The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-07 00:00:00

BRITISR INSTITUTION.

Replete the present exhibition is with excellence
of very various descriptions, we, nevertheless, have
reason to regret its deficiency in many particulars.
Accustomed as n e have so long be,ti to witness the
contributions to tho walls of the British Institution of
the masterpieces of Mr. Turner, of Mr. Etty, and of
Mr. Landseer, we cannot fail to miss the gorg,A:us
landscapes of the one, the mythological representa-
tions of the other, and the animated portraits from
the stud or the kennel, in which the third great artist
still continues unrivalled. Alas ! that we should have
cause to regret the irrreparable loss sustained by the
world of art in the second instance, death having
removed Etty from his labours, not however
before he had matured and secured his re-
putation. With regard to the secession
of Mr. Edwin Landseer and of Mr. J. W. M. Turner
from the band of contributors, we can derive some
satisfaction from tini reflection that they have thereby
been enabled to dedicate their genius exclusively and
inure effectually to the decoration of the walls of the
)yal Academy. With these more illustrious artists,
however, we observe also with regret the simultaneous
disappearance from the catalogue of the name of Mr.
Inskipr, hitherto meat indefatigable in his
ffJrts and most pretentious in the character
of his productions. With his departure is
likewise observable a very perceptible dimi-
nution of power in the works of Mr. Cooper.
Notwithstanding these great drawbacks, however, to
our pleasure, we have not visited the gallery without
xpif-ncing very considerable gratification.
S.z,veral orilliant successes have been achieved in
the different departments of the art by some of the
yet remaining contributors ; and a large amount (,f
merit may be there discovered successively in land-
scape painting, in historical painting, in animal
painting, in humorous and domestic painting, in
sacred, imaginative or mythological painting, and in
the other miscellaneous branches of this most exquisite
profession. On the achievements effected in these
various departments we shall comment in due suc•
cession.

If the gallery of the British Institution is rich at
this moment in any particular class of pictures, it is
especially rich in landsclaes. Nor can this circum-
stance be any matter of surprise, when it is con-
sidered that among the principal competitors are
enumerated Mr. Creswick, Mr. Lionel!, Mr. F.
Dmby, Mr. Woolmer. Mr. Holland, Mr. Linton,
Mr. Ihvelt, and Mr. Branwhite. Each of these ap-
pears, as ever, to be wore or less ambitious. Mr.
Linnell's " Purchased Flock," although admirable
for its animation, is greatly inferior to his " Opening
the Gate," a production of extraordinary beauty, re-
presenting as it does most vividly a sunshiny
day over an English meadow. Again, Mr. F. Dan-
by 's sketch of Welsh mountains in the glow of a sun-
set, though singularly felicitous, is in no degree com-
parable with his delicious picture, entitled" A Golden
Moment." Here the atmospheric effect is produced in
like manner by a sunset, but it is a ruby sunset,
behind luxuriant masses of the richest and brownest
umbrage, instead of being a reflection of yellow light
from the marly verdure of an un wooded aclivity.
Mr. Woolmer's "Sirens," unlike those of Mr. Frost
in the last exhibition of the Academy, are placed
in conspicuous subordination to the landscape,
yet still in spite of this, we have little
to regret, seeing that it results in scenery
of voluptuous enchantment. One of Mr. Bran-
white's snow scenes is especially clever ; and the fol-
lowing successful efforts are also noticeable :—Mr.
Haven's " Rhaddlan Castle," admirable in its per-
spective ; Mr. Linton's " Borgo Castello," although
marred by its massive clouds, anything in aspect ra-
ther than vaporiform ; and Mr. Holland's " Piazetta
di San Marco," a painting of remarkable, though
somewhat eccentric, ability.
Foremost among the historical works in this year's
exhibition are the " Meeting between James IV.
and Murray," at one extremity of the Gallery, and
the dictation of a dispatch by " Oliver Cromwell to
John Milton," situated at the other end of the
opposite apartment. The latter production, although
the most ambitious, is also the most simple in com-
position, promising largely for the future adventures
of the artist, Mr. Newenham. Nevertheless, while
we are ready to acknowledge the pervading power of
the picture, we cannot close our attention to its
striking demerits, conspicuous among which are the
absence of anything approaching to energy in the
figure of Milton, and of anything at all approxi-
mating to dignity or grandeur in that of Cromwell.
The poet is characterised chiefly by an expression of
" softness," while an exaggerated uncomeliness is the
prominent token of the Protector.
In the absence of Mr.E,lwiti Landseer, Mr. Herring,
and Mr. Ansdell shine forth more brilliantly than
heretofore. The former appears, as he always dues,
miraculously felicitous in his sketches from the farm-
yard—in one picture of this kind, introducing together
the cart-horse and the ragged little pony, the pigs,
and the fowls, and among the whole litter a peacock
trailing its beautiful plumage through the stubble.
The study of young kids, by the same distinguished
hand, is also capital. Mr. Ansdell repeats himself in
his painting of the " Regretted. Companion," though
few will regret this from the charm with which he
has invested both of the figures of the dead ass and
that of the old man mourning over its remains.
Best of all, the domestic or humorous paintings in
the Gallery, are three contributed by Mr. F. Goodall,
by Mr. Frank Stone, and Mr. George Cruickshank.
Each in its several way is inimitable, and all, we
doubt not, will prove favourites—favourites to be
perpetuated and diffused through the medium of en-
gravings. The picture by, Mr. Goodall entitled the
" Post-uffice" represents in the best style of
Wilkie the arrival of the mail with an account
from the field of a campaign. The grouping,
colouring, and expression of the whole work are ad-
mirable; and the story of the painting is crowded
with incidents, droll or touching. Here is a sort of
half contention between a little tiny puppy and a
little tiny child about an india-rubber b all. Here is
the young widow, bowed down in sudden sorrow on
hearing the news of her widowhood. Here is the old
pensioner listening to the joyfully read letter from
the son who's gone a-soldiering. here in another
quarter is an eager group gathered with curious
eyes and ears all a-cock with expectation
round an old fellow reading aloud from an
open newspaper. Mr. Frank Stone's " Sympathy"
is the beautiful delineation of a beautiful sentiment,
being a portraiture of two lovely girls communing
with each other about their sorrows, and inter-
changing at once their affections and their confi-
dences. The costumes and the expression of the
two charming countenances are altogether exqui-
sitely painted. What shall we say of Mr. George
Cruickshank's picture, entitled " Disturbing the Con-
gregation?" What, but that it is worthy of our
master-caricaturist; a piece of rich humour, provo-
cative not of a smile, but of boisterous laughter.
There is the row of culprits—boys—from one of whose
pockets has rolled the apple which has trundled
almost to the august feet of the beadle. What a
beadle! What malignity in his eye! What a world
of offended greatness in his glance of mingled astonish-
ment and indignation! Then the surprise of the
gentleman whose look is just visible over the ledge of
the pew ! The whole sketch is admirable from its
ridiculous truthfulness to nature. Among the rest
of these kind of pictures, besides a grotesque group,
representing a cobbler keeping a customer waiting
while he plays out a tune upon his fiddle
ecstactically, and a hideous sketch of an
" Irish Piper"—the mere production, not to
say the exhibition of which, is to us wholly
incomprehensible—there is a spirited illustration of
an old Scottish song by Mr. Alexander Johnston, the
only blemish in which is the absence of all comeli-
ness, either in the shepherd or his lady-love.

