 fure refts: 
1802] 
prefent day, and therefore the introduc- 
tion of a little Cupid in the back ground, 
(nearly as, prominent and obtrufive as the 
other figures), grates upon the eye. In- 
dependent of this, the {tory is very well 
told, the figures extremely well drawn, 
and the engraving in Ward’s ulual ftyle of 
excellence. In black and white it is an 
extremely pleafing and fpirited print, but 
fome that I have feen in colours are very 
inferior indeed. 
The Right Hon. Henry Addington, Chancellor of 
the Exchequer, and one of his Majefty’s moft 
honorable Privy Council, “Ff. §. Copley pinx. 
R. Dunkerton feulp. 
This is a good print, but the picture 
from which it is taken is in a common- 
piace attitude, and, except in the robes, 
almoft exactly fimilar to a portrait of the 
fame gentleman publifhed fome time ago. 
Her Royal Highnefs the Dutchefs of York, 
painted by Sir William Beechey, engraved by 
C. Knight, and by permiffien dedicated to the 
Queen. Publifbed March s/f, 1802. 
The portrait from which this is en- 
eraved, was painted by an artiit who 
rarely fails in the refemblance, and who 
almoft invariably difplays great tafte in 
the difpofition of his figure, as well as 
great accuracy in the drawing. It is 
engraved in the chalk manner, ina moft 
delicate and pitturefque ftyle. 
A Pair of Portraits. Mrs. Fordan: F. Bane 
 nifter, junr. Ruffell pinxit. Heath Jculp. 
Publifed April tft. 1802. 
Thefe prints are from two portraits 
which were exhibited laft year. They 
are very well engraved, ftrongly refemble 
the originals, ‘and, as well as. the laft, are 
in the chalk manner, and admirably en- 
graved. 
The Thatcher 3 painted and engraved by F. Bare | 
' ney, and publifhed April 20th, 1802. 
' ‘There is neither merit nor intereft 
n fubje&ts of this kind, unlefs they are 
faithful reprefentations of nature ; and as 
there is no great effort of the mind in the 
conception, it fhould be’made up in the 
execution. On this bafis the fame of the 
Dutch and Flemith fchools in great mea- 
it was this gave value to 
Barker’s Woodman, and Barker's Wood- 
man has given birth to a hott of Wood- 
cuiters, Sheep-fhearers, Thatchers, and the 
Lord knows what. The piéture from 
which the print is engraved was in this 
year’s exhibition, and is certaioly much 
fuperior to the print,—but after all it is 
Retrofpect of the Fine Arts, 595 
an uninterefting imitation of the Woodman, 
and, like every other imitation, inferior to 
the original, 
The Dipping-Well, Hyde ParkweLe Puits 2 
Baigner, a@ Hyde Park. Francis Wheatley 
pinx. Fas. Godby feulps The Drinking-Well, 
Hyde Park.—Le Puits 2 Boire, a Hyde Park. 
Maria Spilfoury pinx. Fas. Godby feulp. 
Publifoed Fuly tft. 1802. 
The late Mr. Wheatley’s talents in 
thefe little fimple fubjeéts wereuniverfally 
admitted,—in fuch fcenes as thefe he was 
at home.—Mifs Spilfbury, in the compa- 
nion print, has very happily followed up — 
his idea, and I think in fome refpetts 
gone beyond him, 
The Royal Academicians affembled in their Coun- 
cil Chamber te adjudge the Prize-Medals to 
the fucce/sful Students in Painting, Sculpture, 
Architefure, and Drawing. Infcribed to the 
King, painted by Singleton, and engraved by 
Bersland. Publifbed May tf. 1802. 
To fay of this print that it is meanly 
conceived, and that the portraits are not 
like, would found very harth. [It cer- 
tainly ought to have been confidered as a 
national concern ; for foreigners will na- 
turally eftimate the ftate of the arts in this 
country by a print of the Royal Academi- 
clans in their official capacity, dedicated 
to the royal founder and patron of the 
‘fociety. The piéture muft certainly have 
had their fanétion and approbation in fuch 
a degree at leaft as induced them to fur- 
nif or fit for their portraits,—yet if they 
they had either individually or collectively 
reflected upon the fubject, they muft have 
felt, that, if it were done at all, it ought 
to have been done in the very beft manner 
that the talents and judgment of the 
fociety could have afforded ; and well as 
we may think of Mr. Singleton in fome 
other walks, painting portraits is not his 
forte. 
It is hardly neceffary to mark particular 
faults, but the gladiator feems fully bent 
on beating out fome of the queen’s teeth. 
This might be an overfight,—but it is a 
worfe overfight, that both that and the 
other antique figures are very ill drawn. 
From this group of portraits the tranfi- 
tion to the Royal Academy, where the 
originals are combined together, is nae 
tural, Their Exhibition, after being 
daily crowded with critics, and others, 
clofed tne beginning of June. How far 
this Royal inftitution has been ferviceable 
to the fine arts, it does not come in the 
plan of this retrofpect to determine. : 
Mikes 
