The Express.
London, England, 1856-07-10 00:00:00

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

THE CERAMIC COURT AND THE PICTURE
GALLERY.

The two subjects named at the had of *ill article
are the novel fastens of the eatettainaent provided by the
directors of the Crystal Palau for the recreation
and improvement of their visitors. Of the Ceramic
or Poetise' Cour, we may observe at ant that it
is far from complete. A fall ceramic court, eoetalainq
examples of the pottery of all nations, from the earliest
period until the present time, is • desiderata!' yet to be
achieved. Tee Crystal Palate directors era the oely pu-
mas in the world who have ohs power of forming such a
congests' ; let as hope that they will not throw away tbeir
opportunities. I. the meantime, they have, in the collec-
tion formed by Mr. Batumi, a nucleus around which they
may cluster any amount of rarities, which will receive
illustration and relief from the masterpieces of art
with which they ere brought in contact. Mr.
Batten's collation is principally coecereed with the
marvels of the potter's at, end can scarcely be
excelled is its own pastier sphere. But we wish to see
specimens in-the Crystal Palma of every national effort at
pottery from the earliest period until our own time. The
civilisation of nations may be adumbrated, if not trued, in
their pottery. As they advanced in culture, the beauty of
form and the richness of colour of the pottery became more
manifest. It ha been observed, that "when pagan sub-
jects began to be treated among the artiste of Italy, from the
revival of learning, and lb. spread of • knowledge of the
literature of Orem end Rome, this change wee imme
ditetely stamped as indelibly on the pottery of Urbino as upon
the pictures of Raphael and his galaxy of pupils." Any one
who has studied the rich selleetions of Ruse porcelain
to be wet with in Ragland and Praises, cannot
fail to hove bees struck with the fact that the
vicious taste of the age was imprinted upon the
pottery. Nothing can be more exquisite in manufacture
sad worse in art than the Sevres porcelain of the age of
Luis XV. We believe that • complete collection of
potters' work, from the time when the potter'. wheel was
drat taken into the service of humanity, would Illustrate
some peculiar phew of tie lkation. The programme pub-
lished by the Crystal Palate Company gives us hope that
each a collection may be completed ; bat at prestat we an
only gratify our senses with • view of the saseterpiems of
the /stun' art. The grand spathe which these mark out
will need to be osseested by specimens of the ordinary
pottery of the intervening periods. Among the principal
'Woes in the present eollection we may remark an ia-
tensible and splendid esseetasent of MejCLOS ware. Lucca
della Robbie is well represented—two of his that works
are la the collates now on view. A large medallion re-
presenting • Virgin sad Child, and • negro boy the sine
of life, are marvels of artistic manufacture. In the same
room with the Luau della Robbie. are some valubla;
illastretions of the stone pottery of the Rbiae, and some
geed examples of the works of the mastyr, philosophss.
and artist, Bernard noisy. It is difficult to look upon any
the of the beautify' works of Palissy without thinking
sadly of the life-bleed that was saulfled to bring them to
eemplatioa. By-tic-bye, hew II it that levees of pottery
have not endeavoured to obtain models of the splendid
thimass-piece and ornamental garden works which
Paths, executed ? The porcelain porticos of the
exhibition Includes many line works. Then is
• grand Indian vase, five feet high, lIIIMITOIII &misters
of the manufacture of 'WM., St. Cloud, Vies's, Siena,
and DMIWOR. The finest siociasen of the latter were is the
Temple of Bacchus. A group of Beeches and Article,
attached to this is beautifully modelled. This wee formerly
used es a plateau epee the tables of the Electors of Saxony.
A braes of plummets la the same ware, of exquisite flea,
war, Ia the time of Napoleon 1., one of the principal me
moats of the state rooms of the Mareolial Pekes at
Deaden. General Lygea hes knobbed the exhibition
rem with the beet *mimes/ of his whiled casettes.
The examples of jewelled ware, whish the frequaters of
oaks know nisch most fabulous prime, ere Rumness, and
of the highest snit. Some idea of the rishaese of
the &Ivrea collusion may be gathered fret the fast
*stems of the plates bran part of a atereke of " pito
tends.," made by the express orders of Louis XVI., are
valved at 260 ',taw sash. Vienna, Dresden, Berlin, end
Chet's*, are all well represented in the porcelain depart.
meal. The connoisseur will be delighted with some rare
sp einem of the enamels of Limoges.
We are glad to see that modern English sneaufacdon is
not neglected. A large tripod, from the firm of Miami and
Co., is placed la the centre of the court. The ornamental
ties, desisting principally of flowers, is exquisitely per-
tains d. The reproduction of the Greek vases, by Messrs.
Batten and Bea, coo putioularly worthy of notice. They
are admirable in point of art and manufacture. We an
given to understand that the formation of the oolleetion is
due to the thief partner In this fine.

The proton gallery is daily becoming non isterestfog.
The pressen of selection and rejection seam to be adhered
to with great rigour, and there is every resent to believe that
the pCture gallery will become one of the Been eollerions
of works of art that we poises.. Ties will of nano be
seenney to prodses such a onsuaimation, but stun now
the 1.200 works of en brought together to the gallery easy
ith-"enge competition with many eolleetions. The
corridor of ha lisjuty's apartment contain 267 water-
colour pointing', stay of then of great essilleace.
Along these see /perinea. by Tuner, Corbould, Warren,
sad Bartholomew. Than is is this non s grind copy of
Rafsello's Transfigantin," by Menge. Then ie also s
good piston of tbe Deciadeses of Italy," by Couture, the
clever pointer of the " Decades.. of the Soma Empire" in
the Luzenthourg. Lanni the etirridia, sad &wend*
the staircase, we come to the first saloon of the gallery
peeper. Agrarian best patens ben we nay sane becy's
" Penis; of Lord W. Russell with hie Lilly," and the
Monsere of the Christina," remarkable for Aside and
Won, by a Frank artist. The soot ikon main
works of miens ethnic The Bag of the Bel-
gian kr kat the dinners Heyser's *taro of
Elisabeth of Hungary, ems of the non meritori-
ous prodaelons of the mkt. The Doke of Sutherland
contribute. *tern by Bird and Westell. This roost
measles a good see plea by Dyes, "Raise is Egypt,"
tome of D. Roberta's nod esannfel sloes, sad spiciness
by J. P. Height, gat, PielosregfiL nod others.

The scat saletWessiwstilelleres by English wasters only •
There is s doe "F Family," by Sir Meta UM-
seer, fell of life sad Wow, hat by the Xis, of the Bel-
gians. Leslie's we& kerma o Sasebo Passe" is beep la
this room. Haight, Frost, IMorts, Denby, Beddingten,
sad others, have apostles's of their skill on the wale. The
succeeding rams ere devoted to pictures free the Gerstaa,
Belgies, sad Frusta schools. One a the west interesting
forams of the Frisch saldbitles W • eadisetio• of *twee
of the Nepelata fseil7. They were pasted by Gerard for
Jerome, Lag of Westphalia, sad as. variable set oily for
their srtistis writ bet for the muscled view whit* they
Ands( the meat niaarkable family of the seeders woad.