with emerald green riband. Six rows of this riband, starting at the centre of the cap, radiate in all directions to the edge, equidistant from each other. Over the ears, and thence to the back of the head, are a mass of puffings of the same riband appearing from under the cap. Long brides of the same, but wider than the rest, depend from each side. Pardessus and underskirt of jaconet, with designs in pink. Both are trimmed with wide flounces, very full, gathered and finished with headings of quilling:-the quilling on the pardessus borders also the opening in front and the revers of the corsage. The pardessus is cut to the form, but fits loosely. Sleeves demi-long; undersleeves puffing and drawn together by a tight band at the wrist. The underskirt, being destitute of corsage, is mounted upon a belt or waistband. FIGURE 3. Costume of a Little Boy of 9 or 12 years.-Hat of black felt, round crown. Jacket of maroon-coloured cloth. White vest with gilt buttons. Pants of light green cloth, plaited at the top. Slippers. Fancy stockings. FIGURE 4. Costume for a Little Girl of 3 or 4 years.-Frock of percale embroidered apron-like in front of the skirt and corsage à l'Anglaise. This embroidery is narrow at the waist, and widens gradually above and below. Pardessus of rose-coloured taffetas ornamented with two narrow volants of taffetas découpé. Slippers with gaiters. Pantalets short and edged with embroidery Anglaise. FIGURE 5. Walking Dress.-Drawn bonnet of white crape, trimmed over the face with four volants of riband, and both above and under the face at the sides, with tufts of flowers and foliage of delicate texture. Shawl of black lace de laine, bordered at the lower edge with a very wide festonnées around the neck, trimmed with narrow lace volant of the same material. Robe of blue taffetas of very light shade. Corsage high and tight; sleeves demi-long, wide at the bottom; undersleeves consisting of two wide volants of white lace; gloves yellow. The upper edge of the corsage is trimmed with notched à revers. The main trimming, both on the skirt and the corsage, is composed of rows of narrow volants cut out in figures, and festooned pink dents. The volants are arranged thus upon the skirt:-four rows without intervals pass around at a short distance from the bottom; then a wide interval; then again four rows; then another interval; and, finally, four more rows. Those on the corsage are arranged en V from the waist to the shoulder. All are sewed on in waves, or rather in zigzags, for the corners are sharp. FIGURE 6. Toilette of a Young Communicant.-We give this figure more as a matter of variety, and on account of the perfect combination which it presents of beauty and simplicity, than from any idea of its being of much practical utility in this country. It is indeed one of the neatest and prettiest costumes we have met with for a FIG. 6. TOILETTE OF A YOUNG COMMUNICANT. following their turnings; it is gathered at the bottom and at the shoulders. But the principal trimming of the corsage is a double revers put on in a V, and flat, except at the shoulders, where they are slightly gathered. These revers extend to the back, taking there somewhat of a berthe-like form. Belt of taffetas and tied in front. Jupe full and trimmed five flounces or rather double folds of the muslin. Sleeves demi-short entonnoirs (funnel-shaped), narrow at the top and wide below. Undersleeves composed of large puffing of tulle, terminating at the wrist in a tight band. GENERAL REMARKS. The light materials most in vogue for toilettes de ville are barège, grenadines, and chiné silks. Such, however, is the rage for the latter, that the others are worn by comparatively few. The prevalence of dresses made of taffetas chiné is very remarkable. Of these last some are robes, trimmed round the skirt volants découpes, and others redingotes, trimmed in front with volants of narrow riband. Their corsages are open and ornamented on each side with three little volants, the first passing entirely round the neck, and the other two terminating at the shoulder seam. The sleeves are bordered with a heading and volants découpés. Very elegant robes are made also of brillantine, a cotton stuff with white ground and rather large bouquets perses: the foreparts bordered with a garland of flowers. With this pegnoir there ought to be joined a pardessus demi-tight, and with a similar garland. This dress is intended principally for the country. The flounces on chiné silks are always of the same material and very broad. Speaking of this variety of decoration, it may be proper to state that flounces are the prevailing trimming, in fact, they may be said to be universally in favour even for materials with which they have generally been considered inconsistent. If the material be thick and rich, the flounces are wide and