Page:Imperialdictiona03eadi Brandeis Vol3a.pdf/521

MUL an illness in May, a few days after the opening of the exhibition, which ended fatally on the 8th of September at Bristol. He died of the enlargement of the left ventricle of the heart, and his friends did not hesitate to say that the hanging committee of 1845 killed William Müller. The painter's early and melancholy death seems to have attracted much notice, and although his magnificent picture of Athens was sold for thirty guineas only, his sketches at his sale at Christie and Manson's shortly after his death, produced the remarkable sum of £4360; even a mere water-colour sketch of his apartment at Macri, brought sixty-five guineas. These are strange facts, yet the history of art affords only too many instances of the sudden appreciation of a painter immediately it was out of his power to benefit by it. The selfish craving to possess what is rare, is so much greater than either the love of art or the desire to encourage the artist; it is a too common habit with collectors to buy pictures as investments of money only. In the Art Journal of 1844-45 are some letters by William Müller on his eastern journeys, and on the hanging of his pictures at the Royal Academy. In 1841 he published "Picturesque Sketches of the age of Francis I."—R. N. W.  MÜLLNER,, a German dramatist and critic, and nephew to the poet Burger, was born at Langendorf, near Weissenfels, 18th October, 1774. After completing his studies at Leipsic, he settled as an advocate at Weissenfels and at the same time entered upon a literary career. He introduced private theatricals for which he wrote a number of comedies, in which he himself acted the principal parts. Among his tragedies "Die Schuld" and "König Yngurd" rank highest; they belong to the so-called Schicksals-Tragödien (fatalistic tragedies). He afterwards conducted the Literaturblatt and other journals, in which he showed himself as a merciless critic and a selfish and quarrelsome man. He died at Weissenfels, 11th June, 1829.—K. E.  * MULOCK,, novelist, essayist, and poetess, is said to have been born in Stoke-upon-Trent in Staffordshire in 1826. Her first novel, "The Ogilvies," appeared in 1849, and was followed by a long series of fictions, the most notable of which are "Olive," "The Head of the Family," and "John Halifax, gentleman." Earnestness of ethical purpose is one of the chief characteristics of all Miss Mulock's novels. She published a volume of poems in 1859, and a series of essays and sketches, "Studies from Life," in 1861. She continues to contribute copiously to literary periodicals.—F. E.  MULREADY,, R A., was born in 1786 at Ennis in Ireland. His taste for art was developed early, and at the age of fourteen he was admitted as a student into the Royal Academy, London. His earliest public essays were designs for little children's books, as the Butterfly's Ball, Cat's Concert, Three Wishes, &c., 16mo, 1807-9. His earliest pictures were, almost of course, academic historical essays, but he soon perceived that his strength did not lie in that line. He turned to the study of the Dutch masters, and began to paint small landscapes directly from nature, and small compositions consisting of subjects of familiar life, interiors, &c. Of the landscapes, chiefly views in Kensington Gravel Pits and other suburban localities, several are now in the South Kensington museum. His earliest pictures of homely subjects were "The Rattle," and a "Carpenter's Shop and Kitchen," which were in the Royal Academy exhibition of 1808. For the next forty years Mr. Mulready was one of the most regular contributors to the Academy exhibitions. His pictures were for the most part small in size, and somewhat similar in character, but some were of a more ambitious and poetical order; and it is especially noteworthy that during these forty years, whilst there was constant increase of artistic knowledge and greater largeness and freedom of style, there was never the least tendency towards greater looseness of handling or negligence of finish, the besetting sins of the day, and which painters then almost invariably inclined to with increasing years. On the contrary, in Mr. Mulready's pictures there was observable more careful finish and greater attention to all the accessories every year, and withal a continuous growth in technical knowledge, manipulative skill, and power of expression. All this was in fact the result of his remaining a diligent student: he continued to make the most elaborate drawings from the life and studies of all pictorial adjuncts, with unwearying perseverance, through the whole of his professional career. To this doubtless is to be attributed the very