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panorama, when a diversity of scenery was observable, that appeared well calculated to convey a general idea of the arctic regions.

and the numerous animals that inhabit them, present a combination of objects which, from their novelty and variety, form a coup d'ail of The first sensation experienced the grandest and most picturesque by the spectator on entering this kind. The phenomenon of the icepanorama, is one of extreme sur- blink is represented in the panoraprise at the novelty of the scene, ma; but the artist has not attemptwhich his eye for the first time ed to paint the beautiful and varietraces; and he feels, as it were, a gated hues which the ice is descrisort of chilliness, a congelation of bed to shed from the reflection and the blood, at beholding the icy and refraction of the prismatic colours tempestuous regions by which he of light-an attempt which we imais surrounded. The prevalence of gine would have been as hopeless this sensation among the visitors at as to represent the meridian effulthis Exhibition, is the most uner-gence of the sun. He has, howring proof of the truth of the artist's ever, given an agreeable relief to pencil, and of the ability and fide- the colouring, by the introduction lity with which he has copied from of several of the officers and crew the original drawings, taken in the of the ships, variously occupied midst of the arctic regions by a on the ice. The ships themselves very accomplished artist. There are finely and correctly painted; is something extremely picturesque and by being placed in the act of in the way in which the parts of buffeting the ice, present a bustle this view are arranged, so as to and appearance of truth, which keep give interest and variety to the alive the interest of the scene, and prospect. Every person who has conceal the deception of art. seen even the best snow-pieces of Among the birds which are dethe Dutch masters, must feel, not-picted, there are fine specimens of withstanding their general admira- the larus glacialis, the larus arcticus, tion of the execution of the paint-alca allé and arctica, larus eburneus, er, how tiresome the uniformity of the colouring became after a short examination: not so, however, in this panorama; for though the icy seas present a bleak and cheerless prospect, yet the singular and fantastic forms which the immense floating masses of ice assume; the contrasted colour of the water; the uncommon appearance of the atmosphere; its rarefaction in some parts, and density in others; the deep yellow rays of the sun; the boldness of the rocky islands which are scattered in this high latitude,

sterna hirundo, fulmar petrel, and several other rare examples of the feathered tribe. There are also groups of polar bears, walrusses, and seals, sporting on the ice in a variety of attitudes,

This panorama, which is, we have no doubt, an accurate representation of the scenery, and state of the ships in the most critical period of their perilous expedition, will, we are persuaded, generally convey an adequate idea of the dangers which our sailors braved, by intrepidity, perseverance, and their

wonted discipline. In point of of the ancient luxury and magniexecution, it is highly creditableficence of the Venetian republic,

to the taste and skill of the artist. View of Venice.-Messrs. Barker and Burford.

which presented so anomalous a contrast in the manners and habits of the people, to those which prevailed in the other republics of ancient and modern times. The interior of this splendid church is entirely covered with Mosaic pictures, in coloured glass on a gold ground; the altars and columns are of the richest marbles, as also the tesselated pavement: these decorations were finished in the year 1071, and are in lavish profusion. The front of the exterior is formed of ten arches, five above and five below: the lower ones are support

This view of Venice is taken from the Piazza di S. Marco, which, it is well known, combines an assemblage of the finest buildings immediately in the fore-ground, with a pleasing view of the most distant objects: the height of the houses, and their being so close together, necessarily, though unfortunately, excludes a view of any of the canals of the city, which are nearly 400 in number. The spectator is so placed as to have an elevated view of the whole square, the Du-ed by two rows of columns, amountcal Palace, and Piazetta, with a ing to 292 in number: some are of minute representation of the church porphyry, others of verd antique, of St. Mark, a structure as extra- and the remainder of costly marble, ordinary in its form and architec-all trophies of the Venetian contural arrangement, as costly in the quests in Greece, Egypt, and the materials employed in its decora-Holy Land. The upper centre tion. To give an additional inter-arch is terminated by a colossal est to the picture, a representation statue of St. Mark; and over the of the gay scene of the Carnival lower one stand the celebrated has been introduced, where quack-Grecian horses, made of Corindoctors, mountebanks, processions thian brass, said to be the work of of all kinds, and a masked popu- Lysippus. The history of these lation in various sorts of sport, form celebrated horses was given in a the principal subject of the fore-pathetic and eloquent strain in the ground. The most prominent ob- French newspapers, when the Ausject in this panorama is the cele trians took them down from the tribrated ducal church of St. Mark, umphal arch in front of the Tuilwhich was rebuilt in the year 976. leries, in 1815. They had succes Heterogeneous and extraordinary sively adorned the triumphal archas are the component parts of this es of Augustus, Domitian, Trajan, famed structure, it yet possesses Constantine, and lastly of Buonauncommon magnificence; there is parte. Constantine removed them a richness and Asiatic splendour to Constantinople, with the cha in the style of the structure, which, riot of the sun, and placed them in though at variance with simplicity, the Hippodrome, in which place the fountain of chaste and pure they remained till the Venetians taste, yet dazzles the eye, and re- captured that city, in the year 1206, calls the mind to the contemplation when the horses were removed to

