Dudley Gallery

The Dudley Gallery.

Rossetti, William M. "The Dudley Gallery." Academy (February 5, 1876): 196. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.

"Few less remarkable exhibitions can have been held in this gallery," notes Rossetti of this collection of 592 works by 350 painters, all of which he terms "alms for oblivion dispensed with ungrudging hands."

Rossetti illustrates the poor quality of the exhibition with the example of what he finds mentionable, which is a Richard Dadd work of "not more than respectable mediocrity." The exhibition, he says, is not necessarily "bad," but nonetheless, there is little in it worth more than three or four minutes of observation, and nothing at all to inspire remembrance. He finds little dramatic interest in any of the subject matter throughout the exhibition.

Rossetti discusses Sir Edward John Poynter's work, which he says falls short of his usual standard. He finds problems with Moore's and Leslie's works, mentioning the almost tiresome effect of their usual subject matter.

There are two verses cited to add a comparative image in describing a painting by Philip H. Calderon, whom Rossetti says "was not well advised to paint and who was ill-advised to exhibit," but adds Rossetti pointedly, "Academicianship has its duties as well as its rights."