The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-05-31
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, MAY 81 l0oo

Every artist well knows that by a oeSterous
ar cornish and megilp, very poor picture
- made to look remarkably line. intel-
10y. ,eople may turn their backs contemptuously
ION if. but the far larger class, who are not intel
liant will admire it vastly. All that the taste
IF the latter requires is that it shall be particular
" glossy and particularly high-colored, and that
II shall bear some remote resemblance TO the thing
it is intended to represent. The drawing may be
bad-the perspective altogether at variance with
the law of optics-the lights and shadows may
play at cross purposes with each other-all these
defects will be overlooked if the greens of the
greenest, the reds of the reddest and the yellows
as golden the plumage of a bird of paradise.
But the skill OF painters for the million, whether
their speciality be landscape or portrait painting
is chiefly manifested in the adroitness with which
they clothe naturally dull scene with all the
coIors of the rainbow, and homely person with the
physical projections of an APOLLO BELvEDERE This
sort of decorative painting and varnishing-whch
may be appropriately styled 1.-The romance of
Art is not restricted TO those who excel in the
use of pigments. The JENKINS of the Press, and
other ready writers not less frequently delight in
graphic sketches of men and things that are quite
as true to nature as those ''undoubed originals y
which in all the glory of gilt frames, are the IA
miliar companions of the auctioneer's hammer.
The Republicans recently have taken to
this art and from an examination of
some specimens of their SKILL which they
have graciously disseminated-pro bono pub
dco-we take infinite pleasure in stating that if
they have not yet equalled ''the great masters"
In force and truthfulness of handling, they have
vastly excelled them in high coloring The fol-
lowing picture, labelled 'Opening of the Presi-
'dential Campaign with the subtitle of "a
"Night Scene in Philadelphia is an example
of a mode of treatment which, though it may be
somewhat novel at present to our readers, is
destined to become well understood and appre-
cated before the ides of November
"Philadephia, on Saturday evening, when the sun,
like huge red wafer, sealing the day for the post
office of eternity in commoton from one end to the
other Like colossal anthill, its inhabitants
ing from all directions toward the cOnsecrated centre,
where stands the Hall in whose steeple the bell
that proclaimed freedom to people hitherto the eofs of
tyrannous Great Britain.
The smile comparing the sun to "a huge red
''wafer, sealing the day for the post-ofice of
of what a dilapidated brother of the easel was
accustomed to call IAN admirable example Of
"hdrd painting That of the Colossal ant-hill'
has also much merit. Both are touches beyond
the reach of art-they indicate positive genius.
They are akin to that grand description of
"Evening by u Tailor, which commences
"Day had put on his jacket and around
Ills burning bosom buttoned it with stars"
and which enthusiastically apostrophises cab
bage as
"Thou giant rose, clad in green surtout."
We now come to the details. Almost
all artists and authors fail in grouping. The
greatest difficulty which a novel writer expert
ences is to bring on the scene together any large
number of persons, and set them to talking and
acting Enthusiastically. In delineating the
gathering of the clans delegations we should
have said-our word-painter excels. We must,
however leave the ''torches and transparencies''
the 'roman candles and rockets the mot
''toes," one of which contained "a hard dig at
''somebody and even the twin pictures of
GAZE LINCOLN mauling rails''-and "AGE LIN
''CoLY on a iiat-bOat, TO the Imagination of
our readers. We have said all that we de-
signed to say of Picture No. /. We turn next
to a full-ength portrait of the gentleman in
whose honor the demonstration thus pctorally
sketched was gotten up No. ] is by the Bohe-
milan, who does up these things for the PhiladeI-
pha North Amer|can. No. is by the master
painter of the Chicago Press and Tribune.
Permit us to withdraw the VEIL Where is
P. BARNUM? Mr.. B. will please describe
this newly caught North Western Wonder
Listen "llr. LINCOLN sometimes Familiarity
called ank ABE LINCOLN, Islands six feet four
ninches high in his stockings" His personal ap-
pearance may be thus described Frame, "gaunt;''
arms, "long;' lower limbs, ditto. Manner of
walking, ''slow and deliberate" Position-''head
thrust forward, hands behind the back " Dress
Us yon perceive, by no means precise. Mode of
wearing-''carcless but not slovenly." Linen
not exactly spotesS. Manner-E'cordal and sim
''ccre but never elaborate or oppressive" His
methods of greeting his friends are peculiar TO
himself; they consist Of IA warm shake of the
"hand and warmer smile Of recognition His
features are decidedly ''nOt such as belong to q
Handsome man His hair-''black, thin and
'wiry." His head --that ''defes description" 1t
resembles CLAY Sit is like WEBSTER s-but it is,
49, ~A''N'N"7 "iiN' 'i'hoi- n SliBhtiy
nose, wide-cut mouth and a dark COM
''peHion, with the appearance of having been
''weather-beaten, complete the description
Such is the picture of '.Honest ABE LINCOLN,
'the rail-splitter, gorifed. The toning down is
wonderfully effective. All the sharp angles have
been rounded IN strict consonance with HoGARTH's
well-known illustration, and the balance of
qualities physical mental and social is well pre-
served. He is evidently no beauty. He has,
however, grown full inch in height within the
past two weeks. Previously to his nomination he
stood in his stockings-it is some consolation to
learn that he wears stockings-sx feet three inch
eS he now stand3--also in his stockings-six feet
lour. These aspirations skyward must be checked
ny his friends or they will require a ladder to
reaeh his ear before the campaign is over. His
moral virtues, which, in The picture by our Chi
cago artlst are worked in with great care and dis
crlinlnaton, We can only allude to at this time;
put they are fairly summed up in the four lines of
GOLDSMITH elegy on Madame BLAZE:
rE She strove the neighborhood to please,
lth manners wondrous winning;
Gnu never followed wicked ways
Except when she sinning.'
Who shall deny hereafter the artistic value of
7''rnish and megilp?
Tue maryland State Agricultural Society has
issued an appeal through its Secretary, Mr.. SANDS
TO the business men of Baltimore and the f,rmars
yu,tl