The Press.
London, England, 1856-05-03 00:00:00

(To be continued.)

••• We have received a number of communications
on the "text of Shakespeare," for which we will
endeavour to find room in succeeding issues.

tint Iris.

THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

THE eighty-eighth exhibition of the Academy will
open to the public on Monday. The private view
took place yesterday, when the usual number of
political, literary, and fashionable notables visited
the rooms, and by skimming the cream of the expo-
sition obtained sundry conversational advantages
available for three dinner-parties; but all will be
equal again at Monday's board. The exhibition con-
tains more pictures of excellence than mual. A few
of our best names are not in the catalogue. Mul-
ready, Maclise, Egg, Eastlake, and Creswick (except
in one work, and in conjunction with another artist)
are absent, but the majority of the leading men of
the day have put forth their strength. We propose
merely to give, upon this occasion, a glance at the
principal features of the exhibition, reserving de-
tailed criticism.

Mr. Millais has several works, the largest being a
domestic subject, an invalided officer, with his lovely
wife and children, at the time when the journals
announce that "peace is concluded." The wife is
silent with intense happiness, and the children have
placed upon her lap, from the treasures of Noah's
ark, the four animals representing the powers, to
which they now add the dove and olive-branch.
Another of Mr. Millais's works, " Autumn Leaves,"
represents a group of girls, of various auractions,
making a bonfire. The " Child of the Regiment,"
with its little arm hurt in the battle raging outside
an old church, has been carefully laid to sleep on the
tomb of some Crusader, and a soldier's coat is thrown
over it by its friend wbo has rushed back to the
melee. The most remarkable of this artist's works
is the "Blind Girl," in which the peculiarities of the
school to which he belonged, but upon which his
genius has enabled him marvellously to improve,
are more illustrated than in his other contribu-
tions. Mr. Stanfield's great work this year is the
"Abandoned," a wreck alone in the ocean—the idea
suggested by Washington Irving: this artist has also
a second work, of a less melancholy character, a
'Guards Costa riding out a Gale." Sir Edwin
Lanill-eer has s painting of a noble dog that has just
saved a child front the sea. The little fellow is still
livid and insensible, with a streak of sea-weed across
his breast, but he is "saved "—this will be a house-
hold picture. Another of Sir Edwin's works is called
" Highland Nurses," and represents some female
deer licking the wounds of an injured stag; dedi-
cated, rather curiously, to Miss Nightingale. Mr.
David Roberts has a grrnd interior of St. Peter's at
Rome, at the Christmas festival, with the Pope
borne in procession ; anl this gentleman's archi-
tectural kn orledge and power of dealing with details
have possibly never been more severely tested. He
also has other works, including one of bis favorite
promontories with classic ruins bathed in sunshine.
Mr. Webster has but one picture, some cottage chil-
dren at " Hide and Seek ; " the entire family intent
upon the sport, and every likely and unlikely hiding-
place being selected by the players. Mr. Frank
Stone has a painting upon the subject he always
clings to so faithfully, but this time he preaches the
salutary 1 sson that a love vow made in haste may
be repudiated upon consideration. Mr. Leslie has
but one, a statuesque " Herrnione." Mr. Patten
shows us some full limbed, half clad, female beauty;
and Mr. Frith has a family parts a little girl,
surrounded by a great garland, receiving the con-

