Sect. I.] Painting. 131 



much cele])rated. In France the national taste 

 had been for some time perverted by the influence 

 of Boucher. But in the latter half of the century 

 a better taste was formed in that country by the 

 genius and exertions of Vincent, David, Regnault, 

 Gerrard, Criraudet, and Guerrin, whose productions 

 hold a high place in the estimation of modern 

 connoisseurs. 



The eighteenth century is distinguished above 

 all preceding ages ))y the remarkable prevalence 

 of a taste for Comic Painting. The great original 

 in this branch of the art was William Hogarth, an 

 English artist, whose genius and works have been 

 long and universally famed. This wonderful cha- 

 racter is, perhaps, to be viewed rather as a writer 

 of comedy with a pencil, than as a painter. He 

 invented a new species of dramatic painting, in 

 which all the ridicule of life became concentrated 

 and embodied by his magic touch, to a degree al- 

 together unknown to any former artist, and in 

 which he will probably hereafter have few equals. 

 His talent for depicting the comic is thus de- 

 scribed by one of his contemporaries : ''If catch- 

 ing the manners and follies of an age ' living as 

 they rise,' if general satire on vices and ridicules, 



is his brother. This gentleman early discovered a great fondness 

 for the art, in which he has since made such honourable profi- 

 ciency. He .studied for some time under the direction of his il- 

 lustrious countryman Mr. West, who is not more distinguished 

 by his abilities as an artist, than by his exertions in bringing for- 

 ward American genius. Mr. Trumbull has presented the public 

 with several historical paintings, which place him high among the 

 artists of the eighteenth century. His best pieces arc the Dtatk 

 of Montgomcrij, the Battle of Bunkers Hilly and the Hortie of 

 Gibraltar, 



K2 



