The Late Mr. William Denholm Kennedy.

THE LATE MR . WILLIAM DENHOLM KENNEDY .

It has been observed , more than once , that the world which receives delight from the productions of men of genius , little wots of the anguish that sometimes attends upon the work , or of the amount of effort wasted that there is behind the presented scene . If anything could be wanting to urge the Governmentthe nationand the Eoyal Academyto

, , , terminate the unsatisfactory state of things which is represented by the arrangement of the works of art in the galleries in Trafalgar-square , and the rejection of pictures that are of great merit , it would be afforded by the relation of facts such as from time "to time come to light . Each' year we hear of an

increased number rejected , of works that , it is not disputed , as well deserved place as those which are exhibited ; whilst also we see a considerable portion of the pictures placed where no picture can be appreciated , or so that their exhibition is productive of as much pain as advantage to their authors . Not

long since , an artist of great excellence , Muller , dying , spoke of the treatment which he felt he had received at the hands of the Academy , and to which his death was ascribed ; and last week there was another melancholy instance of effects that may be produced through the condition of affairs

administered to the best of the means and ability of the Academy , actiug upon a peculiarly sensitive mind , such as is often that of an artist . In the present exhibition of the Academy , in the North Eoom , numbered 5 SS , and placed next the ceiling , where it is impossible to discover the beauty which we believe the work has , is a piieture to which is attached the title in the catalogue , — " The Land of Poetry and Song , " together with the quotation , —

" Ab , monarchs ! could ye taste the mirth ye mar , JNot in the toils of glory ivould ye fret ; The hoarse dull drum would sleep , and man be happy yet . " It is the last principal exhibited work of one William Denholm Kennedy , who might be ranked with some of the first of English paintersor those who have

, been the brightest ornaments of the Academy , whose chief honours in the schools he gained . He lived to feel himself neglected and passed over ; for , though more than once within one vote of his election as an A . E . A ., he never gained that distinction—perhaps because he was too proud to solicit it ; and anxiet

y about the reception or treatment of the work which we have named , and some mortification at the actual result , acting upon a diseased frame , and coupled with grief at a severe bereavement , have sufficed to terminate his life . He had himself observed that his anxiety on the subject of his picture would "kill "

him ; and when the exhibition opened , and it was seen where the picture was hung , his friends made the same remark , and dreaded answering his inquiries . He was found dead on Friday morning , the 2 nd inst ., at his rooms in Soho-square ; aud though the inquest has shown that the disease from which he had suffered

might have been the primary cause of his death , it is probable that had the system of the Academy allowed better acknowledgment of his talents , his life would have been prolonged and his end have been somewhat different . Tbe writer of these lines met him two evenings previously to the sad event : and another

friend was with him on the evening before his death , when he appeared well , as he had- for some weeks . He had been painting on the day before the night of his decease . His principal works represent Italian scenes , and combine great beauty of landscape-painting with a treatment of figures resembling that of Ettywith

, whom he was a favourite , aud in some measure a pupil , and from whom he derived great love of colour . During the last few years his pictures have not been so conspicuous in Trafalgar-square , as were his earlier works ; and some of them were wanting in finish ; but one who knew him well , and has the capacity for

appreciating a good picture , says that he never painted better than during the two years . of his illness . He produced a multitude of small works that never went to the Exhibition . One dealer , wo believe , sold in two years £ 2 , 000 worth of them . In one side of his character he mi ght be said to resemble James

Barry ; and the neglected state of his rooms helped to keep up the idea of a similarity . For several years he had not visited the galleries of the Academy . With his intimate friends , however , by whom he was sincerely esteemed , he was remarkable for great kindliness and sociability , coupled with a charming

politeness " of the old school ; " as he also was for humour and anecdote . A certain fraternity to which he belonged will miss him . He was born in Dumfries on the 16 th of June , 1813 . Thus , at his death , he had very nearly completed his 52 nd year . He received his early instruction in drawing , at the Edinburgh School of Art ; came to Loudon about the year 1830 , where he became a student of the Academy ; and at length

gained the gold medal , and afterwards the travelling studentship . He went abroad , with Mr . Elmore , we believe , aud was in Eome about the year 1830 . He had exhibited previously to this time . A list of his works would perhaps be beyond the scope of our pages ; but we may mention , as amongst the number , a picture to which were appended the words" The

, last of all the bards was he , " & c . ; " The Italian Goatherd , "—a very fine work , but injured lately through his having been induced to paint out the principal figure;— "Sir Guyon and the Palmer ;" " Gil Bias ; " "I must say that Italy ' s- a pleasant place to me ; " ancl "The Warders ; " of which worksthe

, two last are still amongst his effects . At one time he assisted Mr . Willement with designs . The windows of the Church of St .-Stephen , Walbrook , are from his cartoons . He was a clever connoisseur of engravings , of which he had a choice collection . One of his pictures is now in the collection at the Crystal

Palace . His brother , Colonel J . D . Kennedy , who had served in India , died about a fortnight ago , and this loss , together with the peculiarly distressing disease , dropsy , from which lie suffered , were , rather than any treatment of the Academy , the causes of his death .

Still , so far as this case may be illustrative of the sad effects of the indecisive position in which the Academy is , or is left by the Government , it deserves to be recorded here . What is quite clear , is that no picture that deserves to be hung should be placed where it cannot be seen , or where otherwise its effect may be falsified . The position of sculpture , as well as architecture , is too obviously discreditable to the Academy , or the country , to require present remark . Builder .