remarkable fact that his culminant example as a painter, "Choosing the Wedding-Gown," the most popular of all his works, was exhibited just forty years after the commencement of his artistic career—an example full of value to the student, whatever be his calling. The first pictures by which Mr. Mulready attracted much notice were his "Punch," a clever but immature production, 1812; and "Idle Boys," 1815. This last picture procured his election as A.R.A., November, 1815, and three months later, February, 1816, as R.A., almost the only instance, we believe, since the early days of the Academy of an artist securing the two grades in so brief a time. Mr. Mulready continued to paint subjects in a vein of quiet humour, and of the kind already indicated—the well-known "Lending a Bite," 1819, and "Wolf and Lamb," purchased by George IV., 1820, being characteristic examples; but about 1822 he turned aside to others, in which pathos or sentiment predominated, as "The Convalescent," 1822, and "The Widow," 1824. With these he was, however, not equally successful, and he returned to his old line. About 1837 he tried his hand at the illustration of Shakspeare, and at original poetic compositions: of the former class being his elaborate "Seven Ages, or All the World's a Stage;" of the latter, "First Love" and "The Sonnet." In 1840 he made a series of twenty drawings on wood, illustrative of the Vicar of Wakefield which, being exquisitely engraved by John Thompson, excited so much admiration; and Mr. Mulready immediately received commissions to execute several in oil. He accordingly painted, among others, "The Whistonian Controversy," 1843; and "Sophia and Mr. Burchell Haymaking," for Mr. Baring; and "Choosing the Wedding-Gown," 1847, for Mr. Sheepshanks—undoubtedly the most characteristic productions of the artist, and the most perfect illustrations of Goldsmith's famous work. In 1848 occurred another important event in Mr. Mulready's artistic career, the collection and exhibition of his principal works in the rooms of the Society of Arts—an exhibition of exceeding interest, as enabling us, by means of his finished works, to follow at one view the entire career of the artist; and by his singularly beautiful drawings and studies to perceive how he had arrived at and maintained such excellence. Mr. Mulready continued from that time to exhibit, though less regularly, at the Royal Academy. His finest subsequent works being "The Butt," full of his old humour, and "Women Bathing," a marvel of technical skill. He sent to the Exhibition of 1862 "The Toy Seller." a subject also painted by him in 1835. The nation is rich in Mr. Mulready's works, possessing choice examples of every period. In the Vernon collection are four oil paintings—"The Last In," "Fair Time," "Crossing the Ford," and "The Young Brother;" and in the Sheepshanks collection no fewer than twenty one paintings and studies in oil, including among them the famous "Choosing the Wedding Gown," "Seven Ages," "Fight Interrupted," "The Butt," &c.; and besides these there are at South Kensington several of his most elaborate drawings from the life, and sketches. Some of these drawings have recently been lithographed in facsimile for the use of students in the schools of design. Many of Mr. Mulready's pictures have been engraved. He died on the 7th July, 1863.—J. T—e.  MUMMIUS,, surnamed from his success in abolishing the Achaian league, born of a plebeian family, became prætor in 154, receiving Spain as his province. Elected consul in 146 he was sent to supersede Metellus in the conduct of the war against the Achaians. He found the Greek army encamped on the isthmus of Corinth, dispersed it almost at a blow, and entered Corinth without resistance. The rich art treasures of Corinth were given to the Roman soldiery for plunder, and finally the city was reduced to ashes, the inhabitants being sold as slaves. On his return to Rome he was honoured with a triumph in 145. Three years later he was elected censor. A stern, inflexible Roman warrior, he died poor, and it was left to the state to provide for his daughters.  MUN,, an early writer on the philosophy of commerce, was an opulent merchant and director of the English East India Company in the first half of the seventeenth century. He is supposed to be the author of "A Discourse of Trade from England to the East Indies, by T. M.," London, 1621, and undoubtedly wrote the pamphlet published as his by his son in 1660, "England's Treasure by Foreign Trade; or, the Balance of our Foreign Trade is the rule of our treasure." The East India Company had relaxed its rule against the exportation of bullion to the East, and one of Mun's objects was to defend this 