From the length to which our criticism has already
extended, we are compelled more briefly than we
could have wished to notice the imaginative, scrip-
tural, and mythological paintings in this year's exhibi-
tion, at the British Institution. Sir George Hayter's
picture of " Our Saviour after Temptation," though
wanting in solemnity, is elegantly grouped, and
agreeably coloured. Mr. Dicksee's "Lady Mac-
beth" has power of expression, but not one particle of
beauty in her countenance. Mr. Sant's "Rivals"
are droll without symmetry, unlike the very
different "Rivals" pourtrayed by Sheridan.
Of Mr. Gilbert's elaborate composition, illustrative
of the "Plays of Shakspere," we could speak with
more satisfaction bad we failed to recognise so many
important omissions and such an erroneous disposi-
tion of the characters introduced. In spite, however, of
these glaring blemishes the work is really very
felicitous as a whole, and several of the figures, such
as that of Shylock, pencilled with true Shakeperian
forcetulbess. _

Brilliant, admirable, pro-eminent among all the mis-
cellaneous paintings in the gallery, are the produc-
tions of the gifted band of Lance, the very Prince
of Fruit Painters. Witness this his charming sketch
of " Art and Nature," contrasted in an open casket
otjewels and in a luscious jumble of grapes and
other blooming productions (.f creation. Such, then,
are some of the inure prominout productions now On
view at the British Inhtitutions—productions worthy
in several respects of the genius of the artists of
England.

SOHO THEATIIE.—At this theatre, last night, a
company of gentlemen amateurs perlont ed the First
of Henry IV., and the farce of Me &ape Gout.
The general rule which exempts rerformances of this
kind from particular criticism scarcely applies here, as
the rinse en scene was rxcelent, the costume c,,rrect, the
dresses very splendid, and the acting mote than rest act
able. The best sustained part was Hotspur, represent( d
with force and spirit; and in a e order of merit follow
ti , King, Prince Henry, Pains, Bkrdolph, Gadihill,
Worcester, and Douglas. The trifling parts of Francis
and Mrs. Quickly were acted with so much ease that
wo stn-pect the performers must have been prcfessional.
The theatre (Miss Kelly's) was crowded.