The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-04-01


and persons introduced BY members
Fortunately Mrs. Gage was a member, and
we went.
"Onone" is very fine. The marble so
pure that the light shines t..ro the hands
and feet. | am not very much skilled
in such matters, and have seen but one
piece of statuary which could be compared
: with it. Powers "Greek Slave" rose in
my mind, and | compared them, to the
disadvantage Of neither. "Ornone's" head,
hair and face are much more graceful and
beautiful The Greek Slaves" figure
is far finer. The expressions of counte-
nance are entirely different and each per-
feet in its way, and such hands ,any lady
in the world would be glad to Exchange
with this slave and shepherdesS4
The ''HOrse Fair" was III dark room,
occupying one end of ii. A screen came
down from the ceiling as low as the top
of the picture, and behind this screen the
gas was lighted, throwing all the light in
the room directly on the picture A cord
was stretched round so that the specta-
tors could not get within touching dis
tance, but there were number of large
glasses to look thro' which magnfed the
whole to life size, which most paintings
would not be any the prettier for, but
which seemed necessary for the develop
ment OF all the marvellous beauty of this
cOuld compare "Ornone," but the
"Horse Fair" is Incompatible. My mind
ran over whole galleries of paintings |
had seen, in search of anything akin to
it, in vain. | thought | appreciated art
before, but I had never had an idea of
the magic illusions it is capable of pro-
ducing.
You look and see a magnificent paint
ing and are riveted to the spot, but the
longer you gaze the more certain YOU be-
come that it is not painting at all, but a
real road full OF horses and men. You
can see the leaves in the pale, yellow
green spring woods almost futter with
the jar of the "trampling troop" You
expect every moment to see the rider
jerk back the head of that vicious white
horse which is trying to bite his neigh
bor; and you watch that wild black one,
trying to throw his rider, with breath
less interest, hoping that he will rear no
higher but come down on all fours again
without hurting any body. You believe
! if you had cnrry-comb YOU could strait
en- that sorrel pony's tangled name and
toretop, and you think you have seen that
sober pair Of greys "lots of times" The
perspective is absolutely fauitlcSs. You
know it is near noon by the short round
shadows on the ground. You know if
that rope was not in the way, you could
walk right between those animals. Y0u
can scem to see both sides Of thcm-an
illusion | never dreamed Of in painting.
remarked, that EDWIN LANpsEER
when he saw this painting, said he had
found his master.
"les :" exclaimed the proprietor, II
stood by him when he SAID it. An Eng
lish friend of his, Jealous for his nation 5
as well as his friends credit, said to him
that he was the head Of that school
of painting, and no one could rob
him of his crown as king Of animal
painters; but LANDsEER loved his art
more than his own reputation as an artist,
and almost resented the fattery. He
turned to the speaker and said : Il tell
You if could paint for hundred years,
| never could produce such work as
that .''
That reply was better than any picture
LANDsEER ever painted, great artist tho
he be. An out-riyalled artist is seldom
so magnanimous. He told several anec-
dotes OF Rosa which | had never heard
bofore-said she was exceedingly shy and
retiring among people, put perfectly
dauntlesS among beasts. She keeps IA
whole yard full of outlandlsh pets, and
the speaker said he once had the misfor-
tune to enter the wrong gate when he
went to call on the great Artiste, and to
his CONSERVATION found himself yardcd in
with six huge bulls and other beasts too
various too mention. 81 cunfess" con-
tinued the little man, E'that l was afraid
and wished myself out of the scrape, but
Rosa saw the trouble and came to meet
me, and pushing her great horned pets
to one side, made lane for me to the
house." Yet he added, she was so quiet
and feminine in her manners, that when
her painters dress was off nobody would
dream that that shy, abstracted, absent
minded young lady was the greatest
nainter in the world
Reluctantly were we obliged to leave
the hall at last. | wonder when ever |
shall again see three such manifestations .
of womanhood in one day. FRANCES D. .
GAGE and her home, HARRIET Hos
MER's "Ornone," and Rosa BoxnEUR's
''Horse Fair"
Before | left St. Louis that afternoon,
picked up newspaper and my eye fell
on the advertisement of three slaves for (
life, to be sold by the Court Honse door
that dHV Z woS Tho 6ret -b;r. bo1 (