The Express.
London, England, 1859-02-07 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 7, 1859.

FINE ABM.

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

The exhibition of the works of living artiste at
the Gallery of the British Institution (formerly the Shakes-
peare Osliery of Alderman Bo) dell), in Pall-mall, is opened
to the public to-day. Tide is usually calkd the spring ex-
hibition, to distinguish it from the exhibition of "Old Mas-
ten" in the mama. At the private view on Saturday we
were leery to and the gloomy anticipations among the fru-
'orally of Bt. Lob, canoed by a dull December, realised in
a very mediocre display. After the extraordinary gathering
of last year, thin exhibition has subsided even below Houma
level. Them are extremely few works of which any &bite
impression can be retained. Commonplace, to UM a paradox,
Is everywhere paramount. The Preachers in paint," who
wore so remarkably prominent in the last exhibition of the
Soya Academy, seem to have scrupulously avoided this
whey secular aemetablage. Art and religion, the union of
which was the pride and glory of the middle ogee, arc, we
believe, not hen united in one single instance.
Upon the principle recognised at public dinners in drink-
ing loyal toasts, we must give the precedence to "The Christ-
ening of 11.R.11, the niece of Wale,, in the Chapel Royal,
Winker" (638), by 8 Otorp llayter. We my meth
regret, however, wet .manot mete has IOW& Si:
-

thin Occasion. .11 h really painful to have he com-
mon honesty and loyaLy scarcely a good word to say for this
lugs and elaborate performance. Correct portraiture of the I
illustrious and aristoteatic personages hero assembled hen I
plainly bees the primary aim of the courtly painter. But the
portraits, particularly of the Royal Family, are affected, and
in other respects not good. The work will probably be I
engraved, and it is likely to gain In the pr.ceee. But re-
cumbering the immerse of B.r George in the picture of 1.
Latimer Preaching," which we reviewed the other day, it ;
is evident the painter's heart hes sot tees in his work. Yet
there is no absolute necessity for this : Velesquez, Titian, I
Babette, and Raphael, were oorinly painters.
Uaqueetionsbly the meet original picture la the ex-
hibition ie No. 463, by Mr. llopley. It is entitled,
" The Birth of a Pyramid," and Is founded upon ,
the hble related by Herodotus, that the daughter of Net
Choler, King of Egypt, bad so many admirers, that when
she commanded arch of them to bring her a sculptured stoner •
se many obeyed that she was enabled to contract one of the
Pyramids trent the result. Such a subject is of course °sly •
selected on artistic groanth, but the inherent absurdity of the
tradition Is concealed far more sumer:ay then could be
itemised without actual inspection of the picture. Me
releming belle" receives her admirers at the balcony of a
smell Khan Wend with flowers, and the numerous rivals
from divers nations by every variety of adulatory gas-
' Jure endeavour to win her regard, while some from
jealousy or disappointment fell to blows, or aim their
granite offerings at each other. That the rump-
the hes extended throughout the day may be gathered from
the folding up of the awning above, from the owe ion of the
duties of the fan-bearers on either side, and from the decline
et the sun. A promotion of ousels has conveyed away
duties the day the several gift. to the unfinished pyramid in
the distance. Among the suitors one outrageously bedi-
zened old fop makes himnif especially conspicuous by bring
conveyed on his 'Wive slab by crawling Nubian Athens bat
the human ape does nit win one glance, while the soncha-
kat eyed the fair one Is fixed an the untie cd • real blos-
som:4l nicalury, mounted ea the head of a dwarf which leads
this strange convoy. The Introduction of this and other
mime* particularly of a leopard, points to the power of the
ancient Egyptians in taming animals, sad the value
they set upon them as tributes. But all the thousand
acceseorien and the infinite variety of architectural art:Lenten-
tationturd details of costume display Egyptian rentiquarianism.
The dry mummy of four thousand years is unswathed and
revivified with much of the grace of Moore in his eastern
tales. This picture, for Its originality, even more than ice
its extremely delicate painting, deserves recognition in a day
when scholarship score the last requisite of a painter, and
critters find nothing to laud but demesne subject., and copies
of photographs.
We have but the duty of a chrosicler in respect to the
mass of the remaining pictures. There is scam ly ono con-
tributor not recognisable at a glance; and from army we
should have hoped better things. Who would not, for in-
stance, have expected a better work from Mr. Gilbert, after
his lung practice of Shakespeare illustration, than the vulgar
preiseetment of "Six John Fa!staff examining the half- dozen°,
' sufficient men' provided foe him by Robert Shallow, Req."
(66) P Even the artist's felicity in composition has her.
partly deemed him. Nor can ill drawing be concealed by
pretentious fealty of execution. Severe midday) is ow-
taialy in this instance not misplaced, for it is obvious In all
Mr. Gilbert attempts that be has great gilts, which hs would
reader incalculebly precious by devoting more thought to
the otheeption of his seject, and more conscientious care
to the preparatory stage. of his painting. indeed, few
artists know more of the old masters' secrets of solid oil
paint than is here evinced, 07 could equal the enact dolmas
of hes of this picture.
' We commend Mr. MAUS foe his adoption of Spanish
subjects, but excellently are hi. " Cutts on the Basks of the
Gualalqui eer" (No.3lDare painted, e belief we have long ea-
_ _

