1844.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHLTECT'8 JOURNAL. 



239 



be entrusted to his care. The expression of No. 141, Margaret of 

 Anjou and the Robber, is good. The sculptor is John A. P. Mac 

 Bride. Weekes has a good statue of the Marquis Weilesley. Nos. 

 143 and 144 are by W. Spence, Theseus killing the Centaur and Ca- 

 ractacus before Claudius Casar; works creditable but not remarkable. 

 Edward A. Foley has Canute, No. 145, a work which does not rise 

 above mediocrity. R. Westmacott, jun., has part of a tomb. Behnes 

 has taken no trouble, having sent a statue of Lady Emily Somerset 

 and a Cupid with Doves. He has the means of doing something, and 

 he should have done it. Joseph also sends casts or copies of his old 

 works, Wilberforce and Wilkie. No. 151 is a Girl at Prayer, by P. 

 Mac Dowell, effective and with the eyes well managed. 



No. 152, by Carew, Venus appeasing the anger of Vulcan, is one of 

 the best classical subjects, and most polished groups in the collection. 

 The Burial of the Princes in the Tower, by H. C. Shenton, jun., is 

 another first rate work, so is the Death of Boadicea, No. 154, by 

 Thomas Woolner. J. H. Foley is a selected sculptor, he has two fair 

 works, Nos. 155 and 15ti, a Youth at a Stream, and Ino and the infant 

 Bacchus. We think his place might have been better supplied. 

 Baily has a portrait statue, 157. The Penitent, by John Ternouth, is 

 fair, but mediocre. No. 159 is an historical subject, by Thomas Milnes, 

 the Death of Harold at the Battle of Hastings. It is to be regretted 

 the artist did not execute this work on a larger scale, when it would 

 have advantageously contended with many competitors of greater 

 pretensions. The figures of Harold, the horse and the assistants are 

 good. Timidity, IGO, by E. G. Physick, is good, but affected. No. 

 161 is the Marquis of Londonderry by J. E. Thomas. An Ancient 

 Briton as a Scout, li)2, by George S. Adams, is only a single figure, 

 but a life and interest are communicated to it by its able treatment so 

 as to place it among the most effective works. William Thomas's 

 Prince Henry, 163, has nothing remarkable in the design or execution, 

 though not contemptible. No. 164 is Hagar and Ishmael in the Wil- 

 derness, by Edward B. Stephens, a fair composition. No. 165, Eve, 

 by W. Calder Marshall, did not prepossess us, and we vpere somewhat 

 surprised to tind its author one of the three selected sculptors. No. 

 166 is a Nymph Sleeping, by Baily, an old subject. Edgar Papworth's 

 two works are commendable. Lord Brougham, and a Sleeping Girl. 

 Thomas Earle has also two works 169 and 1/0, an Ancient Briton pro- 

 tecting his Family, a bold and expressive production, and Edward the 

 First presenting his Son to the Welsh, which is not of equal merit. 

 No. 171 is William of Wykeham, by John Thomas, a good statue. 

 The Jealousy of Medea, 172, by Thomas Thornycroft, is a vigorous 

 group. No. 173 is Alfred the Great, by E. B. Stephens, showing 

 some expression. P. Hollins has another statue, 175, Dr. Warnford. 



No. 176 is by Park, a Greek Warrior in ambush, clever, but far 

 from giving satisfaction. The Falconer, 177, by R. Smith, is a cos- 

 tume piece. The next is a statue, by J. Panormo, of Caractacus, fair. 

 No. 17S is a clever statue of a British Warrior by Samuel Nixon. 

 No. 179 is Gower. No. 180, John Carpenter, by Nixon. No. 181, 

 Edward the First presenting his Son to the Welsh, by P. L. Crowley. 

 1^ In the saloon or entrance hall are some frescos which did not arrive 

 in time, among them is a work of considerable merit executed by 

 Eugenio Latilla, the author of the work on fresco painting. It repre- 

 sents the Murder of the young Princes in the Tower. Some parts are 

 weak, but the assassins are treated with considerable merit. Mr. 

