BASEMENT-ROOMS II. AND III THE TURNER WATER-COLOUR COLLECTION A catalogue of these drawings and sketches, "cast into progressive groups, with explanatory notes," has been written by Mr. Ruskin, and may be bought of the attendant in these rooms, or obtained from Mr. George Allen, Orpington (price is.) BASEMENT-ROOMS IV. AND V THE WATER-COLOUR ROOMS In these rooms there are a series of twenty-three drawings by De Wint and ten by Cattermole, bequeathed to the National Gallery by the late Mr. John Henderson; seven crayon studies by Gainsborough, presented by Mr. Thomas Birch Wolfe; two drawings by Blake, presented by Mr. Geo. Thos. Saul; two Academy studies from life by Mulready, presented by the Society of Arts; a chalk drawing by A. Raffaelle Mengs, bequeathed by Miss H. Kearsley; and seventeen studies in crayon or monochrome by Rubens and Van Dyck, purchased with the Peel Collection. Also the following drawing, included in the Vernon Collection: 456. COUNCIL OF WAR AT COURTRAI. Louis Haghe (English: 1806-1885). This artist was born at Tournai, but in 1823 settled in England, where he proceeded, in conjunction with Day, the lithographer, to produce many illustrated works. He was for several years President of the Institute of Painters in Water-colours. The Council is sitting in the Town Hall at Courtrai (West Flanders); notice the rich carvings of the chimney-piece. UNDER this head are included a few pictures which are still retained in the National Gallery, but which are not at present (June 1, 1888) hung in rooms open to the public. 78. THE HOLY FAMILY. Sir J. Reynolds, P.R.A. (1723-1792) This picture had fallen into such a bad state of preservation that it has not latterly been exhibited to the public, but it is very widely known from engravings, etc. The picture is full of "the grace of Reynolds" and of his mastery of the painter's art. "As showing gigantic power of hand, joined with utmost accuracy and rapidity, the folds of drapery under the breast of the Virgin are, perhaps, as marvellous a piece of work as could be found in any picture, of whatever time or master." But the picture is very instructive also, as showing Reynolds's limitations (see under XVI. 111, p. 405). Compare this group with any similar one by the old Italian masters, and it will be felt at once that "beautiful as it is, this Holy Family has neither dignity nor sacredness other than those which attach to every group of gentle mother and ruddy babe." Reynolds indeed could not paint a Madonna, "for surely this dearest pet of an English girl, with the little curl of lovely hair under her ear, is not one." "1 Mr. Ruskin notes, further, how, "owing to the 1 Charles Lamb is more severe than Mr. Ruskin. "Here," he says, "for a Madonna Sir Joshua has substituted a sleepy, insensible, un utter neglect of all botanical detail, this 'Holy Family' has lost every atom of ideal character, and reminds us of nothing but an English fashionable flower-garden; the formal pedestal adding considerably to this effect" (Sir Joshua and Holbein, in O. O. R., i. 221-236; Modern Painters, vol. i. preface to 2d ed., p. xxviii.) 105. A SMALL LANDSCAPE. Sir George Beaumont (1753–1827) A little picture, now in very bad condition, of a wooded stream, with mountains in the distance, and a stormy sky. 123. A LANDSCAPE: BY MOONLIGHT. Edward Williams (English: 1782-1855). This artist (a nephew of James Ward, R.A.) was the son of an engraver, and combined the trade of carver and gilder with miniature and landscape painting. 136. PORTRAIT OF A LADY. Sir T. Lawrence, P.R.A. (English: 1769-1830). A portrait of the wife of Mr. Francis Robertson of Brighton. 139. RELIGION ATTENDED BY THE VIRTUES. Angelica Kaufmann, R.A. (English: 1741-1807). This artist was born in Switzerland, but in 1766 came to England, where she was received with great distinction, and two years later was elected one of the original members of the Academy. She knew all the celebrities of the day, and Sir Joshua Reynolds was ever her "firmest friend." Her work, which was immensely popular (especially in engravings), has indeed a faint and faded resemblance to Sir Joshua's ; but her pictures no longer meet a popular craze or command high prices, and she is now best remembered for her romantic story, which has been so prettily idealised in Miss Thackeray's Miss Angel. Bartholomeus van der Helst (Dutch: 1613–1670). Little is known of the life of this painter (who appears to have studied under De Keyser, X. 212, p. 246) except that he resided constantly at Amsterdam, and was in good practice there as a