The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-09 00:00:00

ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION.

This popular exhibition opened for the season on
Monday last. The crowd, as usual, was tremendous,
filling every room to overflowing; and it was scarcely
possible to do more than just take a hasty, superficial
glance at the different pictures. So far, as we have
yet been able to form an opinion, the Exhibition, on
the whole, is a good one, and we are glad to see that
there are fewer portraits of anonymous gentlemen
than usual. Among the first paintings that catch
the spectator's eye in the east room, is No. 13, The
Otter Speared, which is from the prolific pencil of
Edwin Landseer. The animal is represented as held
up in the air at the point of a sportsman's pole, and
an immense number of otter dogs are barking vio-
lently, and making fruitless efforts to reach him. It
is astonishing what eager, natural expression the
artist has contrived to throw into the attitudes
arid countenances of his dogs. 49, Portrait of
E.spartero, is a passable likeness, and deserves praise
for the richness, yet perfect chasteness, of its colouring.
67, Portrait of her Majesty, is by Newenham, and it
has been painted, it seems, by direction of the Junior
United Service Club. The resemblance is good,
especially about the mouth, and, what is still more
remarkable, there is no courtier-like flattery about
it. 182, Portrait of William Charles Macready, by
the late H. P. Briggs, represents the tragedian striving
hard, but with a success by no means commensurate
with his exertions, to look contemplative and senti-
mental. The likeness may be recognised at a glances
even though it has the fault of being too youthful.
187, The Day after the Wreck, is one of Stanfield's
spirited sea-pieces. 203, A Scene from the Decameron
of Boccacio, by Chalon, is in the courtly, graceful,
and highly finished style of Watteau. 351, Sancho
Panza in the Apartment of the Duchess, is less suc-
cessful in the management of the principal character,
that of Sancho, than we should have expected from
such a careful artist as Leslie. The squire is much
too grave in his manner, and we altogether miss
that sly, oily expression of humour for which
he was so famous. The countenance of the
grinning negro in the back-ground is capital.
332, Shoeing, is one of the most masterly pictures in
the exhibition. The tone of colouring throughout is
all but perfect, and the muscles in the hind leg of the
horse, as the smith holds it up for the purpose of
shoeing, are developed with a spirit and anatomical
accuracy of which Landseer alone is capable. 379,
Hawthornden, is a most romantic scene, whose colour-
ing, and well disposed lights and shades, exhibit the
skill of the artist, Sir William Allan, to great advan-
tage. 388, Trial of the Seven Bishops, is an am-
bitious historical painting, by Herbert. The design
is spirited, but the picture is deficient in strongly
marked character. 426, the Ploughed Field, is one
of Lee's sweet, homely, sylvan landscapes. 428,
Portrait of Thomas Carlyle, is an admirable likeness,
and the colouring is full of force and depth. 430, Venice
Quay, Ducal Palace, is one of Turner's grotesque pro-
ductions. The utmost we can say for it is, that it is
not quite so confused and unintelligible as some that
we have seen lately from his pencil. 581, Scene on
Board a Steamer, is replete with truthful and humour-
ous expression. The countenance of the dandy, who
has just felt the first qualms of sea-sickness, expresses
a word of melancholy anticipations. 552, the Tomb
of Christ, is one of Danby's splendid poetical concep-
tions, which please, in spite of the absence of all
nature. In the Sculpture-room, there is a graceful
and highly; finished bust of the late Mrs. Oughton,
by Sievier, and a clever group in marble, by Gibson.