few, sometimes extremely wide and only two in number, but when the stuff is light, they are made very narrow and very numerous. When dresses are of barège, the volants are of the same material and are supported by narrow ruches of riband, which have a very pleasing effect. In those made of grenadines, the flounces are festooned with rows of gauze riband, thus satisfying the idea of lightness. The prevailing colours are altogether light ones, such as morning and evening primrose, lilac of various shades, greens from faint to deep, violets, pale pink shot with silver gray, chinés with white grounds and pink designs, &c. One of the stuffs most in vogue in Paris at the latest accounts, called taffetas perse, is so entirely covered with flowers that it is difficult to distinguish the colour of the ground. Robes of this material are trimmed with two broad volants of the same, terminated at the top by a narrow ruche of riband of various shades, repeating all the prominent colours of the robe. At this season of the year parasols become a necessary appendage to a lady's out-of-door toilette. The most fashionable are decidedly those called marquises, made of white, pink, or green moire, and trimmed with a very broad fringe or deep lace, corresponding in colour to the material. In the furor for taffetas chiné, many parasols have been made of it, but they do not meet with favour, those we have mentioned being preferred. Drawn bonnets are made of every description of light textures, sometimes intermixed with riband, and sometimes with bands of fancy straw. Many are formed of wide straw and riband either of gauze or silk and slightly fulled. The riband forms the edge of the bonnet, and then alternates with the straw. The crown is ornamented with two noeuds of the same, or with flowers corresponding in colour with the riband. The curtain or cape of the bonnet is very deep, and formed, as it is, with alternate bands of straw and riband. Flowers are even more fashionable than ever for ornamenting bonnets. They are placed both on the interior and exterior, those within Robe of white muslin. The corsage is high, with dents being generally the same as those without. A. B. C. long time. Hair in short bandeaux. Small round cap trimmed with three rows of lace, gathered. This cap is tied under the chin with narrow taffetas ribands. Large veil of transparent muslin, edged with dents festonnées. The veil envelopes the back part of the head, and is attached on each side to the cap by means of a chou of white taffetas riband. (A chou is a large round cluster of riband, so called from its supposed resemblance to a cabbage.) EDITORIAL. ART NOTICES. they have lately erected, that for perfect adaptation to the purposes intended, have been hitherto unequalled. The opportunities of the Philadelphia artists have been nearly as good, but their imbecility as a body, and want of esprit de corps seem to render their case hopeless. In what manner it operates thus injuriously, will be shown at a more suitable time; for the present, we will pass at once to the continuation of our rapid survey of the works, noticing a portion only of the most deserving. The large number of objects, and the circumscribed space left us, forbid a more extended review. We left off at near the opening of the Northeast Gallery, and now proceed with Owned No. 92. Sea-shore. Painted by Thomas Birch. by A. H. Briscoe. It is matter of regret that there should be so little by Birch in the present exhibition; and this is one of the earlier productions of his pencil, which are now beginning to be a good deal sought after, as they deserve to be; for they possess the truthfulness of his later and present styles united, with a vigour and masterly decision EXHIBITION OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS. of handling, that is not often observable in his more care (Continued from the July number.) THE present collection is one that would be creditable to any city whatever, of the size and population of Philadelphia. It must be acknowledged that very many of the pictures recently added, are late contributions from Europe, induced through the policy lately adopted by the directors, expressly to promote that result. On the other hand, it is equally true that the collection is unusually bare of the works of resident and native artists, who, justly indignant at the (to them) injurious action of the management, have, with few exceptions, purposely kept aloof. With respect to the general merit of this exhibition compared with those previously held, it is generally conceded to be the best; but it is difficult to endorse this conclusion while we have remembrance of such land scapes as that by Jutsum, in last year's gallery, or such marine as that by Achenback; and in Sculpture, in addition to the best of what we have now there, were