 Latilla is at Rome, pursuing his studies in fresco, which accounts for 

 the delay in the transmission, and we think should have entitled him 

 to some indulgence. 



ROYAL COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS. 



Thu following is a copy of the circular addressed to each of the artists 

 selected by Her Majesty's Commissioners to execute certain designs for the 

 decoration of the New Houses of Parliament. The document is in itself so 

 clear and intelligible as to render further explanation of the subject quite 

 unnecessary : — 



"Whitehall, July 15. 



" Sir,— I have to acquaint yoii that Hev Majesty's Commissioners on the Fine Arts, with 

 the sanction of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, have resolved that 

 six arched compartments in the Ho'ise of Lords, each measuring 9 feet .3 inches u*ide, by 

 16 feet hi^h to the point of the arcli, shall be decorated with fresco paintinps ; that the 

 subjects of such fresco piiintin^js shall be illustrative of the functions of tlie House of 

 Lords and of the relation in wiiich it stands to the Sovereign; that the sulijects of three 

 of the said fresco paintings shall I)e personifications or aljstract representations of reli- 

 gion, justice, and the spirit of chivalry ; and that the three remaining subjects correspond- 

 ing with such representations, an(t expressing the relation of the Sovereign to the Church, 

 to the law, and, as the fountain of honour, to the Statw, shall be— the Baptism of Ethel- 

 bert ; Prince Henry, afterwards Henry V., acknowledging the authority of Chief Justice 

 Gascolgne ; and Edward the Black Prince receiving the Order of the Garter from Kdward 

 III. 



" I have further to acquaint you that the Commissioners have resolved, with the sanc- 

 tion of the Lords Commiseionera of Her Majesty's Tieatur)', to employ six artists, selected 



by Iho Comm]S3ioners from the present exhibitors in Westminster Hall, to prepare de 

 signs for the subjects above-mentioned, and that the Commissioners have selected you as 

 one of the six artists to be so employed, under the following conditions :— 



" You are requested to prepare a cartoon, being a design for one of the aforesaid sub- 

 jects, The size of the cartoon Is to be <J feet 3 inches wide, by 16 feet high to the point of 

 the arch, and 10 feet a inches high to the springing of the arch (outlines in lithography 

 showmg the torm of the arch in the compartments referred to, may be obtained at the 

 architect's office, in Nuw Palace-yard.) You are further required to prepare a coloured 

 sketch, not less than 18 inches in its shortest dimension, of the entire design represented 

 in your cartoon, and a specimen of fresco painting, not less than 3 feet in its shortest 

 dimension, representing a part of the design in the full proportion. 



" You are requested to send in such cartoon, coloured sketch, and specimen of fresco 

 painting, during the hrst week in June, 1845, for exhibition, to VVestrainster-hall. 



"You are to be remunerated for the works aforesaid with the sum of 400/ ■ but the 

 Commissioners do not bind themselves to employ you finally on the fresco paintings in 

 the House of Lords. ° 



" I have further to acquaint you that the six subjects are distributed among the six 

 artists as follows : — o .• »*• 



" The subject of Religion is given to Mr. Horsley, 

 " Tho subject of Justice is given to Mr. Thomas. 

 " The siiljject of Chivalry is given to Mr. Maclise. 

 "The subject of the Baptism of Ethelbert is given to Mr. Dyce> 



" The subject of Prince Henry, afterwards Henry V., acknowiedglnu the anthnritu nt 

 Chief Justice Gascoigne, is given to Mr. Redgrave. ■vuuwieagmg tne authoiity of 



i-i"^''1 ="''J.«<='.°'' ^'''J?"'^""' '""'' '■'"'« receiving the Order of the Garter from 

 I'.dward III. is given to Mr. Cope. "aner irora 



" I have further to acquaint you that although the six subjects are required to be un- 

 der nken by and among the six artists, the artists are at Uberty to exchange subjects • and 

 tliat although the commission given to each artist is for one only of the aforesaid subiect» 

 each artist is at liberty to treat any other of the said subjects, in addition to the one sub- 

 ject which he IS commissioned to undertake. 



