The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-08 00:00:00

ART-UNION PRIZES.

A private view of the pictures took place on Satur
day, at the gallery of the British Artists, Suffolk-street,
which have been selected by the prizeholders of the
Art-Union of London. As these pictures have already
been noticed in these columns, when they were first
seen in the various exhibitions of the present year, it
will not be necessary to allude to them at any length.
The most remarkable change which we observed by
the difference of hanging, was No. 4 of the present
catalogue, entitled " The City of Syracuse, from the
antient quarries where the Athenians were impri-
soned, B.C. 413," which, certainly, does not gain in
our esteem by being brought nearer to the eye, and
therefore justifies the high position in which it was
placed at the Royal Academy, concealing, as it did,
o
the pre-Raffaelite detail of the near objects, and
proves that " distance lends enchantment to the view."
The price paid for it, namely, 2501., the odd 501. in
excess of the prize being added by the Hon. F. Lygon,
is at least highly creditable to the liberality of that
gentleman. Another example of a similar kind will be
found in the selection, by Mr. T. H. Maudslay, of a
view of ‘.‘ Cwm Ogar, Glamorganshire, No. 84," by T.
Tennant, the amount of prize being only 801., and the
price of picture 1251. In this instance we not only
compliment the buyer on his liberal spirit, but also
congratulate him on having vindicated his judgment in
selecting a fine, deep-toned, and powerfully painted pic-
ture well worth the sum he has paid for it. The rest of
the pictures have found buyers at about the valuation
put upon them by the artists, and do not, conse-
quently, require further notice in that respect. We
cannot help saying, however, that No. 44, " The First
Appearance of Columbus in Spain," by Mr. Hurl-
stone, is very reasonable at 1501., and Mr. H. Wilson
ought to be well satisfied with having obtained, on
terms so easy, by far the best picture the artist ever
painted, and we are not quite certain whether, upon
the whole. it is the most suggestive production of the
year. "The Walk to Emmaus," by Mr. Henry War-
ren, is a water-colour drawing of considerable preten-
sions ; and although the general breadth of style in
which it is treated is rather interfered with by the
botanical detail, of which we complained when it was
first exhibited, still we are happy that this approach
to the high style of art should have found a liberal
patron, to the extent of one hundred guineas, in the
person of Mr. W. A. Richmond. These are the most
striking points of the present exhibition of prizes—
the remainder consist of specimens by many of the
established favourites, and when the difficulty of ob-
taining a picture to fit the amount of the prize, and
to suit the fancy of the prizeholder, together with the
frequent want of pecuniary means to make the neces-
sary addition to obtain a more desirable pi
ustcturee,
are
taken into consideration, we thik that m bd-
mitted that the present display of selections gives a
rather favourable indication than otherwise of a gradual
improvement in the public taste, and sustains the hope
that great benefit will be ultimately derived from the
lottery of the Art-Union.

HORRIBLE DEATH.—On Friday last a frightful acci-
dent occurred to a young man named William Abbott,
engaged as foreman painter, in the employ of Messrs.
Heathcote and Co., of Tifertoll, which shortly after-
wards terminated fatally. Lt appears that, on the day
in question, the deceased was at work at Wiveliscombe,
when he accidentally fell into a partly filled furnace of
boiling liquid ; the unfortunate sufferer was, af
of terhim by
a short
space, rescued by some persons taking hold
the hair of the head. Surgical aid was called in, but the
case was hopeless, and the poor fellow, after lingering in
great agony, breathed his last the following morning,
Exeter Oz.ette.