Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-10-03
vANDERLYN's GREAT PAINTING.


We are obliged to gentleman of this city for the
opportunity of laying before readers the follow
ing extract of a letter from American at Paris,
giving the acceptable information of the completion
Of VANDERLYN's great picture which is to occupy
one of the yet vacant panels in the Rotundo of the
Capitol:
PARIS, AUGUST 80, 1916.
! am happy to inform you that VANpERLyN's
g Landing of Columbus" wants but some slight
touches to complete it, and that it will be embarked
for the United States in few days. trust that it
will bring to the eminent artist the satisfaction
which his talent and toll deserve. After many OBJ
sacles and discouragements, the browning labor Of
his life is length consummated. Few can estimate
the time, the toll, the courage, the perseverance,
which such work demands. But the painter, like
his hero, and after not dissimilar difficulties and
delays, is at last enabled to g see and.'
No subject can be more interesting to the Ameri-
than the landing of Columbus the discovery of
world and that world emphatically ours. Dmly
discerned and vaguely predicted, how many centu-
ries rolled away before the veil was lifted up which
concealed the unknown continent In the existing
state of knowledge, to reach it was like plunging
into infinite space in quest OF some undescribed
planet Yet the bold Genoese launched his frail
barques upon the rackless waters, and pursued his
mysterious voyage, with no cloud by day, no pillar
of fire by night, to guide his path through the will
derness of waves. His daring adventure was
crowned with the grandest of human discoveries I;
great in itself and in its consequences the expan-
sion of mind the enlargement of knowledge, the
perfection Of art, the promotion of comfort the ad-
vancement of liberty.
The artist has selected the moment so eloquently
described by our countryman Irving, when Coum-
bus took solemn possession of the new-found land
The ofL
Isabella For the circumstances the spectator is
referred to the brilliant page of the historian. The
noble old man, his face beamng with that reveren-
tia devotion which was his characteristic trait, I'M
folds the royal banner surrounded by his principal
followers, the two Pinzons, Rodrigo de Escobedo,
the Notary of the Armament, and others, whose
faces depict Joy, surprise, gratitude penitence
for having in the hour of danger and doubt with
drawn their confidence from their dvinely led COM
mander. In front Of the group bends a graceful
boy, of blended Spanish and oriental type, whose
face and form exhibit fine specimen of beauty be-
tween childhood and youth. In the background, to
the left, number OF men seen in the act of land
ing whose countenances and gestures express the
intoxcation of surprise and delight Two youths,
eager to grasp what they deem the treasures Of the
East, are cutching at the glittering particles which
spangle the beach {; vivid exemplifcation Of that
accursed thirst for gold which was soon to bring
such bitter woes into this new world. The trans
parent sea of the tropics, which spreads behind,
bearing upon its tranquil bosom the fail barques of
the Adventures, seems to smile upon the Joyous
yet solemn scene. On the other hand, wind the
palmy shores of the newly discovered island, from
whose leafy coverts the tawny savages, in Arcadan
simplicity, gaze furtively at the mysterious stran-
gers, PROSTATE themselves before them as beings
of a higher order, meior nafurd. In fine, the
:" Landing of Columbus" is vivid representation
of that eventful moment when the European first
planted his footsteps in the New World, and is
worthy of the national edi6ce which it is destined
10 adorn.
] understand that it is the intention Of Mr.. VAN
DERLYN to exhibit his picture in some Of our
principal cities, provided the same indulgence is
granted to him which has been extended to his
brother artists. trust that his counrymen will not
prove insensibe TO the high claims Of the subject,
the picture, and the painter.
E7e Since the above letter was placed in the
hands of the compositors, we discover that Mr..
VANDERLYN has arrived in New York, having with
him the splendid picture here observation-disclosures.
INDIANA DERIVE learn that the letters by the Great
Western in reference to the negotiation now going on in
n -