The Express.
London, England, 1850-07-26 00:00:00

PINS ARTS.

STATOR OF HAwPDVI.—Mr. J. H. Foley has just
slowwitted this marble statue, from the plaster-east
which earned ameideralle atomics when exhibited
be Wanderer Hall three years eines; and the litre
cilia has ha well beeto a is the beautiful tlaish
iffietiaguishable Weighed this pees of sculpture.
Is the attitude of the figure, as well as the quiet
animation of the head, which strikingly remake
Ilmetirshou's authentic engraving, ay be recognised
the "weighty meeker." keldier hie speech is his richt
and nay to defend it with the sword ate:
be grasps in the left. Thus the sculptor has skilfully
overcame the difficulty of representing at mice the
statesman and the warrior. Hampden is represented
is the garb of a country geutleman of the period,
which is both simple and picturesque. and admirably
adapted for marble ; the loss of the " Dorset:* which
his portraits have rendered familiar, may be regretted
though perhaps it vaunt fitted for the requirements
of sculpture. This statue will shortly be put on its
pedestal in St. Stephen's Hall, where, it seems, the
fine tuts commissioners contemplate adorn-
ing each compartment between these statues,
with paintings illustrative of the history of
every individual hero. This will produce a pleasing.
rich, and harmonious effect, though perhaps not war.
minted by precedent, even in the palace of Munich,
where, thoigh many dieing innovations were intro-
duced, the feats of Barbai uses and those of the Ni-
belangen-lied have remained unconnected with sculp-
ture. In the Vatican, on the other hand, the Stars*
are decorated with frescoes of statues, painted in
mere black and white from Raphaelite design& Much
will depend on the style of painting, which should be
considered with as much care as Mr. Foley has taken
to diversify the lines of his statue with the cleared
pillars of its final receptacle.
PORTRAIT OF SIR ROBERT PREL.—Memer.. Hering
and Remington, of Regent-street, have on view a
portrait, painted as late as 1847, from the lamented
Larose, and orgnally intended by Mr. Vernon to
be bequeathed to the nation. It is painted by H.
W. Pickeregia, ILA., and is a mould and honest piece
of painting. Due allowance being made for a little
extra youthfulams in the countenance, it may be
pronounced a good likeness. The CJIItIIII26 is that of
evening dress, and the lights are pleasantly die-
;real. The portrait is to be engraved by Mr. G. R.

MUSIC.
ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

"La Juive"was---pec4;;;iihsieveWlng with great
success, but its CAMBAY length and the lateness of
the hoar at which it terminated (e quarter to one in
the morning), evidently fatigued the audience, and
diminiahed the Eclat of its close. The French grand
serious operas are uniformly too long, and it is alwa's
found necessary (in this country at kw) to cot them
down considerably. "La helve" most be curtailed aa
the others have been, in order to make it attractive.

It is impossible at present to enter into any critical
remarks upon the music. Its best portions are the
choruses and concerted pieces, most of which are rich
in harmony, ingenious in structure, ar.d full of drama-
tic eft ct. There is, throughout the piece, a deticietcy
of melody. There are very few airs, and they Jo not
lay hold of the memory. The orchestral accompani-
ments show great skill in instrumentation; but th y
are so uniformly full, that they do not give a mo-
ment's relief to the ear, and their excessive loudness
drowns the voices of the perfarmers. E ren in the
great scene of the piece, the impassioned duet in the
second act between Rachel and Leopos's/, the voices of
Viardot and Temberlik (isho performed the part of
Leopold very tingly) were scarcely audible, audit was
often impossible to distinguish a word they uttered.
As a spectacle this pita) transcends anything we
have ever seen oa the atsge—even the Prop/tete
itself. Such beautiful scenery—such gorgeous
pagan ts—sach multitudes thrown into the most pic-
turesque and animated groups—show consummate
skill, great taste, and us bounded liberality ; and we
hops the success of tbs piece wall be worthy of the
efforts Buis in its preparation.