Thorwaldsen's Eve, and the Four Seasons, by Brown, of New York; and, in the preceding exhibition, it should not be forgotten, that the late Mr. Carey's superb collection was included, entire; with those fine landscapes by Ellsasser, Pine, &c.; and in history, or domestic subjects, the works of Huntingdon, Leutze, Inman, and others. On a future occasion, we have much to say of the existing institutions for fostering the fine arts, or promoting a love of them throughout the mass of the people. The Academy performs this office, so far as the influence of yearly exhibitions extends, but no further; apart from this necessarily good effect on the public, the whole tendency of the institution, as conducted, is regarded by the artists, with few exceptions, as decidedly detrimental to the interests of the profession. The Athenæum in Boston exercises a similar depressing influence there, and for aught that their exhibition shows to the contrary, a stranger might reasonably infer that there was not a living resident artist in that city. The artists of New York happily rid themselves from this thraldom of insolent corporate patronage more than twenty years ago, and now occupy an enviable and commanding position, having established, from means of their own creation, the only real Academy of the Fine Arts in the western hemisphere, and possessing a range of eight galleries, which ful and patient practice now. No. 91. Don Quixote in his Study. Painted by Lohroter. H. Paul Beck, proprietor. This is a pretty good picture; but has a dull, heavy, snuff-coloured hue, from the want of a little blue somewhere, and of a stronger and purer light in a small portion of the work. No. 99. A Farmer Whetting his Scythe. Painted by W. S. Mount. By no means equal to what Mr. Mount was accustomed to exhibit in years back; indeed, the best things Mr. Mount has painted, are those earlier works of his, which created such an interest about fifteen years since. No. 95. Portrait of a Gentleman. Painted by D. Huntingdon. Mrs. Harmstead, possessor. A capitally painted head; and, although in quite a low tone, it is warm and fresh from the relief which the peculiar colour of the background affords to the flesh tints. No. 105. The Recovery. Painted by Carl Hübner. The general arrangement of the painting is good, and the painting is in a firm, bold style, while true as an imitation of objects, resulting from the excellent practice o copying directly from nature. Although not equal to the work by this artist in the next room, already noticed, it required more knowledge and skill in its execution. The principal figure of the group-the invalid-is very luminous, both in light and colour; and, to enhance it as much as possible, Hübner has on one side brought down the cool colour of the background by means of the slatecoloured dress of the lady standing, while on the other side, the dark of the background is in like manner brought down, and focused as it were, in the still stronger dark of the dress of the physician feeling the girl's pulse. No. 110. A View looking southwest from Nemi, Italy, with the Lake of Nemi, Town of Gengarno, and Mediterranean Sea in the distance. Painted by J. F. Cropsey. Although a very fine landscape, by no means equal to several we have seen by this artist. An imitator of Cole, he yet bids fair to surpass his prototype. The sky is superbly painted, as well as are also many portions of the landscape itself; but the picture wants atmosphere, which is far too transparent even for the translucent skies of Italy. Cropsey is yet a very young man, but is unquestionably entitled to a place in the very foremost rank of American landscape painters. No. 113. Murray's Defence of Toleration. Painted by Peter F. Rothermel. This is a glorious picture; the scene is thus described by Sir Walter Scott, in his History of Scotland: "But when, on the Sunday after Mary's landing, preparations were made to say mass in the royal chapel, the reformers said to each other, 'Shall that idol, the mass, again take place within this kingdom? It shall not!' The young master of Lindsay, showing in youth the fierceness of spirit which animated him in after life, called out in the courtyard of the royal palace, that the idolatrous priest should die the death according to God's law. The prior of St. Andrew's (afterwards Earl Murray), with great difficulty, appeased the tumult and protected the priests, whose blood would otherwise have been mingled with their sacrifice." Every portion of the canvass is crowded full of matter, and yet such is the skill displayed in the grouping of the figures, and the masterly distribution of light and shade, that there is no confusion. The composition embraces at once the ceremony proceed ing within the chapel, and the excited conflict outside. This is decidedly the best picture that Rothermel