Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

partment departs from history, and from the When the idea is grand, or fine, or senti nobleness of design, the more necessary is it mental, the defects in the drawing or in the that it should possess all the mechanical per- colouring vanish before the graver, and the fection of the art; for it is only by this that ideas only are preserved. Ou the Continent Calot and Teniers are able to retain their place few speak of English paintings as possessamongst the great masters; whilst by inter-ing any superior excellence; yet their pic-esting stories, by characteristic expression,tures of this very class now under discussion, and accurate delineation of affections and seu- have given birth to many elegant engravings timent, Greuze has been enabled to occupy much sought after on account of the subjects the rank which he now holds, although he had and execution, and even on account of their neither the striking originality of the one, uor colouring; for, as a French writer has obthe variety and correctuess of the other. served, it seems as if being unable to execute the colouring on canvas, they have transferred it to the copper-plate, and have been astonish, ingly successful. The English style of black lines, and even the dotted or stippled manner, has been subservient to colour in the hands of Woollet, Earlom, &c. &c.

Amongst the first painters of this school we must give to Boucher a place in the front rank. Too much cried up when living, and too much depreciated when dead, it must not be denied that his imitations of life and of nature, were like those on the stage, the produce of glaring colours, and of faise lights. But then we voluntarily yield our senses to the delusion, || and in both cases we enjoy it. His graces, indeed, were like those of an elegant Operadancer; nothing was true or natural; but then the charm operated, and every thing pleased. Without doubt, Boucher led great part of the pupils of the French School astray, by the apparent facility of success in imitation; but then even the abuse of talent proves its existence; mediocrity never yet led any person astray.

Of Vanloo it may be said, that if his Saint Genevieve was not a chef d'œuvre of idea, so elegantly executed as to be claimed by the genius of the historical school, he must otherwise have been classed amongst the painters

now in review.

Above the rank of painting now under discussion, we must place those works which may be called portraits of historical facts, such as the Death of Wolfe, of Bajazet, of Lord Chatham, and also that well known production of Moliere reading the Tartuffe to Ninon; and when those historical pieces add to the truth of the fact the interest of locality, as well as that arising from the fidelity of the portraits of remarkable personages, they become a kind of cotemporary memoirs, and form precious materials for history herself.

The English School has attained great excellence in this particular class, both in historical subjects, and in domestic scenes of familiar interest; but then it may perhaps be said, that this success depends more upon the graver than the pencil, as pictures scarcely going beyond mediocrity have produced very fine engravings, so that the engraver has cor. rected the errors, and filled up the deficiency of the painter. Such are the ideas of a well informed French critic.

[ocr errors]

Though it has been said that this style of painting requires not absolute perfection, or even an approach to it like the others, yet that must be understood with respect to the grand principles of the art, to the grandeur of outline, and correctness of the drawing; for with respect to colouring, there no deficiency must exist. In the colouring then we ought always to meet with that exquisite velvet touch which may almost be felt, and which leaves nothing for the eye to desire; in short, that elegance which calls for, aud bids defiance to the magnifying glass.

In this point then, nothing should be sacrificed to haste, or slovenly executed; it is here that we must find the effects of the

Camera Obscura, which omits not to represent even the minutest trife; it is here that we can fully appreciate the merit of the exact imitation of the various stuffs, which are of no other importance in historical painting, than as mere draperies; but which in this style of the art, must show their distinct qualities; for here it is necessary, that the manu facturer as well as the artist should be able to distinguish his velvet, his liuen, or satin. It is here, indeed, that the patient attention of the Flemish School has been most successful, and in some of the stuffs of Mieris, even the very threads may be distinguished.

