Millet left Paris for Barbizon (1849). ... He returned to the ideals of his youth, and became, by swift and easy stages, the epic painter of rusticity. At Barbizon, where he laboured till his
death, he produced that long line of masterpieces in which the new capacities of landscape, the conquests of Rousseau and Diaz and Constable, are found in combination with an heroic treatment of the figure. This development was Millet's work,
and remains perhaps his chief contribution to pure art. ... To his fellow-craftsmen his work must always present extraordinary interest; for, while his gift was immense, and his accomplishment in its way unrivalled, there have been few whose study of reality has been more searching and profound, and few the record of whose observations is so charged with brain-stuff and so pregnant
with significance. But he did not work for his fellow-craftsmen alone. He has touched the scenes of that 'epic in the flat,' which was his legacy to time, with a dignity, a solemn passion, a quality of fatefulness, a sense of eternal issues, which lift him to the neighbourhood of Michelangelo and Beethoven, and make his
achievement, like theirs, the possession of all mankind.
Until this Memorial Catalogue appeared, it was not generally regarded as possible to do such book-work without going to Paris or elsewhere for it. But the book itself attests what can be done by determination, enterprise, and good taste among ourselves. It is in its own line the finest thing of the kind yet produced in this country. Indeed it is more than merely that, for it is a new departure altogether. It is worthy to take rank with the best art books produced on the Continent. Its get-up reflects honour on all who have had to do with it. M.-vcaulay Stevenson.
GENERAL NOTES ON ART.
The National Association for the Advancement of Art. — The first meeting of 'The National Association for the Advancement of Art and its Application to Industry' will be held in Liverpool in November of this year, and it is contemplated to hold future Congresses in other great centres of industry and manu- facture. The Congress will be divided into sections, dealing with Painting, Sculpture, Applied Art, History and Museums, and the National and Municipal encouragement of Art. This last, but most important section, is to be under the presidency of the Right Hon. A. J. Mundella, M.P., with P. H. Rathbone, Esq., as secretary. Messrs. Alma-Tadema, Alfred Gilbert, and Walter Crane preside over the sections devoted to Painting, Sculpture, and Applied Art. On the immense power of such an influential association to promote and further the interests of Art in this country, it is not necessary for us to make any comment. Steps should be taken to secure its holding a Congress in Scotland at as early a date as is found suitable. For we feel certain that a meeting here would be productive of benefit. As is now pretty generally known, the idea of such an association emanated from the Liverpool Art Club, and, as it received great encouragement from the Mayor and many of the most influential citizens of that city, a public meet- ing was held in the Town Hall, and an executive council appointed, with the object of holding an Art Congress in Liverpool, for the purpose of bringing together those interested in the subject, and the furtherance of schemes likely to promote the interests or diffuse a knowledge of Art. At a later meeting in the Duke of West- minster's house in London, there was formally inaugurated a per- manent Association for the advancement of Art, somewhat on the lines of the British Association for the advancement of Science. Looking at the influence which the British Association has exerted on the development of Science and Inventions, we cannot but expect a future of great usefulness for the new society. A Practical School for Ilujstrative Artists. — It is proposed by the directorate of the Graphic to found a school for artists, who will be instructed in the different methods of produc- ing black and white drawings, most suitable for engraving on wood, or for the different processes now employed for illustrations here and on the Continent. Candidates for admission to the school, who must not be more than twenty-five years of age, will be required to submit a set of original sketches of figure subjects ; consisting either of scenes of actual events, portraits from life, drawings from animals, or humorous sketches. Studies from still life, the antique, or landscape sketches will not, however, be received. No premium will be required, but the students will be chosen according to the merit of the drawings submitted, and after selec- tion they will have a fortnight's trial before being definitely accepted. The instruction from capable masters will be free, but the students must find their own materials and share the expense of models. We trust this new educational undertaking may be productive of good results. The National Gallery, London. — The Annual Report for the year 18S7 has been issued as a Parliamentary paper. The Trustees and Director have renewed their application to the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, urging them to reconsider the question of restoring, either wholly or in part, the annual Parliamentary grant to the National Gallery for the pur- chase of pictures (suspended since 1885), and suggesting that at least the yearly sum paid by the public for admission on students' days (which may be estimated at ;f 1200, as well as the profits derived from the sale of catalogues, might be placed at the dis- posal of the Trustees for the purpose above mentioned. Although their Lordships were unable to accede to this request, they under- took to sanction an advance of ;^2000 from the Civil Contingencies Fund for the purchase of pictures in 18S7-88, should an oppor- tunity occur of expending that sum with advantage to the Gallery.
The Panorama of Bannockburn, Glasgow.— A panorama of this kind is a novel thing in Scotland. It is so much beyond any panorama that has been shown here — indeed, it is so entirely difl'erent — as to approach, if it does not reach, certain of the qualities of a work of art. The best part of it is the landscape. The figures of the opposing hosts battling with each other are not quite satisfactorily enveloped in the same atmosphere as the landscape. This detracts from the sense of naturalness. While the scene appears real, the warriors look like the painted men they are. Nevertheless the action is good, and a fine idea of the memorable struggle is conveyed by the representation. From an art point of view it is specially on the landscape we have to comment. At the present time there is a great deal of nonsense talked about men ’painting with a foreign accent,' because many of the more earnest of the younger artists of this country go abroad, to Paris and elsewhere, to be disciplined in the craftsmanship of their art, where teaching is done thoroughly, and at moderate expense. Wiseacres tell them to look rather to the noble examples of the Scottish or the English School, as the case may be — our artists are to be ' national,' and 'individual,' etc. Well, here, in this Panorama of Bannockburn, is a Scottish scene — a ' national ' scene — painted by a foreigner, who, we are bound to say, has surpassed in sense of naturalness the work of men who are popularly supposed to be the leading landscape painters of the day in our own country. There is more truth of feeling in Mr. Fleischer's panorama than there is in many of the works of Mr. Peter Graham and Mr. Vicat Cole. Why? Because, having been well trained in the painter's craftsmanship where training is thorough and not left to hap-hazard, Mr. Fleischer has been able to come to this country and beat our popular painters on their own ground.