has yet executed. In the foreground group he appears to have expended the whole force of his palette. The red dress on the left of the picture has all the intense depth and brilliancy of stained glass, and yet the harmony is perfect. The figure of Murray, especially, attracts the attention as an exquisite piece of fine painting. The artist has introduced incidentally a piece of cutting satire, in good keeping with the main subject. To the right of the picture, shrinking into a corner of the rich carvings of the church, sits a poverty-stricken woman with her child, the haggard and famished looks of the half-clad mother, appealing in vain to the zealots about her, disregarded amidst the fierce conflict of sectarian strife. Then, as now, we see Churchianity oblivious of Christianity, and the first essentials of the truly Christian character utterly displaced by their opposites. No. 119. Landscape. Painted by F. Brenhaus de Groot. With much that is admirable, this landscape can scarcely be regarded as a successful effort of the artist, supposing him to be the same who painted the excellent marine "When the bull of condemnation arrived in Germany, it found a whole nation in a state of ebullition. Luther, on the 10th of December, 1520, publicly burnt the Pope's anathema, amid the exulting shouts of the people; and, on the same day, wrote to Spalatin: "This day, the 10th of December, in the year of our Lord, 1520, at nine o'clock in the morning, were burnt at Wittemburg, at the east gate, opposite the Church of the Holy Cross, all the Pope's books, the rescripts, the decretals of Clement the VI., the extravagants, the new bull of Leo X., the Somna Angelica, the Crysophasus of Eck, and some other produc tions of his, and of Esmer's. This is something new, I wot."" This picture (which illustrates the above passage from Michelet's "Life of Luther") and Rothermel's "Defence of Toleration," are, perhaps, the most meritorious works (of the new collection) in the exhibition. Both are noble subjects, and worthily treated. Not that Mastersteig's painting is to be compared with Rothermel's, either for colour, delicacy, or freedom of execution; but it possesses solid merits in general construction, varied and agreeable interlocking of groups, and dramatic arrangement of the action, altogether displaying great knowledge of the art. The figures are too much matted together, and of one tone of colour; and there are too many repetitions of heads studied from the same model. No. 130. Infantile Caresses. Painted by C. L. Müller. In the possession of Goupil, Vibert & Co. A capital picture, by the author of the "Liberty," in last year's exhibition. The light and shade is broad and effective, and the execution bold, but the drawing loose and careless. It probably makes no pretensions to be more than a mere sketch. There is a piquant grace and arch expression about the child that is worthy of Correggio. No. 137. A Lady at Toilet. Painted by H. Rigaud. In the possession of J. L. Claghorn. A remarkably truthful study from common-place nature, mellowed into harmo nious unity of tone by the effects of time. The right arm and hand are certainly very beautiful. No. 142. Convalescence. Painted by Waldmuller. Gou piece (No. 51) already noticed. The sky is beautifully pil, Vibert & Co., proprietors. If Waldmuller's reputation painted, but in the trees, with the exception of the more distant ones, there is a tendency to that hardness of manner so frequently observable in German pictures; had not been already established here by the exhibition last season of his picture of the "School Letting Out," there is little probability that it would be accomplished besides, the general effect of a picture is almost invariably by this, and it is rather a hopeful sign of an improving sacrificed when the attention of the artist is so much devoted to microscopic details. Take, for instance, the centre group of trees in the work now under consideration; supposing the rule to be true, that the main trunk of a tree near the ground should be equal in bulk to the united thickness of all the other branches, then how much too small is the lower part of the principal tree to sustain the superincumbent weight of the branches above. We remember to have seen a good picture, in which there were six toes on one foot, all painted with excessive elaboration. This results from turning the art into a dead drudgery, through mechanical elaboration of subordinate parts. Unfortunately the style is one that always has delighted, and always will delight those who have only a smattering of knowledge in art. The piece would have been much better, had the foreground been painted in a more decided and vigorous manner. No. 126. Rural Scene, with figures and cattle. Painted by V. D. S. Bakhuyzen. In the possession of H. Townsend. A very