The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-25 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS.
This exhibition, which generally represents the
artistic mid-ssason, was opened to private view on
Saturday last. It is a decided advance on those of
former years; whilst veteran members appear with
unusual force, the wean= of fresh bands gives a
healthy vitality to this hitherto languishing body ; '
and distressing accidents of form and colour are more
than usually limited. Bat a rapid glance suffices to
show that whilst there is mach to captivate the eye
and the fancy,there are so very great efforts of intellect.
Whilst themind is saddened by multiform specimens of
laborious mirth, it in vain seeks relaxation in
the eternal broad grin of chubby children, in the fan-
tastic dance of Miltonic nymphs, or in the stereotyped
smirk of miniatures.

Tragedy may have been overdone in the last cen-
tury, bat that is no reason for running to the other
extreme in this; it is high time to spring a new mine
of subjects, to abandon the village politician (who has
been reeding the same newspaper since Wilkie's
time), splotchy gipsiee, Tuscan or Picardian peasantry,
and last, not lesqt, " watering cattle," with which all
England has been inundated. We have had high
tragedy and low comedy, and may hope for quiet
solemnity and the drama.
Leaving disquisition, let us notice the works
which have given rise thereto, and foremost in
rank as well as number may be placed those of H.
M. Anthony. They are 17 in number, as we fled cm
reference to the catalogue, and though they orison es
prolific a brush as the pen of Alexander Dunham, their
striking originality proclaims its accomplishment
by more legitimate means. It is difficult,among each
a number to select for preference, bat the largest and
not ambitions is perhaps that least to our liking.
ti The Windings of the Wye, and its junction with
the Severn as seen from Windclyfe" is a picture of
that painfully hybrid nature which more properly
belongs to those artistic charts, which are the wonder
and admiration of visitors to the Vatican.
The strength and depth, as well as the prismatic
hum of this artist's colouring, are more forcible
in his smaller works ; his little pieces of feminine
beauty, his ivy-bound village churches and mosey
yards, are brilliant transcripts of nature's harmony
and texture.

Mr. J. F. Herring, though in another line, is also
well known for his dexterity of imitation—" goats
and pigeons," "pigs and horde," come equally freely
to his hand ; as far as handling the outward appear-
ance of animal form, nothing can excel the " Interior
of a Stable ;" but one can only regret that so much
talent should be wasted on the down of a white horse,
or an elaborate portraiture of a goose in draw. " The
Stirrup Cap," by the same hand, is a laudable attempt
at novelty of motive ; a steel-clad cavalier
is quaffing a draught of home-brewed, which is
presented to him by • buxom damsel ; the same may
be said of his " Poulterer and dealer in game," which,
as the title sufficiently indicates, is a bargaining sone.
The head of the old dealer, relieved as it is against
the dark ground, is very effective.
Mr. Prentis below to the school of moralists—to
that race of spiritual Caudledom which seems to have
well nigh vanished. " The Folly of Extravagance,"
though rather tame in execution, tells a wholesome
tale; the bankrupt lord, his unfortunate spouse, and
their ever-faithful servants are &hardening the old
inaesicm, whilst their young son considerately points
out the household furniture drown in lots, amidst
which is a sow of the turf.

Amoopt the landscapes will be found many " se-
cluded iooke,• as familiar to London exhibition
visitor', as Pup-mart or any other newt of fashion.
Avoiding as much as pomible podia's looking front-
iersman sad salmoa-trApe, a brilliant sky attracts
nodal ;it repoments name recollections—the New
Castom-boues," by J. B. Pyam So mach stress has
boss laid by the anther a 7 " Modsra Painter." (a
work whir► hes made a revolution la landscape art), on
the artistic Immodest of the Mend% that we can no
longer complain of this portion of *tun making. Is
pleasant contrast though scarcely emaseted with this
miffed atmosphere, are the mellow white architeo-
tarsi effects by which the works of this pis■ter are
easily distiegodiable. There is a neat handling in
" Wreck Askew," and the agues are touched with
usual atilt

"The French lishing-bcats coming in," by J.
Wilson, has a line brassy offset, and as a sanaline
gleamed en the maws the NS 'squired an addi-
tional sparkle, the shingly beach and huts came out
brilliantly; only good pictures can bear this ordeal;
other little bets are impressed with the lame
sipatare.
There are two artists whose productions we could
select by their style and singularity from any collec-
tion ; these are, Mr. Woolmer and Mr. Zeitter ; they
areboth painters whose undoubted talents are rendered
nugatory by mannerism. By mitigating the green
of the one and the mugginess of the other, a fair
estimate of their relative merits might be arrived at.

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