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    Campagna . " The pose pt the women chatting af Sie weU is easy ; they are well drawn ; their drapery is adorned with decision , and the Sance is well handled . We look upon this ady s " Glacier of Rosenlaui from the Grand Scheideck , as a masterly work , but have no space to detail its many merits . It is worth study by such as have not revelled in Alp ine scenery , and will charm those whose memories it may quicken . " Wild i lowers , by Ellen Cantelo , is a sweet morsel . Tlie _ ktuay from Nature , " by a Norwich amateur ( K P . S . ) , much thoug ht" of in that good city , is a very , wellfinished bit of still life in a larder , composed of pot , nan platter , baskets , and dead game . MissYetts has a " Path in a Wood , " in which the chequered shade

    is well and promisingly managed . It is hard to imagine whence the Honourable Mrs . Monckton Mills found her authority for the portrait of it shrivelled little old lady , entitled "jMarie Antoinette in the Conciergerie . " Miss Florence Claxton ' s satirical Progresses of " the Old Maid ' . ' and " the Old Bachelor" are almost painfully truthful . We were arrested oh our tour and charmed" by the striking truth of the unpretending " Grisedale Beck" Mis 3 Georgina Hibbert . Mrs . Rimer ' s " Roses " ( 212 ) show taste and freedom of handling , though we cannot admire her background . Mrs . Blaine ' s imposing « Colossi at Thebes , " and Mrs . Needham ' s copy of Turner ( 208 ) , ( the latter sold for 105 / . ); will both of them challenge observation , as will several

    meritorious copies from olden masters , of which that by Miss Babbs ( 212 ) , after Francia , is perhaps the . mosfc striking . But the curiosities in chief of the Gallery must be allowed to be the Eiystical production of Mrs . Wilkinson , of Hanipstead . This lady , whose name is a . household word among those who interest themselves in the socalled " spiritual nioyement , " , we presume , in the flower pieces , 240 and 245 , entitled " From Dreamland , " attempted to depict those spirit-world flowers , in outlining which , on dit , her pencil has been guided by unseen hands . Our curiosity is now piqued to know Avhether the elves of the Joo table—the Lares of the new belief—who suggested the comet-petalled convolvulus , dictated also its blue and golden sheen .

    On Monday evening , the Ceramic Curator , at South Kensington , gave his second lecture . He discoursed learnedly and pleasantly on Chines _ e and European porcelain , explaining and illustrating by specimens the chemistry , technology , and characteristics of Chinese , Japanese , Eggshell , Crackling , Dresden , Berlin , Chelsea , T > erby , and Worcester wares . He told us how the mania for old China raged far more fiercely in Canton than in May Fair ; fragments even of renowned manufactures being set

    in frames as ornaments and heirlooms by enthusiastic mandarins . He showed specimens of the price--less and now inimitable " pea-green , " the secret of which , is lost to Europeans ; and a simple plate out of a service made for Catherine of Russia Nearly all the latter was burnt at Moscow , and the rescued portion , after being sold , and travelling through various European cabinets , had ultimately , with the one exception now at Kensington , been reacquired by the Russian royal family .

    The demonstration in Parliament with reference to Lord John Manners' selection of Mr . Gilbert Scott ( the author of a Lombardo Gothic design ) to be the architect for the new Government offices , is satisfactory , as showing that a certain number of nictn > bers , of no small consideration , may be relied upon to keep watch against fine art jobbery , in cxcelsis . That the noble lord is to blame for his choice is the deliberate opinion of those most competent to judge ; not because he declines to give the commission to the first prizemqn—f ' ojr all qpmpotitors were awaro that Government , in their conditions , reserve to themselves freedom from such obligation—but , bocause he has selected a gentleman who , though he

    lias been concerned in planning highly ornamental ch . urc . hes , cannot beconsidorod a first-rate designer of buildings whose utility is a primary consideration , or a sufficient master of tho art of labour economy for this present occasion . If the principle of competition was to be deviated from- ~ as waa always intended in this instance—the ultimate choice should haves fallen upon some person einiiianfc in both these reepects ; and of such there arc several in the profession wore eligible than Mr , Scott . That a captivating draughtsman need not bo n good architect we have already proved to our cost at Westminster , That

    tho Gothio style , beautiful though it is on paper ftnd in outside forqn , is neither oconomioalof monoy , space , or light , is , we fancy , clear enough in tho case of tho great Now Paluco , fallui' 0 at Westminster . Without ) waste of time or words , wo may clearly toll our readers tlmt tho Gothic is not tho proper stylo for tho new Government offices ; oml oyon if it were , Mr , Scott is not the best imui by novoral degrees who could have boon selected to plan ftna parry tliom out , Tlio suntlmantuliam about ) the jlominant stylo of tho neighbourhood may bo fair in ta , lk , but is an inadequate excueo for Lord Manners '

