The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-13 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

BRITISH INSTITUTION.

This exhibition, which, from want of space and time we
have been hitherto unable to notice, contains many_ fine
specimens of modern art. Most of our best painters have
contributed one or more pictures to it ; and among them
Landseer, whose paintings of the animal creation, especially
of the canine tribe, may .vie with the very choicest produc-
tions, of the same class, of the old masters. His " Terriers"
are admirably painted, with a force and vividnesS that re-
mind us of Gainsbo -ough and Morland, though with far
more grace and elegance than either of these artists pos-
sessed. • No one imparts such a tine, natural gloss to the
hair of his animals, dogs especially, as Landseer. He seems
to effect that by a happy stroke of the pencil which inferior
painters would take days and weeks to accomplish. His
picture of the " Highland Harvest Girl" is evidently a
sketch from nature, and the countenance as fine as anything
we have seen from his pencil. The " Landlord and his
Friend" is a capital picture, of the homely, domestic class,
by Fraser. Boniface, having poured out a glass of his
choicest double X, is expatiating in suitable terms of pane-
gyric on its merits to a customer, who is all attention,.and
holds up the belanded beverage to the light, evidently de-
lighted with its cheerful, sparkling hue. The host's face
aptly explains the purport of his speech : nor can anything
be wore unembarassed, or skilfully pourtrayed, than his
attitude. " Venus caressing her favourite Dove" is by
G. Patten: It is an able painting, voluptuous without at
all trespassing upon propriety ; and shows that the artist
has studied the chefs d'oeuvres of the old masters, parti-
cularly those of Correggio, with success. We scarcely
think, however, that the lower portion of the goddess's figure
is in proportion with the upper half. The leg is too fleshy,
and every way too disproportioned. "La Rose" is the
production of Chalon, and is an imitation of the courtly,
polished manner of Watteau. The filling up of this little
gem is in the chastest and most gracefil style. In particu-
lar, the reclining figure of the youth who is turning towards
his mistress, is replete with easy elegance, and the symmetry
perfect. The " Happy Age" is better than anything we
have yet seen from the pencil of Partridge. It is the por-
trait of a child, whose round, rosy, dimpled cheeks, and
laughing eyes bespeak a world of unsophisticated happiness.
The " Valley Farm," though a striking landscape, by Con-
stable, and such as it is impossible to look on without in-
terest, yet is full 'of the usual defects of the artist, with
much meretricious glitter about it, and a straining after
effect, at variance with the staid simplicity of nature. If
Mr. Constable would have more faith in his own healthy,
simple love of the picturesque, and be less ambitious in his
display, he would succeed much better in landscape paint-
ing than he now does ; but he is too apt to overlay nature,
and bury it beneath a load of tawdry ornaments. " 'Wreckers
on the North Shore" is painted in that peculiar style to
which Turner only can give proper effect. It is a clever
painting, though with all the artist's usual mannerism about
it. " King Henry the Eighth's first interview with Anne
Boleyn" is chiefly remarkable for the figure of bluff Hal,
which is full of character, and realizes the notion we have
of him in history. " Fire in the House of Lords" is
another of Turner's performances ; it has a quaint look,
with an evident appearance of want of finish in the details.
" Odin" contains one of Landseer's superb drawings of
dogs, whose anatomy, as in the present instance, is all but
perfect. " The Chair-saddle" is an ingenious picture by
Partridge. " The Chivalric Vow" is a large and im-
pasing painting from the pencil of Maclise, and con-
tains a highly finished, and accurate full-length portrait
of Count D'Orsay. " The Entombment of Christ,"
does Mr. Salter, the artist, great credit. This gentleman
shows considerable promise as a painter. His " Head of St.
John" is an admirable bit of painting ; and shows unusual
power of expression. The picture, however, is on rather
too large a scale ; though the canvass is skilfully filled
up, and the grouping of the various figures easy and graceful.
" Buy, buy Images" is another striking performance by the
same artist. " The Woman of Procida" by Miss A.
Weller, is another picture that deserves notice, having this
rare recommendation—namely, that it will bear closely
looking into. The artist has caught the fervid glow of- an
Italian climate, with a tact and felicity that shows she is
well versed in, and capable of appreciating, the peculiar
excellencies of Claude in this respect. The figure of the
female, whose bead is slightly bent forward, apparently in
the attitude of attention, is true to life, nor is the distant
perspective of the deep blue sea, with here and there a white
sail dotting its surface, less finely felt. With due perse-
verance this lady will succeed in her profession, especially as
she has the rare good sense to disregard the stilted, thea-
trical manner—where every thing is sacrificed to effect--of
too many of our modern artists. On the whole, the Exhibi-
tion is a very creditable one.