The Press.
London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

THE FIFTH EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY ARTIE!'
OF THE FRENCH SCHOOL has just opened, and in the
number and general merit of the pictures is at least
equal to the collections of previous years. It pre-
sents a curious contrast to the galleries of our native
artists in the small proportion of landscapes which
it contains. Landscape-painting is no doubt more
widely and successfully cultivated among us than
among the French, but we may take a lesson from
our neighbours in careful and correct drawing of the
human figure ; the greater beauty of our country is
probably the reason of our superiority in the one
branch, but there is no excuse for our shortcomings
in the other. It would be well, too, if the directors
of other institutions would follow the example set by
the committee of the French Exhibition, and be a
little more rigorous in their rejection of inferior
works. We should derive far greater pleasure from
the study of good pictures if we were spared the
labour of seeking them out among the crowd of
worthless attempts by which they are generally sur-
rounded. There are not many historical paint-
ings exhibited at the room in Pall-mall this year.
Three pictures by Comte, two by Ary Scheffer, and
one very inferior production by Lagardon, are about
all that can be reckoned in this class, even if we
take it in its wider sense. The first has chosen
for his subjects "The Trial of Lady Jane Grey,"
" Benvenuto Cellini receiving the visit of Francis 1.,"
and "Jeanne D'Albret buying the poisoned gloves."
They are not works of a high order; the execution
of the details is better than the design of the prin-
cipal figures, which is somewhat scholastic and arti-
fioial, and not distinguished by much originality or
intellectual power. Just the reverse may be said of
Scheffer's " Faust with the poisoned cup " and
" Marguerite at the Fountain." Here in each case
the background, the draperies, and, in fact, all the
accessories, are carelessly and roughly executed,
apparently with the view of drawing the spectator's
whole attention to the central figure—we might
almost say, to the head of the central figure. Mar-
guerite is hardly youthful enough, and her face,
though symmetrical and well drawn, has very little
character about it ; but the head of Faust is wonder-
fully fine, noble in form and feature, seamed and fur-
rowed, and corroded with sorrow. After these come
innumerable studies of every day life, small pictures
fur the mos: part, generally well drawn, and almost
all with a certain life and esprit about them. This
is a class of paintings in which French artiste
especially excel ; and here Meissonier, of course,
claims the first notice. He sends this year two very
small studies, one of a " Courtier," the other of a
" Gentleman reading ;" both are good specimens of
his wonderfully faithful and minute style. Between
these two is placed a slight but spirited sketch by
Decamps, representing a group of gipsies round
their fire. Edouard Frere sends five of his charm-
ing little studies from peasant life, of which the "
maid" and the" Cradle " are perhaps the most pleasing.
The small events and occupations of common life
among the middle class of society supply a circle of
subjects to Duverger, Fiche!, and Seignac. " The
New Dress," " The Letter," "The Duet," " The
Lest New Prints," are simple studies from the life,
but full of grace and quiet truth. " The Return
from Nurse," by Plassan, is in a more ambitious
style, the expression both of mother and child ex-
tremely good, and the picture painted with a
delicacy and finish worthy of the old Flemish school.
Conture's "Italian Shepherd" is a bold, rough
sketch ; and the " Disconsolate," by the same artist,
a coarse and rather repulsive study of the nude
female figure. Schlesinger's "Masters are out" is
a cleverly painted group of servants amusing them-
selves before the drawing•room looking-glass in the
absence of the family; there is a good deal of
humour in the figure of the black footman. Van
Seben sends what appears to be meant for an Eng-
lish school; the children be seems to have studied
carefully from Webster and Mulready, but somehow
or other they wear wooden shoes. Dubufe contri-
butes three portraits, and Saint Jean two studies of
flowers and fruit. Rosa Bonheur has a large
portrait of a sporting dog—a very fine and bold
sketch of a very ugly brute. A more finished and
attractive picture by the same accomplished artist is
No. 7, a pair of oxen drawing the plough. The
action of the animals, the richness of the colour, the
life and freshness of the early morning, are alike ad-
mirable. The cattle-pieces of Rosa Bonheur are the
first things looked for by every visitor to the gallery.
A few words will suffice for the landscapes. The
French have not yet bad a Turner to break through
established forms, and still attach themselves too
much to the old mannerisms. There are one or two
" grand landscapes " in imitation of Poussin, and
one or two sea-pieces, after the style of the Dutch
painters ; but there is some study of nature in the
pictures of Lambiner and Sohampheleer, and the
corn-fields of the latter have considerable merit.
Sebron has sent a careful painting of the pburch of
St. Jacques, at Antwerp; and Wyld, a IggP view adt
the " Grand Canal at Venice,".-not the pott4
Venice of Tuynerr but the liters). Teak, of Cemil•