Part 2 (1/2)

[Illustration: WILLIAM HOGARTH AND HIS DOG TRUMP _By_ HOGARTH

_In the National Gallery_]

WILLIAM HOGARTH was born in 1697 in shi+p Court, Old Bailey, hard by Ludgate Hill, in a house which was pulled down in 1862 His father, who had received a good education at St Bees, kept a school in shi+p Court, and sought work from booksellers But, like , and died disappointed After spending soarth, warned by the example of his father, determined to pursue a craft in preference to literature, and was apprenticed, probably in 1711, to Ellis Gah his drawings and engravings wereartist gained accuracy of touch, to which he added truthfulness of design, and prepared himself to delineate that London life which was to furnish him with models for his art He tells us how he determined to enter a wider field than that of e of twenty to engrave his own designs on copper was the height of his ambition The men and women who jostled him in London streets, or rolled by him in their coaches, were his models Besides the keenest powers of observation, and a sardonic, sy humour, he possessed a wonderfully accurate and retentive memory, which enabled him to impress a face or form on his mind, and reproduce it at leisure

Occasionally, if soular face struck his fancy, he would sketch it on his thuarth tells us that ”instead of burdening thedry or da froe of”society” on its way to court, or arth was storing portraits which were to appear, soe a la Mode_, others a the huarth's apprenticeshi+p ended probably in 1718; we find hi from the life in the Academy in St

Martin's Lane In 1721 he published _An Emblematical Print on the South Sea (Scheh defective in the sardonic humour which marked his later works, shows promise of as to come In the saraved _Masquerades and Operas_, a satire, which represents ”society” crowding to aa cap and bells on his head, and the Garter on his leg This engraving delighted the public whoh piracies of his work He was eravings and frontispieces In ”Mottraye's Travels” (1723) there are eighteen illustrations by Hogarth, seven in the ”Golden ass of Apuleius” (1724), and five frontispieces in ”Cassandra” (1725) Walpole says, soenius dawned in those early plates” In 1726 was published, besides his twelve large prints, which are well known, an edition of ”Hudibras,” illustrated by Hogarth in seventeen s the first of his works that marked him as a man above the common; yet in what made him then noticed it surprises enial to his talents” The designs of Hogarth are not so witty as the verses of Butler, but weand acting as they are described in the poem; they were not like the men of whom he inal, and to satirise his neighbours, had much trouble The value set upon his work in those early days may be estimated e read that J Bowles, of the Black Horse, in Cornhill, patronised Hogarth to the extent of offering hiht for a copperplate just executed In 1727, we find a certain upholsterer na to pay thirty pounds to the artist, because he had failed, in Morris's opinion, to execute a representation of the _Elen for tapestry, ”in a workmanlike arth, as paid 20 for his work and 10 for e at old Paddington Church, with Jane, only daughter of Sir Ja He had frequented Thornhill's studio, but whether the art of the court painter, or the face of his daughter was the greater attraction we know not There is no doubt that Hogarth's technique was studied from Thornhill's pictures, and not froarth was painting portraits years before 1730 Mr Redgrave, in his ”Century of Painters,” describes some wall pictures in the house No 75, Dean Street, Soho, which is said to have been a residence of Sir Jahly of the Hogarth type, especially that of a black e a la Mode_ For a ti portraits and conversation pieces, for which he ell paid, although Walpole declares that this ”was the most ill-suited employment to a man whose turn was certainly not flattery” Truthfulness, however, is more valuable in a portrait than flattery, and we surely find it in Hogarth's portraits of himself, one in the National Gallery, and in that of _Captain Coraarth published the first of those wonderful unspoken serress_, which was followed iress_, issued in 1735 _A Harlot's Progress_, in six plates, met with an enthusiastic reception; it was a bold innovation on the cold stilted style of the day, and its terrible _reality_ stirred the hearts of all beholders _A Rake's Progress_, in eight plates, was scarcely so popular, and the professors of the kind of art which Hogarth had satirised found arth was now a person of consequence, and the once unknown and struggling artist was the talk of the town _The Sleeping Congregation_ is a satire on the heavy preachers and indifferent church-goers of that period _The Distressed Poet_ and _A Midnight Modern Conversation_ soon followed The latter, in which ures are actual portraits, is considered in France and Gerle works In due course appeared _The Enraged Musician_, of which a wit of the day observed that ”it deafens one to look at it,” and _The Strolling Actresses_, which Allan Cunningha of all the works of Hogarth”[G]

