3e50 FINE ARTS. 



attention to transfer to his canvass the freshness of life, lest, by having" 

 his mind just then too much occupied by the tints of Titian and Van- 

 dyck, the portrait of his fair sitter should bear a nearer resemblance to 

 the beautiful colouring of an old Italian picture, than to the roses and 

 lilies of a living English beauty. Partridge has, in this instance, steered 

 clear of this rock ; but he occasionally approaches near it, and there 

 are some clever artists not always so fortunate as to escape. Graham, 

 of Edinburgh, one of the best portrait painters, perhaps, now living, 

 was not free from this manner, on his return from Italy, some years ago, 

 but he soon quitted it, and the northern beauties, now in his show-room, 

 may vie in grace and freshness with those of any of his most distinguished 

 competitors. 



"31 — Dead Game,'' by E. Coleman, is a first-rate of its class, and, from 

 its size, admitted a fulness of subject favourable to the display of this 

 artist's versatile powers. From two productions of his, a small picture 

 of fish, in the late Worcester Exhibition ; and a dead hare and birds, in 

 a silversmith's collection in High-street, Birmingham, I entertained a 

 very high expectation : but I confess this is superior to what I looked 

 for. A piece of still-hfe, a magnificent sculptured vase, standing in the 

 centre, is a principal object, and, with two pendant hares, some birds, 

 vegetables, &c. is tastefully disposed in a picturesque composition. 

 The mellow decision of his penciling, is a high excellence in his 

 portraits ; but that quality is seen here to more advantage, as having 

 a greater variety in the fur of the animals, plumage of the birds, and 

 texture, surface, and colour of so many different objects. He has been 

 eminently successful in the lightness, firmness, and truth of his touch, 

 and the harmony of his effect. From its compass, the diversity of its 

 materials, and the happy intermixture of delicacy and spirit in the 

 execution, this may be impartially pronounced an honour to the artist. 

 The collectors of dead game need no longer look for the works of De 

 Vos, Snyders, or Jan Fytt, when they have it in their power to obtain so 

 capital a picture as this from the pencil of Coleman. 



But here the amateurs of the order just mentioned, and of every other 

 description, have another opportunity of gratifying their most fastidious 

 judgment. Let them only look at that clear, mellow, fine specimen, 



" 24. — Dead Game" by T. Wyattj a hare and birds painted with a taste 

 and beauty of penciling, and a truth of texture, colour, and shadowy force, 

 which need not fear competition, and may hang up with any thing 

 of equal size and subject, and make good its claim of honour. 

 "349 — Rabbits," also by this artist, is a delicate little morsel of truth, the 

 stillness and sobriety of which are very pleasing, but not so well 

 calculated for the lovers of a bold effect of light and shadow. 



It is remarkable that in these two capital specimens in their class, the 

 fine effect is produced without a strong, principal light, to round the com- 

 position, and relieve the different objects. Yet so skilfully have the artists 

 worked, that nothing appears to be wanted. But I should like to see a 

 companion to Coleman's splendid picture, with a striking breadth of 

 light. Suppose, as part of the materials, a dead swan ; a white dog, 

 partially spotted, on the watch ; birds of silvery and party-coloured plu- 

 mage, in various gradations, to blend the principal light in mellow union 

 with the broad shadows formed by the dark game, the still-life, and back- 

 ground. Add some fruit and vegetables, to diversify the character, and 

 enrich the colouring. I merely advert to the principle of chiaroscuro. 

 None but an artist like Coleman or Wyatt, could arrange the composi- 

 tion, and execute the details. A painting like this would make a fine 

 variety of eflfect from " No. 31,'* and a most appropriate pendant to it. 

 Each would set off the other. 