admirable picture, as all of that artist's are; but to see one of them is to see all; it is difficult to persuade one's self that this identical work has not been exhibited here the last two preceding seasons. It is still the same thing over and over again, only transposed. The cluster of vegetation in the corner to the right, is most beautifully painted; and so are the trees to the left. The cattle, though well, are not quite equal to those in his former picture seen here. No. 132. Luther Burning the Pope's Bull. Painted by Marstersteig. In the possession of Goupil, Vibert & Co. taste in the community that the "Convalescence" has attracted so little attention. His chief excellence appears to consist in ability to delineate children, for there is in this work a group of two little girls, remarkably picturesque and beautiful in action and general design, and every way worthy of comparison with the best parts of the "School," but in all else it is false and commonplace, except in the face of the old man, which, upturned towards the sky, is finely expressive of thankfulness at the restored liberty to again breathe the fresh air out of doors. In other respects his figure is very ill-drawn,-the lines of form being quite inconsistent with the action intended to be represented. The imitation of the texture and appearance of a stuff called velveteen, of which a portion of his dress is composed, is inimitable, but unfortunately everything besides is made to have precisely the same texture, whether flesh, herbage, masonry, or whatever else. But there is a tree that bears strong resemblance to what would be the appearance of iron wire bent into a poor imitation of branches. The minute, elaborate smoothness of manner of this artist is apt to be very popular, especially with the multitude, who mistake mere smoothness for high finish, than which there never was a greater error, for instances enough exist of execution, apparently the roughest, being combined with the most admirable finish and truthfulness of representation, and as many of smooth painting, that are vague, vapid, and empty. No. 147. Portrait of a Boy. Painted by S. B. Waugh. In the possession of William Dulty. A masterly and beautiful specimen of portraiture, probably the best in the exhibition. Picturesque and bold in the attitude and design, forcible in its contrasts of light and shadow, and finished with a tenderness and delicacy of touch that will render it as popular with the million as with the critical. No. 145. Palermo. Painted by Paul Weber. William Dully, proprietor. The best painted as well as the most agreeable portion of this picture is the centre of the lower part, including the woman and child, together with the small tree with the sun shining through the foliage; the sky and distance is inclined to be heavy, and wanting in those delicate pearly hues so charming in nature, and so necessary to produce an agreeable effect in the distances of a landscape. No. 149. Summer Evening on the border of a Lake. Painted by Idelphonse Stocquart. The sky of this picture is excessively disagreeable, but much of the landscape is brilliantly and forcibly painted, and glows with a rich, warm, sunny light;-it is wrought up to a very high state of finish. The three trees on the left are singularly and unfortunately parallel to each other; otherwise finely executed. No. 150. Scene in Midsummer Night's Dream. Painted by Peter F. Rothermel. Owned by C. M. Robinson. The passage of this charming play which our artist has chosen to illustrate reads thus: "Bot.-Monsieur Cobweb-good monsieur, get your weapons in your hand, and kill me a red-hipped humble bee on the top of a thistle; and, good monsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur,—and, good monsieur, have a care that the honey-bag break not; I would be loth to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior." We congratulate the proprietor of this beautiful picture on the possession of so fine a specimen of Rothermel's genius. It would make such an admirable companion to Leutze's "Poet's Dream," in the Carey collection, that it is matter of regret that the two pictures should be apart. There is a charm in the colouring of this painting that is truly fascinating, the more so, that it is in such perfect keeping with the sentiment of the poem, the dewy freshness and mellow, pearly hues of the moonlit landscape relieves while it harmonizes with the fine flesh tones of Titania's Inamorata. Puck, quaint, mirthful, and mischievous, sits on the dewy leaves of a gigantic mullen, while light and graceful sylphs float zephyr-like amidst the hanging branches. No. 155 is another fine example of Hamilton. To describe its characteristics would be only to repeat what has been before said of this artist, but the picture is too good to pass altogether unnoticed. Mr. Thomas