Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-11-19

sui we auu tue Tiorluy ing iact, ulat ne IL GOui-
PEELED to construct and exhibit a mniature OF
the great work, to procure the means of return
ing to his own country! But it is not yet too
late 10 wipe off the imputation which this fact
will fix upon us, and we hope the COMMITTEE
entrusted with the subject will take immediate |
steps to ascertain whether New York Will do |
any thing or not.
But To return from this DEPRESSION. The Edn- |
burgh writer proceeds To a brief discussiuh OF
the merits of several oil the most distinguished. of
the American Historical aud Portrait Painters.
In the department of painting, the writer says,
1.-The Americans have made IA surprising prohci-
ency; surprising, not only i'll comparison with
what they have done in every other depart
| ment, but surprising, Gf we consider their mum
bcrs, infancy, and want of encouragement !
when compared with what we ourselves have
done, or ans other people, during the same peri
3D." In this discussion, Copley, West, Tr,hn-
bull, Peale, Aston, Morse, Suly, Stewart, Les
lie, Newton and Harding, pass rapidly in review.
! CoPLEY, he says ''was a capital painter, and en-.
| lowed with 4 decided and vigorous talent f1r
historical painting" .'SS EST" he says, ,'w;,s an
Amaricau by brt1I, who studied at -Ro,le and
iii London. He had great power; and a re ,u,
:atlon much greater than he Leserved.n lie
then proceeds at some length in discussing his
character and on the whole .sdamns linn eitl.
faint praise" throughout. Ills fame will not in
crease; it will diminish. Ills composition k
prehenson-ana in.,ounied, about in equal
proportions, of the su5iine and ordinary. He
was prone to eNagSeration; a slave To classical
shapes; and greatly addicted to repetItiUn, &c.
| The writer sr2aSs in high terms Of his drawings
of"Dca. Ii Oil the Pale Horse" Christ heal
ing tbs: s.ck," but half condeins the execution
! OF TRuMsULL, the critic speaks without feeling,
justice, or generosity. Tie allows that ''he ,oaS
! Il r;Ian OF considerable power" lie also allows
! that his .So-ie OF Gibraltar was Gerry fine
p,cture;' bat, Inc adds worth every thing else
that ne has ever done.' .Tne battle OF LeXing
tom (tncaniny, we suppose, that of Bunker
Hili,) the Death oi Montgomery the Signing
Of the declaration o. independence, the ( alp
tire of Burg yne,' an.i surrender of Cornwall
lis are each and oii uucgu,vOuaiiy condemned.
\ very easy solution, however, IL tnis sweeping
sentence oi condemnation may DE found IN the
fact, that ali the pieces. excepting tIe
winch is Acknowledged 10 be "a veT, na pic.
turc,' .3m,sicGa-.he other is British.
PEaLE is spoken highiy ri. Due of his por-
traits attracted good deaf OF admiration some
years ago. AT l'ara;' and aiiut'er OF Mathews,
lately exhibited in LOn,ion, Is pronounced "a
mastery thing His portraits beautiful,
pantei bat rather cold. !alnlai, and until vGy
lately, wanting ile$hiurss.' His essays in lis
toricsl painting are quite numerous, and q,tie
! wonderful bis oust of Death has parts q
eNtrao binary puwet.' ASTON Is pronounced
al the head OF the historical departnen ut in Alnt
| RIGA. His Jacobs VISION has established lis
| reputation Bat Says the writer, we hale
claims upon hiin here; for lie is, as il were "a
child o! US, and hi, countrymcn will never eiSe
him that oPportunluy Inch nc would il he " SO
here THIS, we think, /, very likely, tlou;h
we are sor1y To say II. OF AioRsE, he s.. U.s.
'his portraits are werful, free, aud tis,t,-
guIshcd BY mastery iT.udiIng.' SULLY !, tk,-
nounced The Sir Thomas Lawrence OF ltias-i-
ca but il is claimed ,i,a, me was bornin Lono,n.
Int ppDpl t,I
coming here, as Ii is admitted, in Iii. infanc, h.
| rs to all iDtens and purposes an AMERICAN He
criticism upon Suily is the longest o.. any; ie
relative merits of the two artists, sSuW ;ld
| Lawrence, are discussed, and, on tine niole ne
think the palm IS awarded to the former. III,
PORTRAITS ot the two, II IS said, hardly be dis
| unguIshed. This, we suspect, is true; whoever
VIII closely examine the portrait of Jefferson :,
| the Library at w est Point, b., ,uiI. a..J fin,
I OF Oenamn w est, III ii:2 Academy Of Arts he
Sir Thomas Lawrence, will arrive at the same
OPINION. STEWART, says our critic, s.was a
long time i'll THIS country, many wears ago
painted the principal mobility, and rant. ed even
tnei', among ,he first masters He is old no.y.
| hut n"q1esi.onabiy al the ',oad ofihe American
pa'ntcfs.' MIR. Stewart hariiy ever paiut.
tD'1rabie woman. His women are as nuci, ME
nor 10 those OF sally, and, of course to those D;
Slr .bomas Lawrence, as his .nen are superiu
u lac ricn ot almost any other painter. fills
''hi'SI II thOGglj!ul iilu calm.
! There Is no spl"ndour--noiiiIBg flashing or rich
III the paintings OF Stewart, but VIVA ever ne
1Fis joEE7. upDn canvas Is bike Il record u,1n
oath, lain. uneqIrOcal, and solI.l.' I.csl,,. i,
highly praisct!bus he, too the writer say, q. *
porn In t.n@ia'.n---a circumstance not general,
k0Own brief outline of his iif,. IS given
viich. as far as We have i:ear,i; is correct 1tiis
| portraits are beautiful, licn. ard peculiar; his
co"iPosiionsin history graceful. cI,astc and fu
| oi syodned pleasantly NEWTON, the r,ext ar.
t-i noucet, IS a nephew of -';:art, no.g IN Lon
ION. '!ie ~ an hnerIC 80; hg' Bora yit!ijD arr
| t'7"dts' 5c'mc OF ihe.G European writers
MAINTAIN that the cli:nate Of America has a fen
dc'icv To dcteriordte tue human ,ncci.s; nut we
presume the rule does no hold 40. IN oftie II
Lawrence and the great Lakes. The portrait,
OF Newton pronouoced 'bolL aud we'll co.
loure.i. but not regnrt5 bic for STRENGTH of re-
sein6lance or niividi.aiity .: axyres,,.,.n His
attempts IN history yeis well pOl.t,,i of: par
ucuiariv piece called 'iniiior and Auditor u
after the manner of Fiu'ierc. Last, come, nr.
= ~ AHpiNCi. OF Kentucky. This sxtraordiua !
~ nan, says the the writer us a fair eoeci,nen
OF tiic American character. Ah,ui .jx vc,rs
ago ne was 'y'ng 10 Inc Sgljs Il Neniucky had
never seen @eceGt picture in ms life. aud
spent Hos' 81 az leisure u'nc, such as couiJ be
spared iioi" the more iabofJus occupations of
iiic. ~ drumming TOR a military cemnanv .nI
~ fitting axc-hcI,as To axes; in ,vi,;,j, &c.,,
t''ine' &c soon h"canc Distinguished Nv and /
% e some revolution too. place il, Lis = f!ai,sa
nc" AMBITION sprung Up within him; and. beinor
IN q strange place, ivith,ut friends and ,,;tla,P
mJrpy--a!ld with C4ri,;i: Of III. 49,. \ |