"Now to the world my little book go forth,
With all thy faults."
I cannot expect it will escape the criticism and censure of some; but if
it meet the approbation of the discerning, and carries out my cherished,
my promised views, that of instructing the uninitiated--furthering the
purposes of Wax Flower Modelling--and refreshing the memories of my
earliest pupils, who may for a season have neglected so charming an
occupation, I shall be more than repaid for the trials and
disappointments attending the various efforts I have made to satisfy
all.
"Hoping the best--ready the worst to brook,
Yet seeking friendly hearts--go forth, my little book."
"As life is then so short, we should so live and labour that we may have
pleasing remembrances to console and cheer us at its close; let us work
earnestly and diligently, not only for our own good, but for that of our
fellow creatures:--
"Oh! let us live so, that flower by flower,
Shutting in turn, may leave
A lingerer still, for the sunset hour,
A charm for the shaded eve!"
HEMANS.
EXHIBITION OF
WAX FRUITS AND FLOWERS,
BY MRS. PEACHEY,
ARTISTE TO HER MAJESTY.
The following eloquent awards of the press are placed as nearly as
possible in the order of their respective dates, but the dates are
necessarily omitted.
Mrs. Peachey, artiste to her Majesty, has now on private view at her
rooms, 35, Rathbone Place, a superb collection of works intended for
the Great Exhibition. They consist principally of an enormous
bouquet of flowers and a colossal vase of fruit, both of which have
been executed upon a scale never previously attempted in this
country. The flowers are so arranged, that they appear to stand in a
basket suspended over the surface of a pool of limpid water, in
which the _Victoria Regia_ and other similar plants are already
floating. Nothing can be more exquisite or artistic in effect than
the manner in which the various flowers are grouped. The bouquet
comprises specimens of almost every flower known to the botanist,
from the simple honeysuckle of the cottage garden, to the rarest and
most valuable exotics of the East.
Some idea of the dimensions of the two principal works may be
gathered from the fact, that the shades are nearly six feet high,
the largest ever blown in England, and the flowers occupied nearly a
year in modelling. It was the intention of Mrs. Peachey to forward
these beautiful specimens of her skill to the Great Exhibition,
where a prominent place on the ground-floor was assigned to them;
but it appears, that, owing to subsequent arrangements, another
space, in one of the galleries, was allotted to her, and not at all
adapted to such costly and fragile productions. The heat of the sun,
in such an exposed situation, would have damaged the flowers
irreparably; and even if this objection did not exist, it would be
impossible to have the enormous shades, with their delicate
contents, raised by any machinery at command into the desired
position. The exhibition is one of so novel and beautiful a
character, that it will well repay a visit.--_Morning Post._
* * * * *
The art of making flowers in wax has been brought to a very high
degree of perfection by Mrs. Peachey, Her Majesty's artiste. There
is not a floral production that she cannot truthfully and delicately
reproduce with her kindly material, and she has lately executed a
work which we believe defies competition in the department to which
it belongs. This is an enormous bouquet, containing flowers of the
most intricate structure, and supported by a rock, which peers from
a lake of the brightest looking glass, decorated in its turn with
waxen aquatic plants. All the flowers were modelled in the first
instance from white wax, and the beautiful colours are all produced
by painting. The whole group is enclosed by a shade, composed of
four glass plates, so curved as to meet at the top.
The work in question is to be seen in Rathbone Place, but it was the
intention of Mrs. Peachey that it should be seen at the Crystal
Palace. According to her statement, she was led to believe that she
would be allowed a ground-floor situation, but was only allowed a
place in the gallery, so exposed to the sun, that the first hot day
would have performed a work precisely the reverse of her own
labours. Under these circumstances she has deemed it better that her
flowers should blush unseen, than that they should melt away in a
halo of visibility.
Into the Crystal controversy it is not our desire to enter, but we
would testify to the excellence of Mrs. Peachey's work as being
perfect of its kind.--_The Times._
* * * * *
We yesterday inspected a beautiful collection of wax flowers by Mrs.