40 EXHIBITION OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKS OF THE LATE MR. HARLOW.

when, in the language of the poet,

"Wealth was theirs; nor far removed the date,

Venice, where they stood over the grand entrance of St. Mark's nearly six hundred years, and were from thence removed by the French When Commerce proudly flourish'd through

in 1797.

the state.

At her command, the palace learnt to rise;
Again the long fall'n column sought the skies;
The canvas glow'd beyond ev'u nature
warm;

The pregnant quarry teem'd with humau

form."

And also the time when,

"Amidst the ruin, heedless of the dead,

The shelter-seeking peasant builds his shed."

Venice is perhaps the finest city in Europe for producing panoramic effect in an exhibition of this kind: the florid architecture which is to be seen in most of the public buildings in a state of high preservation, "the splendid wrecks of former pride," the occasional in- This panorama is not only pertermixture of the noble Corinthian fect in the delineation of the view column with the materials of some of the most beautiful part of the mean edifice thrown up for the city, but it also gives in the disbusiness of the humble artisan, pre- tance, in fine perspective, a view sent a beautiful and an interesting of the Tyrolean Alps, and some of spectacle, alike recalling to the the islands in the Adriatic. It is mind the time of the grandeur of very well executed, and has been this republic, and that of the vi- much praised for the correctness of cissitudes of its fate; the time" the architectural drawings.

EXHIBITION OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKS OF THE LATE MR. HARLOW.

In the course of the last month, || sketch after the manner of Rubens. the Exhibition of a number of The shortness of time in which Mr. the Paintings and Drawings by the Harlow was employed in making late Mr. G. Harlow (whose prema- the copy, will account for the hasty ture death we so sincerely deplored execution of some parts, and the in a former number of the Reposi- unfinished state of others. Had tory), commenced at the Picture- the artist lived to receive it in this Gallery, No. 87, Pall-Mall. It con- country, he would doubtless have tains 144 works, many of which are given it that finishing touch, which to be sold: a number of them are would have more fully established portraits in chalk, and several are his fame. The Transfiguration was small sketches taken from the works the last great work of Raphael, who of the old masters during Mr. Har-was, just after he had finished it, low's tour last year in France and Italy. The principal attractions of this Exhibition are, a copy from Raphael's celebrated and last pic-placed at the head of his bier. The ture of the Transfiguration, of the same dimensions as the original, and executed in the short space of eighteen days; and an original

snatched from life in the great meridian of his powers; and when his body lay in state, this picture was

last work of Mr. Harlow was this copy; it reached this country just at the time of his sudden death, and may be said to be the record

EXHIBITION OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKS OF THE LATE MR. HARLOW. 41

of his talents, and the ornament of his tomb. So far we may touch upon the coincidence between the exhibition of the works of these two distinguished artists, without presuming to venture upon any comparison (for none would be fair or just) between the respective merits of each performance.

however, done to shew the capacity of the lamented artist, and the station which, had he lived, he must have held in art.

On the arrival of this painting, the Lords of the Treasury, with a liberality highly gratifying to Mr. Harlow's friends, issued an order for the delivery of it, as well as his sketches and the casts which accompanied it, duty free. Sketch of the Painting of the Presentation of the Cardinal's Hat to Wolsey in Westminster Abbey.

