view of an alto-ritevo, from Flaxman, 
R.A. representing the passage frei the 
Lovd’s Prayer, ‘deliver us from evil,” 
also engraved by Bond. 4..A geome- 
trical clevation of the -west front of St. 
Pauil’s Cathedral Church, London, Sir 
Christopher Wren, drawn from actual 
admeasurement by James Elmes, ar- 
ehitect; and engraved by J. Le Keux. 
5. 7A plan of the- substructure of the 
same building, also drawn by Elmes, 
and engraved by Roffe. 
Of the portrait it is sufficient to say, 
that it 1s worthy of the pencil of Rey- 
nolds, and is faithfully and elegantly 
engraved in a judicious mixture of the 
line and stipple. 
Of the historical subject much ean- 
not be said in our limited space: there- . 
_ fore to the picture itself, (which must be 
remembered in the exhibition about two 
_ seasons ago, and is the property of, and 
was painted for, Mr. Thomas Hope,) 
and to the engraving, our readers are 
referred. Vhree personages compose 
the scene of this grand picture ; Thetis, 
Achilles, and the dead body of Patroclus: 
Achilles is seated by the couch of his 
synurdered friend, whose arm he is co- 
vering with his right hand, while his left 
supports his head. He is just roused 
from his grief by his goddess-mother, who 
is descending with immortal armour 
sade for him, ather request, by Vulcan ; 
his air bespeaks the hero. breathing re- 
venge against the author of his wrongs. 
Thetis has her left hand on his shoulder, 
pacifying her son, and directing his at- 
tention to the arms, worthy of the hero,, 
“and fit to grace a god.” A reference 
to the divine poem of Homer, not only 
for the immediate passage of the picture, 
bat for the poetical characters of the 
pictorial personages, would prove, be- 
yond possibility of contradiction, the 
truth of character, grandeur of expres- 
sion, and the profound knowledge of the 
passions, that pervade this picture. 
The heads of Thetis, of Achilles, and 
such part of Patroclus as is seen, are 
perfect examples of expression. The 
whole figure of Achilles is academically 
drawn, and 1s in itself a model. The 
bust and arm of Thetis are beautiful, 
and’ highly descriptive of the grace of 
the daughter of Nereus. The colouring 
possesses both .suavity and truth; the 
fights are brilliant, and the shadows 
transparent; the arms and drapery are 
well disposed, and unite in perfect har- 
mony of tone. It has no useless acces- 
sories, not one but what the story re- 
x 
Monthly Retrospect of the Fine Arts. 
antique, and purely Grecian. 
painter has jadiciously introduced the- 
-and bulky rays of sun-shine. 
[March f, 
quires. The casque, formed, as Homer 
describes, to the contour of the hero’s 
face, and embossed with sculptures, the 
shining cuirass, the sword and belt, are 
The 
celebrated shield, so exactly described 
by Homer ; in the centre he has shown 
the sun, the earth, the Pleiades, and 
the Hlyades; the principal compartment - 
which is not cuncealed by the figure, or 
parts of the arms, is the representation 
of an Hymeneal ceremony; and near to 
it is part of a pleasant vale, with 
flocks in repose. 
In short, the more this classical pic- 
ture is studied, the more its beauties and 
merits are discovered. 
The engraving also, a mixture of the 
line and stipple, is delicate, and elabo- 
rately finished. deg 
The alto-rilieyo, by Flaxman, is 2 
chaste and sculpturesque composition. 
No other sculptor knows so well as 
Flaxman how far sculpture should go, 
He never represents perspective distance,, 
and foreshortening; ponderous. clouds,. 
This. ex- 
ample is’ but @ part of a m@nument 
‘to the Baring family; it will therefore 
be best to leave analysing it more at 
large, till the complete work comes be- 
fore the public eye. The indefatigable 
engraver, Bond, has also executed this 
in a high degree of excellence. 
5 and, 6 St. Paul’s Chureh, as a 
building, has been so often criticised, 
and we are become so well acquainted 
with its beauties, that it requires but 
little comment here. The drawing ap- 
pears to be correct; and as it 1s drawn 
from actual measurement by a profess 
sional man, it may be supposed to be 
exact in its dimensions, and scientifically 
correct in its parts. The engraving in 
the line manner, by Le Keux, is clear, 
and brilliant ; and the architectural parts. 
well made out. The same character, 
(as far as the work goes) also belongs to 
the plan of the substructure, also drawn 
by Elmes, and engraved by Roffe.. 
Six Prints, illustrative of the Lay of the last 
Minstrel, a Poem by Waiter Scott, e5Ge 
Drawn by Richard Westall, R.A. engraved 
by Charles Heath, and published by Fobz 
Sharpe, Piccadilly. ie - 
These prints are taken from the most 
prominent passages in Mr. Scott’s beau. ~ 
tiful poem of the Lay of the Last Min- 
strel; and are lively personifications, by 
@ poetical painter, from an interesting 
and attractive work. . 
; The 
