THE friends of Mr. Allston, have desired to express in some public manner their high sense of his pre-eminence as an Artist and their esteem and affection for him as a man. No mode of doing this seemed so appropriate as to collect all his pictures which are accessible in an exhibition, the proceeds of which might be presented to him as a token of those feelings. They have omitted no efforts and spared no expense to bring together a collection which will richly reward the visitor, and be, in their opinion, of very great value to artists; they confidently trust that the result will be such as to sustain the character of this community for a true and elevated taste, and to be a gratifying testimonial to the Artist of the regard in which he is held by his country men. To the Proprietors of the Paintings, the warmest acknowledgements are due for the liberality with which they have been lent for this occasion. N. B......The visitors are requested not to touch the Pictures, and to leave their canes and umbrellas with the door-keeper. PICTURES. No. 1.-Date 1813. THE DEAD MAN RESTORED TO LIFE, by touching the bones of the Prophet Elisha. "And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band of men, and they cast the man into the Sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived.”. II Kings, chap. x. v. 20, 21. The Sepulchre of Elisha is supposed to be in a cavern among the mountains; such places in those early ages being used for the interment of the dead. In the foreground is the Man at the moment of reanimation, in which the Artist has attempted, both in the action and the color, to express the gradual recoiling of life upon death; behind him, in a dark recess, are the bones of the Prophet, the skull of which is peculiarised by a preternatural light; at his head and feet are the two bearers of the body, the ropes still in their hands, by which they have let it down, indicating the act that moment performed: the emotion attempted in the figure at the feet is that of astonishment and fear, modified by doubt, as if still requiring further confirmation of the miracle before him, while in the figure at the head is that of unqualified, immoveable terror. In the most prominent group above, is a Soldier, in the act of rushing from the scene the violent and terrified action of this figure was chosen to illustrate the miracle by the contrast which it exhibits to that habitual firmness, supposed to belong to the inilitary character, shewing his emotion to proceed from no mortal cause. The Figure grasping the Soldier's arm, and pressing forward to look at the body, is expressive of terror overcome by curiosity. The group on the left, or rather behind the Soldier, is composed of two Men of different ages, earnestly listening to the explanation of a Priest, who is directing their thoughts to heaven, as the source of the miraculous change; the boy clinging to the old man is too young to comprehend the nature of the miracle, but, like children of his age, unconsciously partakes of the general impulse. The group on the right forms an episode, consisting of the Wife and Daughter of the Reviving Man. The Wife, unable to withstand the conflicting emotions of the past and the present, has fainted; and whatever joy and astonishment may have been excited in the Daughter by the sudden revival of her Father, they are wholly absorbed in distress and solicitude for her Mother. The Young Man with outstretched arms, actuated by impulse, [not motive,] announces to the Wife by a sudden exclamation the revival of her Husband; the other Youth, of a mild and devotional character, is still in the attitude of one conversing— the conversation being abruptly broken off by his impetuous companion. The Sentinels in the distance, at the entrance of the cavern, mark the depth of the Picture, and indicate the alarm which had occasioned this tumultuary burial. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS, Ih ladelphia. No. 2. JEREMIAH DICTATING HIS PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM TO BARUCH, THE SCRIBE. Vide Jer. Ch. 36. MISS GIBBS, Boston. No. 3. THE TRIUMPHAL SONG OF MIRIAM ON THE DESTRUCTION OF PHARAOH AND HIS HOST IN THE RED SEA. Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." Exodus, Ch. XV. DAVID SEARS, Boston. No. 4. THE WITCH OF ENDOR RAISING THE SPIRIT OF SAMUEL BEFORE SAUL. Vide I Samuel, 28 Ch. CoL. PERKINS, Boston. No. 5. THE FLIGHT OF FLORIMEL. Vide Spenser's Faery Queen. JAMES F. BALDWIN, Boston. No. 6. POLYPHEMUS IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS EYE WAS PUT OUT, GROPING ABOUT HIS CAVERN FOR THE COMPANIONS OF ULYSSES. Drawn on ship-board. JAMES F. BALDWIN, Boston. No. 7.-1805. SWISS SCENERY. ISAAC P. DAVIS, Boston. No. 8. A MOTHER WATCHING HER SLEEPING CHILD. JAMES MCMURTRIE, Philadelphia. No. 9. Vide Beatie's Minstrel. ROBERT GILMOR, Baltimore. No. 10. BEATRICE. SAMUEL A. ELIOT, Boston. |