Old Masters at the Royal Academy
Ot rv i\/r a CT171? c at THTT and others that mark his mastery, and illustrate
MAMA^bnrSv ?v the development of his different styles.
ROYAL ACADEMY. BY A winning half-length portrait of Mrs. Van der
FRANCIS BATE. Gucht by Romney, and no less than eleven pictures
by Sir Joshua Reynolds, are to be seen in this
To few of us is given such oppor- Exhibition. Three consummate full-length por-
tunity for atonement as falls annually to the Royal traits by Van Dyck prove wonderful realisation of
Academy of Arts. , character. Andrea Spinola, Doge of Genoa, seated
Whatever may be urged against the manner in in his crimson robes, hangs between the standing
which the Academy exercises its power in arrang- figures of Robert Rich, Earl of Wanvick, and
ing its exhibitions of contemporary art in the spring, James Stuart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox;
forgiveness is nearly earned and almost given in they make as brave a show as well could be. The
the winter, when its happy effort to amend its sense of power, the dignity and energy of Andrea
prestige furnishes the rooms at Burlington House Spinola, contrast wonderfully with the individuality
with a splendid collection of works by the Old of James Stuart and the Earl of Warwick. In the
Masters. portrait of the Doge, the colour of the shadows is
For twenty-five years—it seems almost an incredi- dark and heavy, while in that of James Stuart the
ble time—the wealth of Old Masters in this country colour is particularly fair and tender ; there is
has stood a steady drain upon its resources. This a comparative thinness in the portrait of the
twenty-fifth exhibition is not only of undiminished Earl of Warwick, but all three pictures bear mark
interest, but seems to wear on its face a promise for that they have had about them a sure and capable
the future. Much gratitude is due to the owners hand. Lord Hillingdon has lent two very fine
of beautiful treasures for the graciousness which, views of Dresden, by Bernardo Bellotto; they are
through all these years, has made it possible for us perfect in scale, excellent in tone, and full of the
to become more or less intimately acquainted with charm of a deliberate and certain touch. Near by
the genius and style even of the Old Masters of one of them is a beautiful portrait of a lady by
foreign Schools, and which has illustrated, with an Angelo Bronzino, which wears a sumptuous air
amplitude almost lavish, the magnificence which with its richly patterned and bejewelled dress,
marked the maturity of the British School. One The Adoration of the Shepherds, by Leandro Bas-
need look back but a few years, remembering the sano: a superbly drawn group of The Holy Ramify,
superb examples of the work of Reynolds, Gains- by Sebastian del Piombo; a fine and delicately
borough, Romney, Turner, Crome, Constable and modelled portrait of a. Lady and Child by Cornelius
others, which they have revealed, to be assured de Vos, and the portrait of a Senator by Raphael,
that, but for these exhibitions at Burlington House, are amongst the greatest works which make the
our knowledge of the pictures produced in the past large room magnificent.
by the artists of our own land would indeed be in- There is much to satisfy those who have learned
complete. The comparative merits and character- to look in Gallery No. 2 for paintings of the Dutch
istics of the different painters have been rendered School. The Smoker, an early work, the only
more apparent, and many a debated question has example by Gerard Terburg, gives little promise of
been settled by the juxtaposition of masterpieces the marvellous completeness of colour transition
which, without these annual collections, would have and perfect art which the exhibits of past years
remained practically unknown to us. prove him to have attained. Of the five examples
There is much to be learned and many an im- of the work of Jan Steen, The Violin, lent by the
mature judgment to be modified by the study of Queen from Buckingham Palace ; A Butch Ramify
such distinguished works. For my own part, I Merry-making, lent by the Corporation of Glasgow ;
have time after time enjoyed the conviction that and Saying Grace, which belongs to Mr. Charles
the fascinations of some of the pictures of the Morrison, are amongst the master's most successful
British School remain undiminished in the com- works. There are two pictures by Peter de Hooghe,
pany of works by . the great masters of other both of them very fine ones. An Lnterior (No. 78)
Schools, and this conviction is in no degree is imbued with those qualities of light which make
lessened by regarding the superb portrait of Mrs. his work remarkable ; but the Garden Scene, lent
Robinson (139), which Lady Wallace has now lent by Mr. John Walter, is of exceptional excellence,
to swell the glory of Gainsborough's fame. In In the trim garden, between dense and well-clipped
charm of arrangement, in perfect proportion of hedgerows, flooded with the strong light of a
every quality that makes a painting great, this bright summer afternoon, some very gaily dressed
seems to excel. The animation, the delicate taste ladies and gentlemen are engaged in a game of
in selection, the fulness of the colour passages, the ninepins. The painting is of great good quality,
subtle drawing, are crowned by a wanton ease in elaborate in realisation of detail, yet broad in
the expression of their completeness, that has left effect, but to my thinking some of the figures,
upon the lips a smile which must change with the wonderful as they are in themselves, do not quite
next breath about to tremble through the miracle fit with the rest of the picture ; they seem a little
of dainty dress. Turner is represented by The too much to insist on their own importance, and
Wreck of the Minotaur, by his picture of Van to lack somewhat their proper share of the at-
Tromp's Shallop at the Entrance of the Scheldt— mosphere which invests their surroundings. The
fair and fresh as the breezes that blow through it— Hurdy-gurdy Player, by Adrian Van Ostade, is a
179
Ot rv i\/r a CT171? c at THTT and others that mark his mastery, and illustrate
MAMA^bnrSv ?v the development of his different styles.