    us , should Mr . Scott turn o a Barry . Should the day of responsibility ever arrive , the noble lord may either be out of office or may simply deride the taxpaying complainants for having trusted him . He and his friends may Very safely indulge in their bravado about their acceptance of moral responsibility . Lives there the man , out of a certain charmed circle , who can place this moral responsibility for the parliament-house bungle upon the right shoulders ? or if placed there , would it gall them ? And , if it did , would any suffering of theirs restore us our hundreds of thousands ? The only sufferer is the poor deluded Bull , who pays for all . The votaries of Gothicism go so far as to the arrest

    out tbe second ukase . Mr . Sc 6 tt ' s position in his profession as a practical architect— -church building excepteqy-entitled him to no more consideration than was shown to the first prizemen ; He should have been paid his honbrarium ; his drawing should , like those of others , have been appropriated ; and he should have been forded into competition with a limited number of high-class men , recognised by their compeers as such . Sir Beniamin Hall ' s original idea was of this kind ; and in the first instance he obtained a vote of 1 , 200 / .-for division among a dozen of the best architects . That my lord is willing to accept the responsibility of his choice will be no consolation to

    threaten the Vandals of opposition with of the whole business , if complacency is not maintained . Let it be arrested by all means . We pant not to see the grand officials luxuriating in the splendid mansions that are ever so glorious in the drawings , and are to figure in the accounts by and bye . The transfer of the Indian establishment to Downing-stre . et is not so very pressing . If the a <> ceptance of a particular architect is the sole condition of public office consolidation , which all admit to be desirable , the public , who have waited so long , can iust contrive , perhaps , to wait a little longer .

    On Saturday last was held one of the series of conversazioni of the " Artists' Society , " at Langham chambers , Portland-place . The object of the soiree being , to siibmit for mutual criticism the works of the members , we are not justified in i » ore than casual references . TJie public will probably in due time be in a position to judge for themselves of many works We had the pleasure of seeing on that occasion ; but we cannot but notice a charming picture by Mr . Smallfield , entitled " First Love , ' and depicting a young lad helping a very young , maiden over a stile . The expression of the figure is

    good , and the accessories beautifully painted- A more ambitious work , by Mr ; Calderon , leads us to imagine that his name will soon be better known to the public . Its subject is some French peasants discovering their lost child in-the hands of a travelling showman . Mr , Lewis exhibited one or two pictures , evincing a great feeling for light ; Messrs . Raven , Moore , Oakes , aud Hall , some excellent landscapes . The water-colours of Duncan , Mole , and others wore much admired . If succeeding conversazioni furnish such promise as that of Saturday , we cannot but augur well for the Society and its

    constituent members ! We can give but a cursory notice of the " dress conversazione , " of the Artists' and Amateurs' Society , held at Willis ' s Rooms on Thursday evening . A number of most interesting works . . in oil and water—some exhibited by their authors , somo by collectors—Wore disposed round this noted resort of the hea , u monde , and a goodly company of ladies and gentlemen were gathered to be admired and to admire . As wo cannot pretend to speak In any kind , of brdw of the collection , avc must recite our notos as we jotted them down in the room . Mr . Louis Hagho had a noble portfolio of powerful sketches , among which some Continental cathedrals , and especially a

    chapel in St . Peter ' s at Rome , were remarkable . Mr . J . F . Lewie showed an Oriental " Kibab Shop " in oils—two pictures in one— -rich in all his wellknown qualities ; Mr . Oattermole a monkish watercolor in his besb manner j Mr . S . Read a careful and forcible G ' othjo gateway ; and Mr . W . J . Johnson a vqry delicate Mediterranean picture . Mr . J . H . Malo had several captivating wator-color . s of high finish . Hia " Gipsies" and " Boys Fishing at Highgato" wore attractive ; and tho sweet feeling of " Tho Grandfathor" teaching the young idea of an infant to walk was notable , as well as its exquisite finish . " The Lottor Reader , "

    a French boudoir study of a female , wus an exquisite specimen of tho school , by Mo » s . Trayer . A little landscape , subject unknown to us , by F . H . Huntington , was no lose meritorious a gem than a small sea-side bit with numerous figures , and a woll-ti-oatod perspective by A . WlUmoiv . Mr . II . Brittan WilUs had ft portfolio of so-eallod sketuhoa ( wo should term thoin sjudlos ) , mostly rustic i the lUrmyartJ , nmro and foal , and an old flya-bilton groy horse , being perhaps tlio cleverest . Tho same artist showed an important cattle plocg . ' Mr .. U . Mooro ( a Pro-Uaphaolito brotlior ) attracted all by his "S . wlss Haymakers , " « v sploiulld picturo , in . which a ,

