Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-04-01

washington MaIcn 10, 1905.
Paintings in thu Rotunda-The discovery Of the
Mississippi-Statuary and their description
Fresco Painting-Ihc agricultural room in
In my last letter gave description Of seine
If the paintings and works In bas relief in the
rotunda Of the capitol These are all a. they
should be historiealand commemorative of some
rreat svsxt in American history. The last Va.
can't panel was filed with a painting by q native
artist, called "The discovery Of the Mississippi
BY Do Solo, l think the merit of this work is
worth more than passing notice. IL will be
by the reader that in l54l the re-
nownsd1 Ferna ndo De Soto. Spanish Cavelier,
fred with the ambition OF being second Colun-
bus, and thirsting with . love for gold which
was supposed to abound in sites to be discover
I'd by him. started from Tampa Bay in Flszida
with . earvelcads composed Of young Spanish
gentlemen who had joined their leader with like
feelings and motives. Altar various trials and
fortunes, being met by various tribes Of hostile
Indians who disputed every inch of the war,
and after suffering weeks from diseases that met
them in new forms, in feur months from the lime
they started they discovered broad majestic
river flowing to the south.
The subject and plot are well chosen, In the
foreground riass De Soto sitting on his ferv
Andslusian horse with that grace and ease 90
generally admitted to belong to the Spanish
cavilssr. In the proud and noble bearing of
each the painter has done credit TO himself and
truth TO history.
Immediately BIN rear follow the companions
of De Soto also mounted and armed accor ding to
the times. At the left there are number of ar
tillery men moving along a Spxnnish piece Of
ordinance. while at a distance is seen q posr
soldier binding up his limb which has been
wounded perhaps from the arrow of an Indian.
The blood seems to stain through several thick
nssses Of bandags Is he carefully fields them
around. Al the right is groupe of figures Of men
in each OF whose countsnance is seen and read
by the visitors ~ plain ~ if be were talking
with them face TO face-ons is a laboring man
who has dug deep hole in the earth and with
spade in hand is resting-thrse or four more are
in the act OF raising GROSS upon which is an
image Of cur saviour and At the fsot, bent over
in the act OF blessing it, 10 IN aged priest, while
not far distant is another priest with censor in
hand apparently giving It motion enough to
produce incense which has risen and partially in
velepes the post. In rear of these groups stan a
Indian lodgss, and near them Indians themselye,
with their chiefs, each Of which has fear dsuict
cd upon his countsnancs while he 10 in vain try.
ing TO quell it by m Offering of some kind. In
the distance is seen the broad Mississippi flow
ing on between silent and lonely shores while
it, surface is dotted here and there by Indian
canoes filled with warriors of red men dekced
IN holiday attire going to the pale faces for
the first time. Various passions such as fear
hatred, revenge and Jealousy as well Is curiosity
seem to mark the countenances of these original
natives of the forest
would advise all visiting Washington to
examine this work and study it. Even with
artists no one feels able to understand much las,
criticise painting, short of full understanding
Of the SUBJECT its history the merit of delineato
and lie frnfbft,lungo. I Al.
Powell, who 10 an American artist, worthy of it,
place in the rotunda. The next best painting
is the embarcation of the pilgrims Few who
have seen the sweet face of Rose Standisb will
ever fsrget this painting.
AT the east entrance of the capitol there are
several pieces of sculpture and works of bss re
tsef by itsian artist some of which are very good
and others of indifferent merit. One or two OF
these it would be difficult to conjecture what the
SUBJECT was which was intended to be reprssen
ted. Among them is large man of fine propor
ton leaning forward and holding in his rich,
hand globe. There is look in his counter
ancs that indie ates great firmness and energy.
His style of dress is that of a Spaniard in the
18th centuary. By his side is q small Indian
girl in nude state, looking up with great feai
and rsvsrencs as if to asuperior being. Between
the two there are no natural proportions. Had
this last figure been lett off, all would recognize
tbs other ~ Columbus, and it weuld have been
apProPriate-but what sense or good taste there
could be in placing q little diminactive naked
Indian female by his side l cannot tell.
l am pleased to observe that in the elaborate
work which is employed in the finishing the two
new wings of the capitol, painting such rs il
used ON the other continent not only in private
buildings but in public sdifces, has not been lost
sight OF. allude to frssco painting which as
yet has been but little introduced in our country
but which doubt not will be as eommen some
time a. any other of the arts This method il
by paintings in water colors in relief upon the
walls Hhils the same are fresh with new prepar-
Cd plaster npon them The subjects may be as
various as any other kind of painting. The
hnest paintings that grace the saloons halls and
sfaircases OF the palaces of the nobility and the
eaPitol and other public buildings that belong to
royalty in the old country, are Of this kind
There are several rooms already finished in
the new wings ofthe capitol painted in this style.
The work is done by Italien artists who are re-,
csving the nice little sum of $16 per diem,
The principal room finished by these painters,
and which is mainly visited now by strangers,
is what 10 called the agricultural room. This il
very handsomely finished and the sides and
ceiling above elaboratsly painted Among these
are subjects appropriately selected. On one side
is painting representing the cutting of Cinci.
natus from his pillow to the government of the
Roman Empire. A similar historical fact in our
own country is painted upon a panel uis ris
and much more truthful as to fact 1t is the
announcing to Gen. Putnam the news that oui
country was invaded by foreign foes. He is
represented in the act of hastily unhitching his
herses from his plow in the field, while in the
distance il seen "a solitary horssman" with his
drum suspended from his back beating up volun.
teer to defend their homes and friends, his horse
being under full speed. While haste seems to
mark the actions of the brave general, yet the
recent news has given his countenance fixed
ness of purpose and firmness only known to
the true patriot The drawing and sketches
are undoubtedly made by an American artist
for observed gross error in the first painting
described that an Italian artist could have hard.
ly made. The horns of the oxen were those Of
American or English cattle. From the time
Virgil wrote his bucoics to the present the horns
OF the Roman or Tresean OK have been the same
large and spreading with fine proportions. -
throughout Italy l have noticed this preeuliar-
ity. Even among many ofths conquered provin-
css, this breed of cattle still remain, Among
others as far distant as those countries bordering
on the Danube, and called the Danubisn Prin-
capabilities, l observed these. So pleased was
our townsman 0. F. Dana. Esq, with rscogni-
zing the noble horns of the Roman OK. such as
he had learned from the clossics, that he brought
pair all the way from Rome as souvenirs of his
travels.
Among other paintings in this room are two
harvest scenes, one representing field Of golden
grain with rsapers as in ancient tme-and the
opposite like field with modern reaper (Nc-
ormicks y under full Roadway. But lime will
not permit me to notice at length these interest.
ing paintings. They look very fresh and life
like and will ever continue so. hope this new
feature in the fine arts will not only receive q
continued patronage by government but by in
dividnals. There are probably a few paintings
OF this kind in some of our private houses in
large cities, but apprshsnd not to any extent.
| also visited the private gallery of paintings
OF Mr.: Cereorana liberal and wealthy banker OF
this city. This gallery is open two DAYS each
week for every one who chooses to cali. Among
them there are a number of fine paintings. Here
may be seen also Powers Greek Slave, Thi.
il the original one which was purchased some
years since by Mr.. c. at q high figure. This