The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-08 00:00:00

FMB ARTS.

FXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

We hod upon a more deliberate examination of
this Sxhibiti n that its character is precisely what
we anticipated from our impressions at the private
view. The first effect upon the imagination of a
great number°, paintings, fall of the fascinating elo.
twine of colour, is greater than when we return and
examine them in detail—to seek for the logic of form
and the truth of expression. It must be admitted
that we are lees remote from the richness and
breadth of colour of Titian, and the vivid's= of
effect of Ruben', than we are from the grandeur of
conception of Michael Angelo, or the i perfection,
the supernatural beauty, and the dramatic power of
Raphael. We fear that till we pt more of the truth
and beauty of pure form there will remain the dis-
tinction, which too generally obtains, between the
moderns and the old masters—namely, that the first
impression of the former is the most pleasing, whilst
that of the latter is least so. _

The Exhibition of the Royal Academy, being the
mos: important of the year, should have much
natiocal sigoiticance, especially as art is becoming
every day more decidedly popular. We have already
remarked that we should like to ecotone artists evince
moresympathy with the actualities of contemporary
life. But, besides this, we should expect to find their
works, merely from anneaseiems sympathy, more a
reflex of the time. The gneaspbaelites present,
perhaps, the most salient feature in this exhibition,
and certainly give as some of the mediaeval mystical
sentiment of our time. But the time I, unnatural and
the stimulus inadequate; for, as far as painting is
concerned, the religious spirit of early art " being
the product of totally different tendencies from those
of modern society, we can no more recall it than we
sax return to the manners and customs and entire
mode of thinking of that age." Our hero-worship, also
traceable in the subjects of oar semi-historical paint.
ices, produces neither great picture, nor great acre.
The genre pictures, moreover, do more to display the
predominating taste and sentiment of the age, by
showing its favourite authors and writers, than to
portray the actual spirit of the time in its manners,
customs, and costumes. Coatumes we say advisedly :
they are undoubtedly not inviting, but they are
not more formidable than the mob.ospe, head-
dresses, and pigtails, Vie short waists, swal-
low-tailed coats, and many other eccentri-
cities of fashion that Reynolds and Hogarth, Law-
rence and W:lkie, had to contend witb. In one respect
oar contemporary art indeed presents a parallel : we
apprehend there is the same absence of " greatness"
which we find in our literature, our public men, our
generals—indeed, in almost everything. We have,
for instance, an immense number of works in this
Exhibition above mediocrity, but none of any very
conspicuous eminence—no artist to lead the rack
and fire all the rest with noble emulation. They sake
fair play, and keep altogether, indifferent whom fleet
provided they are not last. " Excelsior,' although a
fashionable motto, does not appear to be theirs.
One reason, perhape, for the absence of "lions" in
this Exhibition is, that an unusual number of our
beet koown artists contribets nothing. In this cate-
gory we regret that we have to enumerate Messrs.
Maclias, Mulready, Eastlake, Creawiek, Cope, Her-
bert, Knight, Egg, and F. Denby. Several others
exhibit but little, viz., Meagre. Leslie, Landeser,Web-
'ter, Hart, Redgrave, and D. Nearly all these
gentlemen have unpaired themselves on former
occasions. Let no hope, however, that the arts are
sally in a transitional state, since we find that so many
lithe young artiste nearly equal the old favourites.
It is but just to remark that the pressure from
without seems at last to be making an impewaon•
upon " the Forty." The catalogue is mach more
carefully compiled, and we hear comparatively few
complaints of the " hanging " this year. Naturally
there will ever be some dissatisfaction, but Messrs.
Ward, Cope, and Cousins appear to have succeeded
mach better than the " hanging committee' of last
pear. We noticed also, en peasant, that the dungeon
called the "Octagon-room" is closed for the reception
of pictures: henceforth no rising artist will Whorled
alive.
" The Scapegoat " (398), by Mr. Hunt, will be the
picture for conversation of the season. Mr. Hunt is
very exacting : his work, in its extreme ascetic feel•
ing, seems utterly out of place in this exhibition.
To be appreciated, it appears to demand that it
should be approached with some such a feeling as a
member of the Romish church kneel, to an image of
the Saviour ; and we should suppose it to have been
painted in such a frame of mind as Fri Angelico ap-
proached his works, fasting and in prayer, cad with
all the fervour of one who sees the full signifkation
of that animal sacrificial typifying the great sacrifice
of atonement. We read in Leviticus that two goats
were taken—one was burnt ea a sin offering, and apes
the head of the other Aaron confessed all the sins of
the children of Israel, and it was then led to "a
country not inhabited," and left to perish. Mr. Hunt
represents the goat, after having traversed the
wilderness, come to the margin of the salt.immested
shallows of the Dead Bela, and movie, in wain to
drink of its salphareous waters. The MOS edam-
latioa conveyed in the seine is dreary beysed il=ti
tica,strewed as it is with the ehtiMeeed
goats, and other animals. The neeetekees
of Edom glow blood-red in the woof thenel
sum. The sufferings of the poor animal are ezpi
with painful truth in its gasping breath and he the
ill, gathering over the eye. Round its heed Mr.
Hunt has placed a fillet of scarlet, upon the authority
of the Talmud. The merits of this work as a painting
it seems almost irreverent to refer to; still we think
that if the colour were less_positive the meaning
would not be lees finesse. Upon the truthfulness
of the view we may place entire reliance, as Mr.
Hunt, with characteristic eonscientiousuess, painted
it on tie opt during his recent visit to the Holy
Land. We have some other fruits of his travels
in the interesting sketches Nos. 873, 883, and 1002.
Close to Mr. Hunt's picture is another, No. 413,
with pre-Raphaelite execution, but possessing more
varied technical excellences, to say no more. It has
neither title nor the painter's name in the catalogue,
bat it is the work of a young artist named Burton;
and we will endeavour to describe the subject. A
young cavalier has been gambling—sal we lease from
a pack of cards at his feet; out of the gambling
a quarrel arcse ; ha fought, and was wounded,
and then made a wild lunge at his adverasay. but
being giddy he only struck the tree, which still
holds the broken blade of his sword in its bark;
that he then fell, and his adversary left him for
dead. We learn further that be has laic there all
night, for the spider has spun her web round his
sword, and night dews have rusted his canoes.
Here a Puritan lady (perhaps his ladye-love, as the
cards are all hearts), who is walking with her Puritan
lover, finis him faint, raises him in her aims, and
stanches his wounds, while her friend with the large
folio looks on in nooonspassionating bitterness, and
with inextinguishable hate of all cavaliers in
his compressed lips and clenched fist. The
story —if this be it —is well told, not for.
getting that touch of the butterfly-emblem of life
settled on the broken blade. With the exceptio• that
two of the faces are too chalky, the colour is very fine.
The drawing would be good but that the cavalier
placed upright would stand some seven feet high.
All the details—the mosses, lichens, ferns especially—
are imitated with great nicety of touch. We expect
great things from Mr. Burton.

