Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-11-07

The Paintings in the Rotunda Ofthe Capitol

Four of these painting are tho work of Col.
Trumbull a soldier and artist of revolutionary
times, to wit - The Declaration OF lndepend-
ence' The Surrender of General Burgoyne,
l777,' The Surrender of Lord CORVALLIS at
Yorktown and the Resignation Of General
Washington at Annapolis, December 23, l7SS,'-
In the execution of the first of these, Col Trum
bull devoted himself with uutring zeal and in
dustry, travelling from one part of the Union to
another to collect the original material for the
great design-it being his ambition to transmit 10
future generations u true representation OF the
great actors in the ever-memorable scene. The
Surrender Of General Burgoyne, l777,' to Gen.
Gates, of the American army, at Saratoga. New
interest will be added in the contemplation OF
this picture when it is remembered that 1t con
tans lkcnesses from life of Generals Gates
Burgoyne, Starke, Morgan, Schuyler Putnam,
aud many other distinguished officers; and that
Burgoyne was the intimate friend and com
panion of Burke. Fox and Sheridan was him
self an accomplished scholar and wit, basklng in
the sunlight of favor, and had but few months
before promised his sovereign that he would spec
dily crush the rebels and restore peace to his re-
volted colUnies--nay more, that he was under
promise to meet Clinton at Albany, but that when
he reached that city prisoner his friends had
turned back from the highlands, having been un-
able, even with the treachery of Arnold, to ap-
proach nearer to Albany. The Surrender of
Lord CORVALLIS AZ Yorktown represents the
closing scene of the great revolutionary drama
Though Washington was present, he yielded To
Gen. Lincoln the honor of receiving the sword
and the surrender of the conquered leader OF the
enemy
The picture of The Resignation of Washington
contains among other persons, the family OF
Washington, and Charles Carroll aud his two
daughters. Baptism OF Pocahontas' was de-
signed and executed 10y Chapman to fill the place
assigned to him. The discovery of the MissiSsip-
pi by De Soto is by Powell. The design and
composition of this painting have been somewhat
severely criticised at the same time its execution
is generally acknowledged to be more than ex-
cellent for instance it is objected that while two
Indian women are gracefully reclining on one
side of the picture, and seen perfectly comforta-
bic without any clothing, q man on the opposite
side is clad with Il huge buffalo robe The Land
ing of Columbus is by Vanderlyd, and is pecu-
larly interesting, as being the opening scene of
American history. The Departure of the Pill
grim Fathers in the May Flower is by Wier and
exctcs universal admiration. writer says of
this picture We have stood for hours before it,
and then returned again aud again, each time to
see new beauties aud to gaze upon that being of
surprising loyeliness, the WVe Of Mites StdadiSh.-
1t is the very ideal Of Saxon beauty-the eyes
clear, deep, fearless, as u womans eyes may be-
yet devotional and coniiding they are turned
upward, speaking the woman's trust in her hus-
band and the souls faith in its God There Is no
Grccian outline in the features no angelic per-
fection in the face it is simply the countcnance
o. woman benming with Intelligence and love.
Miles Standish has features and form to chal-
lenge admiration while the pale, sick boy, going
forth on the tempcstuous ocean, touches deeply
our sympathy and pity. Nor must we forget the
man Of God, who, from the Bible is finding m0et
words of hope and consolation for this brave
band, who for conscience sake, are about to seek
a home in u lar-oH and inhospitabe country,
where faith and religion may dwell together in
unison without fear or restraint