tertalsol tha. thin aria. woiad ovenmlre distieguisb
as a humorous sista is confirmed by " Doe Amigos" (60).
The two Mends who are hem shaking hands have evickatly
sat under retina enabarraring tirournetsmom. The one, •
hand• we manly young Spaniard, Is in holiday costume—
• regardlims of expense, hired u elm k, truelully-enniod and
caparisoned mule, espr.ssly for the is:radon—hes hi. gaily-
decked inamorata (cutely the Ws* lied network trimming of
bar dens most start • new Gables) mounted behind him,
▪ whillieg hie eiyarelto, hai felt al proud as any caballero
al old romancer°. Ilio ether frietd is • dusty old
donkey-drives, who, upon the strength of " add soquaint-
ance," is nnrmtrainedly chuckling out some dry
joke, which, rox impunied by • knowing wink, makes
his parvenu gentleman-friend feel rather disconcerted
and the lady rather awkward. In a suljoct from Burgos,
" ague Santa" (18), indifferently treated by Mr. Long, wears
armed that earthly passions, such an love-nseking and
coquetry, are as annum over • " holy wear" baustier in •
Spanish mthedral as catholic* itannate they are in a protes-
tant church.

----
. The Home of the Mounteineer" (179), • young wife

her lint-beam at her Lreast, bitting Mb;
husband—serer to return—in the pale moonlight, rendered

still more et eetral by the Alpine •510 r,floctions, and the eon-
trot of the beacon light from the Imp suspended under the
OMB at h-r chalet home, and the blazing tit (-light breaking
through the opened dour—ls a jrcedcol rendering, by Yr.
Wyburd, of a ;passage is Rogers, and a picture remarkable
For almost finilake retinvemat of execution. la " First
end lest Bart," (171), by Mr. limbo, we hare en sod
invalid painter, sapportel by pillows, before hie easel,
tag wiatfolly at his little ebikl dres:ng by his side—u
tussling incident, marred by the
,eotspiratively weak paint-
ing of the eht d.
The British Irstituti,n, which was formerly a kind of
sure-room to the Itioyol Awrlcury, can beset eery few works
by Boyd Aerideni, lass.
Mr. David Roberta hat, however' comdowended to contri-
bute epearoens ; and Mr. Frost hail sent ea otqui4to
rodutton of his " I:Allegro" (20). Mr. Frost lase OM
rounded hie female foitue, "tripping on the light finitude
toe," w i h more thin his usual subtlety of gradation, and his
colouring is wore juicy and lore clay•co:d than in his !ardor
works.

The number if babies, the juvenility and puerility, the
nursery and school pictUll., contributed to every exhibiden,
and to this in particular, is fast hemming a cry ing evil.
We should suppose that of all men artiste were the most
marrlegtable, did no nut know that Sir Joshua Reynolds,
who, too, um-1W in _lancing children, wile blues: f •
bachelor. Be title se ft way, st the risk of offending our
lady readers, we feel dispusid to sty, " Drat these childish
painters—take them oat of oar • gist," for their prattle is
not worth repeating, and so have tot the heart to oorreot
thew. There le, however, so litds "strong meat" Is this
exhibition that we must perforce supply " uulk fur babes."
At the Load of ihs " pinatas. pigeon," a. o Mews. Clark,
O. lisalth, T. P. Dickens, and Mr. Hemsley. At Mr.
Clark's " Cottage Door" (398), • countrymen, in
corduroys sod ci keen velvet " vest,' L, with
untrue glee, tickling his infant und.r the chin,
with the stem of his pipe. The figure holding the baby Is
at rather an embigamm sge—sh• is too old to be tie eldest
daughter of the men, and too young to be his wits. Bat the
attitude of the child, dint with • slight touch of jealousy,
at the Wier of " baby," to her atria et, isga Is admirable.