The English school was the latest national school that arose in Europe, for although the modern schools of Germany and Belgium are of call later date, having arisen in the present century, still they can scarcely be classed as new schools, but rather as revivals of former national schools. In England, as in France, foreign artists chiefly were in early times employed by the court and the nobles. Henry VIII. competed with Francis I. for the services of the greatest of the Italian artists, and permanently secured those of Hans Bothell], one of the most distinguished of those of Germany. Charles 1. liber ally patronized Rubens and Van Dyck; and if he had reigned longer,would in all proba bility, like Louis XIV., have founded a national school. But referring to the separate notices in this work of the foreign artists under their names respectively who Were employed in this country, and to the article .1IrmArttnE PAINTING for notice of several eminent native artists in that hranch of art, it is only necessary here to touch on the subject of painting in this country from the time it acquired a truly national At the beginning of the 18th c., art iu Britain was at the lowest ebb; the career of sir Godfrey Kneller (q.v.) (1(;48-1725 or 1726), the last of the foreigners, was drawing to a close; sir James Thornhill (1676-1734), an Englishman, followed out the decorative kind of art on which Vcrrio, La Guerre, and others were so much employed; but after his death, that debased style finally went down. The time had now arrived for native art ists, if there were any entitled to the name, to assert their independence; and accour ingly, in 1734-35, as many as from thirty to forty artists combined together in Lot.s'.on, and instituted an academy for studying the human figure. About the same time a simi lar movement was going on in Edinburgh; the contract or indenture for establishing a school of art, dated Oct. 18,1729, and signed by 17 artists, besides amateurs, is in the possession of the royal Scottish academy. The effort above referred to, of artists com bining to found a life academy, was mainly due to William Hoga•th (1697-1764), who, on this account, and from his first having developed, in a very high degree of excellence in his works, the leading characteristics of the English school, is justly entitled to be considered its founder. This combination led to these important results—it showed the artists their strength, and enabled them, after a probation of 34 years, to found the royal academy, an institution managed by artists, and intended to support and encourage a national school of art. The means by which the royal academy proposed to attain its purpose were the following,: 1, by founding a school where artists may learn tin it pro fession; and 2, by instituting an exhibition where, independently of private patronage and support, artists may bring their works directly before the public. Hogarth died four years before the royal academy was organized; but he powerfully contributed to its establishment by his exertions in bringing the artists together in 1734. by supportirg the modern exhibitions at Spying gardens, and by ridiculing by his pencil and pen the passion of the cognoscenti of the day for crying up as superior to the modern the doubt ful specimens of 'old art which were largely imported and disposed of at great prices in numerous salerooms established for the purpose in London. As regards technical exe cution,. and indeed in style generally, the English artists were at first indebted to the French school,which, in the commencement of the 18th c., was in great vigor. Hogarth himself, in these respects, looked closely at the works of Watteau, engravings from which were well known in this country in his time; indeed, Watteau's pictures were so greatly admired here that he came over and spent the year 1720 painting in London. But Hogarth, though alive to the qualities in art produced by others, ranks among painters as one of the most original, for he greatly extended the dramatic element in painting, and imparted an originality and vigor to it never before attained; and his example has led to that clement being one of the leading features of the English school, as ig exemplified in the works of Wilkie (q.v.), Leslie (q.v.), Stuart Newton, Bonington, and others; and those of many distinguished artists of the present day. In the depart ment of portrait-painting, many of the works of the British school rank with those of Titian, Van Dyck, and Velasquez, such, for instance, as Reynolds's portraits of Nelly O'Brien and lady Hamilton, Gainsborongh's Mrs. Graham and Mrs. Siddons, and some of Raebnrn's heads. etc. While in that of landscape, the position of the English school is acknowledged to be very high, its influence now strongly affecting the French school—this is proved by the works of R. Wilson, Gainsborough (q.v.), and Turner (q.v.), the last of whom, for wide range of subject, and rendering of atmospheric effect, stands alone; Constable, whose powdrful.grasp of nature has excited the emulation of the French artists; Calcott (q.v.), Collins (q.v.), Nasmyth, J. Thomson, Muller, and others; and their successors, the artists of the day, who ably represent the Englisn school. Animal-painting has also been elevated to a high position. And an important department, that of painting in water-colors, originated in England, and has there attained far higher excellence than in any other country.
