The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-05 00:00:00

ROYAL ACA.QEMY.

The eighty-fifth annual exhibition of the Royal Aca-
demy of Arts was, this week, thrown open to the pub-
lic, and it may fairly be paid to excel that of last year,
for although some eminent artists as Mr. Frith, Mr.
Egg, &c., whose works adorned the walls last year, do
not now exhibit, we perceive that this year Sir Edwin
Landseer again contributes his powerful aid to the at-
tractions of the exhibition. It is to be regretted that,
in an exhibition which almost professes to be a national
one, either from want of interest or from some other
cause, pictures of' considerable merit are excluded, while
others of a very inferior description are permitted to
occupy that space so eagerly wished for by less suc-
cessful aspirants. Still, in the exercise of our duty, it
only falls to our lot to pass according to our judgment,
an impartial opinion upon the pictures exhibited. It
must be, however, premised, that from the hurried run
through the rooms, we are at present only able to notice
some of those pictures which more particularly attracted
our attention.
" Ruth Sleeping at the feet of Boaz" (No. 124), by Sir
C. Eastlake, the president of the Academy, although
possessing considerable merit, we are unable to call a
masterpiece. Mr. Ward contributes two very fine pic-
tures, although we must confess, in our opinion, not
equal to those of last year and the year before. " The
Executioner tying Wishart's book around the neck of
Montrose, at his execution at the Cross of Edinburgh,
on the 21st May, 1650," (No. 396) is a carefully painted.
and effective picture. The fearless, yet grave demean-
our of Montrose is admirably depicted. The back-
ground of the picture, however, seemed to us to
be too dark, and the details too numerous for the prin-
cipal figures to be as effective as they might otherwise
have been. "Josephine, Signing the Act of her
Divorce" (No. 512), by the same artist, is, we think, a
happier effort ; the expression given to the faces of the
leading characters is all that could be desired. "The
Confession of St. Thomas," by Mr. Knight, although a
showy-picture does not exhibit to any degree of per-
fection the talents of the artist as a draughtsman. Mr.
Stanfield exhibits two admirable pictures. " The Vic-
tory towed into Gibraltar, with the Body of Nelson on
Board" (No. 57) is painted in the artist's best style, and
what Stanfield's best style is all our readers know. "An
Affray in the Pyrenees with Contrabandists" is also a
most effective picture ; the mountain scenery is skilfully
depicted, and the snowy peaks in the background, ad-
mirable in themselves, give additional effect to the
whole production. Mr. Webster exhibits only one pic-
ture, "A Dame School" (No. 116), which, though
cleverly painted, is not, we think, with all due deference
to the fair sex, equal to his " Boys' Playground" of last
year. Sir Edwin Landseer exhibits, among others, two
powerful pieces, "Morning" (No. 69), and " Night"
(No. 46). Two stags are portrayed, as Landseer only
could portray them, in deadly combat. The morning
comes, and the two foes are seen, their antlers locked,
in death. " The Children of the Mist" (No. 170)
possesses merit, but could hardly be considered a mas-
terpiece of the great animal painter. "The City of
Refuge" (No. 514), by Mr. E. Armytage, although
smaller than the pictures of his which have hitherto been
exhibited in the Academy, is in our opinion inferior
to none of his former productions. A refugee is
represented, who, having just escaped pursuit, falls
exhausted at the portals of the city to which he
Is hastening, and there is met by some of the city
maidens. The story is faithfully told, and to our mind
the colouring of the whole picture is an improve-
ment upon the former efforts of this gentleman. Mr.
Roberts' picture, " The Cathedral of St. Stephen,
Vienna" (No. 89), is a splendid interior, hardly perhaps
as fine as the one he exhibited last year. " The In-
auguration of, the Great Exhibition" (No. 415), by the
same artist, is as effective a picture as could possibly be
made out of such a subject. The pre-Raphaalite brethren
have never heretofore commanded our admiration, but we
feel bound in justice to admit that Mr. Millais' picture,
" The Proscribed Royalist" (No. 520), leave
,us nothing
to cavil at. The story is most effectively told, the colour-
ing of the picture harmonising, and what is very rare
in pre-Raphmlite paintings, the minor accessories do not
detract from the effect of the main figures.
F.Mr. Anthony's picture of the " Monarch Oak" (No.
480) is very pretentious, but to our mind decidedly in-
ferior to his picture " Beech Tree and Ferns," exhibited
last year. " The Last Return from Duty" (No. 1061),
by Mr. Glasse, is a picture which, independently of its
artistic merit, and that is by no means slight, will pos-
sess considerable interest, as being the last portrait
painted from life of England's immortal Duke. Mr.
Glasse also exhibits another picture, portraits of the
Hero and of his Secretary, Mr. Greville (No. 473) ; the
likenesses of both are very faithful. Mr. Thorburn, as
usual, shines forth pre-eminently in the miniature room.
In the sculpture room, " The Day Dream" (No. 1304),
by Mr. M'Dowall is well modelled and executed.
" The Maid of Saragossa" (No. 1307), is a very
spirited piece of sculpture. "Truth Unveiling herself"
(No. 1312), by Mr. Monti, is in the same style as the
veiled figures which attracted so much attention at the
Great Exhibition, and in execution we consider decidedly
superior to them. Pressure upon our space compels us
to defer to a future day any notice of other works of art,
whether of painting or of sculpture, in this year's exhibi-
tion ; but we shall take the earliest opportunity of again
referring to the subject.