It is some time since Germany has lost her Mengs, an artist called her Raphael; there are some of his beads where even the pores of the skin may be seen, when closely examined; and wherever this high-finishing can be executed without destroying the expression, it must surely be considered as highly meritorious. But there are some mediocre historical painters, who have their certain value; there are historical painters of the second order, who still retain a certain rank; it is not so, however, with le genre, for it admits not of

[blocks in formation]

itself, instead of supposing it further distant. Gerard Dow, being the son of a glazier, began to paint on glass, in the way of his father's business; and his early skill in this introduced him as a student at Rembrandt's school, where he copied the colouring of his master, but not his manner, which indeed has never yet been successfully imitated. It has been related that he took such extreme pains : with many of his pieces, that he has been a fortnight painting a hand in a portrait, and that he confessed to one of his friends having been three days finishing a broom-stick! and this is certainly in concert with the observation, that the time in these things is not to be considered in the business; as to execute rapidly and well, is always to be surpassed by executing slowly and better. This painter seems to have made it an invariable rule to pay as much attention to minor objects as to his principal figures; with him the picture of a piece of furniture must be as good a likeness as that of a head. His patient researches into the best mechanical means of preserving the purity of his colours, and his exactness in adhering to them were alike, for after entering his work-shop, he always allowed a long interval to elapse, in order that the slightest particle of dust might be at rest, before he began his operations; even his colours were always ground by himself, upon a plate of christal; he himself made all his brushes, and smallest pencils; and his pallet, whenever out of his hand, was always carcfully covered and locked up. From his wish to preserve the same exactness in drawing bis designs, we are indebted to him for the method since followed by engravers, of dividing the frame or copper into equal squares. This indefatigable painter became nearly blind at thirty years of age, and could only

the artist whose labours form our present embellishments. The annals of his life, indeed, give us very little more information than that he was born at Leyden in 1615, and that he lived to a good old age. His talent was little indebted to foreign studies, but then he was himself original, and the creator of a certain species of style, which will always secure to him the head of that rank. Even in his youth history had been treated by the great masters. That style, indeed, requires the exercise of the imagination, which alone can bring forth, or point out to the artist the image of ideal beauty; but Gerard Dow confined himself to the scenes of domestic life, and therefore had nothing more to do, than to paint what he saw every day. He did not even attempt an elevated style; his sole object seems to have been a scrupulous imitation; but then he adhered so closely to high-finishing, and a colouring so pure, that even real objects do not shew themelves as the models of his pictures, except when they are seen through a concave lens; nevertheless, it is only by consideration and the effect of habit that we can believe that the figures in his pictures are much smaller than those of real life. If any person will look through a vacant picture-work by the help of spectacles; and as his frame of a foot square, placed about nine inches from the eye, at human figures of the natural size, placed nine or ten paces distant, he will find that they do not apparently Occupy more than five or six inches in height, er about half the frame; a fact which shews that the pictures of Gerard Dow, of Mieris, and of Van Ostade, are actually drawn so as to subtend the true mathematical angle at the proper point of view for the picture, and thus actually to cover as much space on the canvas as they do in reality. To a casual observer this may appear incredible, but it is not the less strictly true. But as in the arts every thing depends upon general agreementments; and it may be said that if Lavater

and choice, they have been obliged, for the purpose of availing themselves of all advantages, to fix the scale of proportion on the canvas

mode of appreciating the value of his paintings was at the rate of twenty-pence Flemish currency, per hour, it was the purchaser only who run the risk of the inequality of his talent on particular days. Very few engravings have been made from the works of this master; perhaps because tlie colouring, in which his chief excellence lay, cannot be imitated by the graver; but then the cabinets of Flanders and of Holland were long rich in his productions. From this slight sketch we proceed to

THE PORTRAIT OF GERARD DOW, which forms the first subject of our embellish

had analysed this portrait, he would have found that nature had formed Gerard in the same style in which Gerard copied her works ;

he would there bave noticed an outline plump and jolly, but yet incorrect, and possessing not the slightest bold or haughty expression;

that receives the light, even to the back of the head, which is lost in the shadow of the distance, we see a convincing proof of sçavoir faire

a tint somewhat like the colouring of his pic-in painting. This perfect execution is a merit tares, velvety, fresh, but not of a firm touch; a physiognomy which announces no genius, yet is marked with talent; and above all, that which is so peculiar to bilious temperaments, a laborious patience which will never desist whilst any thing remains to be done. As a picture, this little portrait has all the high finishing, all the careful correctness, and all the nicety of a miniature.-The next sketch is the

FAMILY OF GERARD DOW.

