The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-25 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

PROFESSOR HINKEL ON TILE FINE ARTS.

;IC ieciure;e7lielivereci fael eceol7)g, irTt he
theatre of University College, by Professor Kinkel, " on
the history of the the arts in Europe." By the kindness of
the professor, the lecture was free, and there was a crowded
attendaoce.

The learned gentleman stated that, as this was the con-
chiding lecture of the series, it would be devoted to the
development of art in the eighteenth century. Ile noticed
the declension in art about 1700, and observed that no artist
lived between 1700 and 1750 at all equal to the men of
science Produced by that era. Even llogarth was more a
moral philosopher than an artist. Sir Thomas Banks war
the first to introduce a better style in England, the stimulus
having been given by the study of the Greek
models, and those splendid specimens with which
the British Museum was enriched. After a biographical
I notice of Sir Thomas Banks, the lecturer rele;red
to Flaxman, whom he desesibed as a brilliant luminary
amongst the artists of all nations. His works iu Westmin-
ster Abbey and St. Paul's were well known ; and his fame
was imperishably connected with that institution, to which
a collection of his best models had been bequeathed.
(Cheers.) The lecturer attributed his purity and elegance
of taste in some degree to his being early rendered familiar
with that world in itself of medueral art—tbe Cathedral of
York. A fte r some critical remarks un the Irit.cipal p-oduc-
times of Flausan, the Professor noticed those of Sir Richard
Westonicott, and then proceeded to discuss the advance of
sculpture in Italy, making lion. mention of Canova and
other artists. He particularise I the leading productions of
living statuaries, including the Amason of Kits, and several
of the works of Rowe, of Berlin. Turning to painting, he
placed West and the elder David at the head of those who
revived the classical style in this art. But it was re-
served for German painters to assert the indepen-
dence of art, and to teach the world that it was
not necessary to go back for models of beauty to
Pruitt les and Apclles, but that every nation bad, and
would have, in its way to civilisation, an art of its own.
(Cheers.) He observed that modern painting excelled in
three departments which were ankoown to the ancients—
landscape, genre, and political his•ory. lie inclined to the
opinion that the former was most successful in this country,
though he confessed that some English landscapes wounded
his eye by a brilliance of colour which he had never met
with in nature. (Hear, hear.) Some pictures were spoiled
by an awful mixture of scarlet and blue. (Laughter.)
High as the standard of landscape painting undoubtedly
was in England, France, and Belgium, he thought it was
not less so in Germany, and especially in Norway. In
depicting the expression of nature in animal life, the palm
must be ceded to England ; the continent had no Edwin
l.andseer; there had been no such animal plinter since
Ruben. (Hear, hear.) Genre painting, had reci ived a vast
impulse from the extended intercourse of modern time,
between the most remote nations. The principal social
characteristic of our era was the elevation of the working
classes. (Cheers.) In Germany there were schools of
genre painting for these classes ; and ono consequence of
the gagging of the press there and in France had been to
give rise tea number of pictures, in which things were
given in colours that could not be given in words. (Cheers.)
In historical painting the French excelled; three pictures,
one in the School of Design, by Paul de Is Roche ; the
wives of Abil-el-Kader taken prisoner by the Duke de Ne-
mours, by Horace Vernet ; and the Roman Festival, by
Thomas Conteau,—were sufficient to form a school in them-
selves. The secret of the success of the French in this
school of painting was, that they had passed through all the
vicissitudes of political turmoil, and were familiar with the
wildest developments of human passion. In conclusion, the
lecturer urged the nccessity of greater encouravment
being given to art in this country, by the establishment of
schools of art for the lower climes, and free access to the
exhibitions of the Academy and other bodies. The mightier a
nation grew the more ardently ought she to strive after
success in every department of human intellect. (Hear,
hear.) Knowing that he was addressing an English audi-
ence, he felt that no apology was needed for the freedom
of these remarks. (Cheers) England, as the only free
country at the present moment, bad a mission to fulfil with
regard to art ; for, though the arts were bodiless angels
from heaven, artists were men, and mast be fed ; and, if
they were not supported by a free awl enlightened people,
they were compelled to sell themselves to despots. (Cheers.)
On the motion of U. Roams" Erg., the thanks of the
meeting were unanimously voted to the lecturer.
At the claw the audience were gratified by an inspec-
tion of the Flames Gallery and the library of the institu-
tion.