St. Mary's beacon., 1859-05-05

beautiful painting and FIRE specimen of
art. Is saying ton little for the Court Of DEATH.
II is III re; il l. \ noble testimony of artis-
tic genius. Of thaSe touches of immortality
wnich the soul ~ The painter. from the point
~ his pencil, ca7 put on the senseless can
ya'. making il live, move, speak, and act be-
f,re him.
We should consider i. presumption in us to
attempt 90 critci<e in detail the parts Of this
picture. But We held that picture is good
or bad, according to tire impression made upon
the general eye and heart. In this respect,
we can say that We have seldom seen the equal
OF the Curt of Death Both the original
conception and tie execution e the paint
ing are evidence oi power Of Imagination
and rincl elevation e taste which must
place the author among the r;rst If this or
auy other age. There on tha. silent canvas,
gcnirs. IN one Of its loftie<t eT .r:s, has given
eloquent expression to t'.ose great lessons of
morality and religion whirl. are universally
recognized, and which none can look upon
aud rnt read lesson never 20 he furg ten
Tie lie! Uf the painting was conceived in the
following passage from Bishop PYr.ucs's fuc
pcem on death:
'-Deep 10 n murkey caves receRs,
Laved by 0blvion's lIstle~s stream, and fenced
By shelving rocks and in;ermIngled horrors,
OF yew and cypress shade, fran all obtrusion
Df busy nO"n-tide beam, the Monarch sits
la unstn'"e'! majesty
"Th- sccn. is laid in the recesses Of a cav
ern. info winch warm glow e golden IEht is
shed from above. Thrre ar. twenty three
rieur-s on the canvass. large as life, aud a.
llr-like a. animation Its"f Death Is repre-
4
with his band raised ~ the act of giving
forth decree. Undrrnrath his fee, lies q
pr, .Strate c..rpse, >trIrkrI down IN full vi-"r
of hrtth---its extrriniti'> lavci bv the water
&c OhlivIun. winch Iiuw D-iow. Tn the right.
10 the spectators. ls War his ~w"ri uushc;.thei
and drlpIrug with ul~s!, l-ti by T. .niiagrA-
,inn. hearing torches rushing "n TO the conflict:
Sd t,lIovel by caunt Famine and mai
nami P"sirfcc whuSc features spcal: frenzy
ard despair Un,l"r the ie": nf War. are the
diving soldier, and the weeping widow and
orphan.
..On til" ether side and under the rcrv robes
of Dea'n, i gu.ty and gldrd Pleasure, with a
fnce aud f..r:n instinct with seductive licen-
tiru>ne>s. mlxin. her ininxicatins draught.
aud near ncr the miserable victims a.. her willy
arts shame, Rcmnr>e, Dslinum Tr"nrns.
Suicide. aud all the train uf wees that arise
from iudniging in the cup "f guilty pleasures.
little ., tie r!ght, and nearly in front Of
Death j. venerable and grAv-ha!red man,
far advanced in Years. With >.i-ue aud chrcr-
lul cnUutcuaUcc. approaching the King oi
rcrrurs, whom he welcomes with extended
arms and 4 I,-,k II r,>i I.a.Inn. n ne i about
tn drop the rohc "i mortality. \ lovely tc-
uIal. pcr<"uljynE Rrligirn "r Fai.h " IA n
countcnaucc besulug viii, heavenly h"rc and
resi- .r.aii,'n. stands ard SUPPORTS the Did man.
She seems u say: Eryouh this dark cavern
of death there il Part,ii~c OF cndiesS joy
awaiting the departing sEirt.
Such j. but u brief ,.u.lIue OF this great
Moral Painting painting which has been
termed truly III Sermon orr cimrnS. There
nay lie faults ~ tine LtfluT details "f the
execution. but We have ~ disposition 10 81
ia judgment over suct man A. Rembrandt
i PALE. or upnn this his ma>ter-wurk. We
rave heretofore h,! cur,"s, '.iS"ral lc copies
IT celebrated works ui art exhibited III MuLlie
hut here we have AN uniuubr-d original
While tie rnsT ,vIng "f the Court o!
Death" is admired for its ucauiy aS 4 work
oI art. its highest rmcrit -c'nsi,t, in the fut
general effect. aud the hcsutiful aud Ilrprcs-
sivr nr.ryl lessons il iacu.cates. FIR these il
il with n!auy IInes It's sust to any house
! mold.