, 1864-01-18

Major General Grant, which will give him hence
forth place In the front rank Of American pos-
trait pa1ntess- Those who remember his old
styles, and how be relied Tor his shadows upon
dark undertone OF pigment which WAS painted
upon The canvas before any other color was Intro
duccd.theze, can haEe no possible conception ol
the vast gulf which sepasatea this fine portrait OF
our great American General from all the Other
performances Of this artist.
We say this without intending to dctract from
the Wcllknown and widely appreciated merit ol
the anterior portraits which have emanated from
Mr.. Antrobus' pencil. We design only to mark an
epoch In his progress as portrait painter: fol
II his other pictures have been good-as they
cortefscd'y were-this. ts his 1naster work-eon'
ceivcd In spirit altogether different fom anything
which he his yet produced. and executed In styla
Of Which nc had given u.s. up 10 THIS picture not 90
mnch.as hint.
VIC haFe on more than one occasion, spoken In
very haeh terms OF the painaiags-bosh portraits
ana iandseapes-wa'ch hare come from Mr. An.
tfooas staaio. Exceptions nave been taken to
them. here and there, anu suggestions made, In a
kind and genial spirit such as no artist could quar-.
rel With, and for whith-as Wa hope and believe
any artist would be thankful. But what VIC then
sa1d+ was of works In progress works which gave
evidence Of genuine ability, but which had not, az
vet reached the high point Of mastesshfp. although
tending th,tbe1 wards with an unmistakablc crsyi.
tatlou,
The portrait OF AIaior General Grant 90 FIR dis.
tances al that have gone before it. from the ssme
pencil, ps 10 make comparisons with them impos-
sIble. 1t IL leap from darkness 10 light, Hero,
In this portraitnre, the nrtist has put forth all
his power which, as II By mngic, has been
Suddenly matured. No one can look upon the
embodiment Of our great General as 1t lives and
brcathee, upon this canvas, without feeling the
presence OF the man. It fs magnetic and alive.
The portrait Is fnl life stze, and the General is
dressed IN regfmentala which sufficiently pro-
nounee Ills rank, although they arc OF the simplest
and planest natetae. It is characteristic OF thus
man OF actaon-th1s brave winner OF battes-to
be careless about TIC insignia Of his rank. He
leaves these outeide shows for the pretenders to
dlEp!ay-for tho takers, and dreamers, and trench
dgEeTs, who need such badges to distinguish them
nrom tha common soldier. He u well enough
known aud honored, in his plain attire; and his
record is written on well nigh score Of terrible
battle fields, and In as many brilliant victories.
All who love their country, and the gallant lead
er OF Its armies must be glad Of chance to behold
rs 1t were, face to face the most successful OF
Generals. And here, IN this portrait, the oppQr-
tun1tT ie afforded them. Thoee OF the Generals
friends Who reside In this city, bear glad teatt-
mony to Its htthtolneas a. a portrait It Ia the
man himseH-a full and complete embodiment OF
all MS mentA! and phyelcal qualities. One feels
TINS me moment ms e5ee come into contact with
II. tnefe nc s1ande at fnll length, az VIC said+
Held glasa In bis le1 hand, which ts unglored and
his g1oved right hand resting upon the dumb end
Of an uptntned cannon, close to which is broken
caisenn wheel, with the red, white, and blue en-
Eisn wrapped around It. On the right Of the pic
ture is an orderly, who has the Generals white
horse, old "Jack, = In charge. In the background
VIC have view Of Lookout Mountain to the right,
and Missionary Ridge to thelett The intervening
country Ia also COPY of the locality. wild, rocsv
and savage,
These, however, are nero accessories and aro
kept down to give more startling effect to the
portrait Clean out from the canvas it comes. like
alivipg presence. The General is on the lookout;
his head sltghty thrown back, and his eyes peae-
trat1ng into come movement of the distant enemy,
1t IL noble, Roman head-fnll Of power. The
face oreu md ingenious. Intensely earnest. with