    pair of oxen , yoked to the haycart , were well conceived and executedv Mn Earle ' s " Sleeping Dog , " was a true and charming specimen of the master ' s power . Mr . Cornelius Pearson ' s portfolio of watercolours wa " s , as was Mr . McRewan ' s , a centre of attraction j and the former artist ' s beautiful , though , pale , drawifig , of Snowdon , taking in a wide expanse of mountain scenery , and skilfully depicting a showery effect , was admired , as it deserved to be ^ A glade of great beauty , by H . Jutsum , refreshed us with its cool atream and chequered shade ; and Mr . G . Lowthian ' s wonderful water-colors , " The Gothic Rock—Lydslep" and " Hastings Cliff" astonished us , painted , as we are

    credibly informed they are , stone by stone , from nature , with truly photographic accuracy . E . W . Cooke had two very small works : one of them of co vetable quality ; and Mr . F . Powell , an artist of whom outsiders have hitherto heard little , but will hear more , a magnificent' water-color landscape . Here we had mountain range , boiling river , and valley vegetation all truthfully studied , and all steeped in orange hues of wondrous richness , We had well-nigh forgotten the most striking and delicious Pre-Rap haelite picture by Mr . H . 13 . Moore , which shows a thicket foreground of young blackberry-gatherers and a superb blue ocean disremarks without

    tance . Nor can we close our a word in memory of F . B ; Forge , the fine quality of whose seven . or eight works here exhibited only added to our regret that he had all too soon been taken away . We are glad to -watch the progress of this and kindred associations . It seems to us that they not merely give the pleasure of reunion to artists and amateura , but that , by allowing fair field as well to their members as to judges , they may , in course of time , have a salutary effect upon the sometimes thoughtless and sometimes unfairly prejudiced "hang ing" authorities at the recognised public exhibitions .

    Since publishing our notice of the British Institution Exhibition , we have seen some of the rejected pictures , which are not only far better than many of those admitted , but considerably above the average merit of the works exhibited this year . Of course , in the case of societies whose managers are artists , we must expect that they will give a preference to' their own productions , and , perhaps , some favour to their friends may even be excused , though not excusable ; but , from an institution whose committee is non-professional , both artists

    and the public would reasonably expect something like impartial justice in the admission or rejection of pictures . The exigencies of hanging -may sometimes involve the exclusion of a good painting , and if the bad ones were all in bad places , no one would have a right to complain ; but when it is evident at a glance that there are many pictures in good places which have escaped adverse criticism solely on the ground that they were hopelessly bad and their authors . incorrigible , it is distressing to find that good ones have been sent away to make room for them . We have no wish to impute unworthy

    motives to the directors ; perhaps they may imagine that bad pictures , like the Spanish ladies' ugly duennas , enhance the attractions of their companions . Most probably it is their judgment which has beqn in error ; but , at all events , it appears that mistakes have been committed which , besides being an injustice to painters , have tended to lower the Institution in public estimation , by rendering its exhibition less attractive than it ought to have been . We mention tho subject in the hope that in future greater care will be taken in selecting the pictures .

    The Tasmanians have lately been getting up an Art Exhibition at Hobart-town , which appears to have bee . ii conceived in a liberal spirit , and very creditably carried out . It was originated by a few private gentlemen , without any view to profit , waa opened by tho Governor of the colony , and continued for six weeks . Tho expenses wore paid by tlio sale of aeason tickets , and , as soon as a sufficient number of these had been sold to cover the outlay , tho exhibition was thrown open to tho public free of charge . It is stated to have been completely successful . Tho collection consisted of 26 G pictures , mostly by modern painters ; with specimens of statuary , bronze , &c . Among the artists' namos we noticed that of tho late Mr . Glover , a wator colonst , in whose works the colony is » 'iab , ho having Uica thoro , and a largo collection of his works having boon disposed of by auction after liis decease .

    Visit of a London Exquisite to /«" . » Maiden Aunts in tho Country . Illustrated by Theo . W . Kent und Co Wje aro glad wo rofrainod from too hastily noticing this bound volume of etchings . It has boon for a month boi ' oro us , and wo wore at first not Impressed in its favour , liuti having now found time and taken heart to go carefully through tho llve-andtwenty platos , wo ary ablo to pronounqo conscientiously that thu designer , who , wo have huard , in a

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    ^^ . Maiich S . ISS ^ I THE LE ADBE . 309 *^ ' ¦ . . ¦ ' ' l ^ _^—^^—^—^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^—^^ . .. .. ii — , i ¦ . i ¦ i i ii i i m ... ' [ r— | .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 5, 1859, page 309, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2284/page/21/