The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-29 00:00:00

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SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock.

ITALIAN AND DUTCH PICTURES.
To-day we have been favoured with a private view
of a fine collection of oil paintings, about to be sold
shortly by auction, at No. 9, Great Stanhope-street,
Park-lane, the property of a nobleman. The collec-
tion includes many chef d'ceuvres of the principal
Italian and Dutch masters, including Titian, Tinto-
retto, Furini, the Canalettis, Poussin, Cuyp, Back-
huysen, Vandevelde, Berghem, both Ruysdaels, and
many others. With certain marine pieces by W.Van-
develde,Dubbels, and Backhuysen we were greatly in-
terested. One of Vandevelde's (No. 312), which is an
exquisite work, represents the Dutch Fleet, in a
light breeze, off the Texel, saluting the Admiral's
ship, which is under topsails and courses, with hand
shortening sail, whilst a swallow-tail broad pennant
flying at the peak end shows the Admiral signalling
the fleet to bring to. An upright landscape, "Time
approaching Sunset," by Berghem, combines all the
characteristics of that master, broad masses of
light and shade, a sky floating in air, bril-
liancy and harmony of colour, exquisite finish,
and a wonderful fidelity to nature in all its details. In
the centre of the picture is a group of forest trees, the
foliage agitated by a transient summer storm ; be-
neath is a passage boat lying at anchor; on the right,
in the half distance, are the ruins of a castle ; and in
the foreground are some peasants, with mules, asses,
sheep, and goats, waiting to cross the the stream.
" A Marine View near the Dutch Coast,' (305), by
Dubbels, is a very striking picture. At a short dis-
tance is a man-of-mar, the crew busily engaged in
every part ; two small boats filled with sailors are
near, and a vessel in the distance ; to the left, making
sail, is a fishing boat with fishermen, one of their
companions who assisted them cff, still standing
in the water; in the front is a beat, lying near the
shore, and another boat a little way off; with two
figures on the shallows. This picture represents a
morning soon after the break of day, the sober grey
tints so peculiar to that hour pervading the whole
atmosphere ; a slight breeze before sunrise increas-
ing the ripple over the fiat sandy shore ; the happy
choice of the objects,
.the surprising fidelity of the
perspective, the transparency of the water, and the
aerial truth leave nothing to be desired. A painting by
Backhuysen (302) represents a shipwreck with figures
in a boat and on a raft, and is full of truth and deep
feeling. 303 is a picture of fine quality, by J. Ruysdael,
portraying a landscape and buildings, with a
rapid stream falling over broken rocks ; on the left
the trunk of a tree is partly in the foam, and in the
half distance is a man walking near a group of for-
rest-trees.

We have selected these two or three as especially
worthy of notice, but the whole collection is of a
character deserving of a visit from the connoisseur and
the man of taste.

Died, on the 26th of July, on board her Majesty's
ship Centaur, at %Vest Bay, Prince's Island, coast of
Africa, after four days' illness, Assistant-Surgeon Mr.
Charles Devon port Rook Symons, aged 26 years, son of
Mr. John Symons, of Devonport. He was detached on
duty from her Majesty's ship Kingfisher, which he was
about to rejoin to proceed home. He was interred at
Prince's Island, much beloved and respected by all who
knew him.