Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-17
THE DAILY TIMES
AMERICAN ARTISTS IN ITALY.
ROME, April 25, 1852.

CONCLUDED
Mr.. j. IL. Hilton, young artist from Maine
has painted two very good landscapes of Tuscan
| scenery; one view Of the tower at Fiesole. ant
| the other view of Florence from one of tn,
| neighborng hills The coloring is soft anf
warm, and the general tone eyinces lust an
probation Of the beauties of Italian scenery
He has also painted an excellent view of St. Pc
ter's from the Tiber. This very promising youns
artist is now in Rome, where he is engaged il
| painting some pictures for Sir William Stewart
| 1t IS not often one who has scarcely commenced
| his career falls in with such good fortune. AL
ready he has received several very gratifying or
ders from distinguished sources, both at home
and abroad, and there is no reason to doubt his
entire success in the very difficult and too otter
Improbable pursuit into which he has so zeal
ously entered. When such men as Sir VIM
| Stewart, known connolsseufs in art, bestow theil
patronage upon a young American who has vel
to earn reputation, it is at least some evidence
OF merit. Mr.. Hilton has much to learn We; but
enthusiastic as he is in the love of his profession
modest and unpretending in his manners, well
informed in the literature of the arts, and ardent
" DESTROYS of attaining the highest point Of ex-
cellence, there is every reason to predict for him
| the most hattering success in his future career
| Mr.. Paul Akers, the sculptor, also | believe
from Portland, has made some admirable busts
since his arrival in Florence-His style is char
acterized by great boldness and power, and a
remarkable facility in Selling the strongest char
acteristlcs of expression in his likenesses which
are singularly striking. He has Just left Rome,
after brief visit, and is now busy at his yoca-
ton in Florence
Mr.. Alexander, young painter from Virginia,
has been making some copies in the galleries at
Florence, and sketches of scenery between Flor
enee and Rome on the Bemgia route. He is now
on his way to Naples, whence, after short So
journ, he will return to Florence. As proof of
the good material in him I need only mention
that in company with Mr.. Akers, of Maine, and
Mr.. Upjohn, (son of the distinguished architect,
he walked all the way here from Florence, and
visited on foot all the neigh boring villages round
Rome, including Tivoli and the Falls, and is now
with Mr.. Upjohn taking pedestrian tour through
Southern Italy. Very few even of the best pc
destrians think of travelling through this part of
Italy on foot. 1t seems, however, that there is
no part of the world where American energy
does not push its way in some extraordinary
manner. met two gentlemen in Florence re-
Gently who had crossed over in small fishing
craft from Malta to Agrigentum, on the coast Of
Sicily, and walked up to Messina, along the
shores, stopping at Syracuse, Catania, and all
the principal places on the way. This is moth
ing, however, to case related by kellogg, the
artist who when in Jerusalem, saw an Amer
can lady who, attended only by single Arab,
had crossed the desert from Cairo on the
back of camel. If women accomplish such
feats, what is there left for men to do in the way of
travel?
Talking about foot excursions, had the
pleasure of making very pleasant little pedes-
TRAN tour few days since to the villas of Adrian
and Sallust, aud the Falls of Tvoli, in company
with Mr. Taylor, of Westminster, Pennsylvania,
Mr.. Richardson, of Maine, Mr. Everett, of Bos-
ton, and Messrs. Alexander and Upjohn, alrea-
dy mentioned. Mr. Taylor is brother of nv
old and valued friend Bayard Taylor, whose
views afoot every body has read; he is a chip
of the same block in the way of walking.
Mr.. Innes, of New York, one of the best Of
our landscape painters, has just left Rome for the
United States. He goes through France, and con-
templates taking the French steamer from Havre.
tits to be regretted that impaired health is the
chief cause of fis return. During his stay in
Florence he painted some very excellent views of
Tuscan scenery, not so highly finished as some
of his earlier productions, but showing greater
power and increased facility of composition l
have seen nothing in Rome, in the way ofmodern
landscape painting, to equal his view of Gensano
aud Sunset in the Campagna. The View of Cen
sano is taken from the Lake of Narni, known to
classical writers as the Mirror of Diana, upon
which once foated the Furnishing villa of Adrian,
and embraces mountain view, crowned BY old
castles, and o glimpse of the bright waters of
the lake overriding by rocks and foliage. The at
mosphere is delightfully."- transparent; you feel
that you are actually looking through it, and al
rlost unconsciously listen for the singing Of the
birds among the trees that overhang the lake, so
life-like is the scene. The view of Sunset on
the Campagna is of more striking though per-
haps not so pleasing style Of coioring, bringing
in objects in more difficult combination of at
mospherical phenomena. 1t embraces some trees
peculiar to the vicinity of Rome, and ruined
tower on hill, standing out in fine relief from
Che background; and tinged with the rays of the
setting sun. This is named Evening. Another
more highly finished picture, with rich mass
Of woods in the foreground and piece OF
still water, well represents Noon. Besides these,
which are more or less unfinished as yet Mr..
Innes has his portfolio well filed with sketches Of
Italian scenery taken in Tuscany and Rome many
of which perhaps equal in artistic skill to his
more important works.
Mr.. Page is still in Florence but leaves short
ly for Venice, where he contemplates spending
the summer. He has been chiefly engaged du-
ring the past winter in making copies from Titan,
and has now in his studio some of the best copies
of that great master that have ever been produced
Such at least is the opinion have formed, after
pretty careful study of Titan works and the
copies which have been made of them; nor do
i think it an extravaganza assertion, for regard Mr.
| Page as entitled to take rank among the most
| gifted of American artists. In many respects he
has no equal; in certain qualities of coloring il
may truly be said that none but himself can be
his parallel Whether these qualities are calcu.
lated to please the popular taste is not so certain
but they evince thorough knowledge of the
principles of art profound study of causes and
offsets, and self-reliance in adhering to his OWE
views what art should be, without which none
can rise above mediocrcy. A man may be wrong
headed and yet be strong headed, as was said o.
poor Poe. If Mr.. Page be wrong, however, land
with due reference to his judgment l incline te
the opinion that he ISL it is not so much on the
great principles of art which he so ably expounds
in his published essays and in conversation, but
in aiming to produce effects, which in theil
highest perfection can only be regarded az
evidences of wonderful artistic power, and il
the ultimate object of art, which l conceiv
| is not TO improve unon nature in form or col