Worcester daily spy., 1860-05-26

LFrom the New Ork saturday PresS.l
Mr.. Holman Hunt, the English pre-raphael-
ite artist, whose picture, 1.-The Light of the
World" was exhibited in this city about a
year ago, has painted a picture called "Find-
ing of the Savior in the Temple" which the
London Atheneum notices most tavorably
Mr. Hunt has spent eighteen months in Jeru-
salem, and has been engaged five years in
studies preparatory to the execution of this
picture. The Atheneum says-"No one will
deny that the result is, in all respec.s,a grand
one, aud almost unequaled, in our time, for
power of design or splendor of execution,
such; indeed, as the interest Of the subject and
the nature of the artists genius would lead us
to expect"
Ii this conscientious devotion to the details
of his picture were initiated by some of our
own artists, we should not have to lament such
a large production of mediocre picture as
grace ~ the walls Of the present Academy
exhibition. The Atheneum says -
The painters treatment of the subject is
worthy of our consideration, Tor it comes near
er to humanity than the impassve or ideaess
representations of the theme. Christ is thus
made part of us, and the purpose Of high art
better answered by thus enlisting our human
sympathies, and showing the Redeemer i'll the
perfection of his earthly robe, than by ignoring
the very conditions under which he presented
himself to men. Thoroughly English and
Protestant is the thought of showing the Vir-
gin as the mother, and not as the spiritualized
ideaity of the early Itrlian painters, or in the
sensuousy beautiful type Of those who sue.
ceeded them. This has been the artists CON
cepuon OF the characters, and herein lies the
glst OF his method of treating the subject, as
well in the design as the execution OF every
part of the picture. For thus honoring the
t1nn ifaS tnfi - fl,n ,,,,,E 81
lowed that devoted attention must be paid to
everything surrounding it, and therefore he
has elaborated every detail to the utmost and
while preserving the whole in due subordina-
tou part to part, has yet enabled us to inspect
the texture of every robe, and sec the reflec-
tlons OF the light in every jewel.
The spectator is surprised to observe that
the dresses and accessories of this picture are
by no means those ordinarily found in scrip
tural subjects. Along with the conventionali-
ties of expression and design, Mr.. Hunt has
discarded those of costume and architecture.
Consequently, instead of the loose wooden
draperies, like Blankets so ordinarily appro-
prlated to this period of Jewish history we
have various and brilliant fabrics of oriental
character, much like those used at this day in
the cast; and in place of classic architecture
OF no particular date, the background has been
designed by the artist himself, in a style which
competent authorities assert to be in strict
keeping with the CONSTITUTIONAL ideas then
adopted, as well as those injunetions of the
law in pursuance of which the second temple
was built.
The figure of Christ is thus described:
Christ is no smooth-faced boy-a valetudi.
marian or feminine. featured child-half babe
half woman, in aspect-but robust youth, of
splendid physique, and exactly what the poet
meant when he called him the ideal of a gen
tleman. We heartily assent to Mr.. Hunts
reading OF the theme i'll not rendering Christ's
face as an ideal study of passive holiness or
intellectual power, but in the physical aspect
Of the parsonage he really was. Nobly beauti-
full, to express the glory of his origin and
greatness OF his task, k,-also strong and robust
to be able to do it,-as he did. The whole of
his life from this very incident, when he left
his parents and was unattended at so early an
age, to the very last, indicates the possession
of physique Of the very highest ana finest
order-that he was a man in every sense of
the word.
The Virgin is represented as thoroughly
Jewish woman; her countenance is said to be
'exqusitely beautiful and her expression mar
vellously tender Joseph, instead of being
an old man, is represented as in the prime Of
mature age
The Rabbis are grouped together and "a
boy, whose gorgeous rainment Of cloth of gold
shines like jewel above the splendid color
throughout the picture, sits armed with n
whisk, to guard the sacred rolls of the law
from deflement OF fies-the incarnation of
Beelzebub.'
Mr.. Hunt has sold his picture for about S25,-
OOO retaing the copyright for engravings