This painter, in his compositions, approaches nearer to the historical school than Van Ostade. He is less natural, less correct, it is true; but then he is more luxuriant, is richer,

and has more elevation in the choice of his subject; and though his touch has less freedom, yet it is more finished and more studied; he has, in fact, if one may so express it, a finish more finished, a nicety more nice! This picture, which, according to an uncontroverted tradition, is called by its present name, possesses all the characteristics of his particular talent; the head of the old woman, in a half tint, is a master-piece of truth, expression, of tone, and colour; her lips seem to move; all her body is in action; her profile is a portrait; every part of the body, the hands, the back, nay the dress, and even the look, are all cotemporary with the head; all her Jinen is of the utmost transparency; all her various stuffs in the dress are distinguishable. Even the inanimate details, all the furniture, are highly finished; nothing can be more exact than the wheel, the chairs; nay, even the copper pot, with its ornaments in relief; the very dust is found upon the places where it ought to rest; in short, it is the chamber of an ancient couple. But the figure of the old man is not so perfect; the head seems a little too historical for a portrait; the beard is too patriarchal; he listens, however, whilst his wife reads; he is quite in action, and all his body takes part in it. The light is drawn with great purity; it is evening; the window is open, but the sky, which appears through this opening, is too blue; there is also a blue vine, but this is very properly attributed to the chemical destruction of the yellow in the green tiuts, from the lapse of time.-The next in order is

without doubt; but it must still be confessed that it is rather a mechanical operation, than an effort of genius. The rest of the composition consists of different pieces of inlaid work, which are merely put there in order to prove the careful hand of scrupulous imitation. The manufacturer who made the carpet laying on the window-seat, perhaps employed less time about it than the imitative painter; indeed, a good magnifier is necessary to discover all its particular points worthy of notice; the unas. sisted eye is not capable of doing it. It is not here the stitches of the needle which are to be reckoned; it is the velvet hairs of the tissue, which may be seen lying one upon the other; it is, in fact, the perfection of infinite smallness. Another carpet, which

is suspended from on high, is less happy in the execution; it seems rather plated than embroidered with silver. In the fore-ground,

a square or rule, of a very elegant form, disputes for excellence with the chizel of the goldsmith; the metal, however, is doubtful, and the pencil here has rather produced the I effect of steel than of silver. In the background, there passes a scene at table, a party of four, which some have supposed to allude to the Prodigal Son, but nothing seems to point this out particularly as the subject. This back-ground, although very dark, yet shews the figures well defined. The spectator must suppose that the window from which they would have received light, has its shutters closed, so that they are in the shade; a neat piece of address in the painter, as he thereby excludes every ray except that which falls on the principal figure.

The last in order of this month's embellishments is

THE TOOTH-DRAWER,

which may, in fact, be considered as an historical painting, or at least as one which the Genius of that style of the art might fairly claim as his own. Here we have no tap-room scenes; but here we have the strong expression of physical pain operating on a rustic character. This man suffers like the Laocoon; but then not the slightest expression of his pain is carried beyond reality; his two legs are in a state of contraction, one sprawling and stiff from heel to hip, the other contracted and drawn back as close as the joints will In the distant head, which is executed in admit of; his hands are clenched, and seem a high-finished demi-tint, and whose tone de-fixed at the same height, because both are clines insensibly from the projecting elbow acted upon by the same cause. Here we can

THE TRUMPETER.

discera a resolution to submit to the pain, and the mechanical motion which involuntarily attempts to put an end to it; in short, the whole body seems as if thrown by the will completely into the power of the operator, and to be abandoned to his skill in a fit of despair. The head, whose admirable fore shortening shews all the expression, is quite in nature. The rustic is strong, but knows how to suffer. The whole figure of the operator is in strong contrast with the other; tranquil, steady, and attentive, he appears unembarrassed, and without the slightest emotion respecting his job; his physiognomy too is a knowing one; and his whole dress accords exactly with his situation

in life. It is evident from other parts of the piece that the scene lies in a city: the peasant is just come to the market; all his wares lay on the floor, and the laboratory of the Doctor is furnished with the usual utensils.

