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Salisbury churches are examples The chief characteristic of the second order is the perfect or equilateral arch, the reign of which was from the end of the thirteenth until after the middle of the fifteenth century. To this order, York Minster, and the naves of Winchester and Canter bury cathedrals belong. The characteristic of the third order is the obtuse arch, which grew into fashion about the last-mentioned period, and lasted until the downfall of pointed Architecture itself, in the middle of the sixteenth century, overloaded with ornament and having lost its original character of majesty and awfulness. The finest specimens of this third order are the Royal Cha pels of St. George at Windsor, of King's College at Cambridge, and of Henry the Seventh at Westmins ter. From about the beginning of the reign of Edward VI. until the introduction of the pure Grecian style, a truly barbarous taste in Architecture prevailed.

Brunelleschi, born in 1377, and who, having examined and measured the ruins of Rome with ex treme diligence, discovered the orders and recognised the rules of the art, which he subsequently applied in his own works, may be regarded as the founder of modern Architec ture. · One of his greatest perform ances is the cupola of the vast cathe dral of St. Maria dei Fiore, at Florence. Bramante, following Bru nelleschi's example in the sedulous study of the remains of antiquity, restored to Architecture the taste and beauty which had been so long absent from her works. Julius 11: having formed the project of re building the basilica of St. Peter on a plan of unequalled magnificence, entrusted the execution to Bramante in 1513. Unfortunately, however, the artist did not possess the prac tice as well as the theory of his art; and the vast undertaking in question was carried on by Raphael, San Gallo, and Michael Angelo ; to whom the final design of the edifice is principally due. Architecture continued to flourish in Italy, under the great names of Vignola, Seolio Palladio, and Scamozzi; all of whom served their art by their writ ings as well as by their bulldings. The list of good Italian architects

closes with Bernini; the most emirent artist of the seventeenth contury. His contemporary, and envious rival, Boromini, was the corruptor of Architectural taste, and buried the legitimate forms of art under the most absurd and incredi ble caprices.

Pierre Lescot, who flourished in the beginning of the sixteenth cen-> tary, was the first French Architect who abandoned what was called the Gothic for the revived antique style. To the restoration of the genuine principles of Architecture, Philibert de Lorme, who lived in the same age, mainly contributed. But perhaps the greatest architectural ́genius that France ever produced was Francois Mansart, born in 1598. The Chateau de Maisons, near St. Germain, is one of his chef d'œuv res. Francois Mansart is, however, reproached with a want of stability in his ideas, which caused him to make frequent alterations in the execution of his works, and pre vented him from being employed in some of the greatest undertakings of his age. His nephew, Jules Hardouin Mansart, executed the palace of Versailles, St. Cyr, the Place and Church of the Invalids, and the other principal works of the magnificent reign of Louis XIV. The façade of the Louvre, one of the most beautiful examples of modern Architecture, was the production of Claude Perrault. The only remain ing French Architects deserving notice are Blondel, who built the ce lebrated Porte St. Denis, and Sou flot, the Architect of the Church of St. Genevieve, at Paris.

England can boast of only two illustrious names in this important branch of the fine arts. The first is that of Inigo Jones, born in 1572; the restorer of ancient Architecture in this country; and who, as he was the earliest, may also be regarded as the greatest English Ar chitect. The Hospital at Greenwich, and the Banqueting-house at Whitehall, are among the most celebrated of his works. The other name is that of Sir Christopher Wren, who has left many monuments of his talent and scientific skill, the most striking of which is the noble and venerable Cathedral of St. Paul's,

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EXHIBITION OF DRAWINGS AND ENGRAVINGS BY BRITISH ARTISTS,
SOHO SQUARE:

Tuis is the second Exhibition which the patriotism and love of art of Mr. W. B. Cooke has induced him to open to the public, at his residence in Soho-Square. Although we must admit, that the collection of Drawings and Engravings is not such as to afford a completely adequate notion of the excellence to which Drawing (or rather Watercolour Painting) and Engraving (especially the former) have attained in this country; and although we must allow that the present Exhibition is less rich in first-rate specimens of both arts than that of last year, we nevertheless consider it to be a highly interesting Exhibition, and one which every body ought to yisit, who is so fortunate as to possess taste, leisure, and a "splendid shilling,

The Collection is disposed in three rooms on the first floor. The largest, which is in front, is filled with the productions of the pencil; the two others, with those of the etchingpoint, graver, and burnisher.

