Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-01-10
Sir Henry Raeburn's Portraits.


says the artists biographer, sis resem-
blance;" and in this respect Raeburn
has not been surpassed. The admira-
BILE individuality of his portraits, and
their intensity of character, like those
OF Holbein, are at the same time asso-
ciated with mastery breadth of artis-
tic treatment. His drawing was correct,
his coloring rich and deep, and the
light disposed with peculiar and
powerful effect, amounting almost to
mannerism, but not the less admirable.
He was essentially the portrayer of in
tellect, and had the talent of investing
with this attribute, yet without sacri-
ficing resemblance, even what might be
considered a dull subjec.. 1t is said
that the arrangement of "fold of
drapery occasioned him more perplex-
ing study than a head full of thought
and imagination; and such was the
intuition with which he penetrated at
once the mind, that the first sitting
rarely came to close without his
having seized strongly on the character
and disposition of the individual. In
the present exhibition these excellences
are generally recognized by those who
personally remember or from other
sources have become acquainted with
the characteristics of the originals. It
was popularity of this artist that she
never drew in his head, or indeed any
part OF the body, with chalk" but with
few bold touches, as he stood-for he
always painted standing and without
any rest for his haDd-he first of all
produced the forehead, chin, nose, and
mouth, and then proceeded 10 treat the
other parts OF the face, as il were, sub
Jectively TO these salient points, reserv-
ing for later process that breath of
life, speaking in the eyes, which tells
us of the living sonl within. Although
possessing varied requirements, re-
marhable regularity In his system OF
artistic labor, (as may be inferred from
The number of his works Raeburn was
but III Indifferent ''man OF business"
He kept no regular list OF his own pro-
cuctions, and, In consequence, a con-
plete enumeration Of them has not yet
been accomplished; and although the
present collection comprises no fewer
than $50 portraits, it is wei! known that
there are many more scattered at out
the Kingdom, in the possession of pri-
yate families. Art has its obligations"
as well as "pI operty," and Is bound TO
make itself Ineligible to the unedu-
Gated as TO the educated eye. There
are styles of art, however, which, in
order really to appreciate, one must be
gifted with peculiar idiosyncrasy.
But the works of Raburn, now being
exhibited In Edinburgh, please aliI
the most fastidious and the most super
ncial eye. The great Scottish portIa
painter, with cultivated tastes, an
agreeable manner, a handsome person,
and wife wanting neither i'm beauty
nor fortune, seems TO have escaped the
fate OF many whose genius has been
cramped AZ the outset of their career,
and who, "a has been said of Burns,
while living asked for bread, and re-
ceived stone when gone; and we may
Imagine the pleasant surprise of the
kind Sir Joshua Reynolds, when offer
ing the young Scotch artist aid to prose-
cute his studies in Italy, on being told
that it was not required. With all these
Raeburn could afford to
give scope to his genius, as his joyous
children and charming ladies fully at
test. Indeed, the agreeable converse !
ton, in which he is said to have engaged |
his sitters, probably contr buted in no |
slight degree to evoke that intellectu-
ality of expression which pervades all |
his likenesses. His judges seem all to
have clear conscience, and to be en-
joying the fruits of their judicial labors
his soldiers and sailors, sans peur ct sans
reproche, are perfectly satisfied with |
1.-THE authorities" of their day; the |
gentlemen have been undis-
turbed by elections or mortgages; and |
his literary men appear as though Oh
the best of terms with their publishers;
while his mobiles seem fully conscious |
Of their hereditary claims to respect.
One and all might be the citizens Of a
Utopia which history, unfortunately,
has ignored. But at the same time they |
are all men and women of flesh and
blood, with marked individuality; and
if on any brow are traced the lines of
care, better times seem to have come
and all are represented in their best
aspects, the animal nature being entirely
to the spiritual and intel
lectual, under the powerful charm of
that ideality with which they have been
invested by the rare genius of the artist.
London Society.