A. Andrews is the owner. No. 164. The Horse Market. By H. Bürkel. This picture fully confirms the criticism on No 68; it is a mere imitation of Wouverman's. No. 160. Portrait of a Lady. By J. R. Lambdin. E. F. Dennison, proprietor. Decidedly the best picture by this artist that we have ever seen. No. 167. A Storm Rising. Painted by H. Bürkel. A good general effect; painted with a free oily facility of touch. The foreground has even more than the usual German hardness and formality of manner. The water is opaque, the tufts of grass bear a striking resemblance to tied bundles of asparagus, while the rocks, placed with careless care, are singularly uniform in size and shape. No. 163. View of the Highlands-Entrance to the Bay of New York, taken from Long Island Shore; painted by G. W. Bonfield, in the possession of S. Wright. Is the best by this artist in the exhibition, and has the advantage of appearing more than usually like a natural scene. The water, as it breaks on the beach, is very truthfully depicted. The rain-cloud introduced might have been made available as a means of powerful effect, without being less natural, had it been treated with less timidity. No. 166. The Village School. Painted by H. J. Boddington. H. Paul Beck, possessor. A beautiful study from one of those sweet, sequestered little nooks, that Boddington loves to paint. This is far from being one of his best; it is truthful, but wants brilliancy. No. 171. Portrait of a Lady. By T. Sully. Dr. Krecker, proprietor. It is surprising how much beauty of colour, variety, and strength of light and shade, and graceful elegance of position, Sully contrives to assemble on these small head canvasses. By running off the lines in the vignette-manner, he avoids the appearances of a large picture cut down, which would otherwise be the case, unless the form is oval. No. 177. Full-length Portrait of a Lady. Painted by S. B. Waugh. Mrs. Captain Page, proprietor. We greatly miss Waugh's attractive fancy pieces from the walls of the gallery this season. The painting of the figure in this picture is excellent; but the riding-habit is a costume unfavourable for the display of a graceful form, owing, in part, to the excessive amplitude of the lower portion of the drapery, concealing the position of the feet. The North Gallery is entirely occupied with what may be regarded as the stock pictures of the Academy, which, although among the best in the collection, are so well known, and have been so frequently noticed already, as to need no farther comment. In the Northwest, or Statue Gallery, the only thing new worthy of mention, is the small marble statue of Autumn, in the possession of John A. Brown; it is one of a series representing the four seasons, by Ernol Wolff, said to be portraits of Queen Victoria's children. This figure is crowned with ivy, and leans against a tree, round which is entwined a vine loaded with grapes. He holds in one hand a cup, which he appears to have filled from a vase grasped by the other. The style is less classic than the works of Steinhauser, in the same apartment, but more full and flowing in outline. "The Hero and Leander," and the "Psyche," have each already formed the subject of an article in this magazine. The two fine statues of the Bacchante, by Cerrachi, and the Castings of the Gate of the Baptistry at Florence, by Lorenzo Ghiberti (which latter, from their beauty, Michael Angelo declared were worthy to be the gates of Paradise), need no additional notice. The last of the galleries, exclusive of the Rotunda, is the southeast; in which are assembled, besides those old pictures called masters, "great old masters," (a portion of which are, as pictures, intrinsically worthless), we have West's Christ Healing the Sick in the Temple, The Anaconda attacking a Man and Horse, by Ward (which, by the way, is one of the very finest pictures in Philadelphia), and a few others noteworthy, but that have been here some time. On each side of the north door is a new picture; one, a view of Dresden, by E. Koster, tolerable, but tame; the other, a view from the Crow's Nest, North River; a well painted landscape, by Weber. In the southeast corner of the gallery, a situation far too obscure for so fine a picture, hangs "The Death of Abel," by Ed. Du Jardin. It is divided into three compartments; the centre, which is the largest, and contains the main subject, represents "Adam and Eve finding the inanimate body of Abel;" while on the left hand division, an angel conducts the soul of Abel to the abodes of the Just, and in the other we see depicted Cain in the power of Satan, in consequence of his crime. These paintings, composed almost wholly of nude figures, display consummate skill in the drawing of the human form, and matured knowledge of design and composition. The painting of Abel, in the |