We have rarely seen any exhibition in the Metropolis uniting the works of so many artists, living and dead. The number of articles in the catalogue is 452, that of painters and engravers above 160, It is obvious, that we must confine ourselves to brief notices of com paratively a few of these perform ances; and we trust that our doing so will be ascribed, not to a disposition to neglect any one, but to its sole motive, necessity. And first for "the mighty dead."

PAINTERS AND DRAUGHTSMEN.

Sir JosBUA REYNOLDS all and two drawings; and those small slight. The one "A Female," hung too high for minute observation; the other, A Peasant Girl," consisting simply of a few hasty lines, in pen and ink, on what seems the back of a pannel, but so full of taste and feeling as to be abundantly indicative of the master,

WILSON Seven first thoughts for pictures; chiefly in black and

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But port, O port shine thou a wee, And then ye'll see him!"

COZENS.-Four drawings btor of able artist, who was the inventor of what might be called fortuitous effects. It was his usage to splash paper at random with Indian ink, and then to avail himsel of the accidental compositions thereby produced, both of form and of chiaroscuro, and to work them up into picturesque beauty..

LOUTHERBOURG.-Two gross eari

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catures, improperly denominated in the catalogue" Characters."

MONRO.-Alas! poor Henry Monro! "I knew him, Horatio; he was a fellow of infinite jest, of most ex'cellent fancy." Well do we remember how his untimely death" eclipsed the gaity" of the Model Academy, at Somerset-House. As an artist, he promised highly; for he was a young man of superior powers, and had laid a broad foundation of general knowledge. The" Studies of Two Old Women"are in his favourite style of drawing ;-a pen and ink effect, on grey paper, mellowed by black chalk, and heightened with white.

BAXTER. Another young man of 'considerable talent, who found a premature grave. Unable to obtain employment in London, he was driven into the provinces, and after wandering for some years, fell a victim to anxietyand ill health. Incessant repetition had made him so dexterous in the management of watercolours, as applied to the imitation of still-life,that in an hour he could complete a drawing having the appear ance of an elaborate finish, which it must have required several days to produce. There are six pieces by him in the preseut Exhibition. Those representing "Fruit" and "Flowers" are remarkably delicate and beautiful; but his two "Drawings of the Portland Vase" are absolutely fac similes of the original. Nothing can be more exquisite in their way.

ENGRAVERS.

Among the works of eminent deceased engravers, are fine proof impressions of WOOLLETT'S "Solitude,' SHERWIN'S" Fortune Teller,” DixON'S " Ugolino," HAYWARD'S "Infant Academy," VIVARE'S "Landscapes," SCHIAVONETTI'S " Puck," &c. &c. but these are all too wellknown to justify us in dwelling upon them for a moment.

We proceed to take a rapid survey of some of the productions of living artists.

PAINTERS AND DRAUGHTSMEN.

SIR T. LAWRENCE," Female head-a Study." A delightful drawing, en profile, in black chalk, here and there warmed with red, of Ma

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dame de Sablonkoff. In common with all the accomplished President's works, it exhibits great taste, delicacy, and elegance. The details are elaborately gone into; and the execution is of a character so tender, that in less able hands it might easily have degenerated into timidity and feebleness.

