The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-30 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 30, 'RS3.

FINE ARTS.

The Gallery of Photographs, at the Photographic
Institution, hew Bond street, has just been entirely
renewed, by a series of fresh and improved copies ofi
the sun pictures heretofore exhibited ; and several
others of great beauty have been added. The occa-
Won calls for a few words concerning a power which ,
promises to work, in art, much such another revolu-
tion as has been brought about in practical mechanics
by the introduction of steam, No one can behold the
collection of sun-pictures at ti..e Photographic Insti-
tution without becoming sensibi,l of the fact that the
dsstb-blow is about to be deet to an enormous
amount of inanity, calling itself art`• in the shape of
poor engravings, amateur sketches, and unfaithful
painting. Here is a power by which die poor man
is, or soon will be, able to obtain for
a few pence an amount of beauty which has hitherto
been at the command only of those who could afford
to give their scores or hundreds of pounds far a
sketch by Raphael or Michael Angelo, or an mg:li-
ving of Marc Antonio. Such a privilege will not bi!
long neglected—though, of course, its magnitude
will not be comprehended at once by those whose
apprehension of natural truth and beauty has been
utterly neglected, or worse, vitiated by badart. To
understand the beauty of these sun-pictures requires
much the same kind and degree of receptivity as is
required for the enjoyment of the noblest art ; but
happily this capacity does in no way de-
pend on the possession of wealth, and it
depends extremely. little upon an artificial
culture. It requires only that the natural
perception—by no means an uncommon gift—shall
not have been perverted by false canons and prece-
dents of taste; and, if this be true, who can doubt
but that the bricklayer, carpenter, or ploughman,
returning from the hard and truthful training of his
work, will be quite as likely to apprehend the force
and loveliness of absolute natural fact in photo-
graphy, as well as the most punctual annual visitant
of the Royal Academy exhibition, or the glibbest
amateur expounder of the principles of "high art"
in the be-pictured drawing room of a fine lady! A
thoroughly unperverted taste will at once re- ,
mire the productions of photography as a
boon of the very highest artistic value, and
it would be difficult to recommend a better
discipline for the minds of those who have
been misled by false art—and the vast majority of
us have been so misled—than to pass their daily life
within the unconscious influent* of a small collection
of good photographs; the mild and continual plead-
ing of which, in favour of truths and nature, would
be irresistible by any but those few who are so unfor-
tunately constituted as never at any time to have
possessed an affection for external beauty.
Not least among the many good results which this
exhibition of photographs suggests to tie, is the
valuation which the new art will teach us to place
spas beauty and truth for their own sakes. Who
can tell how much of the pleasure which a man
derives from the possession of a picture, or a sketch
by a jireat painter, is to be attributed to the fact of
its uniqueness and money value, and the considera-
tion it obtains for its possessor? But this false
source of enjoyment will not be allowed to influence
and injure the mind of the possessor of a portfolio of
photographs, which, in a short time, will be to be
had at a rate cheaper than that of the commonest
engravings.
At this stage of the art it is, however, impossible
to foresee more than a very small proportion of its
ultimate advantages. It is quite clear that photo-
gesphy is as yet in its infancy, even es regards exc.-
/Mimi.
EtWhat it may come to when the theory and t of it shall be perfected, and its results
to their full value by the due employment of
Wonderful and we may say inestimable discovery
of stereoscope, it is impossible to guess.
Nor is photography to be regarded only as instru-
mental to the advancement and dissemination of fine
art and true taste. Science has already recognised
its value, witness the "Photographic, Zoologique " of
L. Itoussean and A. I)evera, the mechanical illus-
trations of the splendid "Presentation Copies" of
the Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition, and
the topographical illustrations in such works as the
a Egypt, Nubia, and Syria," of Maxime du Camp;
the "Selections from 1,700 Photographs, taken
around the Shores of the Mediterranean ; " and the
"Egypte of Nubie," of Felix Teynard.
As an artistic power, photography is of inexpres-
sible importance to sculpture and architecture—arts
which not the most skilful engraver is competent to
imitate so as to win our faith. The gallery in Bond-
street affords numerous examples of great beauty, of
the repetition of works of sculpture and architecture.
We enumerate a few of those which seemed to us to
be especially worth attention. 23 and 26 are statues
from the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, represented
with a degree of softness, refinement, and perfection,
which really seem to surpass the qualities of plaster
fac•similee. 48, a cottage in Jersey, is perhaps the
most exquisite photograph of the three hundred k
the room. It shows what is certainly to be hoped
for from photography when its practice shall have
been brought to that perfection which is now only
reached rarely and by accident. No. 39, " The Water-
gate, Raglan Castle; " 80,a "Field at Fontainvrail,"
show what the sun can do in the landscape line ; 81,
" Doorway, Strasbourg Cathedral; " 92, another
"Doorway," from St. Loup de Need; 106, from
" Chartres Cathedral;" 112, the " Church of St.
_ _

Trophino, Arles ; " 118, the Church of St. Leu ;"
121, a " View in Venice ;" 143, the " liaison de
Gendarmes," at Caen; 157, " Hotel, Rotten ." 158,
" Arch at Rome ;" 177, another " Arch at florae ;"
are all of them very startling proofs of the architec-
tural value of this new power. Of the landscapes,
besides those noticed, the following are to be oh-
' served with care :-163, " Rocks in Switzerland ;"
183, same subject ; 201, " Aloes, at (tome." There
are also several portraits which are not in the cata-
logue. One of a " Lady with an Infant in her lap"
is exquisitely bvely. Raphael might have imitated
the expression of motherly affection in the woman's
Lee.

JUVENILE MENDICANCY AND VAGRANCY.—Lord
Boaftesbury has a second Ina, which has Just been printed,
In the Boum of Lords, to suppress juvenile mendicancy
and vagrancy. Parents, &C., of young beggars and vogranta
ars :o be deemed as idle and disorderly, and punished ac-
cordingly. Begging children may be apprehended, re-
lieved, and the expense recovered from guardians of the
poor.

THE COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.—The House of
Lords ordered a return, which has just been printed, of the
revenue of tbe Court of Bankruptcy, for the year ending
the 31st December Int. The income was 83,6141. 12s. 9d.,
and the expenditure 93,9301. 16s. Bd. The amount of stock
at the end of the year broadtail to the credit of the bank-
ruptcy tnakoscionnt was 1,336,8921. 64.