Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-09-30
For the Journal.
From New York.
New York, August %, 1853.

Crystal Palace Picture Gallery Machine
Arcade.
DEAR Sin: The exhibition at the Chrys-
tai Palace has improved much since left.
in July.
The hundreds Of hammers now are silent
or sound only in the picture gallery, too dis
tant to disturb the harmony of the mair
building. The painters and GLACIERS, too
have nearly completed their labors, and 20.
enjoy what is, without the trouble of guess
ing what is 10 be. Nevertheless, this pile o.
unopened boxes and that dray load jus
coming up give you the assurance that al
is not arranged. Well, here is more thar
can be seen in one week the only difficult,
is to select.
Il Powers great works, "The Greek Slave,
"Eve," "The Fisher Boy stand just south
east of the centre. These of course attrac
much attention.
He has given Beauty, Grace, Purity,
Shape and Form. They need only life to
win the love of all. In addition to the
ssMinstrel's Curse" by Muller, "The ANA.
xon,' by Kiss, and variety Of statuettes
Cherubs, Cupids, little girl threading a
needle, and boy with his fathers old hat,
attracted considerable notice = remarkable
for the simple, yet faithful expression of the
faces. A large "Adam and Eve," after the
Fall, was painfully expressive. Some yelled
heads from Austria were extremely good.
s'The Lovers on their way to the Fountain"
is work of much merit.
Have mentioned Thorwaldsen's group,
ssChrist and his Apostles ?" = the largest,
and, next to Powers works, the most strik.
ing feature of the Exhibition in this depart
ment of the Arts. l can scarcely blame
the good Catholic for his love Of images, as
I look upon the benignant face of the Christ
of Thorwaldsen; the energetic expression OF
Peter; the eloquence of Paal; the reflection
of Thomas, and the love of Jehn-all are
faithfully portrayed.
Next to the statues, ought to mention
the Picture Gallery; yet it is impossible to
do this department justice. The gallery
itself is unfinished, and the pictures piled
up without any order or arrangement. Wis.,
itors at present are not permitted to enter
this room, but Capt. Dupent learning that
was correspondent of your paper, gave
me every facility for entering and exam
lining, as far a. possible, their collection OF
pictures. / spent one day in the gallery.
ssThe Stolen Interview is hidden by ssChar-
lotte Corday in the chamber of Marat,' and
sDeteoted Lovers beneath crowd of mo-
ney loving old men drinking to "The Bar
gain" ''The Good Samaritan stands be-
fore Revolutionary Scene," and Grey
cling Artist" interferes with your view OF
the sDeath of Tasso."
There are many works o: rare merit
among the paintings, yet so badly exhibited
(if exhibited at ally just now, as to interfere
much with their beauty and the pleasure of
examination. All are out of place. Just
imagine splendid Italian "Sunsct Scenes
uis-a-rs with s'The Deluge;" the 'Guardian
Angel" watching the s'Dcvil Tempting our
Savior;" a "Group of Cherubs'' cheek by
jowl with the Swine Testers,' and ssRe.
pentant Magjalen" disturbed by ssThe Mid
night Revel."
/ This will all be mended by and by, and
then this department will well repay long
visit and close scrutiny. Among the pic.
lures are landscape, where the light of a
golden sunset peeps out from behind the
mountain, Bathing all the summit in light,
and coloring those passing clouds, just as
you and have seen them few times, while
the village and the plain, the valley with its
lake IN the background, arc just vanishing
in the twilight; a portrait of some lady
saint by Guido Reno; Hansen Clever's por-
trait Of himself painting the "Wioe Test
ers." You see the outlines o; this picture
on the easel, while tho artist, throwing down
brush and pallet, imbued with the spirit of
his subject, is, wine-glass in hand, singing,
in careless, roilicking style, some old
drinking song. "Christ Forgiving the
Adultress, ""David Before Saul, sRaising
the Rulers Daughter" and ssThe Deluge,,
are good, though the latter, large picture,
is badly seen at present. A little old man
with hooked nose, chatting with his little
old maiden daughter, with hooked nose,
while she fixes his cravat, is a good specim en-
Of simple, homely content.
"The Death of Tasso' is finely repre.
sented. The grief and surprise of citizens
deppted to crown him, who have lust ar.
rived; the solempity of the priests, and the
expression Of the poets countenapce, as be-
meath the old trees he takes bis last look of
the setting sun - all are happily conceived
and well executed. The Discovery of Gus
tavus Ad0lphus Wounded, a night soena:
HGallileo Before the Council," and the
HDiscoYery Of America" are triymphs of
genius.
But will omit furthe, mention Of this
department., by saying that no day afforded
me more pleasure than this among ssThe
Pictures" unless ! except another at the
Dusseldorf Gallery, collection of German
paintings. 7
Under the picture gallery is the Machine
Arcade. This, too, is incomplete, and the
machinery but half arranged. The large
driving engine frem Lawrence. Mass. and
another more snowy from Alabama attract
your notice first. They show quite con-
trast to the tvo engines up stairs, which
! stand under a glass case, one Of which
stands on an English four-peppy piece, the
other is about the size of . gill measure
Besides these, pumps and hydraulic engines,
cotton gins, and the various machinery al
factories; clod crushers and other aericnltu
raj implements; a huge printing press, Civ
ing us &c The lllnskrstod EvI.S;t:o. q SI