LECTURE.

On Wednesday, December 6th, in the Gymnasium, Mr. W. Hoggatt gave a lecture on how to paint a large picture ; and proceeded to paint one before our astonished eyes. It was a novel form of entertainment, and our feelings were divided between admiration for the genius of the artist, and amusement at the anecdotes with which he punctuated his performance.

Mr. Hoggatt began with a brief sketch of the history of landscape painting ; remarking that it is a comparatively modern branch of art, and that the interest in nature in and for itself is likewise a late development.

The main business of the evening consisted in the painting of a large picture entitled "A Manx Glen." After a long period of apparent formlessness, the scene by a few dexterous touches suddenly sprang into life, and we became aware of the moon-lit glen with its stream, and those graceful trees so characteristic of the artist ; and goats browsing and an old ladv standing under the tree. Let no one suppose that the painting of a picture is the easy thing Mr. Hoggatt made it appear-even to Mr. Hoggatt. The artist, as he explained, must labour and struggle for many years before he can hope to produce anything approaching his desired effects.

Our only regret was that Mr. Hoggatt did not continue a little longer at his picture, but it was exhausting work, and, for relief, he betook himself. to comic sketches on the blackboard. These would have delighted us more had they not followed work of a much higher order.

Though the writer would prefer to watch so great an artist as Mr. Hoggatt at work on a painting free from exigencies of time and place, yet the performance was a notable one, and above all, ' something new.'

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2009