Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-07-11
Another Historical Painting.

A celebrated painter in a city not more
than a thousand miles from here, has
begun and is now engaged upon his
torical painting, which he designs to
offer for one of the vacant panels IN the
roiunda of the Capitol, to be side by. side
with the =" Landing Of the Pilgrims and
The Signing of the Declaration Of ln-
dependence. The subject is THE
Stacking of Jefferson Davis in Prison"
and as the outline of the figures is
already traced upon canvass, | will
append brief description of the work,
as it will appear when finished:
There are twelve principal figures in
the painting, namely: Jefferson Davis,
Captain Titlow, sergeant OF the United
States army, four soldiers with their
muskets and bayonets, the blacksmith,
and the four soldiers without arms, who
acted as the blacksmitb's assistants.
These figures are of the same size as the
figures in the other large painting on
the walls Of the rotunda, and as the pic
ture is of the same size as those men-
toned above, there is room for all.
The moment selected is that when the
fierce struggle is taking place between the
weak and sick old man and his seven as
sailants. After sleepless night, fever
ish and enfeebled, Mr.. Davis had started
from his rude bed at the entrance to the
cell of the heroic Capt Titlow, his black
smith. his rattling shackles and his four
Iveried assistants He could not be-
lieve that so much baseness existed in
Washington, as to order that gentle
man of refinement, gallant officer in
the army, distinguished for his services
in the field in the Mexican war, q former
Senator, a former Secretary of War,
sick and feeble old man, should be ironed
and mdndcled like common .teton.
His earnest and dignified remonstrance
had been made, and had fell on cold and
stony hearts Capt Titlow announces
his inhexible purpose to fasten the man,
acles, then and there, upon the honored
limbs of the illustrious captive. The
sergeant and the " four soldiers in re-
serve" are ordered in. Stung to mad
ness by the insult, the lion-hearted prls-
oner declares that such foul wrong to
his person shall never be done, while he
has strength to prevent it; and when
the incautious blacksmith advances, with
:.'o r. a. a,,i,la, or Mr Davis the lat
~ ~ upGn 'de ,bas s "nnerbuma strength which
yer, "'..' .n"s av,ramatv LurIs the
rs $500 sme" ~, ~ T 80 Vulcan ~ 70 The aoor and
p.amn' so dasr;nr tbe foai
S'atue n'I: IT, ,nrnen, or The moment
ms is 'ne J.a' IN H. art;st has cbo.
sueceeu1ns s.ns mn n"r NV Wv mani" cries the
sen on ~ n." n5 the fonr :" assis-
sal,sp"' aao;n;,a,a uap.a themselves on the
Idnss MS se qpnnssdoracr p,Ssse II was a dar-
aeaJ =, .ra rae anJ so ,be artist has repre-
,cd ang caa,e The r corrtensnces 81 , of the four
seh,.u ra;nriad shame and dis.
soru'e,' io op,os0 1850 M af ,ba hattie in which
may ~ 'rS nnna~od ns end a. tbe formidable
1nei a,e s.eJ sosas ras;a,ancs [ ~ ,ber are meet
anu uasApeSi NJ Dsr;s rsens them ali at
,ns "In D., ~ Ia;na forpsd boctward
pay. pI' he - I'D = = av;dsnt that in
a few moments more the UNEQUAL strue-
gla will ha over The countfnance of
H. Davis is as the countenance of a
nan in battle but the particular express
a;on 10 be given 10 II cannot be decided
az tb;s early stage of the work.
" TT TEr cRoTrp1Sc OF THE FIGURES.