Peachey, artiste to Her Majesty, now on private view at 35, Rathbone
Place. We have seen many specimens of the elegant art of modelling
in wax, but without exaggeration we may declare that more
magnificent and truthful imitations of nature it has never been our
lot to witness. The centre-piece is an immense bouquet of several
hundred flowers, of almost every description, and every hue, from
the gorgeous scarlet cactus to the virgin-tinted snowdrop, modelled
with the closest fidelity, and arranged with exquisite taste. At the
foot are models of the glorious water-lily of Guyana, the recently
discovered Victoria Regia, in several stages of its development,
from the close shut bud with its prickly calyx to the expanded
flower. Some idea of the dimensions of this giant bouquet may be
formed from the fact that it stands nearly six feet in height, and
that the bent plate-glass shade with which it is covered alone cost
£200.
Next to this in beauty as well as size is a vast group of fruit,
fifty inches in height, the shade to which is itself a curiosity,
being we believe, the largest for superficial dimensions ever yet
blown in England. Besides, there are a number of smaller groups of
flowers and fruit, all of singular beauty. We understand that Mrs.
Peachey intended this collection for exhibition at the Crystal
Palace; but, owing to some miscomprehension on the part of the
commission, they have been reserved for private view. The place
assigned to Mrs. Peachey was, we are informed, in one of the
galleries, so close to the roof as to render the solar heat too
dangerous for the extremely susceptible material of which these
articles are composed.--_Morning Advertiser._
* * * * *
Mrs. Peachey, the artiste to her Majesty, has on view at her
residence, 35, Rathbone Place, some new examples of her
extraordinary skill in wax painting, originally intended for the
Exhibition, but not permitted to appear there in consequence of the
_locale_ assigned to them being at the top of the building, where,
exposed to the action of the sun, they would be in peril of
dissolution. The examples consist of two remarkable models--one an
enormous and magnificent bouquet, consisting of hundreds of flowers
of the most intricate structure and beautiful colouring, as well as
the greatest diversity of character. The violet and the _Cactus
grandiflora_, with the water-lily of Guiana, and the newly
discovered _Victoria regia_, form part of this exquisite group.
All the flowers were modelled separately from white wax, and the
colours afterwards superinduced. The bouquet stands six feet in
height, and is covered with a bent glass shade. The other model is a
group of fruitage, covered with a glass shade more than four feet
high, and nearly three feet across, being the largest ever yet blown
in England. It was manufactured from designs supplied by Mrs.
Peachey herself, and cost £200. Nothing can be more picturesque or
artistic than these models: full of wonderful detail which it is
impossible to pursue, and implying a marvellous amount of labour and
ingenuity, they lead us to regret that any misunderstanding should
have led to their absence from the Crystal Palace.--_Illustrated
London News._
* * * * *
Ever willing to extend our protecting ægis to the weak and
unsupported, we feel ourselves called upon at the present juncture
to step into the arena as the defenders of several meritorious
individuals whom we conceive to have met with the most unworthy
treatment in regard to the exhibition, or rather the non-exhibition
of their productions of art in the Crystal Palace. We have received
a number of communications from artists of first-rate talent,
complaining of the exercise of undue influence in official quarters,
but we have been more immediately led into an investigation of the
circumstances connected therewith, by a communication from Mrs.
Peachey, of No. 35, Rathbone Place, Oxford Street, artiste in wax to
Her Majesty. That lady's statement is nearly as follows:--that about
twelve months ago, when the erection of the building in Hyde Park
was spoken of, and the nature of its contents mentioned, she,
feeling anxious to prove to the world that the very high and royal
patronage she enjoyed was not unmerited, sent in her subscription of
five guineas towards the construction of the building, and intimated
her intention of sending in some specimens of her own works. She
was immediately assigned a most elegant site for her display on the
ground floor, in the avenue near the fountain.
Nothing could be more consonant to her wishes, and she forthwith
sent in her pedestals and minor portions of framework, etc. Some
time since, however, on questioning this gentleman as to the
certainty of her getting the desired position, she was astonished at
being told she must send her articles to No. 29, _in the gallery_.
This she refused to do, and the consequence has been that the
Exhibition has been deprived of some of its rarest specimens of art.
