Evening star., 1941-08-17

highly paid for today, did not sell
at all during his lifetime, and
yet he is reported to have said that
his desire was to give up portrait
painting and go to some sweet VII
lage" where he could paint land
skips and enjoy the fag end OF LIE
in ouietnesS and eaSe"-a dream
which, however, did not come true.
His full-length portrait OF Mrs.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the wife
of the playwright in the National
Gallery, combines both portralture
and landscape, for the setting is a
typical English landscape of the
finest order. Mrs. Sheridan, charm
ingly gowned and with hair ruffled
by the wind, is seen seated on
bank at the edge of a wood with
face turned toward the observer. A
large portion of the canvas is sky,
and to the left an extensive view
of open country is unfolded. Espe-
cially decorative, this portrait also
may be said to have animation.
Landscape With Bridge" by
Gainsborough-a large canvas and
late work-Well supplements in this
collection the portrait of Mrs. Sheri-
dan, the sky and foliage therein
being executed much as are those in
the portrait background Quite diff
ferent in style, but equally notable
in matter Of execution, is the
full-length or Georgiana, Duchess
of Devonshire, which also augments
this collection: to say nothing of the
charming portraits of Miss Cath
crime Tatton and Mrs. John Taylor,
together with one of George " as
Prince Of Wales.
Shared Popularity.
George Romney was II years
younger than Reynolds, and Z years
younger than Gainsborough, but for
years in London he shared their
popularity and fame. The son of a
Cumberland cabinetmaker, for
which trade he was destined. he
early determined to be a painter,
served an apprenticeship with a
travelling artist. Christopher Steele
by name, aSSiduously studied the
works of the old masters and, when
enough money was earned to war
rant the adventure, travelled to Italy
and remained for two years absorb
ing all that country had to offer the
student. When he was %, he set up
his studio in London and never was
in want of patrons. Perhaps he
was too clever, but at his best. as
seen in his Lady Boughton, Miss
Willoughy" and Mrs. Davenport" :"
from the Mellon collection, and in
several full-length portraits in the
Huntington collection, he was very
good. The portrait here of Mrs.
Davenport is especially broadly
painted and the figure very well
posed. The subject was Charlotte
Sneyd, wife of Davis Davenport,
high sheriff of Cheshire, and first
cousin of Honora Sneyd, fiancee of
the unfortunate Maj. John Andre.
Hoppner and Lawrence are repre-
sented by single work each, the
former by a double portrait of the
Frankland sisters-two young girls
seated outdoors with their dog-ex-
hlolted In the Royal Academy in
l795 and engraved two years later
by William Ward; the latter by a
portrait OF Lady Templeton and her
infant son, which was in the collec-
ton OF Lady Carnavon and later in
that OF Alfred de Rothschild. Hopp-
ner worked somewhat in the stvle
OF Reynolds and Romney, but Law
renee followed much more his own
leanlngs and, though not always so
strong as he should have been, had
a Tree, bold stroke. His portraits
OF men, whom he did not trouble to
natter, are particularly notable. On
the death OF Benjamin West in 1920
ne became president of the Royal
Academy. With Hoppner he shared
royal patronage and court honors.
Scottish rather than English, but
the greatest portrait painter of the
British school-indeed one of the
greatest of all schools-Sir Henry
Raeburn is represented in our Ma
tional Gallery by two outstanding
works, and one which gives revela-
ton OF his artistic point of view anG
skill of brushwork even when no,
carried to completion. These are
Col. Francis James Scott in red
coat, painted against a clouded sky
with hand resting on his sword
John TAFT and His Grandson" (very
characteristic), and Miss Eleanor
Urquhart," thinly brushed in with
skillful use of delicate grays ano
halftones. Raeburn, whose date,
were l756-1823, lived all his life ir
Edinburgh and painted there the
substantial people of his town ano
country. He was almost entirel,
self-taught, save for what he learned
from the works of others on visit.
to London and during two years ir
Italy; but, like Rembrandt anc
Valesquez, he managed in his Dor.
traits, painted broadly and much ir
the manner of these greatest mas.
tiers, to make those he portrayed
Ive-to show them as thinking peo.
pie, individuals, capable of loving
and hating, being loved and hated
acting in accordance with free will
| and the dictates of conscience. Few
have excelled tim-few ever will
Besides these three works by Rae.
burn in the National Gallery, there
is one-a superb example-portrait
of his fellow townsman and artist
Archibald Skirving, in the Nationa
Collection of Fine Arts, Nationa
Museum, the gift of the late RALPH
Cross johnson. Other examples o1
paintings by artists of the British
school are likewise to be found ir
the National Collection of Fin,
Arts and the Corcoran Gallery o.
Art, but lack Of space prevents
further mention at this time.