One of the best of Hogarth's life stories is the _Marriage a la Mode_, the original paintings of which are in the National Gallery; they appeared in prints in 1745 These well-known pictures illustrate the story of a loveless e, where parents sacrifice their children, the one for rank the other for rave (”A Century of Painters”) tells us that ”the novelty of Hogarth's work consisted in the painter being the inventor of his own drama, as well as painter, and in the way in which all the parts are made to tend to a dramatic whole; each picture dependent on the other, and all the details illustrative of the coain, moved in different tableaux with varied passions, oneits natural cli points in the satire of Hogarth's picture are brought out in the background, as in the first picture of _Marriage a la Mode_, where the works of ”the blackof the room is adorned with an unnatural picture of the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea In 1750 appeared _The March of the Guards to Finchley_, which is ”steeped in huinally dedicated to George II, but, so the story goes, the King was offended by a satire on his Guards, and he declared ”I hate boetry and bainting; neither one nor the other ever did any good” Certain it is that Hogarth was disappointed by the reception of his work, and dedicated it to the King of Prussia The painting of _The March to Finchley_, on publication of the print, was disposed of by lottery, and won by the Foundling Hospital We cannot doworks by which the satirist continued ”to shoot Folly as she flies” _Beer Street_, and _Gin Lane_, illustrate the advantages of drinking the national beverage, and the in _The cockpit_ represents a scene very common in those days, and contains many portraits _The Election_ is a series of four scenes, published between 1755 and 1758, in which all the varied vices, humours, and passions of a contested election are admirably represented

The pictures of this series are in Sir John Soane's Museuarth's last years were e the most memorable The publication in 1753 of his adarth tried to prove that a winding line is the Line of Beauty, produced much adverse criticism and many fierce attacks, which the painter could not take quietly He was further annoyed by the censures passed on his picture of _Sigismunda_, now in the National Gallery, which he had painted in 1759 for Sir Richard Grosvenor, and which was returned on his hands Two years previously Hogarth had beenHe did not live to hold this office long; on October 26th, 1764, the hand which had exposed the vices and follies of the day so truly, and yet with such huarth died in his house at Leicester Fields; he was buried in Chiswick Churchyard, where on his reat Painter of Mankind!

Who reached the noblest point of Art; Whose _pictured Morals_ charh the Eye correct the Heart

If Genius fire thee, Reader, stay; If _Nature_ touch thee, drop a Tear; If neither move thee, turn away, For HOGARTH'S honour'd dust lies here”

And yet it is of this man that Walpole says, that ”as a painter he has slender merit” Charles Lamb remarks wisely, in his fine essay on ”The Genius and Character of Hogarth, that his chief design was by no h” Of his prints, he says, ”A set of severer satires (for they are not so much co andof raven upon copper They resemble Juvenal, or the satiric touches in _Timon of Athens_”

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IV

THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND ITS INFLUENCE

Hogarth was the first original painter of England, and he was too original either to copy or to be copied; but he founded no school What he did was to draw aside the curtain and show the light of nature to those who had been hitherto content to grope ay Two circulish art--the absence of a recognised academy, where a system of art-study could be pursued, and where rewards were offered for success; and the want of a public exhibition where painters could display their works, or learn fro, in England, and therefore no pupils

Instead of gathering around them students on the atelier systeland had apprentices, ere erind their colours, clean their brushes, and prepare their canvas Such apprentices ht become mechanical copyists of their employers