The painting, of which this is a sketch, was presented by Mr. Harlow to the Academy of St. Luke at

when he was elected an Academician of Merit of that illustrious academy of design. Canova, whose liberality and attention to our artists have so justly acquired for him their esteem, requested to have this painting at his house for a few days prior to its being sent to the academy, which was complied with; and on the 10th of last November upwards of 500 persons viewed it. Of this picture Canova writes in the following terms, in a letter dated from Rome, November 30, 1818, and addressed to Mr. Hamilton, the under-secretary of state:

Mr. Harlow has, in his copy, shewn an extraordinary feeling for the original, and an astonishing facility for pourtraying and embodying some of its principal characteristics. Independent of the sublimity of the original composition, according to Sir Joshua Reynolds, it is perhaps the only work of Ra-Rome on the 21st last November, phael in which some of the parts are not feebly drawn. The attempt, therefore, to make a copy from such a work, was not only an arduous but an almost appalling task. Many copies have been taken, but most of them were soon forgotten. That this will not be the fate of Mr. Harlow's we have the strongest reason to believe. The forms of the prophets, and divine effulgence and majesty of the Saviour, ascending from Tabor, produce a sublime and awful effect; the light shed from the apparition on the figures at the foot of the mountain is beautifully distributed; and the mingled expression of the group below, the contrast between the confidence and piety of the apostle, the scepticism of the bystanders, and the wretched appearance of the maniac who is presented for cure, are conceived with much of the truth and force of the original. The drawing is not equally correct throughout the figures, and the colouring in parts is evidently unfinished: enough is, Vol. VIII. No. XLII.

"This letter will be delivered to you by Mr. Harlow, who has painted a picture with wonderful ability, entirely in the style, and with the effect, of Rubens; and he has thereby gained so much reputation amongst us, that he has been elected honorary member of the Academy of St. Luke. I assure you I have been prodigiously surprised by the performance, and by his rare talents, as well as strongly attached to him by his amiable manners and

G

"CANOVA."

his kind heart. It is with great || provement in this branch of study pleasure I say this of him, wishing since Mr. Harlow left England, is to let you know what esteem and yet feeble in some parts: the arms affection I have felt for him. of one or two of the figures seem disproportionate to the size of the body. These defects may have been amended or obviated in the picture, and most probably were so from Canova's testimony.

There cannot be a higher compliment, either to the artist or to his picture, than this introductory letter from Canova conveys. The sketch itself cannot be expected to convey a very adequate idea of all the parts of the picture which was executed from it. The outline and character of the work can alone be estimated from it. The grouping is simple, and the attitudes of the figures contrasted with dignity and ease. The touches of colouring are brilliant, and the architecture sheds a solemn grandeur upon the splendour of the scene. The draw-are in general excellent likenesses. ing, though denoting a great im

The greater part of the sketches in this Exhibition are from works of art which fell under the eye of the artist in his tour: many of them rather appear to be materials or memoranda for the artist's future compositions, than to be intended as separate and finished sketches. They display considerable taste, and great improvement in drawing. The chalk and penciled portraits

EXHIBITION OF MR. REINAGLE'S COPIES FROM RUBENS. MR. R. R. REINAGLE, A. R. A. is || if Mr. Reinagle has failed in this now exhibiting, in Pall-Mall, co-perilous attempt, he has at least pies taken by him from three of failed in conjunction with eminent the most celebrated pictures by and skilful men; and it must be Rubens in the Museum at Antwerp; acknowledged, that if he cannot viz. the Crucifixion, the Adoration of compete with the original, he can, the Magi, and the Entombment. without fear of defeat, enter the These works have been repeatedly lists with any of his predecessors copied, and frequently with consi- who have made copies from these derable effect. The magnificence celebrated works. In the brillianof the colouring of Rubens, the cy of his colouring he does not magical freedom of execution with yield to any of them; in the deliwhich his pencil, as it were, swept cacy he yields (and who is there along the canvas, illuminating it that does not?) to the fine and with so much splendour, without charming hues of the original, obliterating or intermixing the se- which develope all the soft and parate parts of that great variety luxuriant carnations of nature. The of character which he meant to Adoration of the Magi, or of the pourtray, or rendering them subor-Kings, as Mr. Reinagle calls the dinate to the main incident, has, however, left at a great distance even the best of his copyists; and

picture, according to the innumerable precedents which artists have set for him, is a magnificent work.

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