The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-11 00:00:00

Study for the Guilty Woman, in the Judgment
to be executed in fresco, in the New Palace

at Westminster, by J. R. HERBERT, R.A
powerfully-painted head, and evidently 1
one well skilled in artistic manipulation

This is a

The expression

is depicted with much energy, and the whole picture, or
rather bit of picture, manifests vigour and self-reliance on
the part of the artist ; as the study of an individual
head, it is both interesting and withal clever. The some-
what ostentatious title which its author has bestowed on
it is another matter. In that there is manifestly some
intent of connecting the portrait before us with a great
historical, and what is more, with a • great national histo-

rical composition. Such an intention is a failure and a
fallacy. An isolated head, like the one before us, is
no more to be taken as indicative of what Mr. Herbert's
picture of " The Judgment of Solomon" is to consist,
than was the brick exhibited by the foolish man in the
fable to be considered conclusive as to the structure and
convenience of the house he wished to sell. No one can
know better than an artist of Mr. Herbert's experience
and reputation that a picture must not be judged of by
odd bits and incidents, but that, on the contrary, it suffers
by being shown in details, in which the composition,
colour, and general treatment are neither apparent nor
even indicated. As a study of a head, the matter was well

enough ; but when an exuberance of penmanship converts
it into portion of a great national picture, it assumes a
different aspect, and what might have been very com-
mendable in the one capacity becomes very questionable
in the other. These strictures, it will be readily seen,
apply more to the title than the quality of the work,
which, as a mere study, is, as we have already said, in
most respects, highly commendable.
180. " Arthur and Egle, in the Happy Valley," by
Join' MARTIN, K.L. The works of Mr. Martin have
long constituted artistical enigmas, which the one now
named will not go far to solve. We have here, " rock
piled on rock, hill towering over hill," in all the wild pro-
fusion for which the inventive genius of the artist has
been admittedly conspicuous ; enriching this wilderness of
peaks and plains, is a sky of deep cerulean, studded with
stars, and decorated by a waxing moon of juvenescent
extent ; but after contemplating the terrestrial and aerial
chaos, the mind remains as vacant as before. The picture
tells no tale, suggests no thought; unless, indeed, when
it provokes the idea that such an artistic pazzle has been
invented for the purpose of perplexing amateurs. A close
investigation shows an endless repetition of ill-defined
details, an inconceivable amount of labour, and absolutely
no result. The pictures of Mr. Martin are, indeed, a riddle
compared with which the Sphinx itself is a very common-
place mystery. •
345. " On the Thames—Mid-day ;" 507. " The Thames,
from the Green Meadows ;" 550. Scene from the Hills,
near Dolgelly, N.W. ;" all by H. J. BODDINGTON, are
pictures displaying, in almost an equal degree, the peculiar
excellences and drawbacks of the artist's style. They all
seem redolent of sun and atmosphere—bright warm-out-
of-door effects—fresh green meadows—transparent skies
and breezy uplands; yet, all of them are, more or less,
mannered in their treatment. The same elaborate mani-
pulation of foreground objects, the truthful effect of which
is in no inconsiderable degree marred by a want of cha-
racter in the middle-distance objects. Trees of different
kinds are made to wear the same appearance of foliage ;
the brushwood also is made, in not a few instances, to
assume the aspect of the forest ; and a tendency to gene-
ralise seems everywhere to meet us in this artist's land-
scapes, to the destruction of their individuality. Notwith-
standing these defects, however, the truthfulness of at-
mospheric effect with which he contrives to envelope his
pictures renders them general and deserved favourites.
508. " Fast Castle, .or Wolfe's Hope, Berwickshire,"
by T. M. RICICARDSON. The horizontal line of this
picture is placed so high as to render it a somewhat
difficult matter for the uninitiated fully to understand its
composition • yet it is a picture of much power and truth-
fulness. The broad expanse of ocean is beautifully
pourtrayed, and it contrasts grandly with the precipitous
rocks and hilly land. The figures introduced, and the
general treatment of the foreground, are masterly and
beautiful.

