The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-28 00:00:00

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SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS.

On Saturday last we were present at a private view of
the pictures exhibited this year by the Society of British
Artists. The exhibition is more distinguished for pro-
fusion than perfection, and though, on the whole, the
society has collected together a pretty good set of pic-
tures, we were unable to discover anything on the walls
sufficiently prominently excellent and striking, as to jus-
tify us to felicitate ourselves on the progress which the
artistical talent of this country has been making during
the past year. Mr. Hurlstone, the president, bears
away the palm of honour, both in number and quality.
His " First Appearance of Columbus in Spain " is the
facile princeps of the whole exhibition. The different
attitudes of the three figures are very fine, and the co-
louring has that rich mellow tint which suits a
Spanish subject. His other pictures, which are
mostly studies of Italian heads, a la Murillo, under
various titles, are also very successful, both in composi-
tion and execution, and fully equal to Mr. Hurlstone's
reputation. Of the other historical pictures, there are none
which call for particular mention, except, perhaps, Mr.
Wageman's "Henry IV.'s Soliloquy on Sleep," which is
painted with all the care and minuteness of what is now
called the Pre-Raphaelite School. The anxious and
deeply thoughtful face of the monarch, however, seems
more fitted for the soliloquy of the King in Hamlet.
The landscapes, as a class, are by far the most prominent
and excellent works of the whole exhibition. Mr. Bod-
dington is there with an unusual number of his bright
sunny views, and Mr. West also, with his bold power-
fully painted waterfalls, some from Norway, and others
from England and Wales. This artistt seems to
revel in Welsh scenery, and some of the views which he
has presented us with from that land of mountains are
most excellent. "Margate Sands," by Mr. Tennant,
is remarkable for the beautifully clear and transparent
tone in which it is painted ; and Mr. Clint's coast
views—" Castle Cliff, Hastings," and "Lovers' Seat"—
are among the most meritorious of this class. Mr.
Ward, Mr. Cole, and the Messrs. Williams are also
contributors in this class of very creditable specimens.
Mr. Pettitt's " Seventh Vial," which we suppose, for
want of a better title, we must also call a landscape, is a
monstrosity of the first order. Its composition, which
is an utter failure as to effect, shows how difficult and im-
possible it is to realise scenes so vast and terrible as those
which were presented to the imagination of the Apostle.
As for the execution, a mass of green and red colours
divide the canvass between them, and it is only by dint
of hard staring that the spectator at last discerns some
falling columns in the foreground, a few flying figures
and toppling rocks behind—the sight which, according
to Mr. Pettitt's idea, the Apostle saw on the opening of
the Seventh Vial. We hope that this will be the last
we shall hear of Mr. Pettitt on the Revelations. Ano-
ther picture by the same hand, "A Scene from the
Creation," which represents all the beasts of the field
marshalled together in a row as if on parade, speaks
more of zoological knowledge and manual skill than of
the higher powers of a genuine artist. There is the usual
proportion of nude and demi-nude figures, a pro-
pos of mythological or fancy subjects, which, as
the best thing to do we pass over in silence. There
are none of any particular merit, and though in
many the faces are pretty and well painted, there are
some, we regret to say, which, without any counter-
balancing excellence, rather overstep the line which good
taste has prescribed with regard to such pictures. Among
the most objectionable iu an artistic point of view, is
"the nosegay" where the nymph favours us with a sight
of a pair of shoulders, &c., which for breadth and mus-
cular development might, we believe, belonged to Milo
the oak splitter. The portraits are unusually uninter-
esting ; among the best are Signor Gardono, by Buck-
ner, and " Miss Adujo," by F. Hurlstone. Mr. Buckner
has also contributed several studies of heads, two
of which " from a Sicilian Exile" and of a Ro-
man Head," are of very considerable merit. There
are several subjects exhibited from Mrs. Beecher
Stowe's novel, of which a head of " Uncle Tom," by Mr,
C. H. White, drawn well and without affectation,
is by far the best. Mr. Dessurne's " Fall of the Angels"
ought to be classed with the " Seventh Vial" as a mon-
strosity. Such a conglomeration of arms and legs stick-
ing up in the air, upside down, we never saw on canvass
before. There is neither taste, design, nor effect in the
picture, so far as we could perceive, though it would
take a contortionist of the first order to get a proper
view of it. If Mr. Sands, the ceiling-walker, wishes to
have his portrait taken as engaged in that exciting feat,
we should recommend him to Mr. Dessurno.
The Messrs. Wilson exhibit several good sea-pieces,
of which "A Fresh Sea-breeze," by Mr. J. Wilson,
"Off the Coast of Holland," and " St. Michael's Mount,"
by Mr. J. Wilson, jun., deserve especial notice.
Among the animals, Mr. Earl's " Disowned " a little
terrier who had evidently been recently kicked out of
doors, is by far the best. The deprecating forlorn air of
the outcast tells its own tale in an instant, and the
picture will be a great favourite with that large sec-
tion of the public most readily struck by this class of
paintings. Among the water colours, the most merito-
rious are some luscious fruits and flowers by Mrs. Duf-
field, two drawings of dead game by Miss Bouvier, and
an Ophelia beautifully painted by Mr. G. B. Boyce. A
numerous fashionable crowd of visitors thronged the
rooms all day on Saturday.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, MARCH 26,
The Queen and Prince walked in the Home-park t

morning.

The royal children took their usual morning exercise.
Prince Albert rode out on horseback this forenoon
attended by Captain the Hon. Dudley de Ros, and
visited the new model lodging-houses at Windsor.
Prince Arthur and the Princesses Helena and Louisa
were driven out in an open carriage to-day.
The Earl of Aberdeen arrived at the Castle this after-
noon on a visit to her Majesty.
The Queen and Prince drove out in an open carriage
in the afternoon. Colonel Bouverie and Captain the
Hon. Dudley de Ros were in attendance on horseback.
The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred also drove out
in an open carriage and four, attended by Madame Rol-
lande.

The following had the honour of dining with her Ma-
jesty this day :—The Duchess of Kent, the Princess
Adelaide of Ifohenlohe, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Lady
in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de
Speth, Sir George Couper, Colonel Dixon, commanding
officer Ist Battalion Scots Fusilier Guards, and Lieut.-
Colonel Williams, commanding officer 2d Life Guards.

MARCH 27.
Her Majesty, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, the
Princess Royal and Princess Alice, the Duchess of Kent,
Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Earl of Aberdeen,
and the ladies and gentlemen of Court, also the do-
mestic household, attended divine service this morning
in the private chapel of the Castle. The Hon. and Rev.
G. Wellesley officiated.

Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office on
Saturday, from the Governors of Gibraltar and Ber-
muda.

Viscount Palmerston left town on Saturday afternoon,
for his seat, Broadlands, Hants.
A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office,
Downing-street, on Saturday afternoon. The Ministers
present were the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord J. Russell,
Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Viscount Palmer-
ston, the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir
Charles Wood, the Right Hon.. Sidney Herbert, and
Sir William Molesworth. The council sat two hours
and a half. Earl Granville arrived in town on Satur-
day morning to attend the Cabinet Council from Alden-
ham Park, Bridgnorth. Viscount Palmerston arrived
in town on Saturday morning from Brighton. The Earl
of Aberdeen left town after the Cabinet Council on Sa-
turday, from Windsor Castle.

THE INCOME TAX.