CHELTENHAM ELECTION —The nomination of a
rapmesatatly• to the room of Mr. Graseills Berkeley, who
has been appointed a ressmirsinesr of ess.ome, t sok pine
yesterday. Mr F. W F Bork.ley was nomissted Lv Mr
Most., Girl seende.l by Mr. Downie,. Mr. T. 0. Malls
well, late M.P. for Newry, was nominated by Sir Mean-
der Ramsay, mended by Mr. Panoesse. Mr. B. rick, to
Ins addreen declared himself I f f the tiall.t, a 61.
trembles for the boroughs, and a 101. in resell.,, the &b.+
him of the ehy,h mad ursiast Mr Sh,ioellee
abeiliWeile the snot to hlsynotsh. MI. Bali sell sta.d
that hie views and op.o,osa mire sssss Um, sad m melt
be shaeld veto sisin.t the tatassins if the solfraps, the
&bridles of church rates, the admislion of Jaws Imo par.
1 limiest, the hello!, and the Msynooitt grant. Tice show r f
hands beteg in f ~oar of Mr. Berkeley, a poll was de•
andel for Mr. 11.':•••11, sad .111 take else • Ms d.y.
SALE OF ASSURANCE COMPANY SUAREL—Y•SMY-
4sy, at the Alkaline Mart Mean Davis end Viler. ,(.,,d
to public attain IT/shares la the Cheers] lodating, A
imam Compaq, is iota, which were sold at Om fo:lowiss
wale prices : —Lot 1. 20 paid up sharm of 61. sash, 201.
Lot 2. 36 similar therm, 211. Lot 3. 35 armlet name
161. 16i. Lot 4. 60 shares of Si. met, es which 11. par
ban Dae bma paid, 21. 10.. Lot 6. 60 similar sham., 21 2e.