REPORT OF MR. MILLETT.
207
Karl Hulm is perhaps the most eminent artist who contributed to the display, but he was only feebly represented. One of his favorite subjects was shown, The Evening of the Eight of Saint Bartholomew, a noble engaged in pinning the white cross upon his hat, and also by two small interiors. The skill of the artist is undeniable, his handling fully equalling and much resembling that of some of the best French and Belgian painters, but in the pictures shown the superior execution was their best quality. Among a large number of pictures, little remarkable for tine tones, the broadly painted genres of Charlamoff are pre-eminent for refinement and delicacy of color. His Music Lesson was a sweet melodious strain in itself, the key low but beautifuly harmonious, and the notes forcibly struck. These genres begin the list of a varied and interesting series — interesting, because illustrating the curious customs of the Russian peasantry, but little remarkable as works of art. It would hardly be expected to find such facility among the Russian artists as was seen in the numerous pictures of the liliputian size, finished with almost the skill of the old Dutch painters. Among these there were several interiors of monasteries with monks, and battle-pieces with thousands of minute figures, curiosities of patient labor and little else. Of portraiture several strong examples were shown. A Russian noble, in an overcoat lined with bearskin, is the best of the series exposed by Johann P. Koehler. The head is finely drawn and the fur painted with a skill rarely equalled.
Sweden, Norway and Denmark displayed all together quite a large collection of representative works, not particularly attractive as a mass, but with many productions of merit. The general character of the pictures differed very little from the German works, but here and there could be seen an example of pure French influence, and an occasional inspiration Korn the school of the Netherlands. The landscape and marine branches of art flourish in a most healthy manner, and the genres, and more especially the salon pictures, have comparatively few devotees. What there is of genre is generally Se rious enough, and if inspired by national peculiarities, is interesting more than picturesque. Few of the genres exposed Were from home motives, and the best ones were not distinct-