The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-18

10 army movements but they almost entirely without
foundation.
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The correspondents the HERALD with the Army Of tho
Potomac report everything quiet and dull along the Rap
pahannock The recent storm has again restored the
reign mud, and days will probably DO necessary
toplace them In good condition. =
PROBABLE CAPTURE OF A REBEL CAVALRY FORCR.
report k prevalent to-day that the rebel cavalry
force which has been lowering around tho Bull Run
Mountains and Culpepper been surrounded by
petition sent out by General stahel and that their
capture Is almost certain. This report Ia generally
credited
ARREST OF ACTIVE REBEL sYMPATHIzERs
Dr. Woosterd sOd two other rebel sympathizers OF this
city, were arrested to-day by Provost baker, and
sent TO the Old Capitol charged with recruiting for
rebel army and being engaged in conraband trao with
the rebel States.
THE CASE OF COLONEL D'uTAssY.
The DUtassy Court Martial In session to-day, but
there wasnothing done except the examination OF the
muster rolls, which alleged have been altered by
Cspe DUtassy for tho purpose Of defraudng the gov
err4nent Tho evidence presented by the prosecution
thus far and the Of the prisoner are making
out very strong case against him.
NAVAL ORDERS.
Commander R. ". shufeldt has been ordered 10 tho
command OF the steamer Fort Jackson.
Commander J. G. Chaplin has been ordered 70 the COM
mand Of the gunboat Dai Ching.
DESIGNATIONS.
Watt Smith, Esq., Chief Clerk Of the Interior Depart
ment and Mr. Shannon, chief Of the division upon bonds
and Treasury notes 10 Secretary Chases Office
dered their designations, TO take eject LIST Of May
Fine Arts.
INTERNAL DECORATIONS OF OUR FIFTH AVENUE
PALACHs-RREsCo PAINTING. ETC.
The progress which architecture has made In this
country within the last dozen years has but few any
examples In the history Of art. Tho phrase that Rome
was not built In day" would almost seem 10 be fasi.
aed by the rapidy with which public edAoes private
mansions Of tho most imposing character sprngng up
In oil our principal otcs. But "a In their external
features merely that buildings exhibit this ambition
70 rival tho best architectural models In
ton advance has also been made which promises the
most important results.
There is no applied in the arts which Is little
understood and frequently misapped fresco paint
Ing There scarcely house painter dauber Of walls
on whose sgnboard does not figure Fresco painting in
the occupation Of the term almost obsolete
From the fact that only earth colors employed In IT,
and that they laid In whilst tho walls ceilings
freshly coated with plaster and DAMP thereby rendering
retouch impossible but creative hand s capable
Of undertaking II. Many Of the best works Of Gioto
Assacco, Michael Angelo Raphael Guilio Romano and
After the Introduction OF oil painting however, It
gradually fell into disuse and at present very diai
cult 70 And artist competent 10 work In IT, has been
replaced however. by two other styles Of wall painting,
quito elective, though not durable Tho ono is In
seco, with colors when the plaster has boon dried
and wetted again. and the other in distemper without
lime, on Q dry wall or ceiling
In this country but very little advance had been
made In either Of these methods until quite recently.
In fact except for the ornamenaton Of churches aud
that only sparingly, resco painting 1--WE the term
its looser sense) has been scarcely employed at all
cordng, however, the mansions built for wealthy
merchants and mllionares began 70 assume pala-
tial character In their architecture, tho necessity
Of corresponding style Of interior decoration
began 10 make itself fen. The Italian villa,
with It's bright fescoes naturally suggested itself the
model and Italian artists accordingly sought out 10
carry into execution the designs borrowed from 1t.
We have had occasion TO examine recently number OF
private residences which have thus decorated Some
Of them evince but very imperfect acquaintance on the
part Of the artist with the different styles which tempsrs
has been employed In fact with the OF the
method ITSELF whilst in others find dovc,ored an &C.
Quantance with principles and schools which has pro.
duced the happiest results Most Of the works Of this
latter character have been executed by Mr. Raa9 Mon
Of our city and originally OF Bologna brief description
OF one or two Of the houses decorated by him will suffice
to give idea OF the elaborate and thoroughly conscien
tious character OF his work. Entering small reception
or cloak room In Of these houses u mansion the
Fifth avenue), we fancy ourselves In q chamber In
Pompeii. The cornices and ornaments Of the walls
ard ceilings are picked out with bright cslors
intermixed with gold, while panels OF chocolate
hue contain those graceful floating figures which formed
favore feature in the Etruscan style Of decoration
Notwithstanding the variety and brancy Of the tnts
m nv Adj m
opaque coors into general sobrety Of betting N
apartment OF this secondary importance The principal
staircase is painted in seh-relie tho employed
being cold and the designs satuesque and heradc On
the second floor Is the library perfect gem
decorated In the Raphaeesque STYLE borrowed in its turn
from the Etruscan Although the walls ceiling doors
glowing with the most brilliant tints, interpreted
with god minute the designs and 80 perfect the
harmony Of the whole that the eye never for moment
shocked or dazzlcd. In the demi unettes above the
bookcases are figures representing the arts and
sciences, and the above the cornice which
meets the centre panel Introduces . fricze, with
medallions containing finely executed heads, the
intervening spaces being filed With floral and
other devices Passing from the library into the front
drawingroom, We find . noble apartment, deco
rated in the style Of the renaissance. The pan.
els Of the walls painted 10 initiate vel
low damask, and the doors and mouldings are picked
out with gold. In the cornice OF the ceiling
richly ornamented shields and modalons containing
slegorcal heads the effect Of the whole being imposing
without being heavy. The back drawngroom s Of the
Louis Quinze perodwaving lines and bias reles cousti
tutng the prevailing features Of There
"a third drawing room decorated In the Eizabethan
style, which rich without being heavy, and forms
ane contrast 10 The two last described apartments
Admirable Is the fresco work this house. u Is far
from being the artists chedewrs Since completion
be has undertaken and finished the establishment Of
another large mansion In the Finn which sur.
passes in the elaborate character Of is designs
and the greater bodness and effectiveness Of their 70
suits There several other residences In which the
work. though less extensive and costly scale. aords
equally satisfactory evidence Of the versatility and sups
riory Of Mr. Aolnis talent Fresco painting. under
stood and ac,ised BY this gentleman, promises be