The reason Mrs. Peachey assigns for not sending her works to the
gallery is the impracticability of their being carried up stairs
without being, from their extreme fragility, seriously injured,
perhaps mutilated. Even were they to be slung up by tackle, she says
they would be subject to the same risk, and her two principal works,
viz.--an enormous bouquet of the most exquisitely modelled flowers,
and a gigantic vase of fruit, she values at no less a sum than
£1000.--_Sunday Times._
* * * * *
A visit to Rathbone-place, is a stepping from the ordinary
exhibitions of mere art to a miniature garden, in which may be seen
grouped together the beautiful flowers and fruits of every season
and every clime. We shall not attempt to describe with too nice
minuteness the wonderful creations of this gifted lady's hand, but
freely give our impressions as they came on our inspection of these
completions--these perfections of art.
To name all the blushing subjects so fairly representing the rich
and wide domain of Flora, would be far less easy of accomplishment,
of enumeration, than to say that queen roses--the English rose--the
delicate, the beautifully clothed lily--the crimson fuchsia--the
acacia, and gorgeous tulip--the Victoria Regia, in all its stages of
development, bud, blossom, flower,--were as the realities of stilly
life, which seemed to say, in the expressive language of
flowers--"put aside from us our glassy veils, remove our crystal
shrines, that we may nod kisses to the wooing zephyrs."
Pomona, too, was there. Her thousand fruits clustered under
transparent concaves. Grapes that might have moved Bacchus to press
them with his rosy lips--peaches, melons, shiny currants, inviting
strawberries, and crowning pineapples--all worthy the pencil of a
Lance--glorious as the painting of nature, mockingly tempted us to
seize the fairy prizes--reminding us of an anecdote of Swift. The
facetious dean, with several friends, was invited to walk the
rounds, and admire the delicious fruit bending the countless trees
to the earth in the orchard of an "old acquaintance," who kindly
pointed out to his most admiring guests the charming sweets by which
they were surrounded; but, "sour grapes to them"--asked them not to
make themselves "at home," nor offered pear nor apple. This was too
much for Swift, who had a happy knack of inventing scraps of poetry
to suit his purposes, and thus applied himself on the occasion; "I
remember that my old grandmother had a saying:--
"Always take a peach
When within your reach."
Action suited to the words quickly followed. The quick arch wit of
St. Patrick's put forth his hand, and his good example was followed
by all the company, who each took a peach, when within his reach.
Now, we must confess that we were almost tempted to essay a similar
feat of onslaught on Mrs. Peachey's magic garden, but were,
fortunately for all future sight-seers, withheld by the
consciousness that those many rainbow liveried sweets to the eye,
were not for ourselves or Covent-garden, but were the triumphs of a
skilful artiste.
And are these the works that have been, which are refused a fitting
place in the high field of universal, peaceful rivalry and
competition in the Crystal Palace for the works _of all nations_?
What! Can this be possible? Here are the works _of our own nation
not there_--excluded! Surely for the credit of the Exhibition--for
the honorable name of the Executive Committee, there should be
enquiry. The works cannot be said to be excluded upon their merits,
for they have not been inspected by the authorities. There was, nay,
there is room enough in the building in Hyde Park for this peerless
and costly challenge of an English woman as an artiste. England in
fair competition against the world! We looked for these gems of art
in the Crystal Hall--but found them only in the catalogue! We asked
where they were, and the nymph Echo answered "where!" If there be
any unworthy motive for this, to us, incomprehensible exclusion of
native art, let such be dissipated by the breath of public opinion.
But we would fain persuade ourselves that there must be some
misapprehension. The works of a lady--patronized by the Queen, to be
excluded from an Exhibition open to the people of all nations--we
cannot comprehend it; but for the honour and fame of the nation,
hope to see in their proper places, works daily visited, and admired
by the aristocracies of rank, wealth, and refined taste.
Mrs. Peachey has spared neither pains nor expense, the glass
flower-shade having cost her £200; she has contributed to the
Exhibition, and exhibits freely. The press has noticed the
emanations of her genius, and we add our testimony.--_West Kent
Guardian._
* * * * *
And before passing from the wax flower group, we may add an
expression of our regret, that differences of some kind prevented
its including the very magnificent case and bouquet which had been
prepared by Mrs. Peachey, one of the artistes in wax to her Majesty.
