The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-06-29

PROBABLY no painting which depicts American
SONS "Oid Kentucky Home" and Wherever
the original painting has been exhibited il has
received the praise Of all beholders, besides
occurring the first medal as work Of art. A
full description Is unnecessary here, as most
Of our readers are familiar with the scenes II
portfaysi but u may not be out OF place TO re-
produce from the Geisrv for July, notice OF
As painter Of the familiar, MI. johnson
takes his rank next to the English wilkie
without the yulgarity Of the Dutch painters,
people: Whenever Mr.. johnson has treated
any subject OF common life, he has made ut
OF y more than any other American could have
msse OUT ., when ne has essayed the heroic,
ut 10 as a painter Of the nrc-side, Il is as q
painter Of incidents about the farm and in the
shop, that MT, yohn:on is best to Us. He AZ
sufficient and the character positive. 1t would
not be dimcult 70 show how well he CORE
spond. In art with Whittier In poetry. Tho
Imagination, Both alike keep close to the
welEordered and tranquil and narrow condi-
tons Of human life-conditions, however, out
America have eome-.conditions that gave US
the good Lincoln and the firm Grant, These
men may be called the builders, as they are
the strength OF our life; they are not Its beauty
ask for strength but for grace; a day comes
when we do not ask for security, butfor the
full play OF the man. Then all sad ronuncia.
injustice, and we resent and resist a life that
makes man faded and grim worker when the
world lies before his desires like a great un.
fectiy sensible, we turn with the average man
to consent to the conditions of our life, and
with him look with satisfaction upon pictures
which enable us to see Its most picturesque
phase. We are made to feel how much poetry,
that is, how much that touches our hearts, Il
to be found In common life, when common fife
e =. rendered en- by George Eliot, by Whittier, or
'"when Mr.. johnson paints children his
subject 10 common only In the sense that the
daisy q the Held Is common. All the tender
viii .y eS SSIe III pSs,4y 81 tssp
expressed. In those sad and luminous faces
Of children we see that life 10 serious to the
American from his childhood. In New Eng-
land his chief object 10 to keep warm and get
on.' The boy warming his hands Ia to MIR.
Johnson what the little French gourmand Ia to
Theodore Frere.
Mr.. johnson has long been known by his
picture Of The Old Kentucky Home, '-painted
ten or afteen years ago-which gave film his
place 10 New York as a genre painter equal to
his subject, OF an admirable humor, free from
vulgarity, and comparable to the nrst Euro.
pcan painters In the treatment OF subjects OF
contemporary life. At the great exhibition of
1861, The Old Kentucky Home was second to
none Of Its class. At home II had often been
called black In color because oontrasted
with American pictures, which are painted on
high key and In light tones. Mr.. Johnson
should know that we are not the only ones
who remarked the clear and sober color, and
the complete absence of blackncss In the pic
ture, as II hung In the American department.
But MT. Johnson's sense Of co Tor, though far
better and stronger than Knaus' sense ofcolor,
| Is not remarkable. His first claims rs painter
| are to be found In his tones and in his charac.
tiers. As q physiognomist he is equal to Knaus,
| though he has not the same range of sub.
ject nor so much OF the dramatic clement.
l. MT. johnson's most recent work, now on
the walls OF the Academy OF Design, repre-.
scnting the boyhood Of Lincoln, is a most in
teresting work. He must be both a poor m IN
and poor American who can look at II with
outbeing greatly interested and touched. That
long, iank, awkward figure, that serious face,
| celebrated men have begun life in Just such a
LONELY and barren place as n log cabin or
New England farm. house, 10 characteristic Of
| the boyhood OF American public men. When
the beginnings OF life are so bare and poor, the
| Development may be simple and strong but 1,
must be sad and homely. Our best men have
hsa sueh = hoyhood, and our best men were
"Mr. johnson has shown his discrImina At ior
AMI his force 10 creating this figure and face
OF the ooyhood Of Lincoln. No doubt 1t will
become household picture dear to all mon In
"Mr., johnson Is . native of Maine. II,
began the practice of his profession as a crayor
studied at Dusseldorf and at the Hague. II,
visited tho West, and afterward settled II
Washington. For the last ten years he ha,
New York. His studio Is the finest In the city
| II 10 enriched by pictures and sketches tina
indicate how he has used bis days, and In wha
places. His whole being has been In his sub
jects, and his devotion to HIS profession an,
love of the characteristic have given him tn,
high rank he now loids in art. As a painte
children he Is equal to Erers and daS NOR
painter Is, however, master Of q more gracious
style"
A ane chromo-llthograph of The Old Ken
| lucky Home" Is now on exhibition In thu
show window OF our enterprising music dealer
John I. Ellis, 900 Pennsylvania avenue, be
tween Ninth and Tenth streets.
MISSES KooNE's SEMINARY. The com
mencement Of this institution took place OF
Friday evening, a large number OF parents AM
friends OF the pupils being present The ex
Ter. The premiums were presented by Prof
tieman and the Rev. Mr.. Addison. The FOL
lowing is iist Si the pupils who receive
A. M. Teel; books to Misses NJ. A. GoR an,
/. Torbert. Second division-dold medal ts
Miss y. II. MeLsini books to Misses A. Nor
1. Nalley. Fourth dlyislon-Books to Mise
J: Heiberger, NJ. johnson and d. Scmmes
Misses II. Davis, NJ. whitewell and ]. Roth
rock. Seventh diyision-Books to Misses
MsGuire, s. Venable and L. Addison. Book
For Improvement In arithmetic, l.. Russell
reading, II. Selner; writing, s. Williams, Il
Gawlcr, q. Evans and r. Wilson; deportmeni
s. Williams, M. Heibergcr, d. Semmes and II
triblted to those pupils who answered III,
most questions In examination, of whicl
Misses j.. Tobert, A. Teel and $. Jones re
ceiyed the most.
BASE BALKAN interesting game will b
played on the grounds OF the National club, o
this city, on Monday, July 18th, between
married and o single nine, chosen from tn
convention clubs OF this city, the proceeds o
which are to be donated to the Masonic Hal
fund. The nines selected to play are as fol
Married.-Urell, Union. I'd b.; Daniels, Jei
ferson, LIST b.; Beach, Olympic. o. Malone
Olympic, % p; BerthIong, NstioGsl, Q. =;
L: =; Giesr, A. W., Union, Pr Sylvester
SiHgs:-Fox. National, sd b; Bielaski
Union, % Ri quantrell, Union, I. +, Ward
National, OF Leach, Olympic, p; Dcnison
Olympic, lst T.; Force, Olympic, $. s.; Joyce
Jefferson, Q. T.; Yeatnisn, Jefferson, II. +.
| As the Mines are considered evenly matched
an exciting game may be expected.
In addition to the above the Georgetowr
College nine will play the Nationals a friendl!
day, at the same hour, the Peabody base bal
club, OF Baltimore, and on Thursday the FIX
eslsiors, OF baltimore, will play the Junior
Nationals on the same grounds.
ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH INTENT T,
kILL.-Oticer Roth, OF the Fifth precint, ~
rested Peter Lovett, sailor, on Saturday last
intent to kill one Lofty Smith, he havinJ
struck her on the head with billy and bot
tie, cutting her head badly, but not danger
oqsiy. He had ahesring before Justice CLARK
| when Lucy Stanwood was summoned ms
witness, and she made her appearance, statinI
that she knew all about the ARRAY, but sh
would be did II she would testify against tn,
| accused. The Justice committed Loyett 10
| court, and fined him 40 for CARRYING a cor