In contemplating this perfect work, we soon exclaim that the painter must have spent a long time upon it; but it would be ridiculous wilfully to seek out the accessory imperfections, for the perfection of the whole imposes silence. We can only admire, and express our gratitude to that art which has here done honour to human skill; and we are obliged to ask-Is it really the hand of a human artist which has done this?

THE NEW SYSTEM OF BOTANY,

WITH PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF FLORA, &c. &c. &c. (Continued from Page 92.)

FROM the forest, where nature is loveliest in her wildness, we shall now call our fair readers to the trim walks of the shrubbery; in fact, it is but the transition from the sylvan cot to the decorated drawing-room, from the society of the woodnymphs to the more polish ed belles of a London season; and here even in the natural, as well as in the artificial world, though we cannot help admiring the polished graces of cultivation, we still find them most interesting when that polish tends to improve, not to eradicate the charms of rustic elegance and sensibility.

For the embellishments of our present lecture, we have chosen some of the earliest flowering shrubs, so that many of our lovely pupils may saunter through their grounds, and trace our deliueations in the profusion of nature's glowing pencil; and we have more particularly selected those three specimens, because that where they have been planted by the band of taste, with a view to their pictur esque effect, the lilac, the laburnum, and that species of the laurustinus called the gueldre rose, have always been found to groupe most exquisitely in the early part of the summer. Of the first of those we are indebted for the name of

LILAC

to the Persians, with whom that word simply signifies a flower; we are not, however, indebted to them for the plant itself, as it was known in the early ages, both in Greece and Italy, where it received the name of syringa, from the word syrinx "a pipe," as its branches were hollowed out and applied to form instruments of that kind, by the simple mountain shep. herds. This plant, together with its name,

||

has afforded the elegant Ovid a fine subject for one of his metamorphoses, in the loves of Pan and the nymph Syrinx who was changed into this shrub; and it appears that its musical fitness was not confined to the ancients alone, for its old English name was the pipe-tree. Linneus places it, and we think with true classical taste, amongst his poetical names; but a German florist seems to think it of African derivation. That it is indigenous indeed in Africa, we have reason to believe, as the writer of this article has seen it flourishing in situations, both in Barbary and in the southern parts of Africa, where it could not with any degree of probability have been planted by the hand of man; at the same time it is well known to be a native of Persia, as we have specimens of it here, called the Persian lilac, and which as their native habitat may be called an Alpine one, are able to bear our most rigorous winters. Here, indeed, we have four species in commou cultivation, as it has long been with us a common flowering shrub ; these four species too are all that are known, and are the syringa vulgaris, or common lilac, possesing three varieties, the white, the blue, and the purple, the latter of which is generally called the Scottish lilac, not because it is indigenous on Caledonia's heaths or hills, but from its being first mentioned in the catalogue of the Edinburgh Botanical Garden; the Chinese lilac; the persian lilac; and the syringa suspensa, or wceping liiac.

The whole of these are ranged by the modern Linnean nomenclature, in the class DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA, and in the natural order of Sepiaria. Of all of them too it may be ob served, that in generic character, they have a