The stand itself, which, with its contents, was on private view, is
externally, more elegant than any of the cases in the Exhibition,
and the flowers would have yielded to none in variety or brilliancy
of tint. The reputation of Mrs. Peachey, whose artistic talent is
of a first-rate description, would have justified the authorities in
some concession, and would have enriched this department of the
Exhibition with a feature of no ordinary beauty.--_Illustrated
London News._
* * * * *
We have inspected, at the private residence of Mrs. Peachey (in
Rathbone Place, Oxford Street,) artiste in wax-work to Her Majesty,
one of the most remarkable specimens of ingenuity and industry which
London at present contains. This is an immense bouquet of wax
flowers which that lady had prepared for the Crystal Palace, but
which are not at present within its walls, for a reason to which we
will presently advert. Let us first describe this really magnificent
work. On four sturdy stone columns, tastefully designed, and edged
with gold, is a looking-glass platform upwards of four-feet square,
and representing water. From the centre of this fairy lake rises a
glass column supporting a golden basket. In this is placed a bouquet
some two feet high, and of proportionate girth, in which are
clustered all the flowers we ever saw, and a great many which we
never saw--from the humble favorites of our _Rigolettes_ and _Fleur
de Maries_, up to the floral aristocracy of the conservatory. There
they are exquisitely reproduced in all their graces of form and
colour, and arranged with the attention to contrast and general
effect which bespeaks the superintending eye of the real artist. We
are afraid to say how many hundred wax flowers compose this splendid
bouquet; but we can safely say that, after having walked round and
round it, and, as we thought, having completely examined it, the eye
continually insisted on detecting some new variety, and we finally
abandoned the hope of ever becoming acquainted with the whole. From
the corners of the imitative waters rise various superb specimens of
water plants, fresh, cool, opaque-looking, productions; and at the
foot of the glass column, as if planted by accident, spring a few of
our more common and very beautiful garden flowers. The whole is
covered by an enormous bent glass shade, from the centre of which
rises a pretty copy of Her Majesty's crown. Nothing can be more
beautiful or in better taste than the object we have described. Near
it is another vase, not so large, and filled with wax fruit of every
kind--the bloom of the grape, the blush of the apple, the rich brown
of the nut, the velvet of the apricot, the glow of the orange, and
the characteristics of a hundred other fruits being represented with
a tantalizing fidelity. We would have flogged the fellow who broke
the Portland Vase, but we did not feel so sure, while gazing upon
these admirable imitations of the most delicious fruits, that we
should have been so severe upon some earnest gourmand who might dash
down the vase of which we speak, in wrath that his eye and his
palate had been so nobly cheated. The two vases, one of flowers, the
other of fruits, are certainly the most sumptuous specimens of wax
composition we ever saw.
As we have said, these works were intended by Her Majesty's artiste
for the Great Exhibition. On her applying for a site, that lady
states that a very admirable one was assigned her upon the
ground-floor of the building, near the fountains. Upon her work
being complete, she was directed to place it in the gallery. This,
Mrs. Peachey considered would be to jeopardise it, from the danger
so fragile a production would probably sustain in being taken up
stairs, and still more from the heat of the sun, to which the wax
would in that situation be exposed, and which would speedily produce
Icarian results destructive to the work.--_Bell's Weekly Messenger._
* * * * *
Two groups of flowers and fruit most tastefully and elaborately
executed in wax by Mrs. Peachey, of Rathbone Place, have, we regret
to say, been withdrawn from the Crystal Palace in consequence of an
inappropriate position having been assigned them by the Committee.
Mrs. Peachey, who stands unrivalled in this class of ornamental art,
feeling herself aggrieved by the decision of the committee, has
appealed from it to the judgment of the public, and with that view
has placed her works in an apartment of her residence, 35, Rathbone
Place, for inspection. The taste, the labour, the time bestowed on
these magnificent works, must have been very great, and we fancy the
visitors to the Crystal Palace will be greater losers by their
absence from that repository than even the fair artiste herself, for
they are deemed by all who have seen them the finest works of the
kind ever executed.--_Morning Herald._
* * * * *
We have several times during the past week inspected, with much
gratification a magnificent bouquet of the most rare exotics, as
also a large collection of grouped fruits, modelled entirely in wax,
by Mrs. Peachey, Her Majesty's artiste in ordinary in that
department of feminine accomplishment, and intended by that lady for
competition in "the World's Fair." We have often had occasion to
witness the extraordinary skill displayed by this lady in imitating
the beauties of nature from her kindly materials, but we must
confess (although previously informed that the present works outvied
all the previous attempts of the artiste) that we were unprepared
for designs and executions so exquisitely chaste and artistic, and
true in the imitation of nature. What could have induced the
executive committee of the Great Exhibition to decide upon excluding
works of such elaborate labour and beauty, and these the works of an
English artist, of the first standing, we are totally at a loss to
conjecture. We say "excluding," for it is tantamount to exclusion to
tell Mrs. Peachey that she must place such volatile work in a top
gallery, exposed to the heat of a July sun, or withdraw them,
although she had been previously allocated space on the basement of
the building. Mrs. Peachey adopted the latter alternative, feeling
it detrimental to her works, not only from the objectionable
position assigned her, but also from the impossibility of having her
cases, which are of a large size, conveyed into the gallery, without
materially injuring designs of so fragile a nature.