427

gratulations of all her relatives on her " Birthday; •
she seems less than grateful for the demonstration.
Mr. Frost presents us with the " Graces," and a
" Nereid," and a " River Nymph ;" and Mr. Pickers-
gill has five or six portraits. Mr. E. M. Ward's
works are Marie Antoinette's farewell to her chil-
dren, before her murder, and Lord Byron, in his
youth, gazing through a window into a chamber of
Annesley hall, where the object of his passion is
dancing.
Among the works by artists at present untitled,
and which will excite attention, are Ary Scheffer's
remarkable portrait of Mr. Charles Dickens; a por-
trait of the Empress of the French, on horseback,
but with her hat removed, by M. Pontibonne (" not
pretty enough," is the verdict of visitors) ; a portrait,
by Mr. Claxton, of the venerable Bishop of Calcutta;
three masterly portraits, by Mr. H. W. Phillips, of
Owen Jones, Sir C. Campbell, and Dr. Sandwith ; a
street scene in Cairo, by Mr. Lewis; the " Death of
ChatterOn," by Mr. Wallis, and the same painter's
" Andrew Marvell returning Danhy's bribe ;" a
" Fisherman's Haunt," by Mr. George Chester
(pity that it is hung where its real merits are almost
undiscoverable) ; Mr. Hunt's marvellous "Scape-
goat," with its deep pathos and wonderful back-
ground; Mr. Robinsou's clever imitation of Maclise;
Mr. Solomon's pretty young ladies having their
fortunes told on the cards; and Mr. Halliday's
capital study in the nature school—the lover
measuring the lady's finger for the ring.
Baron Marochetti's bust of the Queen, in tinted
marble, and Mr. Bailey's, in white, have the places
of honour in the sculpture hall, where also are a
great many of those pleasing but characterless imita-
tions of Greek art which pass for English statuary.
There are some pretty statuettes, and several ex-
cellent busts, including several admirable likenesses
by Mr. John E. Jones ; and Mr. Munro has displayed
his usual delicate grace in his children. Indeed, if
one could see these sculptures, we have some idea
that the collection would be deemed a good one.
We are happy to add that the other oubliette,
which used to be known and hated as the Octagon-
room, has ceased to be used as a condemnedicell for
artists.

OLD WATER-COLOUR SOCIETY.
Tins exhibition opened on Monday last. Though
the number of works presented to the public does not
exceed three hundred, the number of good pictures
is larger both absolutely and in proportion to the
whole than the corresponding number in any of the
other exhibitions of the season, the Royal Academy
itself excepted. Both figure-subjects and landscapes
are numerous and excellent. Among the first, Mr.
Gilbert's "Her Majesty inspecting the wounded
Coldstream Guards in the Hall of Buckingham
Palace" (83), commands attention from its size and
the importance of the subject; but the eye soon
grows tired of a collection of mere portraits however
striking the principal likenesses. Mr. Gilbert has
spoiled a fine subject by an utter want of sentiment.
We are irresistibly reminded of the woodcuts in an
illustrated newspaper as we look at the stolid faces of
the Crimean heroes and the theatrical attitudes of the
chief figures in the picture.
Mr. Lewis's "Frank Encampent in the Desert of
Mount Sinai " (134) is certainly the finest picture in
the room, but it needs study to be fully appreciated.
The incident chosen is the presentation of a scheikh
by a dragoman to an English nobleman. The con-
trast of expression in the personages of the scene is
perfect. The self-importance of the scheikb, the in-
dolent self-possession of the Frank, stretched at full
length on the ground, and the quizzical coolness of
the interpreter, are admirably given; while the
marvellous eiaboration of the minutest details—the
tent-ropes, the smallest bit of stone lying broken on
the parched and glaring soil, the dead game, the
cane backed chair, the ornaments on the chibouk,
the coffee-cups, even the Galignani and the Quar-
terly—surprises us by its almost microscopic accuracy
of imitation. The contrast of colour is striking, and
in the richest harmony ; but Mr. Lewis's flesh is
positively disgusting,—it is like dirty clay, dead,
pasty, repulsive.
Mr. Burton sends but one subject this year: "A
Tale—Beggars of 0 ber- Fran ken " k 2221, full of truth
of expression. The distinction between the life long
sufferings of the grandmother's face and the prema
ture misery of the child's is exquisitely marked.
Mr. C. Haag's " Sabine Peasant " and "Pifferari "
are full of his peculiar cleverness. Mr. A. Fripp's
" Italian Peasant Woman " and " Neapolitan Peasant
Girl" are remarkable for great correctness of draw-
ing. Mr. F. Tayler's "Dog-fight" (281) is capital:
full of spirit and vigour, telling the story, perhaps, a
little too plainly for " nice people," who may turn
with more gratification to his " Huntsman's Boy and
Bloodhounds," where the heavy watchfulness of the
dogs is strikingly caught and expressed.
Among the landscapes we may notice especially
Mi. Branwhite's "On the River TeiA ;" Mr. Smith's
" Clan Gwynn ;" and Mr. Gastineau's " River
Dcchart." There are some beautiful flower-pieces by
•