Painting is cultivated with success and receives much encouragement in America, but there the features that mark a national school have not yet had time for develop ment. From the close connection between Britain and America, the art of the latter
country was naturally influenced by and became assimilated to that of the former. America may. however, justly take credit for having contributed in no small degree to strengthen the British school of art, as several very able members of the royal academy were Americans. Benjamin West (1738-1820) was one of the original members, and elected president of the royal academy in 1800. J. S. Copeley (1737-1815), elected B.A. in 1799; his "Death of Chatham," and "Defense of St. Defiers, Jersey, against the French, and Death of Major Pierson at the moment of excellent works, and as such were conserved in the national gallery, London. C. R. Leslie (1794-1859) was born in London of American parents; but in 1799 went to Philadelphia, where he was educateq. Returning to London in 1811, he entered the schools of the royal acad emy; was elected academician in 1826, and professor of painting in 1848. G. S. Newton (1794-1835)—he was admitted a student of the royal academy in 1821, and elected academician in 1832. Washington Allston (1780-1843) was elected an associate in 1818; but afterwards returned to America, where he died. With the exception of the last named, the feeling evinced in the works of all these artists, influenced by study and continued residence, was essentially English; indeed few have equaled Leslie and Nbw ton in their power of embodying the various incidents made national by English poets; and in none of their works can anything be set down as contributing in any degree to the foundation of a national American school. There is every reason to think, however, that such a school is being gradually evolved, and will soon be developed. Already something- like originality of a national kind is exhibited in landscape painting, in which some American artists are endeavoring to embody scenes embracing a vast extent of country. or of extraordinary magnitude—such as those met with in the Andes, at Niagara, or exhibited by floating icebergs; and American literature, having now assumed imposing proportions, and great historical events having recently taken place, illustra tions of American poetry and pictures of stirring national events will be called forth; and able American artists will doubtless be found to embody them and create a school truly national.
A general survey of painting at the present time exhibits the following aspect and arrangement: 1. 'A school in Germany, which arose during the present century, osten sibly a revival of the old national, but truly modeled on the early Italian school. the religious element being prominent. Its principal works are mural, of large dimension, and mostly executed in fresco, or on a kind of fresco lately invented, called silica or water-glass painting, from a vehicle of that kind being used. Invention, composition, grouping, and powerful and correct drawing, characterize the modern German works; but being of necessity executed from cartoons, they are deficient in that amount of individual expression, and natural color and effect, that can only be attained by a direct and continued reference to the object represented. 2. A Belgian school, which arose in the present century, and is also a revival of the earlier national schools. Some of the Belgian artists lean to the manner of the very early Flemish school, others to that of which Rubens was the head. The greater portion of the Belgian works are easel-pic tures, and many of them rank high for individual expression, color, and technical exe cution. 3. A French school, exhibiting in active operation time various styles that hav'e at different periods prevailed in that country, sometimes modified or adapted to the taste and feeling of the times. The works of the French school of the 18th c. were utterly condemned by French artists at the close of that and commencement of the present century. They would tolerate notking but what they called classic art. L'Ecote elas sique, as it was styled, was in its turn supplanted by l'Exole roma atique. Now, however, all styles are toleratcd,'eveu those of foreign schools—for instance, the English school of landscape—and there can be no doubt that, by the extensive range of subject, invention, drawing, and other high qualities the French artists display in their work', they have now raised that school to a very high position. 4. A British school, which has been in existence as a national school nearly as long as that of France, undisturbed by the con vulsions that affected it. Vitality in art is maintained by close reference to nature, and this has all along been the leading characteristic of the English school; while the ten dency of the artists at present is, taking advantage of the aid of science, which has lately discovered photography, to study nature with still greater earnestness and care. The high claims of the British school, long denied abroad, are now fully admitted. For merly, foreigners never classed a British school among those of Europe, but now this is invariably done. One of the most popular writers on art in France, The:online Gautier, in his work, Les en Europe, divides the art of the world into four strongly defined zones—viz., Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, and France—Britain being dis tinguished by " individuality," a potent element in art; Belgium, by "skill "; Germany, by "ideality"; and France, by " eclectieism,"or a selection and combination of the quali ties of all other schools.