It is to be regretted that Mrs. Peachey should be thus compelled to
adopt a measure which has deprived the Exhibition of one of its
rarest specimens of art, specimens which we are certain would
severely test, if not outvie,--all other competitors in that
department. We are glad to know, however, that the artiste's credit
will not suffer from this harsh exclusion. The labour, skill, and
expense she has bestowed are already duly appreciated by a
discerning public, thousands of the _elite_ of the aristocracy and
gentry having already visited Mrs. Peachey at her residence in
Rathbone-place, all of whom have expressed the most unequivocal
satisfaction and delight at the beauty of the specimens, which, they
allege, are far superior to any in the Exhibition. We ourselves
strongly recommend our fair readers to inspect these inimitable
works, feeling certain that they will continue to be pronounced the
finest works of the kind ever executed.--_Observer._
* * * * *
The complaints against the partiality and want of discrimination on
the part of the executive committee of the Great Exhibition in the
allotment of space to the would-be exhibitors are of daily and
hourly recurrence. Among the grievances which are more especially
injurious to the thorough development of British industry in the
more delicate and refined art in feminine accomplishments, we may
mention the case of Mrs. Peachey, of Rathbone-place, the "warranted"
wax florist to Her Most Gracious Majesty. This lady, one of the
earliest claimants for pedestal space, on the first announcement of
the intended Congregation of the Industry of All Nations, we think,
has been most harshly dealt by. Her first application was duly
answered, and an allotment made her of space on the basement of the
building near one of the fountains, and amongst the other gems of
art. Subsequently, privately, she ascertained that some alteration
was made with reference to her contributions; and, on application,
it was intimated to her that, in consequence of "want of room," the
executive had determined on transferring her cases to class 29,
situated in one of the galleries. Mrs. Peachey, on inspecting the
location, objected, on the just plea that wax flowers were liable to
atmospheric influence from the great heat accruing from the glass
roof and plate glass surrounding her flowers; and also their
material and serious injury from the impracticability of moving her
compositions, composed entirety of wax, up staircases without
injuring her designs. The whole has resulted in the total exclusion
of one of the most beautiful contributions, designed and arranged by
one of our most honoured and worthy British Artists. Since Mrs.
Peachey's exclusion has been known, her studio has been visited by
the most aristocratic of the nobility and gentry, who have expressed
the utmost indignation at her exclusion from the great competition
in the World's Fair. The contributions, which occupy a small space,
consist of the most rare exotic and indigenous flowers and fruits,
which so closely imitate nature as nearly to deceive the spectator,
and give him a desire to take and taste of the luscious banquet.
Altogether the cases, which occupied her twelve months in
completing, are worthy of inspection, a gratification which Mrs.
Peachey affords the public by throwing open her rooms for public
inspection. We recommend the admirers of imitative art to inspect
these beautiful and artistic gems.--_Expositor._
* * * * *
A visit to Mrs. Peachey's Studio, in Rathbone-place, is like
stepping into some garden of Fairy Land, where flowers of all
seasons, and fruits of every clime present themselves at once to the
eye in perennial bloom. The rose is there in all its varieties, the
lily, the drooping fuchsia, the accasia, the gorgeous tulip, the
dahlia, the Victoria Regia in all its stages of development, bud,
blossom, flower. Grapes, too, that would have moved the jolly god to
press them within his ruddy lips, peaches, nectarines, currants,
strawberries, and crowning pine apples, in one rare trophy, worthy
the study of a Lance. Our feelings at the moment recalled vividly an
amusing anecdote of Swift. The facetious Dean with several friends
was invited to walk the rounds and admire the fruit in the garden of
an old acquaintance, who pointed out all the beauties of his
orchard, without, however, asking the company to partake of any of
the tempting display. This was too much for Swift, who having a
happy art of inventing rhymes to suit his purposes, applied it in
the following manner on the occasion; "I remember," said he,
stopping under a very heavy laden bough, "that my dear old
grandmother had a saying which ran thus--
"Always pluck a peach
When within your reach."