Nevertheless, such was the systereat Italian Masters, soreat masters in their turns, were trained Several atte in London had beenschool in Whitefriars so long ago as the days of Charles I; Van Dyck promoted studies of this kind at his house in Blackfriars; the Duke of Richmond in 1758 endeavoured to form a school at the Priory Garden, Westminster; Sir Godfrey Kneller supported an acade at his house in Great Queen Street, till his death in 1723; another society existed in Greyhound Court, Arundel Street, Strand, till 1738, when the members joined the St

Martin's Lane Acade schools, under recognised teachers, but neither honour-bestowing, benevolent, nor representative bodies Each pupil paid for the use of the models and premises, except those which were supplied by the Duke of Richuests In 1724 Sir James Thornhill had opened an art academy at his house in James Street, Covent Garden; it existed till his death in 1734; he suggested to the Prime Minister, Lord Halifax, the idea of a Royal Acade models in a disused Presbyterian chapel William shi+pley maintained an art acadearth studied there But none of these schools had a prescribed syste The absence of a public exhibition was felt as a great arth, however, who regarded the painters of his country fro power of academies or paid professors

Apart from the Exhibitions of the Society of Artists in 1760 and 1761, for which Hogarth designed the frontispiece and tailpiece to the catalogue, the first public exhibition of pictures was that of sign boards, proarth and B Thornton in 1762 The iave to native art, however, was soon visible; and the Society of Arts and the Dilettanti Society encouraged young painters by giving prizes, and by suggesting the foruild or confraternity of artists The first private exhibitions of pictures were held in the Foundling and St Bartholo painters of the day presented their works This happened in 1746 In 1761 the Society of Artists was rent in two, and a new body, the Free Society, remained in the Adelphi The Society of Artists re Gardens, and in 1765 obtained a charter of incorporation: it was thenceforward called the Incorporated Society

Owing to the ement and consequent dissensions in this body arose the Royal Acadee III on Deceh without a royal charter of incorporation This institution, which was to exercise so land, supplied tants--a definite syste, and an exhibition ofthe three e, and who became members of the new Academy, we must speak of others ere not without their influence on the world of art ALLAN RAMSAY (1713--1784) was considered one of the best portrait painters of his time He was the son of Allan Ra in Italy he came to London and established hih Walpole specially praises his portraits of wo some of them to those of Reynolds In 1767 Rae III, and his portraits of the King and _Queen Charlotte_ are still at Kensington As a reat accomplishments, Allan Ramsay received the praises of Dr Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds In the Exhibition of 1862 was exhibited a portrait of the _Duke of Argyll_, by Ra was still the popular branch of art in England, and the influence of Hogarth had produced no advance towards the study of landscape A those, however, who attempted it was GEORGE LAMBERT (1710--1765), a scene-painter, and founder of the ”Beefsteak Club” This latter distinction makes him remembered, whilst his landscapes, after the otten WILLIAM SMITH (1707--1764), GEORGE SMITH (1714--1776), JOHN SMITH (1717--1764), usually known as the SMITHS OF CHICHESTER, were very popular in their day They painted landscapes fron and unnatural air by copying Claude and Poussin Though they exercised considerable influence on English landscape-painting, we cannot wonder at the popularity of these painters e remember how utterly barren this branch of art still reland PETER MONAMY(1670?--1749) was a marine painter of the school of the Van de Veldes, whose pupil he may have been A Sea piece by him at Hah order Portraits of Monaarth at Knowsley SAMUEL SCOTT (1710?--1772) was a friend of Hogarth, and a marine painter after the mode of the Van de Veldes Walpole considered hie, one whose works will chare” They have, however, ceased to do so in this Another marine painter was CHARLES BROOKING (1723--1759), one of whose productions is at Hampton Court He occasionally worked in concert with DOMINIC SERRES (1722--1793), a Royal Acadee pictures of _The Naval Review at Portse III, are likewise at Hampton Court The works of Dominic Serres have been confounded with those of his son, JOHN THOMAS SERRES (1759--1825), as a far superior painter to his father