ROYAL ACADEMY. BY A winning half-length portrait of Mrs. Van der
FRANCIS BATE. Gucht by Romney, and no less than eleven pictures
by Sir Joshua Reynolds, are to be seen in this
To few of us is given such oppor- Exhibition. Three consummate full-length por-
tunity for atonement as falls annually to the Royal traits by Van Dyck prove wonderful realisation of
Academy of Arts. , character. Andrea Spinola, Doge of Genoa, seated
Whatever may be urged against the manner in in his crimson robes, hangs between the standing
which the Academy exercises its power in arrang- figures of Robert Rich, Earl of Wanvick, and
ing its exhibitions of contemporary art in the spring, James Stuart, Duke of Richmond and Lennox;
forgiveness is nearly earned and almost given in they make as brave a show as well could be. The
the winter, when its happy effort to amend its sense of power, the dignity and energy of Andrea
prestige furnishes the rooms at Burlington House Spinola, contrast wonderfully with the individuality
with a splendid collection of works by the Old of James Stuart and the Earl of Warwick. In the
Masters. portrait of the Doge, the colour of the shadows is
For twenty-five years—it seems almost an incredi- dark and heavy, while in that of James Stuart the
ble time—the wealth of Old Masters in this country colour is particularly fair and tender ; there is
has stood a steady drain upon its resources. This a comparative thinness in the portrait of the
twenty-fifth exhibition is not only of undiminished Earl of Warwick, but all three pictures bear mark
interest, but seems to wear on its face a promise for that they have had about them a sure and capable
the future. Much gratitude is due to the owners hand. Lord Hillingdon has lent two very fine
of beautiful treasures for the graciousness which, views of Dresden, by Bernardo Bellotto; they are
through all these years, has made it possible for us perfect in scale, excellent in tone, and full of the
to become more or less intimately acquainted with charm of a deliberate and certain touch. Near by
the genius and style even of the Old Masters of one of them is a beautiful portrait of a lady by
foreign Schools, and which has illustrated, with an Angelo Bronzino, which wears a sumptuous air
amplitude almost lavish, the magnificence which with its richly patterned and bejewelled dress,
marked the maturity of the British School. One The Adoration of the Shepherds, by Leandro Bas-
need look back but a few years, remembering the sano: a superbly drawn group of The Holy Ramify,
superb examples of the work of Reynolds, Gains- by Sebastian del Piombo; a fine and delicately
borough, Romney, Turner, Crome, Constable and modelled portrait of a. Lady and Child by Cornelius
others, which they have revealed, to be assured de Vos, and the portrait of a Senator by Raphael,
that, but for these exhibitions at Burlington House, are amongst the greatest works which make the
our knowledge of the pictures produced in the past large room magnificent.
by the artists of our own land would indeed be in- There is much to satisfy those who have learned
complete. The comparative merits and character- to look in Gallery No. 2 for paintings of the Dutch
istics of the different painters have been rendered School. The Smoker, an early work, the only
more apparent, and many a debated question has example by Gerard Terburg, gives little promise of
been settled by the juxtaposition of masterpieces the marvellous completeness of colour transition
which, without these annual collections, would have and perfect art which the exhibits of past years
remained practically unknown to us. prove him to have attained. Of the five examples
There is much to be learned and many an im- of the work of Jan Steen, The Violin, lent by the
mature judgment to be modified by the study of Queen from Buckingham Palace ; A Butch Ramify
such distinguished works. For my own part, I Merry-making, lent by the Corporation of Glasgow ;
have time after time enjoyed the conviction that and Saying Grace, which belongs to Mr. Charles
the fascinations of some of the pictures of the Morrison, are amongst the master's most successful
British School remain undiminished in the com- works. There are two pictures by Peter de Hooghe,
pany of works by . the great masters of other both of them very fine ones. An Lnterior (No. 78)
Schools, and this conviction is in no degree is imbued with those qualities of light which make
lessened by regarding the superb portrait of Mrs. his work remarkable ; but the Garden Scene, lent
Robinson (139), which Lady Wallace has now lent by Mr. John Walter, is of exceptional excellence,
to swell the glory of Gainsborough's fame. In In the trim garden, between dense and well-clipped
charm of arrangement, in perfect proportion of hedgerows, flooded with the strong light of a
every quality that makes a painting great, this bright summer afternoon, some very gaily dressed
seems to excel. The animation, the delicate taste ladies and gentlemen are engaged in a game of
in selection, the fulness of the colour passages, the ninepins. The painting is of great good quality,
subtle drawing, are crowned by a wanton ease in elaborate in realisation of detail, yet broad in
the expression of their completeness, that has left effect, but to my thinking some of the figures,
upon the lips a smile which must change with the wonderful as they are in themselves, do not quite
next breath about to tremble through the miracle fit with the rest of the picture ; they seem a little
of dainty dress. Turner is represented by The too much to insist on their own importance, and
Wreck of the Minotaur, by his picture of Van to lack somewhat their proper share of the at-
Tromp's Shallop at the Entrance of the Scheldt— mosphere which invests their surroundings. The
fair and fresh as the breezes that blow through it— Hurdy-gurdy Player, by Adrian Van Ostade, is a
179