FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40  
41   42   43   44   45   46   >>  
last-mentioned work of art, is a representation of a young lady, as seen when presenting a full-blown flower to a favourite parrot. There is a delicate simplicity in the attitude and expression of the damsel, which, though you fail to discover the like in the tortuous figures of Taglioni or Cerito, we have often observed in the conduct of ladies many years in the seniority of the one under notice, who, ever mindful of the idol of their thoughts and affections--a feline companion--may be seen carrying a precious morsel, safely skewered, in advance of them; this gentleness the artist has been careful to retain to eminent success. We are, nevertheless, woefully at a loss to divine what the allegory can possibly be (for as such we view it), what the analogy between a pretty poll and a pol-yanthus. We are unlearned in the language of flowers, or, perhaps, might probe the mystery by a little floral discussion. We are, however, compelled to leave it to the noble order of freemasons, and shall therefore wait patiently an opportunity of communicating with his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. In the meantime we shall not he silent upon the remaining qualities of the work as a general whole--the young lady--the parrot--the polyanthus, and the chiaro-scuro, are as excellent as usual in this our most amusing painter's productions. As a pendant to this, we are favoured with the portrait of a young gentleman upon a half-holiday--and, equipped with cricket means, his dexter-hand grasps his favourite bat, whilst the left arm gracefully encircles a hat, in which is seductively shown a genuine "Duke." The sentiment of this picture is unparalleled, and to the young hero of any parish eleven is given a stern expression of Lord's Marylebone ground. We can already (aided by perspective and imagination) see him before a future generation of cricketers, "shoulder his bat, and show how games were won." The bat is well drawn and coloured with much truth, and with that strict observance of harmony which is so characteristic of the excellences of art. The artist has felicitously blended the tone and character of the bat with that of the young gentleman's head. As to the ball, we do not recollect ever to have seen one in the works of any of the old masters so true to nature. In conclusion, the buttons on the jacket, and the button-holes, companions thereto, would baffle the criticism of the most hyper-fastidious stab-rag; and the shirt collar, wit
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40  
41   42   43   44   45   46   >>  



Top keywords:

gentleman

 

artist

 
parrot
 
favourite
 
expression
 

favoured

 

eleven

 

parish

 

equipped

 

unparalleled


amusing

 

holiday

 

ground

 

excellent

 

Marylebone

 
picture
 

painter

 
cricket
 

gracefully

 
whilst

grasps

 

productions

 
encircles
 

genuine

 

dexter

 

seductively

 

portrait

 

pendant

 

sentiment

 

nature


conclusion

 
buttons
 

jacket

 

masters

 

recollect

 

button

 

collar

 

fastidious

 

thereto

 

companions


baffle

 

criticism

 

character

 

shoulder

 

cricketers

 

generation

 
future
 
imagination
 
perspective
 

characteristic