Engleheart's work has a certain resemblance to that of Reynolds, and the
devotion which Engleheart felt towards the President of the Academy had
an evidently strong effect upon his own art. He copied Sir Joshua's
works over and over again, and gradually a good deal of the influence of
the great master permeated the work of his follower. His miniatures were
nobler, broader, and far better set upon the oval of the ivory than were
those of many of his contemporaries, his draughtsmanship was excellent,
and there was a brilliance about his painting of the eyes which is
particularly attractive. The large portrait of _Earl Beauchamp_ (Plate
XX.), from the collection of Lady Maria Ponsonby, is a fine specimen of
his best work; but those of _Mrs. Sainthill_ and _Mr. Brundish_, from
the collection of Lord Hothfield (Plate XXII.), are good examples of his
smaller miniatures, possessing a great deal of charm and delightful in
colour. His portrait of _Miss Mary Berry_, from Mr. Pierpont Morgan's
collection (Plate XXI.), is quite one of his finest portraits of women.
He painted both these sisters, and for a long time the two portraits
were in one case, facing one another, but they have now been separated,
and lie side by side in the cabinet. The two ladies were well known as
being the close friends of Horace Walpole, who treated them with the
greatest tenderness and affection, addressed to them many of his most
brilliant letters, and persuaded them to settle down near him at
Strawberry Hill. To them he dedicated his catalogue of treasures, and
bequeathed a considerable sum of money, and his works and letters were,
after his death, edited by Mary Berry, one of the sisters, who lived
down till 1852, and died at the advanced age of ninety. From the same
collection we have selected two delightful works by Smart, those
representing _Sir Charles Oakeley_ and a lady whose name is unknown
(Plate XVIII.), both distinguished by the elaboration of flesh tints, so
quietly and so accurately applied.
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