The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-12-09 00:00:00

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

Yesterday the private view took place at the Bri.
tish Institution of the copies and sketches made
by Artists and Students from the tine collection
of Pictures of the Old Masters, exhibited in this
Galler7. Our readers will recolleci,• thet the last
Exhibition at the Institution consisted of some
line Pictures of the Italian, Spanish, Flemish,
Dutch, and French &insole ; and many of these
works, including the two Cartoons in the collection,
were, by the intrust t I the Directors and kindness
of the Prop, jetOrS, miff real to remain as after
fortiori. Exhibitions, as a school of study for the
benefit of the young Artist.
11'e have often had occasion to point out the
great advantages which the Fii:e Arts have received
from the establishment of the British Institution.
It in the first place pre an impetus to the ener-
gies of the Royal Acarb-my, which, notwithstanding
the genius and talent it embodied, was at the time
if not sunk in that state of inactivity to which cor-
porate bodies are so proverbially liable, at least at
a stand, so far as respected Ow means of advancing
the Arts in this country. Since the establishment
of the Institution the Academy has roused it-elf
into proper activity—it has now a complete set of
Casts in its schools of study—if occasionally col-
lects, fur present use, some of the fittest Pictures—.
Nod both establishments go now band in hand in
time promotion of one common purpose.
The chief reason why the Institution lies
been attended with such beneficial effects is, that
at the outset it struck directly at the best means of
arresting public title-its 0000 and directing it to the
cultivation of the Fine Arts—its Exhibitions were
varied and frequent, and never so crowded as to
hide or obscure smaller works, always keeping
alive the public attention to the splendour of an-
cient Art, by preselititig to the eye some of the
finest works of the Old Masters, and occasimially
shewing the existing state of Art in our owii vomit ry,
by presenting a number of the best specimens which
were offered—not by way of contrast, as was
invidiously and ungenerously iiisnivatid, but
for the purpose of giving modern Art fair
play in seeking public estimation. The public
taste was to a certain extent chastened and im-
proved by a sort of familiarity with the work+ of
the Old Masters, and the Artist. or the SI •ideut at
least, must, beyond all question, have largely par-
ticipated in the improvement which their study was
calculated to convey. It has been viith great truth
observed, that though private patronage may for a
sitne foster genius aid direct it, yet, without the
professional valise of the Ait be felt by the litany
whom it is intended to interest, exerion will be
languid and patronage useless. The, value of uta
Artist's profession must be stamped by general
esteem, and a mutual feeling of good t Aar must
exist between the Artist and the public. The Di-
rectors of the British Institution have done much to
itrottinte this desirable community tat feeling mid
interest. The Artists feel it in the increased and
increasing sale ofitheir Pictures, and they acknow-
ledge and repay this proper and deserved pittrutiuge
by the improvements which, at each successive Ex-
hibition, they develope in every baitich of Art.

It was impossible to look at the copies yesterday
exhibited at this Gallery, without being ',truck
with the great improvement which almost every doy
developer in the growth of the Fine Arts. This im-
provement is not conflated to any particular brooch,
it is universal. The average numb.•r of Minden,*
who attended the Gallery alter former Exihittons,
to imprtive themselves before the old Pictures, set.
dont exceeded twenty—since the !art Exhibition., it
was seldom under seventy; and the contr. rester.
day exhibited, both iii variety and execution, sur-
petard any that we had the pleasure of seeing at
any of the former private views.
As there copies are made by the Artists and Stu-
dents at their own discretion. and in general for
their own private use and improvement, and a. the
Exhibition of them is not putilte, but merely for
their own friends and a select company, it would
be unfair to establish a precedent for making them
the subject of detailed observation. That the Ai..
lists do not shrink from cliallesigin,g general obser-
ration, is evident from the fearless mintier in whirl,
they have (we think for the first time) affixed their
names at full length to their respective Pictures.
That their confidence was founded upon a just sense
of the fair pretensions to which they laid claim, was
manifest to every person in the Gallery yesterday,
who heard the expression of satisfaction which wail
uttered by the general company who were admitted
to see the works.

The chief copies in this Exhibition are as fol-
lows. We must, of course, give precedence to the
Ladies, who are indeed eminently entitled to it :

Mild CROPLIM, from Ls NAIN and the Cartoons.
Mrs. GROTBS, from VANDEVELDE.
The Mimi* SIIIAIRIPIC, several beautiful Miniatures, from
different subjects.

Miss HANTti. some floe compositions from the Cartoons.
Miss Ross, an exquisitely finished Miniature, (sum Ru-
mmell Lord Arundel.
Miss Posms, from the Cartoons.
Miss BLANCHARD. a Miuiatllre from the same.
Miss ADAMS, from Ds HOOGP.
Miss E. MAMMALS., from CUYP and VANDERULVDEN.

. ,
The chief drawings are from the two (urinous
in the last Exhibition—The Beautiful Gate, and
Christ giving the Keys to Peter.
The Artists oho have studied front these sublime
works are, Messrs. HENNES, BEWICKE, T. and
C. LANDSMEN,' C. CHRISTMAS, GEOROS WAND'
H. &Alibi, SEVERNE, LEADS', COLES, mid Worre
Some of these collies are extremely fine, and
hardly any of them without some particular traiz.
which denotes a feelii.g for the beauties of tile
original.
Mr. BEI1,41:11 is not perhaps so successful as
was the last 3 ear, from the extreme pains that lis,
has taken to finish up the whole drapery of his
sketch. His drawing is in parts unquesti, nithly
tine, and hp has worked tip by a soft black chub;
the folds of the drapery of his figures, an as to pro.
duce a tine and dignified effect.
The Meng.. LANDSELK have worked upon
Walt of equal ditnewions with the or:gtnal, and
have displayed iti.comtuoti powers. They are pupils
worthy of their preceptor. Mr. 1-I.riroas. la their
drawings from the Cartoons, they have used a sort
of hard black chalk, which makes a vtrY
deep and jt sty impresthin. The elf..ct is certainly
tine in giving strung shade suit rant* :a the on -
hue of the figures, but it obtrudes rialm then

conceals the mechintisns of Art.. Some of the he.nlo,
particalarly the female Goes, are uucumutonly
besutifal.
Mr. Cusrmas has a tine sketch, the outline is
merely completed. It is highly creditable to this
Artist.
The principal Drawings are as follow
Mr. Comma, from HINNIIMA sad ethers.
Mr.STAIULIt, from PAUL POITUI.
HOWILAND, from PAN DNUSIBBIL,
Mr. STNIIIIINS, from Lis Nall sad VANISTUIL
Mr. /femme?, from Homitxx sad Cum
lire. TNOWAS, from TAvISVIIIN.
Mr. ELTON, from Goino.
Mr. MAR•Dmr, from !WIRERS.
Mr. WM**, from Da Hama.
Mr. W. R. Jones, from Cum
Mr. lemma' from —.
Mr. EVANS, from PAIIOIII.
Mr. Camels, from PAUL POTTTIL
J Mr. COATES, from La Nun and Pouts.
M. Muses, from HOSNIKA and RUISDASL.
Colonel GRISTILLIC. and several other gentlemen,
were mennng the contributors.
The young Artists have particularly excelled in
this Exhibition. it would be difficult to foil more
pleasing specimens 'of growing talent than the
copies of Messrs. OMAN, STARKS. VINCENT,
and some of the other young Artists whom we have
mentioned.
It is due to the keener, Mr. Yount). to state.
that the Artists who have hero engaged in copying
wince the last Exhibition. acknowledge the imply.
tislity. attention. and facility for their purposes.
which lie has uniformly displayed in the course of
their labours.