Suiting the action to the word, he quickly put forth his hand and
took and ate--an example which was not lost on those who accompanied
him. Now we candidly confess that we were in an unguarded moment
tempted to essay a similar onslaught on Mrs. Peachey's fruits, but,
fortunately for all future visitors, were withheld by the
magnificent glass shades which protect these triumphs of art. And
are these the works that have been--that are refused a fitting place
in that great field of universal rivalry, the Crystal Palace! What!
can it be possible? Here are works of our own nation not
there--excluded! Surely, for the credit of the artiste, and for its
own honorable name, the Executive Committee should enquire into the
matter, and if there be any unworthy motive for this, to us,
incomprehensible exclusion of native art, let such be at once and
for ever dissipated by the breath of public opinion. There is still
ample space for them in the great building; and we hope yet to see
them there in their proper place. Mrs. Peachey has spared neither
labor nor expense to render her works worthy of her reputation, and
the continuance of that exalted patronage which she has long enjoyed
in Her Gracious Majesty the Queen, and the highest among the
aristocracy, and of the honor of her country. We were glad to
perceive, on our visit, that although excluded from their place
among the nations, these exquisite works are eagerly sought after
and admired by crowds of the _elite_ of fashion and taste.--_Globe._
* * * * *
This highly talented lady (artiste to Her Majesty) has now on
private view, at her residence, 35, Rathbone-place, Oxford-street,
two splendid works of art, which were intended to have been placed
in the Crystal Palace, but the space allotted to her in one of the
galleries, being not at all adapted to such delicate productions,
Mrs. Peachey was compelled to refrain from carrying out her
intention. These beautiful productions, the sole work of Mrs.
Peachey, (who is self-taught,) comprise a monster bouquet of
flowers, and a large vase of fruit. The former comprehends specimens
of almost every flower known in this country, from the simple violet
to the full-blown magnolia; whilst in the latter we have specimens
of the principal English fruits, including the luscious pine apples
and the unpretending currant. Both groups are most tastefully
arranged, and an enormous expense has been incurred in the getting
up of the stands and glass shades. We advise our readers not to omit
seeing Mrs. Peachey's novel and truly beautiful works, and we
predict they will be abundantly gratified by their visit to her
Exhibition.--_Reading Mercury._
* * * * *
Mrs. Peachey's group of wax flowers, modelled for the Glass Palace,
is now on view at her house in Rathbone-place. Mrs. Peachey, it
seems, refused the space assigned her by the Committee, on the
ground that heat and darkness would, the one have destroyed, and the
other shrouded the marvels of her skill. The bouquet (which is in a
glass case, unsurpassed for chasteness and beauty of design) is on a
gigantic scale, and contains among the rarest exotics the pride of
the conservatory and the garden. We were as much surprised as
delighted, on paying a visit during the past week at the skill which
can imitate, and even rival, nature in her most attractive aspects.
Conspicuous among the lilies, and other water flowers lining the
base, is the Victoria Regia in its several states. The botanist and
the florist will dwell delightedly on the _cricæ_, _orchids_,
_cacti_, the night-flowering cereus, etc., besides numberless others
more familiar to us.--_Dispatch._
* * * * *
An exhibition of wax flowers, at the residence (in Rathbone-place)
of Mrs. Peachey the artiste, is a perfect curiosity of its kind.
