The Express.
London, England, 1856-06-06 00:00:00

THEIR OFFICERS BEFORE SEBASIOPOL.

ilia picture, which in painted by T. J. Barker, ie
now on private view at the German Gallery in New Bond.
street. It will ehortly be exposed to yu'llo inspection. It
may be considered as the most remarkably accurate repre-
sentation den historical incident that hes ever been painted,
end which it would have been impossible to produce a few
years back, before the art of photogrepby came in to alga
the talents and genius of the painter. It is the culmination
to which the photographic labours of Mr. Fenton
la the Crimea tended. That gentleman received • epthisl
GentiliMeal from the publishers of the plate to
be engraved from this picture, to proceed to the Crime.,
and to collect all available materials to be used as helps to

the composition of • great picture commemorative of the
war. The results were—first, the Penton pheteg rept', with
which the public are already well acquainted ; aid secondly,
the picture now on view. To have collected &mite mate-
Male a law years beak an army of artists would have been
required, who would, however, have felled i• the prod•e-
tion of sketches of such accuracy as those in the photo-
graphs gallery. Mr. Fenton, prersiog the sun into his
senior, has been able to socomplith what no number of
artiste, however talented, could bate achieved.
The generals and their officers ire supposed to be in front
of Sebastopol on one of those mornings when the plane
were arranged which led to the fall of the fortress on the
Btb of September last. The principal group in the fore
ground and centre is complied of the Duke of Cambridge,
Prises Napoleon, Lord Raglan, General Canroberr, Mar-
shal Polluter, General Baguet, Gent ral Marmon, General
Evans, and Lord Cardigan, with their staff officers, Admiral
Lyons, and Primo Edward of Saxe Weimar. The like-
nesses are said to be so admirable that they are immediately
recognised by those who were in the Crimea at the time,
and had opportunities of seeing the originals. Of the ac-
curacy of those few of which we ourselves were capable
of judging, we can speak confidently. Lord Reeks look.,
as we should have imagined him, cool and imperturbable;
Curobert is a commanding figure, but the face, although
energetic, displays no depth of thought. Folksier, on the
contrary, shows profound thought and indomVable will.
Genets' Marmon, with his beautiful and striking Italian
features, is the very type of a 'Adler. Prince Napoleon's
face is very like that of his great uncle—every feature is •
vulgarisation of the Napoleonic type. Or the Ifs of the
centre of the foreground ere groups, the principal figures
of which are Commandant Henri, of the Cheshire
d'Afrique, a noble figure, Sir Celia Campbell, General Sie
John Campbell, and Omer Pacha. SGII for.her to tke
left are " Redan" Massey, Commander Mane, aid (inert
To the right of the centre are Lord Burgbersh, Vis-
cose, Kirkwall, Mies Nightingale, and officers of the
staff. Some of the ember-inste aosorieties of the besieg-
ing army enliven the wine, amongst whom we may
mention • Montenegrin mounted on a camel, Spahis, and •
Sardinian tirailleur. At the 'skean right is a group con-
sisting of a wooded Highlander supported by two Bunco,
and receiving refreshment at the hands of a V,vandiire.
At the estreme left are private soldiers fraternising. In
the near beak ground are various illustrative scene:
es Bailors helping to push • Gun," " Wounded going to the
rear," an "Escort of Chaseann d'Afrique," end "♦
Mortar Battery at work." On the r:ght of the
bark ground are the Mamelon Vert and the Ma-
kickoff; on the left, tie Redsn. In the distance
is the city, and the English and French Beets
outside the bay. Even if the picture displayed ler artistic
merit, it meet still be considered as one of the most remark-
able of all the memoriels of the war. It contains about 70
portralts, and npusents the awns of action faitloluEy. But
%bees merits are not it. sole claim to distinction. The artist
has battled successfully with the difficulties which always
attend the painting of a portrait picture. The faces do net
stare stolidly on the spectator, as if the penotiages were
sitting for their likenenes. The characters are there, not
merely to be looked at, but for • purpose. There le an sir
of reality about the composition. Again, although it was
necessary, in order to give an impression of reality to the
some, to introduce 'aural stoups as accessories, they do not
disturb the unity of the comp iitlon. The pow r of the
central group is sufficient to prevent the eye being distracted
by the multiplicity of details. The artist is • pupil cf
Horace Vernet, and has evidently studied with some success
la the school of that master.

MUSIC.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

La Faaarita was performed last evening, at the
Lyceum, for the lint time this seams. Of this fine opera,
which we are inclined to regard as D3nisetti's macerpiecs,
there is nothing new to be said; nor is thers anything to be
said of Its performance, save that Orisi and Mario, in the
cha ream of Lenitive and Fernando, never acted and sang
more beautifully, nor with greater effect on the fee:ings of
the audience. Oraziani, too, was very successful in the
character ..of the King ; and Zelger'a powerful role* and
Imposing manner gave due weight and importatce to the
all-powerful priest who rules the soversign's conecience
with a rod of iron. The hones was crowded, and the seem-
blsge was fuhienable and brilliant. Toe Qaeen sad Prince
Albert, with the Prince of Fruscia and other foreign visi-
tors of distinction, were present.