pallet Hamilton, and other Papers. By JOSEPH Wright.
Edinburgh : R. and R. Clark.
In this little book there is no pretension to literary style.
Judged by conventional standards it is even deficient in this regard.
It is a plain story of reminiscences of an extremely remarkable
woman, told by one who knew her intimately, and who appre-
ciated her thoroughly. There is perhaps no more pathetic figure
in the history of literature than Janet Hamilton laboriously learn-
ing the rudiments in her old age, after she had composed almost
since her youth genuinely inspired verse. The story of the visit
of John Bright, and the other personal notes of Janet's character
and surroundings, render Mr. Wright's essay of really permanent
value as a bit of authentic literary history.
Messrs. J. and W. Guthrie have just completed the two
stained-glass windows — one, a two-light window, to be placed in
Hyndland's Church as a memorial of their father, and the other, a
large window containing the coats-of-arms of the Incorporated
Trades, which has been presented to the Trades House by the
Deacon Convener, Mr. John L. Tullis. The first is an excellent
example of church decoration, and the second, though executed
under limitations imposed by the necessity of incorporating the
armorial bearings into the design, is an effective piece of work.
The development of new minor exhibitions around the Academy
one in Edinburgh, as in London, is to be heartily welcomed.
Mr. Peacock's eighth annual exhibition, in his pleasant little
gallery in Hanover Street, Edinburgh, is quite worth a visit. It
is tastefully arrayed, and on the whole well lighted, and contains a
number of pictures worthy of notice. One of Millais' charming
little girls will probably be the favourite with most visitors, but
there are several other good English pictures ; a landscape by
Edwin Ellis struck us as specially strong in colour and bold in
execution. From the Netherlands we have several excellent
works of Artz, several slighter works of Josef Israels, and a
noteworthy sky by Maris. The exhibition is, however, to our
mind considerably marred by the undue proportion of Munich
pictures of the second class. From this school of art there is no
doubt much to be learned ; but its inferior products at any rate
are too positive in their artificiality and too negative in their
colour and expression.
The first of a series of lectures under the auspices of the Haldane
Trustees was given in the Corporation Galleries, Glasgow, on
February nth, by Mr. William Morris. The subject chosen
being ' Gothic Architecture,' and on February I2th, at the annual
re-union of the students of the Glasgow School of Art, the same
lecturer treated the subject of ' Arts and Crafts.'
The second of the series of practical demonstrations in art,
projected by the Haldane Tnistees, was given in the School of
Art, Corporation Buildings, Glasgow, in the second week of
March, the subject being ' Modelling.' The demonstrator was M.
Lanteri, modelling master at the National Art Training School,
South Kensington, and the subjects chosen were a bust, a piece of
drapery, an ornamental design, and a study from the life. The
aim of the demonstration, namely to show the absolute necessity of
good technique in the execution of works of art, received splendid
illustration in the result of each day's work.
It is expected that Mr. Walter Crane will give the third lecture
of the series of demonstrations in the last week in April, the
subject chosen being 'Decoration and Design.'
The initial step towards placing before the public practicable
illustrations of decorative art applied to buildings in Glasgow has
been taken with regard to the Jiall of the Discharged Prisoners'
Aid Society in Duke Street, now being prepared for work. A
number of our younger Glasgow artists have been interested, and
each one has undertaken the execution of a panel to be painted in
distemper.
Among the recent sales of pictures by painters of repute was
the sale of pictures by Mr. Joseph Henderson. The works
exposed realised a total of ,^^2046.
A 7I:/' Taj^^ar/ Sale, comprising 131 works by William M'Tag-
gart, R.S.A, took place on 23d March, in Messrs. Dowell's
Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh. The pictures exposed were
altogether water-colour, many of them being studies for larger
pictures by the artist. We shall subsequently make more extended
reference to this sale, and also to another of quite special interest,
viz. that of Mr. J. Lawlon Wingate, R.S.A., a collection of
whose charming landscapes was sold in Edinburgh last month, and
realised the sum of ;^I726.
