[April 1, 
Grand 
270 Monthly Retrospect of the Fine Arts. 
usual stature of females, according to some of the British artists. 
the opinions of the ancients of their works have not been produced by the 
deities; her dress is light and elegant, etfurts of this society; on the contrary, 
her face beautiful, and her whole form some of the greatest works of the Eng- 
lucid and shining. ‘The figure of Men- lish school have been returned on the 
tor is grand and imposing; his drapery hands of the artists, and they have either 
broad and wel! cast, consisting of few declued exhibiting, or have turned their 
simple folds: the expression of his face hands to more fashionable, and conse- 
precisely that of the poet’s description. quently more saleable, productions. This 
"Telemachus’s is that of an ardent youth is the cause of the prevalence of fancy 
struck with the graces of the beauteous works and cabinet-sized pictures in this 
goddess ; his attitude and action be- exlubiion, and the paucity of historical 
speaks his meaning, and his doubt of her productions. The fault, however, does 
mortality: “O vous, qui que vous soyez, not lie with the society so wiuch as with 
mortelle ou déesse.”—“* Ayez pitié de the public or the purchasers; the society 
nos malheurs; et si vous savez, 0 deesse, endeavour, collectively, tu produce hise 
ce que les destinées ont fait pour sauver torical pamters by premiums; but, in. 
ov pour perdre Ulisse, daignez en in- dividuaily, they seem more anxious ta 
struire son fils Télémaque.” ‘The land- model the English school of art after the 
scape, sea, and other accessories of the Dutch than. the Roman schools; yer, 
picture, are appropriate and well design- although this exhibition will not place 
ed, and the whole picture 1s altogether the Briush school in the highest class of 
worthy of the pencil of Westall. The art in the eye of the discriminating cri- 
engraving 1s in a mixt manner of the tic, yet, in the class it does belong to, it 
stroke and dot, and is beautifully execut- ranks very high. - | 
ed; the drawing Is correct, the faces and As is to be expected, many of thie 
extremities delicately stippled, and the fo- pictures are from the last exhibition of 
liage, sea, and coarser draperies, forcibly the Royal Academy, and most of the 
marked withtheline; andthereisadepth new historical ones are for the premiums 
and strength of colourand vigourous effect offered by the society, who, very pro- 
in this print that is seldom witnessed in perly, have not decided on the best pre- 
‘so large a one (the size of the Storm in _ vious to the exhibition; which prejudices 
Harvest) in this manner. Mr. Scriven, the public mind against the unsuccessful 
whose abilities in this line of art are fully pictures, whatever positive merit, when 
acknowledged, has seldom exerted his ta- removed from the competition, they may 
Jents with such effect as in the print now possess. | 
before us, and which deserves a place in 
every collector’s portfolio, 
Six Prints, illustrative of Marmion, a poetical 
Tale, by Walter Scott, esq. drawn by Richard 
Westali, R. A. engraved by Charles Heath, 
and published by Fobn Sharpe, Piccadilly. 
Our limits this month do not admit of, 
an ample detail of the subjects of this in- 
teresting set of prints; they are designed 
in the usual tasteful manner of Westall ; 
and the engravings in the stroke or line 
manner by C. Heath, are in the same 
Style of excellence that distinguish his 
other works. 
Exbibition of the Works of British Artists, placed 
é inthe Gallery of the British Institution for pro- 
moting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom, 
for Exhibition and Sale, Pail Mail, 1810. 
‘This is the fifth exhibition of this use- 
ful and patriotic society, and although 
it may be doubted, whether they have 
furwarded the fine arts of Engiand or no, 
it is certain they have contributed to the 
comforts aud pecuniary remuneration of 
NORTH ROOM, WEST SIDE. 
No. 1. dn Elder Vestal attending the sacred 
Fire. F. F. Rigaud, R. A. 
A plain unaffected picture, possessing 
few faults, and no prominent beauties. 
9. Themistocles taking Refuge at the Court of Ad- 
metus. H. Corbould. 
A creditable specimen of youthful abi- 
lity in the higher walk of art; the draw- 
ing academical and correct. 
5. Taking down from the Cross. ‘foseph Barney. 
A bold attempt, and with some suc- 
cess. ; 
4. Samson breaking his Bonds. 
2 G. F. Foseph. 
The drawing of this picture is goed, 
but rather wanting In expression. and 
force. . 
5. The Evening Prayer. H. Singletone 
A picture of a class which the old cri- 
tics termed: conversation-pieces. Mr. 
Singieton’s style of colouring is better 
adapted, from its ideal nature, to the 
grand 
Se 