381. " A May Morning," by W. D. KENNEDY, is a
picture of little pretence but great beauty. The treatment
is simple, truthful, and pleasing.
392. " Eton Montem," by WILLIAM PARROTT, is a
subject difficult to handle, but here the artist has dis-
played no inconsiderable skill in his mode of treating it.
The figures are well disposed, fairly drawn, and cleverly
painted.
395. " The Young BaCcus, or Joy in Nature," by J.
ARCHER, A.R.S.A., is a picture of much power and no
small amount of beauty. As a piece of colouring it is of
a high order. The design, though fanciful and con-
ventional, is well brought out ; and on the whole the
picture is highly creditable to Mr. Archer, who, we
understand, is comparatively a young artist.
99. " Edinburgh from the Calton Hill," by W. G.
HEaDMAN, is a subject of great inherent pictorial beauty.
The admirably broken lines and contrasting masses of
picturesque architecture which characterise the "City of
Palaces" as seen from the point selected by Mr. Herd-
man form of themselves a charming picture ; but we re-
gret it is not in our power to compliment him highly on
the mode in which he has treated it. His perspective is
violent and offensive to the eye. In endeavouring to
effect a great deal, he has not accomplished much, and
what he has done is not of the best order. •

234. " Portrait of Sir David Brewster," by W. S. HER-
RICK. This is a truthful representation of the scientific
knight, showing, in an animated manner, his every-thy
aspect.
473. " Portrait of the Right Hon. the Earl of Carlisle,"
by D. HUNTINGTON. This picture, which is painted for
the Historical Society of,New York, is in a good style, and
indicates a true artistic feeling on the part of the artist.
35. " Street in Innspruck," by W. CALLOW. In this
picture, which represents a distant view of the " Golden
Roof," the artist has displayed a fine appreciation of the
picturesque. The lines of rugged buildings and distant
hills are treated in a pleasing and artistic manner, the
colouring is sweet, as well as powerful and effective.
74. " Macbeth," by H. C. SELOUS. This is an artistic
vagary of a very unaccountable kind. Mr. Selous is an
artist who deservedly occupies a good position in public
esteem. That position, however, could never have been
attained by the production of such anomalous works as this
one. If originality of treatment has been his aim, and his
only aim, he has succeeded to a miracle. In this picture
we learn, for the first time, that Macbeth, in giving
treacherous shelter to his aged sovereign, lodged him in
costly upholstery, which, with a matchless prodigality, he
has laid on a cellar floor, the steps descending towards
which crowd and incommode the royal sleeper, whose rest
is further interfered with by the unquiet performances of
his muzzy and obtrusive grooms, who, not content with
slumbering on their post of guard, have actually obtruded
themselves into the royal couch, sadly increasing the in-
conveniences attendant upon poor Duncan's dormitory.
Of the murderous thane himself, least said is soonest
mended ; he appears a very vulgar murderer indeed, and
altogether such a one as no sane man would have put him-
self in the power of, for half a minute, on any terms.
There are, no doubt, good points about this picture ; the
painting of the old king's head, for example, is fine ; but
the good bits are as a grain of wheat to a bushel of chaff.
The picture is altogether a mistake, and by no means a
pleasing one ; it is excessively faulty in design, and poor
and sickly in colour.

95. "La Perla de Triana," by JOHN PHILLIP, is a
powerfully painted and very expressive portrait.

- 203. "Doily Varden," and 205, " Interview between
Queen Elizabeth 'and the Earl of Essex, on his return
from Ireland," by W. P. Furrn, R.A. Two very clever
sketches, in which the artist has, without labour, contrived
to crowd a great extent of character.

208. " A Dutch Town," and 210, " A French Town," by
A. MONTAGUE, are two sweetly-painted and well-coloured
little bits. They are very pretty and very pleasing.

NOTES, NOTICES, AND OPINIONS.