T. Johanot had but one picture this year, which was very
clever, as his always are; his subjects are mostly historical, and his
illustrations of Walter Scott are universally known and admired.
Schopin is another of the French artists whose pictures will always
live, his females are so truly graceful, such sweetness of expression in
their countenances; this year he did not shine so much as he has before,
having but one picture, which was from Ruth and Boaz, and the latter was
made to appear too old. A paralyzed old Man on an Ass, which his son was
leading, was a true picture of nature, by Leleux; the vigour of the one
and the feebleness of the other were admirably contrasted, although
rather flat from wanting more shade.

Of this description there were far too many pictures possessing merit
than I can afford room to cite, but amongst the portraits there were
some such wretched daubs, that they would have been a disgrace to any
country; in fact this is a branch in which the French are peculiarly
deficient, and in which we far surpass them. The portrait painter who
has now the greatest vogue is Winterhatter, who certainly has a great
degree of merit, but rather sacrifices the face to the drapery; his
picture of the Queen was very justly admired in many respects, but the
laboured accuracy with which the lace was given, was rendered so
conspicuous, that the eye fell upon the costume before it lighted upon
the features; this pleases the ladies, I am aware, who like to have an
exact map of their blonde and guipure, and it certainly is too much the
case that an artist is obliged to be more or less the slave of his
sitters and their friends; his miscellaneous pieces, where his pencil
roves freely, are all that is delightful. His portrait of the Comte de
Paris and the Duchess de Nemours, certainly display considerable talent.
Two favourite and fashionable portrait painters are Dubuffe and Court,
the works of the former are well known in England, they are exceedingly
attractive from their softness and brilliance, but they want the
crispness and tone of nature, the drawing also is sometimes defective.
These observations equally apply to both these artists. The younger
Dubuffe is rising rapidly in the estimation of artists. I have seen some
portraits very true to life by Coignet, Roller, Laure, Rouilliard, and
Vinchon; one of Sebastiani, by the latter, was quite nature itself.
There are several very clever painters of marine subjects