We pass on to speak of three celebrated painters, hen already famous became meh The story of RICHARD WILSON (1713--1782) is the story of a disappointed omeryshi+re, the son of the parson of that place Wilson's early taste for drawing attracted the attention of Sir George Wynne, by whoht, a portrait painter in London Following the popular branch of art in his day, Wilson in due course beca reed tofor an intervieith the landscape painter Zuccarelli he is said to have sketched the view through the openThe Italian advised the Englishman to devote himself henceforth to landscapes, and Wilson followed his advice

After six years' stay in Italy, during which period he became imbued with the beauties of that country, Wilson returned to England in 1755, and found Zuccarelli worshi+pped, whilst he hilected His _Niobe_, one version of which is in the National Gallery, was exhibited with the Society of Artists' Collection, in Spring Gardens, 1760, and eneral, his pictures, infinitely superior to the mere decorations of the Italian, were criticised, and compared unfavourably with those of Zuccarelli, and it was not till long after Wilson's death that he was thoroughly appreciated He was often compelled to sell his pictures to pawnbrokers, who, so it is said, could not sell thelect soured the painter's temper, and made him irritable and reckless He had many enemies, and even Sir Joshua Reynolds treated hiinal thirty-six members of the Royal Academy, and in 1776 applied for and obtained the post of Librarian to that body, the s htened by better fortune A brother left hiacy, and in 1780 Wilson retired to a pleasant home at Llanberis, Carnarvon, where he died two years later Mr Redgrave says of him: ”There is this praise due to our countryman--that our landscape art, which had heretofore been derived froreat example, looked thenceforth to Italy for its inspiration; that he proved the power of native art to coner, and prepared the way for the co Nature as their mistress, were prepared to leave all and follow her”

Wilson frequently repeated his more successful pictures _The Ruins of the Villa of Maecenas, at Tivoli_ (National Gallery), was painted five times by him In the same Gallery are _The Destruction of Niobe's Children_, _A Landscape with Figures_, three _Views in Italy_, _Lake Avernus with the Bay of Naples in the distance_, &c In the Duke of Westminster's collection are _Apollo and the Seasons_ and _The River Dee_ Wilson, like enius, lived before his time, and was forced one day to ask Barry, the Royal Acadeh to employ a landscape painter, and if so, whether he would recommend him

[Illustration: MORNING _By_ RICHARD WILSON]

Singularly unlike Wilson in his fortunes was a painter of the same school, naan life by colouring prints for a Dublin publisher, and beca vast sums for his pictures, whilst Wilson could hardly buy bread Patronised by Burke, who gained him the appoint for his works 2,000 a year, Barret died poor, and his pictures, once so prized, are neglected, whilst the works of Wilson are now valued as they deserve Another artist who derived his inspiration from Wilson was JULIUS CaeSAR IBBETSON (1759--1817), who painted landscapes with cattle and figures and rustic incidents with much success

JOSHUA REYNOLDS (1723--1792) was born at Plyrammar school His father had intended him for a doctor, but nature decided that Joshua Reynolds should be a painter He preferred to read Richardson's ”Treatise on Painting” to any other book, and when his taste for art became manifest he was sent to London to study with Hudson, the popular portrait painter of the day Before this ti Reynolds had studied ”The Jesuit's Perspective” with such success that he astonished his father by drawing Plympton school There is at Plycumbe's household, which is said to have been painted by Reynolds when twelve years old It was in 1741 that Joshua Reynolds began his studies with Hudson, and as that worthy could teach hi, it is fortunate for art that the connection only lasted two years On leaving Hudson's studio Reynolds returned to Devonshi+re, but we know little about his life there till the year 1746, when his father died, and the painter was established at Ply portraits

Many of these earlier works betray the stiffness and want of nature which their author had probably learnt fro visited London, and stayed for a time in St Martin's Lane, the artists'