The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-16 00:00:00

7;

THE S.ICRiFI,4I3 OF THE
By the Chew.lor Vox Itatt, histntiral and Portrait Pais:trill
the limg of holland.

This is art extraordinary picture, and requires thit we
should preface our remarks upon it with a =wise i
rria non of its sqhject. Clasiical students and admix
history of the thani-gotlr and littroes of qruiviik, tote 114:
cicutly acquainted with it, but the generality of omosooiti
are nit to familiar with there distinguithed Ocranfiges,
and require a more detailed introduction to them; • •
A ono° E Us, the son of Minos, King of Crete,
dered by some youths of Athens, who envied the PPR*
which always In-ought him off triumphant Itt the. Attic
games. Minos, to avenge the murder of his son; aside
war upon the Athenians; and to avert the eras tilties ecin-
tie.ittent upon it, which according to Plutarch added to its
own. plague the afflictive accompaniments
fain n:, on consulting the oracle, to learn has they might
best deliver themselves froui this disastrous state of
afar's, Lucy were told, that if they appeased Mmos
the anger of the gods would cease. They accordingly des-;
patched ambassadors to Minos; but in those days "the acme;
tinned relations of peace and amity" were not restated upon
such easy terms as are procured by our modern diploaratists.
The only condition upois which they could pacify his
Royal resentment, and put an end to tiatilltict, was, thou
eve'', ninth year the Athenians 'horrid send into Crete*
tribute if seven young nsen ante us mossy ring-ins, who, =-
cording to poets and historians, whose astertior.l it is no
easy matter, at this time of day, to refute, were to be
sacrificed to the ittliashrus, a monster partaking equaUy of
the animal and human form, and Which was coined its
the Cretan Labyrinth. (Yu this occasion, lots were usually
&viva for those who shout,' become the victim. Titesees,
though himself exervred from submitting to the chance
of this dreadfuldoom; brairly re-plied, at the risk of hie
life, to rescue his fellow-citizens from being exposed to such
a mournful destiny. Bring gifted with the attractions of
youth and beauty—which on any *Hi& of conquest are
half the battle—it so happened that Ailtscoxe, tjle datigh-
ter of MINOS, fell in lore with him, and giiing hrm a clue
of silk, with instructions bow souse it, be rips enabled, by
means of M. to pass through the intricate windings of the
labyrinth within which the ifieracier war confined, and
having encountered and slain the monster, be sailed back
with Ariadtie and the Atlienitin captivq.; when Mticoiti
as the reward of so much valour, pre flu the prisont re
he had emancipated, and' remitted are tri butt.
The painter, as the tide of lie mikrb *Mite denotes,
has chosen the moment when the lot of the triplets virgin*
to be sacrificed is publicly announeig, and when
THESEUS has just proclaimed his 'retnautie determi-
nation to de!iver them. The King, Ei.eve, is in the
act of announcing the name of di/a, the seventh of
the beautiful vestals upon whom die lilt of irosiOLi:-
don has fallen., who it seen felling on he{ tutees at the
foot of the altar. Her figure presents en affecting and
pathetic spectacle of female &piny, and its appeal to
the sympathy of the spectator is irretisifida. other
lovely victim, standing beside her on t'se stepi of the altar,
is a delineation worthy of Getno. It is not only to the
true spirit but after the hest manner of tbatsublime master.
Her fainting weight is supported by a female Rthiopian
slave, whose swarthy visage is ebaractetwie and foil of ex.
pression-; it is impossible to ebnieuircite the_ natal:mil
beauty of this victim Withoul emotion, lustre,
" meek end pale," of burr celestial face—the an-
gular of despair which marks her falling posture--
the exquisitely-touching expression of loveliness in her
features—her skin so chastely white, with a Shape so finely
rounded—plainly discover the paipter to have employed al
the effort of his genius; and the whole force of hie pencil,
on this female portrait, and he ha ithotip hirimelf a eone
summate master of his at. It gives a striping character to
the whole or the central composition'of the picture, which
is in the highest degree gsand and majestic. If the atti-
tude of EGEI,S were less bent and relaxed, it would, we
think, be more dignified, and the grandeur of effect Would
perhaps be increase(: but a painter must, after all, be left
to embody the emanations of his own genius in the man-
ner in which his subject presents itself before him ; and in
putting our judgment in competition with his, the chance
as that we ate in the wrong. The Apollo-like form of
Tit En: t s has an air of strength and mauliness quite in keep-
ing with the composition. The two females who recline
in grief upon his arm, and seem to throw their helpless-
ness upon his protection, increase the interest of the
piece, and add considerably to its impression. The left
root of Trusses, which developer its shape correctly,
and yet varies apparently with the position of the spec-
tator, will not tecape the remark of the curious. It
is an effect which discovers the master-hand of a painter
well-killed in all the essentials of his art. The tone of
colouring is sutdued, and accords with the character and
design. The parks are well pot together, and the eye is
nowhere offended, either by shewy door or by strong and
sudden lights ; there is no artifice practised to prodhee
effect ; the harmony which pervades the whole of the pic-
ture is among its most striking excellencies. The back-
ground, which represents a part of the city of Athens, is
carefully finished, and is introduced with classic effect.
The stone steps which form the ascent to the altar are
painted with magical illusion.
The dimensions of this admirable picture are 47 feet by
20. We have few rooms in this metropolis capable of ad-
mining a performance executed on so large a same; it was
intended for the grand gallery of the Palace of Footaln-
bleau, hawing been Ranted by the express desire of the tato
Empress Jost rirtliE, on whose retirement to klahnaison,
after her divorce tiom Napoleon, it remained in the hands
of the artist, who, with a liberality which deserves peculiar
praise, permitted it to be publicly exhibited by the prin-
cipal Magistrates or Amsterdam, for the benefit of the
poor, towards whose relief it procured • the sum of jiely
thousnacifloeies. This trait of benevolence every feelini;
mind will dwell upon with phloem..
The following particulars of the artist we extract from
the preface to Major " Tables of History, ',item-
ture, and Painters."

" For ditinformation of those to whom Mr. (now Ste .Itailte2)
l'are Et ee's came may not be alnady familiar, it may be well to
mentior, that he holds so elevated a rank among the celebrated
living anima of the t;ostiinent, is to have been appointed Ilistoricil
Painter to the Empress Josephine; and that Bonaparte, in the
renith•of his power (Mune:list* beinCe settling out for Moscow) sit
to him for his likeness: the
that tr gives him a still higher
claim to Ma 'attention is, the present ltuitotusble and most arduous
sPostion' wide!' hellls, as Professor in-Chief of the Royal Arad. ttay
gf'drrrat Atitwerp. In which • ;here west, ilten I visited Antwerp
io September last, no less thin three htimplral st&deitts."
We eotllil Wish to see a.print," engraved, from the
11" Sactirwe of .the Virgins. The artist himself, we under.
stand, is on his way ao thW country, having been employud
to paint the party* of the 11uke of %Vellington.

. .. . .
Yesterday a Court yf INreetera was held at the East
India House, when the new Directors elected on Weiler'.
day last. vl7. 4101i11111 Au Pre . lerander, Ifisq. Robeit
Campbell, Esq. Neill Benjyroin nstone, Esq. th•
Hon. ygh 4ioditay, John. Oarria, • and John GolOs• .
Intro Vayynabaw, Esq. took. the. oath and their egita. .
Win.. .ttell and t'ainybeit Alaticsgeutibis Entrwmani chides
Chairman and Deputy Chairman fertthe year ensuing.