J. M.W.TURNER, has contributed largely to this collection; although not so largely as last year. There are nine drawings from his masterly pencil; some of them of a very old date. We were most struck with the "Rainbow; a View on the Rhine,” and "St. Agatha's Abbey, near Rich mond in Yorkshire.” The former (a small drawing) is exquisitely finish ed; but retains all that breadth and that daring juxta-position of cold and warm hues for which Mr.Turner is so celebrated; the latter is of a larger size, and is certainly one of the most admirable specimens of the artist. The profound and extraordinary knowledge which it displays of the tones and effects of nature, seen under circumstances of peculiar beauty, strikes the spectator at first sight; and the happy facility, with which that knowledge is manifested, becomes more and more facinating the longer the drawing is contemplated. "Dover Castle," which from its place in the room appears to have been considered Mr. Turner's chef d'œuvre, is not so great a favourite of ours as either of the drawings to which we have already adverted. There is something in the effect of it, which reminds us too immediately and strongly of tapestry. It is nevertheless a gorgeous and splendid assemblage of rich colour, managed with consummate skill, and although constantly approaching never passing that line, beyond which all is meretricious glare and gaudiness.

T.STOTHARD.-The peculiar taste and powers of this amiable man and excellent artist are most successfully displayed in two of the four produc tions of his which enrich the collec tion; we mean those "From the Decameron of Boccacio." It is in such subjects that, liberated from the nes cessity of servile adherence to common and every-day nature, and allowed to indulge the suggestions of a refined and poetical imagination,

Mr.Stothard especially distinguishes himself.

L. CLENNELL.-The arts suffered much by the melancholy occurrence which withdrew Mr. Clennell from the practice of his profession. The small drawing of “A Sportsman in a Storm," is a gem. The cowering of the horseman, to avoid the blast and the shower, is most characteristically expressed; and indeed every touch in the drawing contributes to the production of one simple and consistent impression.

W. COLLINS." View on the River Brent." A drawing of great vigour and freshness. Perhaps some of the shadows are a little too black. But allowance must be made for its relative situation.

EDWIN LANDSEER.-This young artist's excellence in animal painting has been sufficiently manifested in the pictures, which he has at various times exhibited in the British Gallery and at Somerset House. Here he has two small works; the one "A Terrier's Head," full of life and spirit; the other "A Bloodbound from Nature" curiously executed, with a well-reconciled mixture of opaque and transparent colour.

W. Havell.—We were much delighted to meet with three drawings by our old friend; one of them, "Keswick Lake, Cumberland," eminently beautiful. When will he return to England? It appears to us to be a great stain upon the character of this country for good taste, that so skilful a delineator of British scenery should find it more advantageous to devote himself to portrait-painting in Calcutta.

But we must cease to be particular, and must be content with observing generally, that, among many other interesting productions, there are three or four clear and broad drawings by S. PROUT; two deep and powerful landscapes by the Rev. JOHN EAGLES; an admirable little lake-view, by J. SWINBURNE, Esq.; a sketch, replete with taste, representing "A Girl burning a Loveletter," by R. DAGLEY; a strong resemblance of Mrs. Orger, by J. JACKSON; a careful study for the old head introduced in his picture of "The Cut Finger," by D. WILKIE; some clever sketches and views, by L. FRANCIA; an exquisite little drawing Eur. Mag, Jan. 1823.

from his picture of "The Crowning of Henry VIII. and Francis I. as Victors at the Tournament of the Cloth of Gold," by J. STEPHANOFF; four very deceptive pen and ink drawings, in imitation of prints, by W. SMITH; a beautiful miniature study after one of Sir Joshua's female portraits, by G. R. WARD, &c.

ENGRAVERS.

Our limits will not permit us to enter into any detailed account of the numerous engravings by living artists. In one department of this valuable art, England may safely challenge the competition of the world; we mean in the engraving of small landscape, which has of late years rapidly approximated to perfection. Some of the most charming and incontrovertible proofs of the truth of this assertion are to be found in the present Exhibition, in the productions of W. B. COOKE, W. COOKE, jun., G. COOKE, J. C. ALLEN. F. C. LEWIS, J. BYRNE, R. WALLIS, &c. Vignette engraving has also arrived at great excellence. J. LANDSEER, C. ROLLS, and J. SCOTT have distinguished themselves in that line. The mezzotinto engravings on steel, by T. LUPTON and C. TURNER, are singularly interesting, on account both of their intrinsic merit, and of their being the earliest specimens of an invention of incalculable importance. We were much pleased and flattered to see the graphic illustrations of the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE for the last six or seven months, by J. THOMSON, (especially the "Psyche") holding a high rank among the best efforts of the stipple style of engraving.

