Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-25
TIE BURIAL OF LATANE

7. the su,isct Of new picture ny Mr. W.
D. Tashinstoa. The story OF tae dsash Oh MS
,o)lant ycnus ciiiosr, in S.uart's "Pamunkey
Raid" the brutal refusal of the enemy 70 a.
low Miris;,r TO bury him. and tho assump-
fan oi that snered duty bya Virginia maeron'
-. ,oo we'll kroySn 10 need comment. Tie
oo,,,o nosm of John r. Thompson Is equally
f,n;,;ar TO most OF our readers, and MIR. Wash
,nr.an seems to have seized his Inspiration
from the verse
"So man OF God should cad the burial rl''
Ahov,tne Rebel Thus declared the fou
That blauched before him In the deadly I8h'
But EoDan's vo:ce-in accents scn ahu ioS'
Tranhlinu " IN pity touched with pAthoS-seNd
ty,r hi, Lsllowsa dust, the ritual for the dead
In the soft, mellow hush OF summer sun
sct, he has grouped bis figures with a mastery
CT ,on. position that tells the story at glance
There is a ZONE of solcmnity-a sad quiet
os-yalinr every line of tho picture, and as the
ova rests upon it, the sentiment Of the themo az
once makes itself felt.
"A in III. resi- scone, the whites ara az le-
mnlcs. The central One--a stately ma'ron-'
StaGCS NJ t0U Hcau VI LILO wv, "-1~ w. ~
in band sud upturned face reads
over bis hallowed dust, the ritual for the dead
he- e,nre5sion of blended SORROW and hope, 10
| admirably given, and throws great depth 'na
| dslcacy into the face. Tho petition is nntu-
raj and easy, the curve CT the neck and oon-
tour of tho head being faultlessly graceful
70 her lcfs-in The right foregronnd---'a
group Of four ladies and child. This isper-
laps the most pleasing part of tho picture the
composition being admirable, and the graao
aud harmony of contour producing the hapP''
| rss effect. The main fgure-in profle-Shows
| q cloesness az study most creditabls to the
| artist, and the management Of drapery and
color in the dresG and shawl is excellent.
There is another pro6le-spparently young
widow-managed with such dellcaoy snd
grace as to make it to us the mcst attractive
figure in the picture. The whole of this group
sosh in position, expression and effect, breathcs
the zeal spirit Of the scene. Each thoe' each
| figure, is that of sorrowing sYmpsthlzer--
| And the soft bres,hinss Of the sunset hour
| C5me back responsive TO the -aournHs prayer.
At tho feet of tho matron is the grave, and
stretching acroGs: its head, tho bier With the
b,ly, covered with the horseman's coat. Hcre
is The focus Of color the key,tone OF the pic
tu,e. Tho heavy gray coat covers the lower
limbs, and the cape, turned back over the
.,,d end shoulders, expoeea ita brilliant scar
let, 10 vivid contrast to tbe black drap"ry ct
tao marion and the solnbrs tone of tho group
! oi negroes in the left foreground. AT the i'm
MEDIATE right OF tie matron
II little cbldslssgs roues Oh the bisr,"
bu. the sword, crossing the body, tells that Tina
quie. evc1ing burial is only the corolary to an
ect intbs bloody drama of war.
Altogether we hayo no hesitation in pro-
naaacing this the best picture we have seen
from Mr. Washingson's pencil-and it is emil
oontIy characteristics. The whele cast of thG
picture is thoroughly Southern, even Virgin
ian; ard the group Of negroes, though admira'
bly painted, is not needed to point the LOCALITY
Any one of the figures, isolated aad alone
could never he pronounced anything but
Southern lady.
As ws havs minated, the p!sture is care
fully and closely studied from good models
ana thu management Of the drspery an(
a,saery highly artistic. There are necessarily
10 hrGiI ,if.cts of light or color; bat wo d:
| no, piss them in the delicate and suggestive
skin With which he has managed the subdueC
tints. Hors is the charm. The tone. the
sp,ri: of the work, is 80 perfectly adapted to TIT
subject, that it is impossible to SEQ it and moi
g-aep g.. once the sentiment that pervades it.
It lie hard picture fer cold types and We
roper to deec7ibe; and We advise oil who can
! 10 Welt and study it, at MINIS Daguerrean