Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-25

| To he Editors Of Tic Enquirer:
Gentlemen: The following notice OF the picture
now on exhibition at the Trinity Chuch, was, al
my own request, written by Judge Of art in your
city. VIII youdo me The favor 10 place il in the
columns OF The Enquirer !?
UtA's Painting, ,epeseniinS Christ Heoi,ng tie
SIX IN the Temple.
Mr.. MoRRIs-Sir: You requested me 10 fur
nish you description OF your painting, for The
public prints. Ia your generally obiiging beha-
vior to visitors, ! have sufficient motive 10 com
ply with your request; but the amount OF mateTi-
al in your picture, as well as the great variety
ami amount OF critical knowledge required 10
work up that material if had time Tor ii, are
sufficient 10 deter me from The undertaking. For
a moment, look, II you please, upon the iSuTes
in This painting-how many they are. In the
fore ground is Christ: in front and towards his
left is a sick man, borne by Two others, IN con-
lrast With whom they are strkingly athletic; al
The sick mans side is his wan wife and blooming
child: in the same direction, farther 10 the left, Is
a pasied woman, supported by her robust huS-
band and son. In the same relative position OF The
picture, but nearly on the same line with Christ
j. father and lis two daughters, interested in aud
holding maniac boy; between the maniac boy
and Christ is n father and son-the former old,
DllnU,
right side Of the picture that is, on Christ right
there are other figures, forming other groups; in
The foreground, there is The deathiy sick child.
with lis mother kneelng, whose cheeks are full OF
color Indicating that The child'> sickness was
as sudden as il is violent; farther back, also on The
right is a mother and father, with their blind, tho
deicately featured and exqusilely beauiilrldaugi-
Ter; and sill farther 10 the right than these two
groups, is the poor rickelly boy, with his mother
To Justify myself farther from The undertaking,
remember, sir, there are number OF other figures,
apparently spectators, IN The rear OF Christ; all
these occupy nearly one line about parallel with
that on which Christ sta nds: among them, arc The
High Priest and his party and the apostles OF
Chris,-thc former occupying all the line 10 the
left OF Christ except enough 10 allow The apostle
John 10 separate them from the Saviour Let me
remind you, too that there are, on each side OF
The picture, in The remote back ground two
figures carving doves; and still farther back,
over the heads of the High Priests party, Is
The burning sevcn-branched light, standing be-
fore The veil which ob>curcs the Holy Of
HOLES, typical OF that in Heaven. in which
He had entered, Who was "ttc md Of Hc
iar," once for all as the High Priest, both Of
Jew and Gentle, not with The blood 81 bulls and
goats. but with his own, which was she'd for he
remission of sins Immediately in the rear OF
the Apostles you those rapiurous lIiie fellows
clappng their hands whose pra Sc Of Christ, YOU
know was so offensive TO the High Priest, houl-
Ing al the pitch OF their voice hoSannahs TO the
Son of David Now, Sir. with this running
view OF The Picture IN which have omitted a
Young man born blind, and restored by Christ 10
sight knrcling in The foreground, think YOU
will hardly put me 10 the task oil description OF
this immense Painting, even il were equal 10 it,
There is one figure in il, which would of itself
apI |
sell considered alone. This is Chris, the God
man To give some approach 10 life, is the
highest attainment OF art, even when The subject
depicted is mere man, a worm oi the du, but
how much infinitely more 10 give some portrait.
ure OF God, or TO unite the man and God as IN
Christ. While MANY will doubt he propriety OF
the attempt 10 image forth the God head where
Omnipo,ence. Omnscience, &c, DEFY all skill
short OF Omnipoence vel III may be gratifying ! Z
know how The genius OF The Painter mt his dllii-
orl,:oo u ,,-. :. soon. ;" u properly IedllZed.
To those who have not seen The Painting, let me
saw that The figure Of Chris, $50 are all the resp
is large as life He is covered with The loose
drarcry OF The East-his forehead is high, en-
circled with light, divine auendant-ihe counie-
nance beams forth with Love, unmixed, as it
shoud-LovE being bu, another name for God.
The Goldman being portrayed, the Painters ART
seemed 10 have been ta>kei 10 find subjects, il
would task divinity still farther, by making him
operate not by touch, BY his spirle or soitened
clay. but mere will or voliiion. He represents
him as moving, We, in the delay OF opping; exer-
cisins, without notice almost, his Omnipotence;
he represents him with open arms, rather inviting
than repeliing such tests OF his divinity. Na;u-
rally eager as each group and subject would be in
its case, yet they seemed awed into order and al
fectionale silence in his presence. Under these
circumstances, the Goldman comes 10 his difficult
ties, rather difficulties 10 Us, with counenance
showing as little effort 10 accomplish what was
before him as though j, were nothing. In the
counlenances OF the friends and the diseased,
where the diseased can show any, there is eager
ness; and though faith in him begol The eagerness
the former seems los, in the later 10 the moser
OF the blind girl, there is an upward look, as
though she were directing her prayer 10 one
above, The original of Chrisi's power oul me
Fathers look is towards Christ alone, as 'noush
in Christ, as in tact il did, .dweli the iuhess Q!
the God-head bodily Yours "A.
Richmond, December 23d, iofo'
a man sal down in The shop Of Parsons. the
harker on FRIDAY morning placed his feet upon
~ ,nJ ,,IIe ihus ranging his toes at an angle