" I have further to acquaint you that a general competition is mvited among artists for 

 designs for the same subjects, to be prepared by the time before specified j and that the 

 SIX commissioned artists are not allowed to be competitors for the premiums offered for 

 such designs. 



i am. Sir, your obedient servant. 



"C. L. EASTLAKE, Secretary." 

 It will be observed from the last paragraph of this letter, that a general 

 competition is invited, and as an encouragement to artists who have not been 

 selected, the Commissioners offer three premiums of 200/. each for the best 

 subjects produced. Thus another exhibition, doubtless far exceeding in in- 

 terest eitlier of those already opened, will take place in the summer of next 

 year. 



In addition to the selection of six artists to execute designs for frescos, the 

 Commissioners have chosen three sculptors from among the number contri- 

 buting to the exhibition in Westminster Hall. 



" Whitehall, July 9, 1844. 

 We the undersigned, having inspected the models for sculpture submitted to us in 

 XVestminsttr Hall, are of opinion that the exhibition is highly creditable to the country 

 We have recoided our judgment on the merit of many of the exhibitors i but not being at 

 present in possession of sufficient information as to the extent of the decorations in sculp- 

 ture which may be considered desirable in the Palace at Westminster, or as to the linie 

 when such decorations may be required, we have thought it expedient to limit our pre- 

 sent selection to those artists whom we consider liave especially distinguished themselves 

 in the exhibition referred to; and we hereby recommend the following artists— viz., W. 

 Calder Marshall, John Bell, and John Henry Foley, for emplr.yinent on such works in the' 

 Palace at Westminster, and for such remnneratiou as may hereafter be determined. At 

 the same time, we wish it to be understood that the present selection does not by any 

 means imply the exclusion of other sculptors, whether they may or may not have exllibiled 

 specimens of their ability on the present occasion. 



Albert. Mahon. H. G. Knight. 



Sutherland. Ashburton. B. Hawes,jun. 



Lansdowae. Colborne. L. Rogers 



Lincoln. C. S. Lefevi'e. G. Vivian. 



Aberdeen. B. Peel. T. Wyse. 



Palmerston. J. R. G. Graham. 



Melbourne, T. B. Macaulay. 



Extract from the Report of the Committee appointed to inspect the Werks of Decorative 

 Art, exhibited in King Street, St. James's, in April and May, 1844 :— 

 Your Committee have examined the specimens of casting In brass and iron which have 



been sent in l>y persons desirous of being employed in the embellishment of the Houses 



of Parliament. 



They have recorded their judgment on the comparative merit of many of the works in 

 question, but for the reason specified in the report of this Committee on the specimens of 

 carved wood and painted glass, they have thought it expedient iu general to enumerate 

 the names only, without tnrther distinction of the exhibitors whose works have received 

 the commendation of the Committee. 



In the department of Ornamental Metal Work, the exhibitors so noticed in the detailed 

 report of the Committee, are Messrs. Messenger and Sons, Messrs. Bramah and Co., and 

 Mr. Abbott. 



Mahon. 



Colborne. 



T. B. Macaulay. 



B. Hawes, jun. 

 George Vivian. 

 Thos. Wyse. 



Karl of Dcrh.4m's Monument.— A monuraont to the late Earl is pro- 

 posed for erection on Pensher-hill, near the base of which runs the great Northern line of 

 railway. " The design," says the * Durham Advertiser,' " is an approximation to the 

 Temple of Theseus, and is to consisj of a rectangular base of soUd masonry 117 feet long, 

 and 54 in width, rising 10 feet above the platform of the hill, and surmounted by 18 

 lofly, open, equidistant columns, supporting at each end a magnificent pediment, and on 

 each side a broad, deep entablature, which will serve as a promenade. The edifice will be 

 at least 70 feet in height, and will be visible irom a great portion of the surrounding coun- 

 tjy. Tlie trench for the foundation has been dug down to the limestone rock, and in a 

 short time the foundation stone may be expected to be laid." 



