, 1877-05-06
LONDON.
opening of the Season Of Art
Exhibitions.
Ioau-Exhibition Of Works Of the Old
Masters-The British School. =
Pictures By Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gains.
borough, Sir Thomas Lawrence,
Rubens, Cuyp, Teniers,
Etc.
Eatr.celer E1hibitions-.-hiss Thempson's Three
Great Werks~Noman In The Professions.

Hata:Colsr Ehibitions~-niss Thempson's Three
Great Werks--lfoman in The Professions.
spaaa1 Correspondence ef The Tribune.
roxnoy. Enc. April A.-The season Of Art
Erhih,tious is here In a few weeks the Royal
Academy will open its doors for its annual disp1ay
md The intervening time is one Of expectation and
snsnense among the fraternity OF the brush Much
f,,is from them Of tho nature Of coajcctures
=. u whether their work will be ''huns''
a, not. with tecnnicalitics and aspirations
=. TO the manner Of hanging, which
t.vr no reference whatever to the unfortunate
.c+ne 1t tue execution in Leeds last week AZ
nsnal. We have had number Of preliminary exhI-
Mt;ont. arnut- -courrieEn Of the season, like the
euckoo and early swallow
Frst Of all, in point Of time and importance, was
the
1oAs-E1a1BITIoS OF WORKS OF THE OLD MAS
TERs,
nj Burlington House. This is the eighth year since
4he idea was first carried into effect of inducing
.he oyners Of private ast-Gailerics to lend from
their collections few pictures each year, and thus
aI.ow to the general public a sight of rare and
,oxtfy works which hare hitherto been secluded in
reaidences. Among the contributors to this years
exhibition are the Queen, the Earl Of Darnley the
nute Of Westminster, the Rothschilds, the Duke
o1 Dcyoushire, the Marquis OF Lansdowue, Lord
Metaueu, the Society Of Arts, with host
of Others collectors and conn0lsseurs. To one
familiar with the great Continental galleries, the
interest Of this Exhibition does not nttach itself
.ath. n1d Masters. Of whose minor works there is
to1he olu nas4ss sa,s..aatn.,a., ~.
usually very e1ealsao'e 'epsesentalton' out 10 lnc
deceased Masters OF the British school, v us the
catalogue puts it,-Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gins
t.sssrh p,.b1,n rttv. yorthcote- cons,ab,e
oo'oA vii. Ct. srh,,,.. a,r~o,,o and
homne5' "iA'o' ~ .1,aa.,11 49,. z.ss
not e,sly .ttainable otherwise. This is especially
+r,. ~ ',boxo who.e works are mainly devoted to
na. ',. y. ~ ~, ths ch,af arccc,xc. ~ thes,. ,re
poft1shuse' 'ot 1ae e",et nss ~ tes. ~ 80
ancestral mansions inaccessible to the public. A
tcu honr. eneut with this collection gave me an
AsA Sa.,a.c;.. ~ ". yre,+ Enc1;s, ror-
aoea o1 tae e1ee.'eae'es y. tae s4s1. ~.
t:aitpnintcrs which surprised me BY It's Fivdncss'
and the kecnncss and intensity OF Its pleasure.
n. 7nen and women on these walls seem to live
and breathe oelose you tne'1 a,,s anu s,aees'
their little afectatons, and even the general tone
md atmosphere OF their lives, are summoned be-
fore Jon BY these speaking canvascs.
Aefc' aos 'ns.aace' 10 A's' 11s gu
Joshua Reynolds,-n pet1te and somewhat plquant
lace, With brown hair dressed high over cushion
h.,a1ass ~ ,h,rrb H.. a-rre.s;on IL of rrcot
ANA helpless ar .aousn tns expression - o. sfea.
animation The hands and arms are e1qoasae' ana
-. .,,nost tm.rjnr the nainter arranrins these fine
49, :, ar.r,-r Which T,,1 ,hont the nonre
lines o. ea.sc o5speI' wn,en ,a ao0na .ae ;Sat
T1ist s md little finger. 10 spectator needs
to be informed that this lady's chief role in life
ei esiled sD''1' ' "
.'sErT1sa Up FOR A BEATTY"
There is about her a suggestion of incense
ofs1ed aud received, witty compliments paid and
fhon.6t Of any absorbing occapation. 4 gay
dawing-roou,, beaux and bellies. perxidage,
badinacc. and what the Earl OF Bcaconsdcld calls
ttons Of the picture. ''''
~ c1cecnr contras IL ,be nert nortraft of the
f.mous physic,an, Dr.. Abcrncthy. by Sir Thomas
Lawrence. 1t is IN admirable facc,-a broad fore
head md evenly developed head; keen, search
mscS NJ sWeetuese in spite Of saseaste admixtrrc
ind a vigorous and youthful appearance, notw1tn-
little forward Us If in close attention. TIE whole
couutcuauce suggests the ehrewd insight, the
quaint ortg,naltiss. the humorous speeches, and
s1ardy Independence OF the distinguished surgeon.
/ little farther on is an elderly lady, Mrs.
Kingston, Of Norwich, said to be the last portrait
Ga.nsboroush painted: There Is u curious reality
sa s1Ss i a ss sea + hss hsne
tnuta shawl which / say, involuntar1ly, as we
often do Of the habiliu1cnts Of acqualntances,
.'looks exactly like her"
This interest awakened in the spectator seems
ta peculiarly Of all GainsboroaEhs port rats.
Take, for Instance, this ''Arthur, Marquis OF
DoucEall." This is a handsome youn. fci-
low, in hunting.suit Of green, leaning
on ssile. How lfelike it is,
With the oak -lcaves Of the scp:cmper woods turn
Ing brown abore him, and mis- dogs At his feet, one
OF whom is painting, !olling back with his month
open. and the other is 1risking abunt him. saying
IS plainly as an animal can, '"Come along. You
can't be tired alreatyr' Bot the young man has
10 honest and ingenious q face, there is so much
life and simple good- -hunor about him, much Of
that eyanesccnt charm which VIC call youth, that
/ nncunsciously ask myself, OF whom ia he
thinking as be stands there gun in hand ob1ivious
Of parttidecs:-of some mot impossible she "
and does che live IN the northumberland was 1t
- THIS HANDSOME IRISH GIRL
whom find further on in the gallery. standing in
Esrden p1ucking rose no rcddcr than her cheeks,
and who, says The catalogue, married this Arthur,
Marquis OF Donegal. Who knoweg But cannot
think it mere fancy thut this power Of awaken
Ing interest is one Of the charms Of Gainsbor-
oush'6 portraits. Compare the attraction which
these un1nown faces exert with the usral badness
md blankness OF the ordinary - Portra1t Of 4
Lady, PORTRAIT uf Gentleman, - in picture
galleries. The truth IT, there Is something poetic
and Of general interest in every character only
the great painters or poets can catch and fix it.
The same thing is apparent In the portrait Of
Johann Christian Fischer, celebrated performer
on the hautbor, and composer Of that
A4y. Hho ynnFrieff Enfnst>nrJurf's Younger