32 Old Pictures. [Juxy, 
are better known than most of the celebrated ones in this country, they 
are such extraordinary productions, that we shall make no apology for 
describing them to our readers. We shall do so, however, in the words 
of a little volume, entitled “ British Galleries of Art,’—not having 
better at hand to put in their place. “'The picture upright, and not large, 
and it represents two boys,—one half-lying on the ground, and looking 
up at his companion with an intense and yet vacant expression of 
pleasure in his countenance ; while the other is standing “ munching” 
a great piece of bread that he can scarcely hold in his mouth, and 
looking sulkily down at him on the ground, as if displeased at the 
other’s pleasure. The merit of these two faces consists in the absolute, 
the undisguised and unadorned truth of their expression, and its won- 
derful force and richness ; and also in the curious characteristicness of 
it. By the truth of expression, I mean the fidelity with which the 
painter has represented what he intended to represent; and by its cha- 
racteristicness I mean the adaptation of that expression to the circum- 
stances. The persons represented are in that class and condition of 
life in which the human qualities of man scarcely develop themselves 
at all ; in which he can scarcely be regarded in any other light than the 
most sagacious of the animal tribe. Accordingly, the expression of 
these boys respectively—trich, vivid, and distinct as they are—are almost 
entirely animal. There is nothing in the least degree vulgar about 
them ; for vulgarity is a quality dependent on society ; and these have 
no share in society, and consequently are without any of its results, 
good or bad. In fact, their wants and feelings are merely animal, and 
the expressions to which these give rise are correspondent. The delight 
of the one is that of the happy colt sporting on its native common ; 
and the sulkiness of the other is that of the ill-conditioned cub growling 
over its food. ‘At the feet of the boy who is eating, stands a dog, look- 
ing up expectantly ; and there is nearly as much expression in his coun- 
tenance as in either of the others. I would not lay much stress on 
this ;—but does it not seem to have been introduced purposely, that we 
might compare the expression of this third animal with that of the two © 
others, and see that there is; and is intended to be, little difference 
between the expressions, except in degree, and that they are all alike 
animal ?—I conceive this picture to be in its way entirely faultless, and 
to have required as rare a faculty to produce it (as rare, but not as 
waluable) as perhaps any thing else in art. The companion picture, 
on nearly a similar subject, is excellent, but not to be compared with 
this.” 
74. Landscape, &c. Paut Porrer.—This is the only specimen ‘in 
the collection of Paul Potter’s rare and exquisite works ; but it is a very 
charming one. The whole fore-ground is occupied by a group of various 
cattle—cows, sheep, goats, &c. ; the expressions of which are so exqui- 
sitely true, that, with the exception of those of Cuyp, you cannot safely 
turn to any other pictures on similar subjects after them. It is like 
turning from the face of a living beauty to look upon a portrait of her ;— 
which never answers. There is something almost affecting in the look 
of the two heifers, one of which is leaning over the shoulder of the 
other,—as you may sometimes see two sweet sisters. The still life of . 
this delightful work is no less exquisite than the rest. On the left, there 
is a cottage beyond some trees ; and, on the right, a distance, such as no 
one but Paul Potter ever painted. i Raita 
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