A word of friendly advice to Mr. Cooke before we part. If, as we trust he will, he should open his rooms again next year at the same season, we strongly recommend to him to adopt some means of rendering them more comfortable. One small fire, in the centre apartment, is quite insufficient to heat the whole suite. The front room especially (in consequence, probably, of the open house-door underneath) is intolerable. We passed an hour in it, on one of the severe mornings of last month; and, notwithstanding our ardour for the Fine Arts, we were

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frozen into an icicle, which it took several basins of scalding mockturtle, administered at the nearest coffee-house, to thaw. It is true that, in the absence of more material flame, one of TURNER'S most warm and glowing works is hung over the fire-place. But who can

"wallow naked in December's
snow,

By thinking on fantastic summer's
heat?"

Taste, real or assumed, is a very luxurious quality, it can be grati

fied or exhibited only when the possessor or professor of it is at perfect ease, and in perfect comfort. As, on the day to which we have alluded, we looked around on our shivering, blue-nosed fellow sufferers, we could scarcely refrain from quoting literally the lines which MR. SHEE, in his admirable "Remonstrance of a Painter," wrote in metaphorical despondence:--

"In vain art's toiling sons their stores unfold,

Each eye is vacant, and each heart is cold!"

INTELLIGENCE RELATIVE TO THE FINE ARTS, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.

FOREIGN.

M. VERNET not having been able to procure admittance in the last exhibition of the FINE ARTS at Paris for one of his new pictures, on account of its subject, has withdrawn all his works except the Shipwreck of his Grandfather, which belonged to the establishment of the King's household, and he exhibits them at his own house.

The Encaustic Picture of Cleopatra. This picture, drawn on slate, represents Cleopatra at the time when she is bitten by the asp on her left breast. M. Luigi Micheli, to whom this etching belongs, has had it examined by the Marquis Ridolfi, a learned chemist. M. Ridolfi thinks he can recognize in it a precious monument of art anterior to the decline of painting. He even supposes it probable it belonged to Tymomacus of the school of Apelles, and whom Plutarch mentions. M. Zannoni, a well known antiquary of Florence, is of a contrary opinion, and assigns a very modern date to the work in question. He remarks, that the features bear no resemblance to those of Cleopatra on the ancient Latin and Greek medals: where she is never represented with a crown of rays, nor is the arrangement of her hair or dress, &c. similar to this picture; and that the wound produced by the is no proof. M. Zannoni cannot recognize in this, the Cleopatra of Plutarch and Dio

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nysius; but on the contrary, he finds her such as she is represented by Guido and the modern artists. As for the composition employed in this picture, he quotes the observations of the Count de Caylus, who says, that the caustic was used by the ancients on wooden tablets, and that they were not acquainted with slate; caustic being revived and introduced by the Count de Caylus since 1754, and brought to perfection by Requeno, and by Fabbrini and Parenti, both of Florence; it is his opinion that this etching belongs to one of the two latter. This picture, the subject of chemical and antiquarian researches, is now at Paris, where the question which has divided the Italians will no doubt be solved.

The celebrated series of paintings by Rubens, allegorically illustrating the reign of Henry IV. of France and Mary de Medici, which originally decorated the gallery of the palace of the Luxemburgh, is now removed to the Louvre.

Signor Artaria, of Milan, intends to publish a collection of portraits of the most celebrated living Italian composers, musical professors, and singers. The portraits will be executed by the most distinguished artists of the Academy of Fine Arts at Brera. The collection will be divided into twelve numbers, each of which will contain four portraits.

All communications relative to the FINE ARTS are requested to be sent before the 20th of the month.

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