Mr. John Lavery is making progress with the large picture he
is painting for the Corporation in commemoration of the Glasgow
Exhibition of 18SS. He has recently had a sitting from the
Queen, the first she has given to any artist for a considerable time.
Sir Frederick Leighton's great picture is of Greek maidens
playing at ball in a landscape of ideal loveliness. The scene is
taken from the Isle of Rhodes, which a few years ago Sir Frederick
Leighton visited, and where he sketched the beautiful scene he has
now painted. The sun shines on white buildings of perfect harmony
of line, on the blue sea, and amidst groves of trees. The young
girls, in fluttering garments of saffron and white, are the embodi-
ment of joyous grace and abandon. The central figure seems
arrested in the act of running, the wind still seems to be blowing
her delicate yellow tunic in clinging folds about her form.
A charming picture is that of a fair girl, with uplifted face standing
before a golden tripod, at the foot of which she has deposited some
white flowers. The golden hair, the white drapery, the pure young
face, are all in a delicate harmony of colour and sweetness of line
and suggestion. A sorceress, clad in misly garments of lilac hue,
sits brooding, her dark eyes lost in meditation, her cheek resting
against her hand. The work strikes a graver, stronger note of
colour and intention. A portrait and a study of a beautiful young
face, with head crowned with oak leaves and eyes cast down, make
up the principal sum of Sir Frederick Leighton's work.
In Edinburgh the Social Union, whose decorative work
was outlined in our December issue, has been undergoing new
developments. A large committee has been formed, including
not only most of the leading painters and designers, but also
architects and decorators of the city, and each task the Society
has at present in hand has been placed under the superintendence
of one or more of its skilled members. Thus in addition to the
work already known to our readers, a commemorative mural
painting for the hall of the Board School on the site of old Milton
House is being designed by Mr. T. Bonnar ; and the execution of
Millais' ' Parables ' for the Robertson Memorial Hall, Grass-
market, is to be carried out under the supervision of Mr. W. S.
Black. Mr. Vallance is also preparing a scheme of decoration
for the Free Tolbooth Mission Hall, which has been already
painted by Mr. Hall, and for which Mr. W. S. Black has designed
the mantelpieces. A plan for improvements in James Court is in
the hands of Mr. S. H. Capper. Messrs. Sidney Mitchell, W. Mac-
farlane, and W. B. Hole, R.S.A., form a sub-committee to select
and superintend the execution of a series of designs commemora-
tive of the worthies of the University, with which it is proposed
to decorate the dining-room of University HaU.
In decoration, however, our city fathers will need not only good
will, but good guidance. Thus we note that Sir William Muir,
the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, when lately pre-
siding at the meeting of the Association for its better endowment,
deeply bewailed the architectural deficiencies of the north front of
the old College building, and entreated the liberality of the public
to harmonise it with the architectural beauties of the other side of
Chambers Street ! That Adam's cliff-like facade is monotonous,
indeed even grim, must of course be allowed. But it is none the
less in every aspect deplorably to be regretted that our highest
representatives of academic culture should, in all the simplicity of
their hearts, admire and even covet Mr. Chesser's new front for
the Heriot-Watt College, for which the other high educational
authorities of the city are of course responsible, this being, without
even any exception, even in Princes Street, notoriously the most
exhaustive and harmonious compilation yet extant of architectural
and decorative vulgarisms. The absence of any artistic education-
say rather the prevalence of completely inartistic miseducation — is
indeed the hardest obstacle which the contemporary art movement
has to reckon with. For who will educate our educators?
It is with extreme regret that we record the death of William
Carlow, R.S.W., in his forty-second year.
Edinbtirs:h : T. and A. Constable, Printers to Her .Majesty.
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THE SCOTTISH ART REVIEW