Few masters have been more eulogised than Sir Joshua Reynolds, and perhaps to his prejudice ; as merit which is n of the most pre-eminent stamp is often more injured by too much being said of it than too little. The works of Sir Joshua were, like his "Discourses," in the purest taste ; mild, correct, and elegant, but without of transcendent genius, that irresistablc vigour of talent, which stunts io;:h in every trait or men as Michael Angelo, Raphael, and others, whose merits we have already discussed. In Sir Joshua the fire of originality is subdued under the habitual influence of the soothing and bland temper of the man. It is, never theless, to his elegant mind and pure taste that the English school owes whatever is creditable in the modern practice of history and portrait painting ; in so far as he was the first to extricate the art from the trammels of a dry and artificial meagreness of manner, which his predecessors sought to trick out with affectation.
The excellence of Sir Joshua was more conspicuous in portrait than in history, which is, in itself, a sufficient com mentary on his genius ; as implying little vigour of inven tion or force of drawing. His colour was soft and fleshy, but thin, without the mellow and downy roundness of Van dyck or the Venetian painters. His attitudes have an air of posture-making, which is neither agreeable nor easy, and, of course, not graceful. This, however, is princi pally observable in his fancy pieces, as many of the por traits are remarkable for a happy expression of character and truth. There is a tone of accomplished manners, congenial to the elegant mind of the painter ; every thing breathes the gentleman in the works of Sir Joshua. His portraits of men are superior to his women, who general ly look as if acting a part, with a degree of affectation and languishing insipidity that is very far from feminine grace. His pictures of children are, in general, quite infantine and lovely ; and, indeed, the undefined airy character of Sir Joshua's painting is remarkably suited to the round plump form of infancy. But still there is the same want of finishing, which is the besetting sin of the British school, and which, however excellent in other respects the por traits of Reynolds may be, would forbid their being admit ted into comparison with those of Titian,or the other great masters. And still less could we adventure such a paral lel in subjects of history. Whatever the reason may be we leave others to decide ; but candour must admit, that in subjects of serious history, Britain has never yet pro duced an artist of any general celebrity.
In the familiar subjects of domestic life there are artists of the present day who tread very close on the heels of the eminent masters of Holland, as our countryman Wilkie, and some others; but still, in the loftier walks of art, in the epic of painting, we feel that we must be silent.
Landscape Painting.
The basis on which the British school is best entitled to rest its fame, is that of Landscape, in which several of our modern artists have, of late years, attained a degree of excellence highly creditable to the country. Of these, Wilson painted in the style of Claude de Lorraine with great success ; the works of Smith were admired ; and Gainsborough surpassed in fancy pieces of cottage scenery and rustic figures.
We might record, among the landscape painters of the present day, many names of deserved reputation, but we willingly refrain from making any comments on the works of existing artists, until the concurrence of puhlic opinion has sufficiently confirmed their rank, and given a sanction to the estimation which each is entitled to hold. The his
tory of the art sufficiently demonstrates the erroneous im pressions that generally' prevail respecting the merits of existing artists. It is not long since the insipid works of •,• Battoni excited such admiration in Rome itself, in the very seat of taste, as to make him be esteemed a second Ra phael : Mengs was extolled with equal extravagant --) though they have both now found their level the error ha. INeen ,..- emoting, we know that many of the first geniuses lived in neglect and misery, whose names now stand high in the list of fame.
The advance lately made in the art of landscape paint ing, makes us augur highly of its future progress. That it should have become so decidedly the prevailing taste seems a natural consequence of the circumstances of country, abounding in the fresh and luxuriant display of picturesque scenery. ‘Vhile, on the contrary, there is so little attractive to a painter's eye in the figures and dress of this country, that it is the first circumstance which strikes us with admiration, when we go to foreign coun tries, to observe the superior effect of colour and dress in the natives, with the splendour and frequency of their pa geants and shows. The habits of the British, on the con trary, present rarely any temptation for a painter to em ploy his pencil on the human form. We have little taste for the stage, and no processions; the attire of our priest hood, and all our dignitaries, is simple; and the general deportment grave and sedate. There is but one opportu nity in which a painter of this country can see the animal man, in the active display of his physical powers, and un covered; but that custom is of a very questionable charac ter. We allude to the brutal displays of pugilism, which, with all the apologies and advantages that have been pleaded in its excuse, in so far as it is a mere display of the brutal ferocity of man, undignified by mind, is a de basing spectacle; and can be acceptable alone to minds of the lowest cast. It is a mistake to suppose, that it bears any sympathy or connection with a martial spirit, or with valour. A brave soldier is a generous noble animal, as free from ferocity as from fear, capable of the highest achievements of intrepid valour, as he is incapable of the butchering ferocity of the pugilist. We doubt if such studies are ever very available to our painters, while a more inviting branch of art presents itself on every side, while nature in her most beautiful attire is spread out be fore them, fresh and verdant, unscorched by a vertical sun, and unscathed by the rigour of the severer north. Moreover, it is the beauty to which the rich are most alive; we are a gardening, country-loving, race. With what avidity do all ranks, from the nobleman to the me chanic, rush to the country, to plant their trees, and deco rate their rural abodes ! What delights in reality, must please in the imitation; and, therefore, we willingly pur chase the representation of fine scenery : It is the natural food of our eye; we have comparatively little relish for the representations of allegory or ancient fable : Subjects of sacred and national history have their attractions, but they are not of long duration; while we dwell upon the fair face of nature with increasing delight.