portrait motherly girl-one so little worthy to have been selected as the mother of the Saviour, that she seems to have neither heart nor feeling to entitle her to become a mother at all." painter. He had a part in founding the Painters' Guild there, whilst his likeness of Paul Potter at the Hague (1654), and his partnership with Bakhuizen, who laid in the backgrounds of some of his pictures in 1668, indicate a constant companionship with the best artists of the time. He married at an advanced age, and had one son, who also painted portraits, but with little success. His masterpiece is in the Museum at Amsterdam. It contains thirty-five portraits, whole length, and represents a banquet given by a company of the civil-guard of Amsterdam, in commemoration of the Peace of Münster, in 1648. Sir Joshua Reynolds, in his Journey to Flanders and Holland, says of that work that it is, perhaps, the first picture of portraits in the world, comprehending more of those qualities which make a perfect portrait than any other I have ever seen." Whilst delighted with Van der Helst, Sir Joshua was disappointed by Rembrandt; and certainly "Van der Helst attracts by qualities entirely differing from those of Rembrandt and Frans Hals: nothing can be more striking than the contrast between the strong concentrated light and the deep gloom of Rembrandt, and the contempt of chiaroscuro peculiar to his rival, except the contrast between the rapid sketchy touch of Hals and the careful finish and rounding of Van der Helst." 147. CEPHALUS AND AURORA. Agostino Carracci (Eclectic-Bologna: 1557-1602). A cartoon, like the companion picture (148), for a fresco in the Farnese Palace. Cephalus, while on a hunting expedition on Mount Hymettus, is forcibly carried off by Aurora. 167. THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI. Peruzzi (Sienese: 1481-1537). See under II. 218, p. 40. A drawing in chiaroscuro, which was engraved by Agostino Carracci in 1579, of the same composition as in 218. 178. SERENA AND THE RED CROSS KNIGHT. William Hilton, R.A. (English: 1786-1839). Hilton, born at Lincoln, was the son of a portrait painter, and studied under J. R. Smith, the engraver. He was elected A. R. A. in 1813, R.A. in 1819, and Keeper in 1827. "Already, in 1803, he appeared as an exhibitor at the Academy, and very soon acquired distinction for his choice of subject, his refined taste in design, and a harmonious and rich style of colouring, though, from an injudicious method of mixing and applying his colours, his pictures are now rapidly perishing The use of asphaltum seems to be the chief cause of this mischief" (Wornum's Catalogue). A large picture illustrating Spenser's Faerie Queene, book vi. canto viii. 225. BEATIFIC VISION OF THE MAGDALEN. Giulio Romano (Roman: 1498–1546). See under XIII. 624, p. 309. A semi-circular fresco, showing the Magdalen borne upwards by angels to witness the joys of the blessed. 315. THE INSTALLATION OF THE ORDER OF THE GARTER. B. West, P.R.A. (English: 1738-1820). See under 144, p. 446. 333-336. EDITH AND HAROLD. W. Hilton, R.A. (English: 1786–1839). See under 178, p. 656. No. 333 is a very large picture, showing Edith and the monks discovering the dead body of Harold after the battle of Hastings. Nos. 334-336 are studies of heads for 333. 355. DULL READING. Andrew Geddes, A.R.A. (English: 1789-1844). Geddes, a native of Edinburgh, and a friend of Wilkie, was chiefly a portrait painter, but he also painted landscapes and a few historical pieces. He was elected A. R. A. in 1832. A portrait of Terry, an actor, and his wife, who was a sister of Patrick Nasmyth (see XVIII. 380, p. 458). The wife has read her husband to sleep. 454. STUDY OF A FEMALE HEAD. 507. E. V. Rippingille (English: 1798–1859). SCENE FROM BOCCACCIO. J. M. W. Turner, R.A. (1775–1851). See on p. 574. This picture, as well as most of those by Turner which are not publicly exhibited, belongs to the worst period of his Academy pictures (see p. 590). It is, says Thornbury (i. 306), "a careless, sketchy, and unpleasing picture in imitation of Stothard, called 'Boccaccio relating the tale of the Birdcage.' The trees of the glen are pleasantly grouped, but the figures are bad, and the distant white castle is very crude and glaring. 'No such story as the Birdcage is in the Decameron,' says Mr. . Wornum; but I perfectly remember the obscene story to which Turner alludes reservedly in his title." "Of the peculiar, and almost the only serious weakness of Turner's mind-with respect to figures-this," says Mr. Ruskin, "and the 'Shadrach, Meshach, |