This catalogue, the details of which appear to me to be excellent, affords a clear idea of the succession of schools, and of the dates of birth and death, and the chief circumstances of the life, of each artist; it includes well-devised indexes, and a map of the arrangement of the galleries, which gives a synoptical view of the history of the arts at a glance. Of the conscientious and artist-like manner in which the plan is worked out, the following sketch of the first division (abtheilung) may give some idea. Introduction. On the chief epochs in the history of modern painting. Div. 1. ITALIAN SCHOOLS:-Class 1. Venetians:-Formation of school. Masters-description of pictures— subject and character, whence obtained. Note G. Effect of Free Exhibitions, p. 215. EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL INSTIUTION OF "The committee contemplate no part of the experience of the past year with so much satisfaction, as the success that has rewarded their attempt to bring the poorest classes of the community into connexion with the pure and exalting influences to which this building is devoted. Their faith in the good feeling of the public, and in the aptitude of all minds-even the lowest-to receive refined and elevating impressions, has not disappointed them. Your museum has been crowded monthly, by thousands, whose eyes fell for the first time upon whole kingdoms of nature, and with whom no previous knowledge or familiarity broke the effect [?] of freshness and wonder. During the last year the first Monday in every month has been a public day. The numbers availing themselves of this privilege, and showing their appreciation of it, have been as follow: Jan. 120 Feb. 350 March, April, 2,500 May, 4,480 June, 1,500) 3,280 1839 Total 41,161. } Total 28,524. 1840 Jan. * On the second Monday in the month-the day of Her Majesty's marriage. †The numbers within brackets are added to those in the report from subsequent information. "The uniform propriety and intelligent curiosity of these vast multitudes demonstrate that nothing is wanting but the opportunity of forming tastes, and a generous and respectful sympathy manifested towards them, to take away from the English people that character of rudeness and insensibility to the beauties of nature and art which has so long been a national opprobrium. In opening these opportunities to the labouring classes, this institution cannot but feel that it occupies the place of a public benefactor and instructor, awakening in uncultivated minds feelings and ideas calculated to soften the rudeness of manners, and to increase the happiness and the virtue of life. With the sense of beauty and wonder dead in the mind, the poor man lives in a mean and ungraced world.” Note H. Encouragement of Historical Art by Voluntary LIST OF PICTURES PURCHASED OR COMMISSIONED FOR Public UND WESTPHALEN. 1. In Halberstadt Cathedral: Christ and Peter on the sea, in oil, by GÖTTING. 2. In the Town Museum of Cologne: The Israelites in exile, in oil, by BENDEMANN. 3. In the Protestant Church at Arnsberg; The Resurrection of Christ, an altar-piece, by DEGER. 4. In the Parish Church of Königsteele: The Adoration of the Shepherds, in oil, by ZIMMERMANN. 5. In Saint Andrew's Church, at Dusseldorf: The Holy Virgin with the Christ-child, etc., in fresco, by MÜCKE. 6. In the Town Museum of Cologne: A Lion Fight, in oil, by MEISTER. 7. In the Church of Dülmen: Christ in Mary's Bosom, in oil, by W. SCHADOW. 8. In the Parish Church of Dreis-on-the-Mosel: Saint Martin as Bishop, an altar-piece, by Götting. 9. In the Parish Church of Ehrenbreitstein: The Invention of the Cross, an altar-piece, in fresco, by SETTEGAST. 10. In Saint Andrew's Church: Christ in the Temple, an altar-piece, by HÜBNER. 11. In the same Church: The Queen of Heaven with the Christ-child, an altar-piece, by Deger. Besides partial contributions towards 12. The Restoration of the Altar of the Church of the Sisters of Mercy, at Coblentz, to which W. SCHADOW had presented his altar-pieceThe Queen of Heaven; and 14. The Commission of a large Historical Picture of The last Syrian Christians, by STIELCKE, for the Town Museum of Königsberg. INDEX OF PRINCIPAL TOPICS. Academy, Royal. See Royal Academy. America, reform of its patent laws, App. note B* Art Unions. See Berlin, Edinburgh, London, Munich, Paris. Their origin, Berlin, Art Union of, 241. British Artists, Society of See Society of British Artists. British Institution for promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom, British Museum, its present constitution and management, 132; Trustees, Byron, correspondence respecting the admission of his statue into West- Catalogues of public collections, hints respecting, App. note F. Churches, Altar-pieces in-propriety and advantages of their employment, 203. Commission on historical monuments. See France. Commons, House of; its select committee on arts and manufactures- Select Committee on British Museum, recommendations con- Competitions for public works, 219; for the new Royal Exchange, ib.; See French Architects. Copyright, its nature, 43. in books, existing statutes respecting, 49; necessity and means in prints, existing statutes respecting, 50; necessity and means of their improvement, 65. in works of sculpture, existing statutes respecting, 51; neces- in patterns, existing statutes respecting, 54; necessity and tribunals, App. note C. Edinburgh, its society for the encouragement of the Fine Arts in Education, National, connexion of the Fine Arts therewith, 265; duties English Art, its general character, 26. Excise duties affecting the arts of design, on bricks, 85; on paper, 86; Exposition de l'Industrie Nationale. See France. France, its manufactures as compared with English manufactures in point France, its Exposition of National Industry, App. note D.; its law of French Architects, their competition for the monument of General Foy, German Art Unions, instances of their encouragement of historical art, Glyptotheca of Munich. See Munich. Government, British, its duties in respect of the fine arts, 34; and past Historical Painting and Sculpture, necessity and means of their public Houses of Parliament, opportunities afforded by their erection, for the Kunstverein fur die Rheinlande und Westphalen, 242. London, Art Union of, its plan and progress, 217. Lyons, its copyright tribunals, 63; its school of arts, 103. Monuments in Churches, their proper character, 207. Munich, picture and sculpture gallery of, App. 368; Art Union of, 242. Museum of British History, want thereof, 114. Museums of ornamental art, should be established in connexion with National Gallery of England, its constitution and management, 118; Netherlands, copyright in, App. 352 Paris, its Société des Amis des Arts, 239. Patents for Inventions, existing state of the law respecting, 57; Mr. American law respecting. See America. Patterns. See Copyright. France. Pinacotheca of Munich. See Munich. Post-office Reform, its bearings on artistic and educational progress, 90. Public galleries of art, importance of, 107; nature of those most wanted Raffaelle's Cartoons, propriety of removing them from Hampton Court Reformation, its effects on the arts of design in England, 204. Royal Academy of Arts, its constitution and management, 129, 153; sug- Russia, copyright in, App. 352. Schools of Design, 97; plan and progress of the central school established .... for Promoting Free Access to National Monuments, . . . . 213. .... for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland. See Edin- Spain, copyright in, App. 351. Verein der Kunstfreunde im Preussischen Staate. See Berlin. PRINTED BY C. ADLARD, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE. |