The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-07 00:00:00

GOSSIP 11R0211 ROME.

Rolm Jana 29.—Rome is unusually full this season.
The unsettled state of Naples, and the promised presence
of sundry crowned heads here, are the reasons assigned for
the exorbitant demands of the Padrone, which startle the
stranger on his arrival, and make him think twice before
he decides to spend the winter in the Eternal City. Pro-
visions of all kinds are dear. The cost of living has nearly
doubled itself within the last five years, so that those who
contemplate an economical sojourn in Italy, must be con-
tent with Florence or Pisa—at least till the Roman season
is past, that is to say, until after Easter, when apartments
undergo a sudden depreciation of fifty or sixty per cent.
The spoiling process, commenced by the English, is
receiving its finishing touch at the hands of the Americans.
If Englishmen lavish their money like Princes, Americans
lavish theies like Emperors. "Of all families I have ever
served," said a shrewd intelligent courier, "give me an
American for liberal expenditure, a Russian for closeness
and meanness." The parsimony of the Russian suite at
Nice is the gossip of the place, and does not add to the,
popularity of the Court. Queen Christina, the mother of of Spain, goes altogether on a different tack,ueen and
makes her presence here, felt to the inconvenience of resi-
dents and visitors, by monopolising the best boxes at the
opera and theatres, and the best seats at concerts. Ristori
plays her first engagement in Rome since her great success
in Paris and London, early in next month, and for a week-
past the subscription list has been ;hill. So much'for the
go. sip of the day, ere we take our way to the calme.ratmo-
sphere of the studios which congregate in Rome thick and
fast—England, America, France, and Gerrnauyeontributing
even more largely than Italy to swell the ranks of artists.
The coloured Venus in Mr. Gibson's studio is still the sub
ject of much discussion. For the benefit of those who cannot
see it, a short description my not be amiss. No man
living perhaps, is so thorough a master of form and proper.
lion as 31r. Gibson, and his Venus is, in these respects,
his chef-d' muure. The modelling of the torso and limbs is
very tine, the form and sentiment of, the back beautiful..
Greek art is to Mr. Gibson evidently the Alpha and
Omega of all art. The Greeks coloured their statues; why
should net the moderns ? and so Mr. Gibson took brush itt
hand and covered the beautiful, highiy-wrought marble
with a thin pink wash, stained the hair a delicate
tow, pencilled the head-fillet blue and gold, gilded
ihEt apple in the hand, and made the hem of
the robe to correspond with the band in the hair.
Thus, neit4ese flesh nor marble, statue nor woman,
stands the Venus, challenging all beholders to accept or
reject the innovation. Near to the Veuas is a coloured
copy of his beautiful Cupfel, even more eccentric than
the Venus; the flesh a delicate salmon-tint, the hair a
warmer tow than the Venus, in virtue of virility perhaps,
the eyes fixed and staring, looking over, apt at, the butter-
fly on his breast, the wings tinted in palest hues of rose
and blue ; while the pedestal on which this Masquerading
god stands is of a deep tawny yellow, a bad imitation of
giallo antico. Given the advantage of colouring marble,
one cannot but feel, while looking at these statues',
how distinct is the art of the sculptor and the painter ;
and any eve sensitive to colour must experience a sense::
don of relief in turning to the stately group of the Queen,
supported by Justice and Clemency, the original of which
is just placed in the House of Lords, and to the basso-
rilievo of Cupid and Psyche, than which nothing more
chaste and pure in modern art exists. In looking at Mr.
Gibson's works, one feels that study and skill can no
further go. They speak eloquently of a life devoted to the
culture of art, and it would bo difficult to find a more
devoted disciple and follower of the peat masters ,of
antiquity.

[ne following appeared in our Second Edition Of
yesterday]

THE PERSIAN WAR.

TRIESTE, THURSDAY.
We" have intelligence from Constantinople to the 80th
ult. Russia demands from Persia to occupy the province
of Mazanderan.

The fortifications of Bushire have been reconstructed
by the English, who have left two regiments, and marched
up to the Kaub to attack Mohanora, which commands
both the provinces of Fars and the road to Shiraz.