progress of Art,-theories the more dangerous for the talents with which they are advocated; and from the peculiar fashions at present dominant in criticism, I have no hesitation in expressing my conviction that the thing, just now, most in danger of being neglected by painters is the Art of Painting; and that want of patronage is far less to be dreaded than the want of that which patronage should foster. The road to Art is proverbially a long one; and it is often made longer than it need be, not only by the causes I have mentioned, but by our own mistakes. If, therefore, anything I can say should tend to shorten it to younger artists, it will be in a great measure owing to discoveries of some of my own errors,- -which, though made too late to be of much benefit to myself, may possibly be of use to those whose habits are not so formed but that they may be abandoned, if wrong. Painting and Poetry, as Sister Arts, have a family likeness; but it is the business of each to do what the other cannot; and words can no more become substitutes for pictures than lines and colours can supply the place of Poetry. Hence the difficulty of writing or speaking of Painting; indeed the impossibility of describing those things belonging to it that are most impressive. Yet Language may do something for Art. It may direct the student in all that is mechanical and scientific, and principles of Nature, as far as they are known, may be explained; and, as we may believe Ben Jonson, when he tells us, that a good poet's made as well as born," we may be sure that this is equally true of a good painter. The great difficulty of instruction will be found in attempting to analyse the things that are most addressed to the taste and the feelings. Here the teacher must rely on his own impressions; impressions liable to be biassed by a thousand accidental associations, and by peculiarities of temperament that may well lead him to mistrust himself; and he can only be sure that his guidance will be safe to others in as far as he finds his opinions confirmed by the most generally-received authorities. If with respect to one most important element of Art, and that, too, colour, I dissent from so great a painter as Reynolds, I do but follow Opie, whose opinion has carried with it that of every succeeding artist of eminence. The Lectures I delivered at the Royal Academy form the greater part of this volume. They have been carefully revised, and re-cast into other forms, and with such additional matter as I venture to hope may render it worthy of the attention, not only of young artists, but, in some degree, of painters past the period of pupilage, and also of that now large and increasing class of lovers of Art who adorn their houses with pictures. If I owe any apology for what I have said of some late purchases of pictures for the National Gallery, I owe it to the public, for not saying more. For the Trustees of the collection, as noblemen and gentlemen, I have the greatest respect. But I can have no respect for their taste (as a body), when they throw away the public money on worthless pictures. It is clearly not sufficient that there should be, as there always have been, among these gentlemen, one or two who know the difference between good and bad Art, and whose professional or non-professional acquaintance with the works of the great masters enables them to judge of the value or originality of the pictures that may be offered to the nation, either as gifts or in the way of purchase; for when the pictures to which I have alluded were added to the Gallery, such gentlemen must have been absent or out-voted. The abilities required to govern a country are so far from including the accomplishments necessary to the formation of a fine collection of works of Art, that it may be safely asserted they are scarcely compatible; and the taste and knowledge of this kind, even of a Pericles or a Lorenzo de Medici, must always be as nothing compared with the taste and knowledge of an artist. I may be told that some of our eminent statesmen of the last generation have formed fine collections of the old masters; but such collections were, in fact, formed for them by the late Mr. Seguier, and Mr. Smith the elder, of Bond Street. I have spoken out on this matter, from a sense of duty to the public, as well as to my professional brethren, to whom, above all others, it is important that such an institution as a National Gallery should be properly managed. December 1854. C. R. L. ON THE IMITATION OF NATURE, AND ON STYLE Comparison of Art with Nature-Examination of the axiom that the most perfect Art is that in which Art is most concealed-The works of Rubens suggestive of action, Hogarth's "Enraged Musician" suggestive of sound-Wax-work, its lifelessness-Deception differs from illusion-Panoramic and Dioramic Art-Imitation defined by Coleridge-Painting not an invention-Error in the reasoning of Lessing-Tableaux vivants-Inferi- ority of Gerard Dow to Terburg, Metsu, or Jan Steen Judgments of young Painters-Apparent present advan- tages of Study-Real difficulties-Defects in the minds of different classes of students-Faith in the inexhaust- ibleness of Nature necessary to Originality-The over- powering Influence of contemporary Art on students- Danger of resorting to Exhibitions of Modern Pictures as to schools-Poets not necessarily judges of Painting- Michael Angelo by Leo X.-The poetry of Painting- PAGE Genius not lawless-The Laws of Art and of Nature the same-Rules not binding-Debate of the French Academy on a Picture by P. Veronese-Sterne on Cri- ticism-"Last Supper" of Leonardo da Vinci-Watteau -Dr. Johnson and Miss Burney—Quotation from Johnson's Preface to Shakspeare-The violation of Rules in obedience to Laws-How the Prosperity of Quotation from Charles Lamb-Sancho Panza's Story -M. Angelo and Raphael-The Subjective Element— Vulgarity—Morland not vulgar—Pretension the Essence |