The National Register.
London, England, 1812-03-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL PVGISTIFIL

140

canvas, no artist could guess that it made part of a scene where the
brad of Christ, although nearly upon the same plan, is twice as
big as hers. However, notwithstanding the general tone which is
certainly too florid and too gay, the tout-cn-semble evinces a fertile genius,
a daring mind, a well-stored memory. and conceptions which are much
above the vulgar. On this account, and considering the improving state
of Mr. Joseph's pencil, we do not wonder at this performance being
already racked among the candidate pictures for the premiums of this

year.
No. 15, 514, 60, 68. Sleep Shearing and Washing. BY T. BARILER.—
These four little subjects are executed with neatness united to strength.
The attitude of the robust shepherd and the reluctancy of the stubborn
animal entrusted to his care, are expressed with a considerable know-
kdLei of both human and veterinary anatomy : the colouring is appro-
priate aed clear, and the distances touched with spirit and truth. The
style reminds us of Bastian°, but we are sorry that the artist has been so
sparing of canvas. The subject, though small and simple, required a
greater space to meet the eye with grace and elegance.
No. 70. Venus borne cm the Waves, in her Skell,tothc Island of Ctiprus.
By Mrs. .A NSL EY. We are told by Homer, in his short, but beautiful,
hymn addressed to Aphrodite, that the Seasons or the Hours were the
hand-maids of Venus; and Guiclo painted the Graces in that elegant
ministry. Here a female artist, whose talents are well known already,
has attempted to delineate the birth of the goddess of beauty, and took
upon herself the task once allotted to the Graces, the Seasons, and the
Hours; and indeed her efforts are entitled to a considerable share in our
estimation. No one has yet been able to unravel the mystery, if there is
any, concealed under the allegory of Venus being born out of the
foaming waves a tile ocean, although it seems natural enough to sup-
pose that it alludes to the rising of the beautiful planet of that name from
the sea; but the subject was so pleasing that many painters have adopted
and treated it in the different schools from Apelles down to Mrs. Ans-
ley, who, following their example, bat evinced in Ler performance a
superior knowledge of anatomical nicety, and whose outlines flow with
ease and elegance around the well foreshortened figure. Yet we must
confess that it is a new thing ; some, perhaps, will think it a ludicrous
conception, to transform the shapeless inhabitant of the shell into the
Goddess of Beauty and of Love, as there is nothing in the tenets of an—
cient mythology to vouch the orthodoxy of such a metamorphose.
However, the attitude appears correct and the positura happily imagined
to avoid any objectionable display; but, perhaps, a little too mach of
the mummy pigment and of waxy appearance may be obnoxious to the
li
critical eye, and we hope that the fair artist will pardon us for saying,
that had she co! suited her own mirror half as much as she studied
Titian and other masters, her Aphrodite might have gained considerably
ie loveliness of tints and fre-Iltiess of complexion.
No. 57. lu.eri ,r of a Workshop, and No. 61. Interior of n Cottage.
By hi. artist seems to be well acquainted with the rules
of chiar.oscuro, and made, in these two little performances, a great
effort towards effect. His objects in the dark tints are still visible,
and the • decrescendo of his lights into deep shades produces harmony.
The study of Ostade and Bega will contribute to develope his talents in
this department of the chromatic art.
klo. 56. Macbeth before he murdered Duncan. By B. R. Horoo
V' lien we saw, in the exhibition of last year, the performance of this
artist (the subject from Romeo and Juliet), having stilt present in our me-
mory the impression made there the year before by his Dentatus, we
felt a certain doubt whether this votary of the historical muse could
Ever soar higher in the spheres of painting. We experienced, indeed,
some degree of fear lest, [elms like, he had felt already his faith' ss
wings fail him, and, although the performance was not without merit,
we were inclined to say of him, as Voltaire quaintly said of l.a Harpe,
" ca hamme4a n'avoit Deane tragedie dans le ventre."—But we were
agreably surprised at the aspect of hit candidate picture of this season,
which by Its magnitude, its boldness, its importance, attracts, surprizes,
and rivets the eyes of the spectators upon the animated canvas. The
scene is awful: innocence and Majesty asleep—ambition and villainy
teeming with murder. The composition is correct as far as it relates to
the fast and the attitude of Macbeth suitable to the action. His head,
whtehwonid do credit to one of the best pupils of Guertin°, is well-
imagined and full of expression, and the foreshortening of his right hand
masterly executed. The " surfeited grooms" are in character; the
blood-swoln band of one, the turgid jugular of the other, shew that they
" du mock that charge with snores r and the rePosing Monarch esti!,

.

MARCH T.

bits on his face comfort and security. The whole and its accessaries are
aptly coloured, and seem to he the result of grand and mature concep-
tions. Bet,—and why should we be silent upon whet appears to us ob-
jectionable in opicture of such moment ?—Why not warn the ingeni-
ous artist of what he may avoid, If ever he treets this or any other sub.
may avoid,
jests ? The figure of Macbeth, considering the plan upon which it
stands, is certainly too big ; the right heel is on a line with the bed,
and therefore the proportion of Macbeth on the canvas should not he sen-
sibly larger than that of Duncan. The anatomical part of the while
figure is classical, but hyperbolized; the same may be animadverted
against is the Chamberlains. Lady Masi-cth, as seen at a distance, has
no efTs:ct, no appropriated dignity ; the scene would gain by her beitig
left out or glazed away to a greater distance. nut the greatest eaceisin
in he whole performance is that the secret and horrid transaction is re-
-1• -esented as it taking place by day- light. Surely the well informed are
• -.st could not have meant his colouring of the °ejects, there represented,
as suitable to the yellow tinges of artificial or to the faint glim-
mering:: of the moon ; the whole is performed, as it seems, at mid day-•
it ie the glare of sunshine ; yet, on another hand, he could not have lot.
gotten, er unnoticed, that the night had been more than usually dark
and tempestuous ! Does not Rosse say.--
L, By the clock , 'tie day,
And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp :
Is it eielit's predominance, or the day's shame,
That darkness toes the face of earth entomb,
When living light should kiss it ?"
Had the scene been enlightened by fleeting flashes of pale lightnings
when " tha.earth was feverous and did shake;' all then would have
been right.
We shall have occasion again to expatiate upon and animadvert
against, the failure of proportion in perspective figures, and in some of
our following numbers, will lay open to young artists the easy and exact
rules which they should strictly adhere to, in order to avoid such excep-
tionable irregularities.