Pall-mall ; and every effort has been
made by the managers to render the third season au im-
provement on its predeer more. No doubt there is an im-
primmest, but the objection remains—why should a
winter exhibition be so remarkably inferior to the summer
exhibitions of works mainly by the same artists t
There is a mess of pretty and well executed little pictures
la the present exlubition ; but there arc none of those
isolated, great, or marked works—such as people talk about
and make it their buftues to go and see—which could
compensate for the fillings-in of daubs and horrors, which
clue has taken advantage of the supposed license of winter
to be extensively rept', seated. In fact, after sliding in
and out among the heavily laden screens, which
are stuck about to multiply the wall-surface of
the one email room, one does not come to any
distinct conclusion as to the reason which has in-
duced the society Of them be a society) not to leave us
exhibitionless this December. The three hundred works
got together would be serviceable ',Keynes and hors
trantores elsewhere, at another period; but public feasts
should not be advertised without a head dish or two.
"Anything will do for the winter exhibition" seems the
maxim of the artists agreeing to contribute, and the public
flares just as the hungry outsiders did after the dinner
that Caleb Bahlerstone cheated the thrifty tenant into
giving—at the conclusion the generous Sootchman remark-
ing, " An' there's onytking vara onateable, gie it to the puir
bodies."
What there is good may be enumerated briefly.
Of several old Turners, "A Wreck," gorgeously indis-
tinct, holds the plea of honour over the mantel-
piece; and of the " onsteable " presented by esta-
blished reputations at other feasts, are the rketches made
by Messrs. Elmore and W. it. Hunt for their successful
pictures of " Ilotspur and the Fop" and " Valentine re-
proaching Pretese." Copley Fielding sends several things
—suggesting at least what he could have done had ho
painted them for a May instead of a December
show. Janina% has one or two cosine, clever and
careful. George Stanfield is in excess as to numbers.
John Abeolon has several petite gems. B. A. Goodall has
several—one of " Market Boats arriving at Angers," which
is worth long looking at, even in a short winter day. G.
Lance has fruit piece. which could only be appreciated in the
summer, as a dessert at the Academy feast ; and in the same
' class W. Hunt has some marvellously tempting blackberries
' and plums. T. Uwine astonishes with two or three little
pieces--specimen bricks of the edifice he raised else-
where ; and A. Cooper is as considerate in De-
cember as his brother ILA. G. Cattermote has the
prises in the whole collection—two companion pieces illus-
trating Macbeth, being thoroughly worthy of aim, at any
period of the year. Among the secondary artists are several
who appear to have made exertion to run first. Charles
Davidson, D. M'Kewan, and H. C. Pidgeon are meritorious
in the closet "Sketches from Nature." Kenny Meadows,
who was found by Mr. Knight to be worthy of illustrating
Bhakspeare, has here done Shakeperian and other sketches
which need neither the catalogue nor " K.M. " in the corner
'to be identified. Carl Haag has a " Toilet " elaborate and
telling. T. B. Aylmer is excellent in " Calabresi." H. J.
Boddingtou has a " Welsh Lane" full of beauty. John
Callon hasan admirable sketch, appropriately fit fora break-
tut-room of that harbour which is renowned for bloaters.
Ford Maddox Brown rejoices in " A Sketch " pre-Raphael-
ites might study with profit, with a view to perception of
the narrow space between the sublime and the ridiculous.
Charles Veeher has a Venetian fragment, which would be
, complete it it had a little atmosphere. John Wilson, jun.,
(whys* pardon we beg for not naming him first) is
vigorous in one of that " Breese' " which he does not
merely catalogue " fresh." A. Solomon bas an " Interior "
that strikes and fixes attention ; and Robert Melnnes, in
an analogous effort, is as forcible as artists can be at Christ-
-1 mu. A. Irons his a little cartoon of "Russian Fitments,"
fall of life and strength. William Bennett has a " Forest
Scene " quite equal to his ordinary pictures. F. W. Top-
ham is represented on most of the screens. W. Linton
paint' woodcuts—me, ligneous but alluring, the " Ferry
at Windermere." Several ladies contribute : Miss Mary
Ann Cole, Mies E. Barker, and Miss C. Gillett coup-
stonily.