The National Register.
London, England, 1813-02-21 00:00:00

F FAL


FINE ARTS.

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

i"

iniimommor•w _
every reason to hope that believe, that under these circumstances, I
s:1,111 not offend the public at large, by ire: king their support and pro-
Warne—and while I f. el that I pmseas aose, I shall patiently submit
to that specks of tatmanly per,ecution. which a female, so peculiarly
situated, rnim always be slioject to Ever ready to acknowledge my
deficiencies in every reTert, I trust I toss add. that I shall utter be
found wanting in ca!,:lotir and gratitude—star forgetful of the venera-
tion that every individual sf.oold reel f3r the good opinion of the Pub-
lic. I remain, Sir, your intuit obliged humble servant,
D. JORDAN.

No. 10. The happy Village Family, by T. KIRKBY.— I
Wherever we turn our eyes sit the rooms of the British In-
stitution, we find pleasing and interesting, proofs of the wis-
dom and liberality of the Governors and other !rations, who ,1
have opened their piecious repositories of ancient paintings
to the view and study of artists. Nature, we allow, is the
hest Exemplar to copy after, yet no one denies that, to see
her through the eyes and hands of the best masters in the
art, is a great advantage to young performers, anti even to
those who have long practised the mysteries of the pallet.
We arc able to trace, through the veil of imitation, several 11
of the prodoctions, now hanging in the gallery, so far as their 1,
original-sources in the Marquis of STAFFORD'S and other col-
lections, and it must be truly gratifying to his Lord-hip and
others -to see their liberality so soon and so hopefully i epaid.
Meconas made Virgil, Horace, and Ovid what they are, and
he still breathes among ui in thcit works. Raphael and Mi-
chael Angelo, with the numerous phalanx of their imitators,
have immortalized the Popes who employed their talents, I
much mote efficaciously than the Vatican-thunderbolts have
ever been able to do. Thus the fostering spirit, which ani-
mates our wealthy cotemporaries, wilt live for ever in the
performances of those whom they will kave protected, en•
couraged, and rewarded. If this is flattery, let us burn, on
the iron altar of apathy, the guilty pen of gratitude. In the
pretty interior now under consAcration, we cannot help
finding an eager and not unsuccessful attempt at imitating
the style of G caw RD Dow, as exemplified in that admirable
picture lately engraved and in the poseession of the Noble
Marquis above mentioned. We do not pretend to conrpare
the one with the other, but.the tone of colouring, the effects
of light and several agreeable passages, have kept our eye,.
fused for some time upon a painting which affords us hope
that the • manner of REmBR ANT.- ()STADE, Dow, and others
arf the Flemish and Dutch Schools, will find, in thin island,
many decent imitators and finis.
- -

No. 168. •Landscape, a composition, by A. AGLIO.,--It is,
wish us, an undecided question, whether an artist is more en-
titled ;to praise for composing, than for copying nature in
the bx.anch of landscape painting. This last require!, it
lieetn4,4no more than the general power• of imitation, the other
supposes invention, and consequently genius. The compo-
eition tis like an historical performance, the landscape re-
sernlales a mere family picture. The landscape after nature
is.truth:as seen upon the spot; the composition is fancy
'brOught,to the likeness of truth. But the landscape will
please every one w►ho knows the site, and even these who
hive fret seen it, whilst t)le greatest claim of the composition
tip only with the Connoisseurs and people of tryed taste and
stirs knowledge. _ However- .the. Picture of Mr- Acta°,

LER.

505

it beginning •of the fainoui roem

sure tknowleuge. _ However, ADC. 'imam gin vra •riupla W. F the Company, recartuiautlis 41/ auc s..‘. - -
vihichAreminds us of the respectable name of CLAupz, is suit from the proposed extemion • and another Petition re•
coOtled to a considerable share of aduar4tion. lative to the financial claims of the Compat) W3S also read;
X 10.53. • Love disarming the brave, by H. HowAltx A.A. it' when, after a couvertaation of some length, in ad jou. n meet
classical visitor Las forgotte* the lii4Otitul passage. in via* agreed to.