||

calyx distinguished by the perianth being one flowering shrub, is in some countries, nay leaved, tubular; with a mouth four toothed; even so far north as Scotland, a tree of some erect, and permanent; the corolla one petal-size and utility, particularly in some of the old led, funnel form; tube cylindric, very long;|| gardens where it has been permitted to stand border four parted, spreading and rolled back; for its full growth. Many of them, indeed, are segments linear, obtuse; the stamen possesses fit to cut down for timber; and to that purtwo filaments, which are very short, whilst pose it is also generally applied in the Alpine the anthers are small, and within the tube of regions, where it is called 'Aubours, from the corolla; in the pistil, the germ is oblong, whence its name of laburnum is evidently dethe style filiform and the length of the stamen; rived, for anciently it was called Cytisus by the and the seeds are solitary, oblong, acuminate Romans; by which appellation it is indeed at each end, and having a membranaceous often distinguished at the present day, adoptedge. In essential character, the corolla is ed from the Kutisos of Theophrastus, and four cleft, and the capsule two celled. Our other Greek writers, and said by Pliny to be fair botanists will find sufficient variety in this derived from the island of Cythuus where it shrub to produce whatever effect' they may was first found in great abundance. With us intend in their home grounds, as it grows it is generally considered as a native of Switrapidly and often to the height of twenty feet, zerland, of Provence, and of the southern disthe white as well as the blue sort assuming an tricts of Austria, from whence it was first erect appearance, whilst the purple, by its brought to England about 1596. It is now spreading, more readily answers the purpose classed by the Linnean school, as DIADELof a screen. The Persian lilac, indeed, is PHIA DECANDRIA, and amongst the natural the smallest, and is not often seen higher order of Papilionacea with respect to its flowers, than the human figure; but some of our or Leguminosa, with reference to its seeds. readers may perhaps know it better by the Botanists describe its generic character, as the name of the Persiau jasmine. To those, who calyx having the perianth one leafed, and of a look no further than the exterior beauty of this bell form obtuse at the base, with a two lipped shrub, it may suffice to observe, that the pani- mouth; upper lip two cleft, and acuminate, cles, or groupes of its flowers, always grow whilst the lower is three toothed. Its corolla crect, whilst every person, at all conversantis papilionaceous; and the stamen has its filawith ornamental gardening, must recollect the pleasure afforded by contemplating the elegance of the effect produced by the flowers being intermixed and contrasted with its bright green leaves; its fragrance too is well known, nor do we hazard much chance of contradiction when we say that it is generally esteemed as the most elegant of our flowering shrubs; to those, however, who look further into nature than her mere external beauties, it must afford singular pleasure to observe the wise regul tions of the plastic goddess, respecting this simple shrub, particularly respecting its flowers, which are invariably produced at the ends of the shoots of the past season, whilst below these flowers other shoots may be traced preparing to succeed || them. This shrub is more deserving of cultivation too, because its flowers appear early in May, and in very genial springs, even in April; should the summer heats also not come on too rapidly, these flowers will continue three weeks, and by a judicious choice of situation, a succession may even be kept up longer, except when the season is very hot, for then they soon feel the effects of Sol's too potent rays. As a companion to this interesting shrub, we now proceed to the

LABURNUM,

Which, though generally esteemed by us as a

Of

ments diadelphons, single and nine cleft, rising upwards, and the anthers simple. The germ of the pistil is oblong; the style simple rising upwards; and the stigma obtuse. In essential character, it has the calyx two lipped; and the leguma attenuated at the base. It contains, upon the whole, eighteen species, of which the most remarkable are the cytisus la|| burnum, or bean trefoil tree; the black; the pigeon cytisus, or pigeon pea; the evergreen cytisus; Siberian; trailing; &c. &c. these, all the species which we cultivate are without spines, and produce a charming effect in ornamental plantations, either by themselves, or grouped with other shrubs; where they are dotted in clumps, or ranged along borders, their common height may be ten or fifteen feet, but they have been known to run up much higher when planted thick; this, however, is a forced growth, and renders them unfit for any useful purposes, except hop-poles, for which they are extremely well formed. Of the first species, which is that generally cultivated with us, there are two varieties; the first is broad leaved, but is not so often seen as formerly, having been in a great measure superseded by the narrow leaved. As this shrub has never been considered by us in any other than an ornamental light, this change of the variety is easily accounted for, when we

« ZurückWeiter »