The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-14 00:00:00

THE BELIEF OF LUCKNO TV.

Painted by T. J. BARKER.
Before the exhibition of this important and na-
tional picture shall have closed—while it is yet on
view for a limited period longer at the little gal-
lery (No, 5, Waterloo-place), whither it has during
the past few months attracted crowds of admiring
spectators—we would earnestly recommend every
lover of high art and of the loftiest heroism who
may not yet have seen this remarkable painting,
to visit the Messrs. Agnews' Gallery betimes, and
cast one glance, however fleeting, at Mr. Barker's
unquestionable masterpiece.
It is impossible, we conceive, for even the most
phlegmatic amongst us to look without profound
emotion at this affecting representation of the
crowning incident in the suppression of the Sepoy
Rebellion. The distinguished artist, Mr. Jones
Barker, has often before now demonstrated his
abilities. The eminent art-publishers, the Messrs.
Agnew and Sons, of Manchester, have often shown
their enterprise. But, in the present instance, it is
no exaggeration whatever to assert that both artist
and art-publishers have altogether surpassed them-
selves. The commission received by the painter from
the publishers was in itself somewhat extraordi-
nary. It was nothing less than the portraiture, upon
a grand scale, of that ever-memorable occurrence
which at length brought to its historic climax the
tragic events of our avenging war against the Ben-
gal mutineers: This incident was the final Relief
of Lucknow on the 17th of November, 1857, when
there met under the walls of the mess-house so many
of the later types of our Anglo-Saxon Chivalry ! In
the background of the picture the deadly contest be-
tween the royal troops and the sepoy rebels is still
raging—though the triumph of the English is
already virtually accomplished. The domes and
pinnacles of the stately buildings of Lucknow, the
minarets of the Chuter .Munsil, and the Kaiser-
bagh, lend to the scene here depicted ali
the charms and graces of oriental architecture.
Glimpses are caught too, here and there, of the noble
and beautiful luxuriance of tropical vegetation.
The radiance of the eastern sunlight suffuses the
whole of the, gorgeous and picturesque spec-
tacle. Elephant, and camel, and war-borse—
the tawny Hindoo, the fantastic Sikh, and
the blue-eyed and fair-haired Englishman,
grouped together in the foreground impart a sin-
gular diversity to the whole of this most strik-
ing pictorial representation. As for the
interest excited in the beholder's mind in
order to form some adequate notion of its inten-
sity, it is only requisite to bear in mind
what is the actual incident he here depicted. It
is the meeting upon that famous 17th of Novem-
ber of Havelock, and Outram, and Campbell.
Sir Colin (now Lord Clyde) has just—at the
most critical juncture—brought relief at last to
the beleaguered city, having fought his way
thither (to the rescue) at the head of his heroic
little army all the way from Allumbagh. He is
grasping the hand of Sir Henry Havelock, who,
worn, and pale, and haggard, has rushed forward to
meet his comrade, to give him in that simple hand-
grasp the friend's welcome and the soldier's greeting.
Within three days, recollect, from that moment
of their meeting Havelock died under the effects
of absolute exhaustion ! And as Sir Colin stands
there (in profile), with his head uncovered, look-
ing with melancholy interest into the pale face
of that dauntless brother-in-arms he has hastened
to aid in his last extremity, he seems almost to be
gazing upon Havelock through a mournful presen-
timent. Between them—lifting his cap to the
old Highland chief, and betraying in the action
the broad brow and inflexible aspect of the Bayard
of the Anglo-Indian army—stands Sir James
Outram, who has but just been conducted from
the Residence to the place of meeting, under the
walls of the Mess-house, by Kavanagh ! Upon
one side of this central group appears Lord
Chelmsford's son-in-law, the brave Sir John
Inglis—upon the other is Mansfield. These
two are exchanging animated signs of mutual
recognition. Near the latter, tightening the girth
of his grey oharger and at the same time looking
round at the cluster of warrior chieftains, is the
Hon. Adrian Hope, the very beau ideal of a hand•
some young soldier Englishman. Between Hope
and Mansfield, half in shadow, but instantly
recognisable if only from the resemblance
of his features to those of his illustrious father,
Sir Robert, one marks with a painful inte-
rest the youthful leader of the naval brigade so
soon to perish prematurely in the midst of his early
fame, Captain Sir William Peel, R.N., K.C.B.
Seated some of them on horseback, standing others
among them on foot, arc Greathead and Norman,
Roberts and Alison, Russell and Baird, Hope Grant,
and Patrick Stewart. Yonder is the Syce holding
the white Arab of the Commander-in-Chief—
the Syce himself clad in his grass - green
shoulder cloth and his rich crimson cummer-
bund. Further back are other portraits—not yet
particularized. There is Probyn, there -Watson,
there Johnstone, each of them mounted, and ar-
rayed in the uniform of the Indian irregulars. Pro-
minently in the foreground—to the right as we
look at the picture is stretched at full length a
wounded Highlander with a comrade bending over
him, helping a bheestee to squeeze water from one
of the skins over the cadaverous brow of the
wounded—while to the left is a motley group in the
midst of which are seen some ferocious Asiatics
fighting over loot with the fury of so many fiends,
a carnal screaming close beside them from the an-
guish of a gunshot wounds. As a work of art, Mr.
Barker's Picture of the Relief of Lucknow is emi-
nently beautiful. As an authentic record upon can-
vas—thanks vas—thanks to the numerous original sketches ta,
upon the spot by Mr. Lundgren—of a seen
pe:rfePctzal l
found historical interest, the painting
u icy-
reliable. Our contemporary the rt
icture, still on
gested last month that the original ' be purchased
view at 5 Waterloo-place, should
for the nation. Very we tryst that this ad-
for
suggestion ily be realised. In
lYiyn iletion of thisgi•ea
ft our congratu-
lations
self Mr. T.
the meantime we can cordial
mallyeaervtiontina.,._er
upon the successful coh,nll
and munificent firm
Jones
work to the eminent artist
Barker, and to the enterprising
from whom the commission
was received, the well-
knownMessis. I hems Agne
firm of the W and
Sons, of Manchester.

WORSHIP-STREET POLICE.COURT.--Mr, John
Henry Barker has been appointed to. the office of magis-
trate at the Worship-street-rourt, in the room of Mr.
D'Eynaour z.