Almost every variety of English flower, exquisitely coloured, is
massed into an enormous bouquet, surprising alike from the largeness
of the conception and the minuteness of the execution. This
beautiful piece of art was prepared for the Great Exhibition, but
withdrawn by Mrs. Peachey in consequence of her dissatisfaction with
the place reserved for her.--_Examiner._
* * * * *
We have inspected, at the private residence of Mrs. Peachey (in
Rathbone-place, Oxford-street), artiste in wax work to Her Majesty,
one of the most remarkable specimens of ingenuity and industry which
London at present contains. This is an immense bouquet of wax
flowers which that lady had prepared for the Crystal Palace, but
were not within its walls, for a reason to which we will presently
advert. Let us first describe this really magnificent work. On four
sturdy stone columns, tastefully designed, and edged with gold, is a
looking-glass platform upwards of four feet square, and representing
water. From the centre of this fairy lake rises a glass column
supporting a golden basket. In this is placed a bouquet some two
feet high, and of proportionate girth, in which are clustered all
the flowers we ever saw, and a great many which we never saw--from
the humble favorites of our _Rigolettes_ and _Fleur de Maries_, up
to the floral aristocracy of the conservatory. There they are
exquisitely reproduced in all their graces of form and colour, and
arranged with the attention to contrast and general effect which
bespeaks the superintending eye of a real artiste. We are afraid to
say how many hundred wax flowers compose this splendid bouquet; but
we can safely say that, after having walked round and round it, and,
as we thought, having completely examined it, the eye continually
insisted on detecting some new variety, and we finally abandoned the
hope of ever becoming acquainted with the whole. From the corners of
the imitative waters rise various superb specimens of water plants,
fresh, cool, opaque-looking productions; and at the foot of the
glass column, as if planted by accident, spring a few of our more
common and very beautiful garden flowers. The whole is covered by an
enormous bent glass shade, from the centre of which rises a pretty
copy of Her Majesty's crown. Nothing can be more beautiful or in
better taste than the object we have described. Near it is another
vase, not so large, and filled with wax fruit of every kind--the
bloom of the grape, the blush of the apple, the rich brown of the
nut, the velvet of the apricot, the glow of the orange, and the
characteristics of a hundred other fruits being represented with a
tantalizing fidelity. We would have flogged the fellow who broke the
Portland Vase, but we did not feel so sure, while gazing upon these
admirable imitations of the most delicious fruits, that we should
have been so severe upon some earnest gourmand who might dash down
the vase of which we speak, in wrath that his eye and his palate had
been so nobly cheated. The two vases, one of flowers, the other of
fruits, are certainly the most sumptuous specimens of wax
composition we ever saw.
As we have said, these works were intended by Her Majesty's artiste
for the Great Exhibition. On her applying for a site, that lady
states, that a very admirable one was assigned her upon the
ground-floor of the building, near the fountains. Upon her work
being complete, she was directed to place it in the gallery. This
Mrs. Peachey considered would be to jeopardise it, from the danger
so fragile a production would probably sustain in being taken up
stairs, and still more from the heat of the sun, to which the wax
would in that situation be exposed, and which would speedily produce
Icarian results destructive to the work. We are not disposed to
enter into the question in any spirit of censure. We know too well
the _innumerable difficulties_ with which the Executive Committee
have had to contend in arranging the contents of the enormous
building, to cavil at any decision they may have arrived at; but we
have now had the opportunity of seeing two very beautiful works of
English industry which would have been a credit to the
Exhibition.--_Morning Chronicle._
* * * * *
Those forms which our continental neighbours take such wondrous care
in imitating in the perishable material of muslin, Mrs. Peachey, Her
Majesty's artiste, of 35, Rathbone-place, endeavours to perpetuate
in the more endurable materials of wax. Naturally afraid of
jeopardising the work on which so much time and labour has been
bestowed, Mrs. Peachey has withheld her contribution from the Great
Exhibition; whether wisely or not, we are not here called upon to
pronounce.
We can only bear witness to the evidently botanical fidelity of
execution with which the forms and colours so lavishly spread
throughout nature have been mimicked. In wax work generally, one is
made painfully aware of the all-powerful presence of the forceps,
but here we notice little or nothing of the kind, this is especially
the case with the small blossoms, which expand their petals
throughout a monster bouquet in wax.
In thus perfecting the imitative arts, however, no sense should be
left unsatisfied; to the pleasure of seeing, might be super-added
that of smelling. But in this further aim might be lost sight of
that great object, viz., utility, which at present is one of the
aims successfully attained by Mrs. Peachey.--_Daily News._