New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-07-10
THE FINE ARTS.
Pre-Raphaelitisu1.


A competent and udicious observer
writes rs from London as ftllows about the Pre-Raph
aeltes whose pictures In the Royal Exhibition have at
tracted so much sttention and against whom Inc Lo"
dom Times and Dickens in the Household Words, wrote
uuDgent satires, drawing out Ruskin the Oxford
Graduate In their favor;
81 have tried twice before to End time to say a
word of Pre- Raphaelitism. | do not enlarge upon
il, because have every reason to suppose should
be saving much that you know already. But a
line or two for the sake of indicating my thought
"a new school of young men in any pursuit is
to be treated tenderly, sympathcticaIy and firmly.
| knew when | came to LoRdon that the Pre-
Raphaelites had been savagely abused last year,
that Mr.. Ruskin had spoken in their behalf anu
that this year some fe ~ buds of praise had just
burst the bark of newspaper criticism. But no
amount of secondary knowledge can ever truly
forestal the first iota of primary. came, there
fore, in contact with the pictures themselves win
the greatest interest.
"They cannot fail to impress any mind with
proper sense of art, with the novelty Of their APP
nesrance and the earnestness OF their spirit. With
whatever drawbacks Of disagreeableness in many
respects Mr.. MiIlas's pictures, the Husuenots
and the 'Ophella haunt one, they exit IN and
for themselves and do not appeal. They have be.
come London-talk and their young authora lion
Their force consists in intensity and tenderness of
sentiment deep pathos. Their drawbacks, to my
eve. are chiefly their Pre- Raphaete peculiarities
FIRST. formalty, begotten partly at least of the
avoidance Of convebtionally graceful composition
and grouping. Not that value conventions for
their own sake, though they generally have the
presumption N their favor; but that for many Of
these seem to perceive a good basis. Then,
there is excessive elaboration Of accessories, de-
ficiency of AERIAL perspective, and want of manage
ment in distribution of light and shade. knoS
most Of this is intentional from the idea of Amt
ing Nature she is 1.-THE old cry of artists) she
existed before Rdphaei and without reference to
Raphael this is the foundation Of their name, ami
not, as is commonly but enormously stated, any
principle eliminating Raphael's predecessors But
| quarrel with much of it, notwithstanding
though will not enter into the argument here.
"a formidable catalogue of faults or drawbacks
They have kndled many jokes land may we not
amuse ourselves y but considered seriously may
well be overcome by the great counteryailing
merits Of thoughtfulness, color and sngle-heared
earnestness Of feeling. Hunt ranks next to Md.
las. In one picture, the Hireling Shepherd he
has painted human hair with the light shade, mid
die tint, reflections and shadows Of each varticu
lar hair 1t may be ikent d, therefore, in prscti
cal feet to mass of whipcords. A bird. highly
finished, is represented flying. 1t may be in the
foreground close to the shepherd, or in the back
ground over some sheep-rhiek it is absolutely
impossible to tell-may be anywhere and ought to
be nowhere. | should not vensass n sneak thus
loosely, if had not spoken wasaAv in praise of
hilais-praise which would extend more or less
to Hunt and Others of the school.
Ruskin's pamphlet on the subject has sur
pIised me sgreeably by the great justice and mod
Grafton of its tone, which ought perhaps to have
done him the justice fully to expect. There are
traces Of crotchetiness here and there pardon the
iHeytrencel and perhaps some undue imaginative
ness in the notices of Turner But it ought 10
have done the Pre- Raphaeite cause much good.
Every man Of art should cad it. | will send nv
copy, # ,ou y ish, when make parcel for ,ms.
~ hear whispers OF an intended collection OF
Tuners works (which may Heaven grant me to
seq