1829.] 
(431 J 
FINE ARTS’ EXHIBITIONS. 
Tue Spring Exhibitions, in connection 
with Art, have commenced in a most aus- 
picious manner, by the production of three 
groups of sculpture from the chisel of a per- 
son whose name even has hitherto been 
almost unknown to the general public; but 
who must henceforth take his rank among the 
very best artists of his day, in a line of art 
where high merit is rarer than in any other 
line whatever. These sculptures consist, as 
we have said, of three separate and distinct 
groups, each in a style different from the 
two others, and each reaching to a high de- 
gree of excellence. The largest and most 
important, and that probably which will be 
looked upon as displaying the greatest 
power, and producing the strongest effect on 
the spectator, is on the subject of Vulcan and 
Venus. The time chosen is when the god- 
dess has just returned from one of her wan- 
derings, and is trying by her blandishments 
to dissipate the jealous anger of her stern 
lord. Vulcan has flung himself in a sitting 
posture, upon the anvil at which he was the 
moment before working, and his left leg 
hangs dependent, while his right rests upon 
the ground in the rear, and one hand is sup- 
ported on his huge hammer—the latter rest- 
ing on his left knee. His whole figure is in 
advance of Venus, who is leaning towards 
him enticingly, and placing one hand, or 
rather one finger, on his shoulder. We 
have no hesitation in pronouncing this a 
noble work—no less for the mingled force 
and simplicity of its design, than for the 
truth of its various details, whether of ge- 
neral and particular expression, or of those 
which belong purely to the anatomical por- 
tion of the subject. The left leg, in parti- 
cular, of the Vulcan, is extremely fine, and 
the whole upper portion of the Venus is most 
lovely. On that side of Vulcan, opposite to 
the Venus, a Cupid is introduced, with no 
very good effect, except the technical one of 
balancing one part of the composition against 
the other. Next in importance to this prin- 
cipal group (which is larger than the life) is 
a group of Arethusa and a hound—smaller 
than the life, but of exquisite truth, elegance, 
and purity. There is a something about 
_ the head of this lovely figure, which is more 
Greek than any thing we are acquainted with 
from a modern hand ; and the whole group 
is full of that finest of all attributes, and that 
yarest of all, as the result of a general de- 
sign—namely, expression. The nymph is 
listening intently to a distant sound, which 
has just reached her ear, and startled her, as 
she was in the act of dressing for the chace, 
after having bathed in aneighbouring stream. 
By her side is a dog, which is also listening, 
and which she holds with her left hand, 
while her right is raised in a hushing atti- 
e. 
The third group is on the subject of 
Adonis and the Boar.to which he owed his 
death. The boar has attacked and wounded 
him—having been previously wounded to 
death himself by the spear, the broken rem- 
nant of which the youth holds elevated in his 
right hand, while his left is endeavouring in 
vain to force down the head of the savage 
animal that has reared itself against him. 
There is great power of expression shewn 
in,the face of the youth ; and the whole group 
displays a fine simplicity in its design and 
composition ; but there are defects in the 
execution which we do not observe in the 
other works, and which shew it to have been 
an early work of the artist—perhaps his first. 
The chief of these defects is to be found in 
the right fore-arm of the Adonis. But the 
Boar is executed with great skill, and is 
certainly among the very best specimens of 
animal sculpture that we are acquainted 
with from a modern chisel. These fine 
productions were all executed for the Earl 
of Egremont, at whose seat, at Petworth, 
they have already been placed, but have just 
been removed thence for the purpose of 
public exhibition, with the view of making 
the artist’s merits known and appreciated ; 
and they can scarcely fail to answer this 
end. 
The only other Exhibitions of Art that 
have opened since our last are, a collection 
of nine great pictures, representing various 
points in the Coronation of Charles X. of 
France ; andaset of pictures—for so they must 
be called—having all the appearance, at a 
little distance, of live etching ; but which, in 
fact, are cut out of the paper with scissors. 
Both these exhibitions are to be seen at the 
Royal Bazaar, in Oxford-street. The first 
of them is a little passé in point of subject ; 
but it will long retain a very marked in- 
terest, on account of the numerous portraits 
it includes of all the distinguished persons 
who bear offices about the French Court at 
this time, and many, if not most of whom, 
have acted conspicuous parts in the affairs 
of Europe, for the last 20 or 30 years. 
The second set of objects are by no means 
of sufficient consequence to justify their 
being offered as a separate exhibition ; but 
this will perhaps be forgiven, in considera- 
tion, not only of the extreme labour and 
ingenuity which they display, but of the 
fact that they are the production of an expa- 
triated officer of the Spanish army. This, 
and their curiosity together, make them 
well worth a visit by those who are seeking a 
morning’s amusement at this season of the 
year. 
It should be added, that the department 
of sculpture is singularly meagre this year. 
The only work calling for notice is a very 
graceful and pleasing group, of Cupid and 
Psyche, by C. Smith, (542) which evinces a 
considerable degree of poetic feeling, with. 
out departing from that truth and simplicity, 
in the absence of which, even subjects of 
