704
SARDINIAN AND TUSCAN SCULPTURE—ROMAN MOSAICS. [Class XXX-
SAliDINIA.
D. W. Baron Marochetti (76, Outside West, p. 118).This artist, though educated iu France , and at presentsettled in England, is by birth a subject of the King ofSardinia , so that it is most proper to place him under thelatter couutry. He exhibited a colossal equestrian figureof Richard Cceur de Lion, modelled in plaster, and bronzed,and placed in the open air at the vest end of the building.Richard is represented in mail, mounted on a fine charger.The frank and noble conception of the chivalrous king,holding up his sword in his right baud, and the spiritedaction of the horse, make this a very remarkable workIn some parts, however, of the modelling of the horsethere is a want of knowledge. The hind quarter andhind legs, especially, have rather a lame appearance, andthe execution of this part of the horse is very imperfect;the disposition of the veins particularly is altogether arbi-trary. The artist has, however, exhibited within the build-ing a horse’s head finished in detail, and from this samplewe may see that certain further modelling may muchimprove the general effect. Council Medal.
Nicolas Lendy, engraver at the Royal Mint of Turin ,(60, p. 1304). This artist exhibited nine microscopicdies of coins as examples of a process invented by him-self, by which dies may be reduced with extraordinaryaccuracy to a scale, the minuteness of which is hardlycredible.
Though the inscription and design on these dies canonly be discerned by the aid of a very powerful micro-scope, the details are rendered with extreme fineness.
Among the works exhibited by this country are aBacchus by Xencini (.115, p. 1298), a Psyche byFiieccia (117, p. 1299), and a Dying Gladiator by Cos-tolt, all iu marble. These three works, though notwithout merit, must be reckoned of very subordinaterank, when we remember the great celebrity of Tuscany in art; they have, however, received Honourable Men-tion.
Sculpture on a small Scale.
A wardrobe and jewel-casket, by Barbetti, of Siena (91, p. 1298b are, both in taste and execution, mostremarkable examples of the rich style of decorativecarving of the sixteenth century, commonly known asthe cinque cento style; though these works, therefore,have already obtained a Prize Medal, in Class XXVI.,they cannot pass unnoticed here.
L. Bigotti (95, p. 1298). The ornaments carved inivory by this artist show a good taste, and are carefullyexecuted. Honourable Mention.
Graphic Delineations on Plane Surfaces.
Inlaid floras in Pietra Dura .
This kind of art has been carried to great perfectionin Tuscany , and its cultivation there for so long a periodhas supplied most of the palaces in Europe with worksin Pietra Dura , which rank among the finest examplesof decorative furniture.
No first-rate specimen was contributed to the Exhi-bition ; there are, however, several table-tops by G.Bianchini (119, p. 1299\ which must be consideredvery remarkable works, on account of the taste displayedin the composition of the flowers and leaves, and thecare bestowed on the execution. They therefore receiveda Prize Medal from the Jury of Class XXX., as well asfrom that of Class XXVII.
ROME.
Sculpture on a large Scale.
It is to be regretted that the most distinguished artistsof Rome , and especially Tenerani, the greatest livingsculptor of Italy , sent no specimens of their works to theExhibition.
Two groups, of a little girl with a dog, by G. M. Ben- |
! zoni(1G, p. 12S6), may be noticed here. In one of theseI the child is represented drawing a thorn out of the dog’sfoot; in the other the dog, after having killed a snakewhich was threatening an attack, seeks to awaken thechild thus rescued. The motive of these works is attrac-tive, and they are carefully executed in marble, but theyare by no means of sufficient importance to be consideredadequate representations of the modern school of sculp-ture of such a city as Rome . Prize Medal.
I. Engel, of Hungary (p. 848). A group in marble,representing an incident in the myth of the Argonauts and Amazons . This composition is not happy in itslines, and the figures are somewhat deficient in character,but the execution is careful. Though this artist is notan Italian by birth, yet, as he received his artistic educa-tion in Italy , this seems to be the most proper place forthe notice of his work. Honourable Mention.
Cameos.
Fair specimens of this kind of art, which has been somuch esteemed at Rome , and cultivated with such greatresults, have been contributed to the Exhibition in aseries of cameos, cut on shells, by the well-known gem-engraver Saulini. The greater part of these are copiedfrom the most attractive works of the celebrated English sculptor Gibson. Honourable Mention. (24, p. 1286-87.)
Mosaics.
This class of art, in which the artists of Rome have solong maintained the first rank, and produced such won-derful results, was far more abundantly and adequatelyrepresented in the Exhibition than the other branches ofRoman art which we have already noticed.
Barbkri (15, p. 1286). A table-top, on which arerepresented views of celebrated cities in Italy , such asRome, Florence, Venice, Pisa , &c. These views arearranged in a border round the table; in the central areathus encircled is a representation of the sky. Both inthe choice of the subjects of the views, and in the forceand refinement of execution, this work is among themost remarkable specimens of mosaic that have been pro-duced. There is, however, rather a want of taste in theform and colour of the ornaments which compose theoutermost border of the design. Although this work hasbeen distinguished by a Council Medal in Class XXVII.,I have thought it necessary to notice it here, on accountof its remarkable character as a work of art.
The Mosaic Manufactory at St. Peter’s exhibits twoexcellent specimens by Castellini (23, p. 1286). Oneof these, representing a colossal three-quarter portrait ofPope Boniface II. , is an example of the ancient style ofmosaic, intended for the decoration of churches, and fordistant effect. The other specimen is a half-length por-trait of St. John, by Guercino . This work shows withwhat wonderful precision a picture, executed in a periodwhen technical knowledge had been fully attained, maybe reproduced iu mosaic, with a perfect rendering of theforms, colouring, and general effect.
B. Boschetti (17, p. 1286), of Rome , exhibits twomosaics for table-tops, remarkable for their taste andexecution; these have obtained Honourable Mention.Awarded Prize Medal.
Three Roman artists in mosaic, Dominico Mogija(21, awarded Honourable Mention, Class XXVII.\ theCavaliere Luigi Moglia (20, awarded Prize Medal,Class XX VII.'', and Rocchigiani (22,—all these at p.1286\ have severally contributed to the Exhibition viewsof the temples of Pcestum, this subject being a favouriteone among the Roman mosaicists. These views areexecuted on a considerable scale. All these artistsdeserve praise for the truth and careful execution dis-played in their works, but the mosaic of Rocchigiani isdistinguished from the rest by the force of the effect,and depth and warmth of the colouring. An HonourableMention has been bestowed on these three artists.
BELGIUM.
In this country, notwithstanding its moderate size,there is so general a diffusion of talent and feeling for