LIFE OF SIR DAVID WILKIE. CHAPTER I. LETTERS TO ANDREW WILSON, SIR ROBERT PEEL, AND SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON. ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION OF 1829.— THE KING PURCHASES WILKIE'S FOUR SPANISH PICTURES. LETTERS FROM SIR WALTER SCOTT. WILKIE IN SCOTLAND. LONG ere Wilkie arrived once more among us, we had heard that health, with a slow and reluctant step, had begun to return to him, and that he had delineated with a true though hesitating hand some of the domestic and devotional scenes of Rome; but fear mingled with our wonder, when we were told that he had suddenly quitted Italy, traversed Spain, and was working such miracles of art in Madrid as had not been seen there since the days of Murillo and Velasquez. Nor did rumour neglect to add, that he had stepped out of the style with which he had acquired his fame, and formed or invented one which required fewer figures, less detail, but which accomplished more, with less outlay of labour, than his earlier compositions. Letters from Lord Mahon and Washington Irving intimated this, and that Wilkie was astonishing the court of Spain with visions of historic glory acquired in her fight for independence. When with these pictures, and this increase of honour, won on a new field, the painter arrived in England, the King, to whom he submitted them, was so struck with their beauty, that they were marked at once for the royal collection. Some indeed, who desired to become buyers, regretted this; others, who regarded the fame of the artist as a national matter, rejoiced in the taste of the King; while all longed to look on the first fruits of the great painter's returning health, and see how he had succeeded in the historic style in which he had dipped his brush. The day was distant, however, when these pictures could be publicly seen: time was required to consider and reconsider, touch and retouch them; and to accomplish this he had to revive his studies at Kensington. We shall now resume his history in his correspondence. TO ANDREW WILSON, ESQ. Dear Wilson, Kensington, 30th June, 1828. I have already been a week in London, but have nothing to tell you. Seguier told me the other day that he had got two pictures, bought by Mr. Peel by my express command, but I did not choose to ask Mr. S. what he thought of them. My own Vandyke looks extremely well. I have it here with the Correggio, which I have examined with great interest. The naked child, with the female heads, are delicious, and in a perfect state. I have seen the small Holy Family from Spain in the National Gallery; of course a true, but by no means a virgin, picture. It has the granular effect of rubbing all over. 1st July. To-day I saw Lord Londonderry's two Correggios. These are extensive specimens, but not virgin; indeed, I should like to know how much has been done to them. Correggio doubtless glazed and painted, and painted and glazed, in a complicated manner. Still there are things in them this will not account for. Seguier since my arrival has done me personally a real service. He brought me a message from the King, requiring to see me and my Italian studies; and the result is, that his Majesty has bought the one of The Pifferari and The Princess washing the Female Pilgrims' Feet, which I made at Geneva. I have ordered a mahogany case for the Correggio, and mean to regild the frame: as yet not a soul has seen it. Query, Is not the yellow sleeve and petticoat (a sort of crome yellow) of the brown woman, seated with the child, somewhat like a repaint? Did you look at this? The Doria one has the same kind of yellow. Your two letters about the Vandykes I have just again read. You have anticipated every thing that has occurred. At the same time, if the pictures are put properly in order, which Seguier seems to be doing, I doubt not they will make a fair impression. If The Senator is a failure, then I have no faith in any of the untouched pictures of Italy or Spain. D. W. TO THE RIGHT HON. ROBERT PEEL. My dear Sir, Kensington, 15th July, 1828. I have not seen the two half-lengths, in armour, which Mr. Wilson describes, but from his estimate of them, compared with the many Vandykes he has found at Genoa-he calls one of them "of the highest order," I think that one or both might be desirable acquisitions to your Gallery. I wrote to Mr. Wilson a few days ago, as you desired, to authorise him to secure the Bishop in the Carega, by such an advance as his judgment might direct. D. W. TO SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON, BART. Dear Sir, Kensington, 30th Aug. 1828. Permit me to inform you that the two pictures of Roman Pilgrims, which the King has done me the honour to purchase from me, are now framed, and ready to be delivered whenever his Majesty may be pleased to command. The picture which I painted at Madrid, and which his Majesty was graciously pleased to express a wish. to see upon their arrival, I am also ready to submit to his Majesty's inspection whenever I shall be honoured by the royal commands to that effect. D. W. TO SIR WILLIAM KNIGHTON, BART. My dear Sir, Woburn Abbey, 11th Sept. 1828. I have just had the honour to receive your letter of the 10th, and the royal command you therein convey to me, intimating that it is his Majesty's pleasure I should complete, for his Majesty's collection, the series of Spanish subjects "containing the three pictures I showed to you, and the fourth, which I propose to paint," has given me the most unfeigned pleasure. This undertaking, by which I feel so highly honoured, I hope to get accomplished by next Spring Exhibition. D. W. TO ANDREW WILSON, ESQ. September, 1828. I have already sold my four Italian subjects; and the four Spanish pictures, a series of illustrations of the late war, now in progress, are bespoke. I have also just finished a full-length portrait, size of life, of Lord Kellie, for the county of Fife. Still, with all this, I work slowly, and with much pain and fatigue. Callcott has written to complete the purchase of Wallis's Vandyke at the price stated. I find Vandykes here a good article: still I doubt if much business can be done, and to speculate will not do. Of the Duchess of Orleans I saw at Madrid, I find |