The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-15 00:00:00

NORTHERN OF FRANCE.

The traffic Beceipts on this company's lines
amounted for the week ending the 29th of April to
£57,317, and for the corresponding week last year
to £53,827, showing an increase of £3,490. The
total receipts from the Ist of January to the above
date amounted to £904,983 on 658 miles of old
lines, and to £29,747 on 70 miles of new line,
against £833,147 for the corresponding period of
last year on the old lines, and to £27,907 on the
new line, showing an increase of £71,836 on the
old lines, and of £1,840 on the new line—together,
£73,676.

The Irish International Exhibition,

DUBLIN, MAY 13.

The Exhibition palace was completely lit up for
the first time last night, and devoted to one of the
objects which it was designed to serve as a perma-
nent institution. It was one of the two nights re-
served by the committee on which season-tickets
would not be available without an additional charge.

The Irish Academy of Music was established a
few years ago under the highest patronage. The
amateur theatricals and other entertainments in aid
of the funds of this excellent institution are the
most fashionable and attractive in this city. Dur-
ing the twelve or thirteen years of its existence it
has effected much by encouraging the cultivation of
a taste for music, having trained many distinguished
artists, and woxi for itself no inconsiderable reputa-
tion, without any assistance from Government—
an example of self-reliance and self-support parti-
cularly deserving of encouragement in Ireland, and
therefore having most appropriately gained the first
place among all the institutions which are to avail
themselves of the Exhibition palace for their appear-
ance before the public. PerhapS no other object
could have brought together under the same roof
such an immense and brilliant assemblage of rank
and fashion, and certainly nothing could be finer
than the effect produced.
The company began to arrive shortly after 9 o'clock
and continued to pfur in until after midnight. The
Lord-Lieutenant and Lady Wodehouse, accompanied
by all the members of the viceregal household, ar-
rived about half-past 11 o'clock, and were received
by the Duke of Leinster, the Lord Mayor, Lord
Southwell, Mr. F. W. Brady, the stewards, &c. In
the first quadrille in which their Excellencies danced
were the Marchioness of Drogheda, the Earl and
Countess of Charlemont, the Earl of Granard, the
Hon. H. Leeson, &c.
The dancing was kept up with unflagging spirit
till 4 o'clock.

I resume my notice of the art treasures of the Exhi-
bition. The German school of painting is largely and
well represented. There is a very creditable display
from Saxony, of which four of the most interesting
works have been contributed by the King from the
Royal Gallery of Dresden. That which attracts the
greatest attention, from its vigorous treatment, is
the picture by H. Pluddemann representing the Em-
peror Frederick Barbarossa calming the quarrel be-
tween the Princes and the Papal Legates at the
meeting of the Imperial Diet in Besancon, 1157. The
Legates claimed homage for the Pope, alleging that
Burgundy, then newly acquired by the Empire, was
a fief of the Roman See. The haughty demean-
our of the Legates in putting forward the arro-
gant pretensions of their master so enraged the
Princes that they drew their swords and threatened
to slay them on the spot, when the Emperor rose
and interposed his authority to quell the tumult
and prevent bloodshed. The life and action which
the artist has given to his figures and the admirable
manner in which he has expressed the different emo-
tions and feelings that influence the several actors
in the scene are deserving of high praise. Another
picture by the same artist is equally good. It repre-
sents the Emperor Henry IV., surnamed the Lion,
doing penance in the Court of the Castle of Canossa
January, 1077. The Monarch, clad in a monk's
frock, stands barefooted on the stone steps of one of
the castle doors ; the crown, sceptre, and other in-
signia of royalty lie near him. His arms are folded
across his breast, his head bent down, and his features
express offended pride mingled with a feeling of re-
ligious obedience to the authority of the Pope. The
time is night, and by the light of the moon Pope
Hildebrand and the Empress watch the effect of the
penance from one of the towers. The King of Saxony
also sends a clever picture by C. G. Peschel, repre-
senting the angel appearing to the Patriarch Jacob
on his way to the promised land. The patriarch and
his family and attendants mounted on camels are
progressing slowly through the desert when the
celestial vision arrests their attention. The expres-
sion of surprise and religious faith and gladness
which appears in the countenance of Jacob is well
contrasted with the curiosity of the younger mem-
bers of his train. The procession of angels coming
down from heaven and sweeping up again in a
graceful curve is remarkable for its skilful grouping,
great variety, and the success*with which the idea of
bodies floating lightly in the air is conveyed. The
other contributions of the King of Saxony are a
" Landscape in Spring with Bridal Procession," by L.
A. Richter; and " Children with Barrow of Hay," by
Lasche, a cleverly painted landscape, and a charming
and naturalpictureof a group of happy children—not
all happy, however, for one poor little thing, appa-
rently excluded from the general fun, is sobbing
bitterly, and dragging her doll after her in a listless
manner, highly characteristic. By H. Hoffman there
is a powerfully conceived and finely painted picture
of " Othello and Desdemona" at the moment when
the jealous Moor draws aside the bedcurtains with
intent to kill his sleeping wife. There is a fine con-
trast between the pale moonlight that streams into
the apartment and the warm glow cast by a lamp on
the face, bosom, and arms of Desdemona. Othello,
as with one knee on a velvet stool and a dagger
clenched in his right hand he gazes intently on his
wife, with a combined feeling of love, hatred, and
revenge—wondering and lamenting that one so fair,
so gentle, and so winning could have been so false,
is a highly impressive figure. The drawing shows
great freedom and power, and the colouring is
Titianesque in its richness, harmony, and force.
" Domestic Medicine," by Bathke, a Bavarian artist,
is one of those perfectly natural portrayals of do-
mestic incidents that attract general admiration by
their absolute truth and unforced humour. " The
Important Question," by C. Lasch (Dusseldorf )
is another exquisite specimen of the same class. A
well-to-do comfortable farmer is endeavouring to
induce a fair young widow to renounce her weeds.
He is leaning on a table, and, with meerschaum in
hand, awaits her answer. The attitude and expres-
sion of the woman, who pursues her knitting quietly
and with downcast eyes ponders over the proposal,
to which it is evident she has not lent an unwilling
ear, are depicted with a skill that indicates the pos-
session of a delicate vein of humour, and the most
careful observation of nature. It would be impos-
sible to tell the story in words more clearly thanthe

artist has told it to the eye. I must not omit to no-
tice a really fine landscape and cattle piece by Van
Spry, which, in the grouping and forms of the cattle
and in the power with which sunlight is depicted,
reminds one of Cuyp.

The Exhibition contains a considerable number of
Belgian pictures, but the majority of them do not
call for a detailed description. There is a very fine
Bossuet ; a charming little picture by Debloch of a
girl and boy praying, purchased by the Prince of
Wales ; two fine lake scenes—Loch Lonmond and
Ben Lomond, in Scotland, and Lake Wallenstadt,
Switzerland—by Roffiaen, and several other land-
scapes, which are remarkable for their truth to na-
ture. The pictures contributed from Italy are few,
and do not possess any striking merit. Of the 18
Norwegian works, two by Tideman arrest the atten-
tion and admiration. of the visitors by their vigour,
simplicity, and truthfulness. One, entitled " The
Hangianian," represents a gathering of Norwegian
sectaries for worship ; the other, " Grandfather's
Bridal Crown," represents an aged matron display-
ing her wedding ornaments to her grandchildren.
The Art department is under the direction of Mr.
11. Doyle, who has discharged a difficult duty alike
to the satisfaction of exhibitors and the public.