The Exhibition of Miniatures at South Kensington. 175 



(No. 2189), belonging* to a set of five, labelled " Presented 

 (No. 3 excepted) by Queen Marie Antoinette to her foster- 

 brother the Chevalier Weber." 



Madame Elizabeth belongs to the same set. Unless this 

 is a flattering likeness, the true-souled sister of Louis XVI., 

 the one of the guillotined royal trio whom one can most 

 unreservedly pity and commend, was an extremely pretty 

 woman. 



The Princesse de Lamb alls was painted at full length, seated, 

 by Sicardi, approaching in size the miniatures of our Thor- 

 burn. — We have always been taught to speak of " the lovely 

 Princesse de Lamballe." That lady can have looked with 

 little favour upon the painter of another of her portraits 

 (anonymous) who has made her almost " a guy." — Hall gives 

 a very different version of the face, partaking of the chubby 

 and cherubic. 



The miniature of Robespierre is a very interesting record of 

 the best-abused man of the last hundred years, but whom some 

 few people have by this time found out to rank among the heroes, 

 and some, still fewer, among the benefactors, of the world's 

 history. It is a well-painted portrait, and looks as if its evi- 

 dence might be trusted as far as it goes. The face is an un- 

 mistakeably clever one, with something of the smile and aspect 

 of Voltaire, and a great air of self-confidence, trenching upon 

 self-applause. There is a direct look in the eyes, not at all 

 suggesting an abject or malignant nature ; both they and the 

 eyebrows are dark, the hair powdered, the costume neither 

 dandified nor slovenly. This portrait does not in any degree 

 confirm Carlyle's famous term for Robespierre, " seagreen 

 incorruptible ;" on the contrary, the complexion is full- coloured, 

 tending towards sanguine. 



Marat furnishes a head- and- shoulders portrait, done on a 

 largeish scale for a miniature. He looks an "ugly customer" 

 for anybody to argue with or make an impression upon. 



Camille des Moulins, by Augustin. A face which testifies 

 to its owner's brilliant talent. 



Napoleon I., by Isabey, is one of the best-known likenesses 

 of the Imperial time. — The same, painter anonymous, " given 

 by Marshal Soult to Sir William Napier," is a rather poor, 

 " soppy" version of this magnificent head, about the age of 

 forty-five. — Of a crayon study byLonghi, ''''an autograph letter 

 of the artist says that this portrait was taken while Napoleon, 

 then First Consul, was hearing a prolix address in the Cathe- 

 dral of Milan." It is a profile, pretty fair. — Napoleon, " when 

 young," by Isabey, is but a poor treatment, and the age does 

 not seem to be particularly " young," but about forty. The 

 miniature was presented by Napoleon's venerable mother to 



