The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-15
Art Notes.

"plcasures OF the imagination" mot AIKEN
sidcs) with hne works Of art Even while the
mercury is boiling above the nineties in the
therm ometer, Is It not pleasant to contem.
plate a pretty rural scene portraying the rapid
flowing stream the arbor bound cottage,
nearly hid from view with winding vines and
weeping willows, And to take good look
at browns Niagara by Moonlight" is as re.
frcshing as a shower-bathj for, while the per.
spiration flows copiously as we write about It,
we can hardly believe but that It is the spray
blown over US and into our face by an Ill
hammered puff or gust OF disseminated Borcas
This may be an exaggeration, or stretch Of the
imaginationj but is.it not an agreeable one
for such a day as yesterday II you wish TO
experience the difference OF the opposites,
step into the furnaee-shop at the navy yard
and then visit Barlow's gallery Of psintings,
Pennsy lvania avenue, and you are sure to
realize a just conception Of the "nights Of the
Imagination" as well as the corporeal.
Among the many cool and pleasant scenes TO
be witnessed at Barlowis 10 the very pictui-
esque scene of "Moonlight and Sunset" by
Wilson. It il a river scene, and the sun has
just gone down below the horizon, leaving the
sky covered over Its trail, by = food Of golden
shcenj while In the ethereal distance overhead
10 the new moon-quecn OF night-vielng
with the god of day in answer to Ajax's
prayer, LET there be light Ajax asks no
more |" Fastening "homeward bound" is a
foek OF wild ducks ION the wing;'' others are
swinging over the placid river, while the
weary sportsman is mooring his boat on the
river bank. tits not only pretty scene, but
romantic one.
One that will attract the attention Of the
rustic enthusiast, Is an "Itallsn scene" by
that noted painter OF "Niagara by Moonlight"
George l.. Brown. The painting represents a
scene In the rural land Of art and song; a flock
OF goats are travelling down the mountain
path; the young kids are gamboling on the hill
side, while under tree, on the opposite side OF
the road, is the lazy shepherd boy, wrapt In
deep thought; while close at his back, evi.
IDENTIFY taking lively interest in all his plans,
stands his fast friend, the venerable mamie
goat"
A more animated one than the above Is a
large painting of an italian Market Scene,r
by Nicholas Berghen. 1t is quite an old work
OF art, and 1t cannot be disputed but that 1t is
by one Of the 'old masters" having been
painted two hundred years ago. The sur
rounding scenery 10 mountainous while In
the quiet little nook In the distance Is the
inevitable lake mot Como) and the stone
bridge. In the scene Is depicted every phase
of Italian life-the peer and the peasant, the
duke and the dog, the painter and the butcher,
the priest and the musician, the friar and the
nun, &c.
We now come to one OF Merrie England's
greatest figure painters-J. I. Herring, pere
We need not say that his "Farm Yard Scene"
Is life-like or fine painting, for that is quite
perceptible at the first glance Of the admiring
eye. In the yard Isl fat, plump, country girl
feeding sheep-hne specimens OF the "black
face" stock. Ducks and chickens are prowling
around, seeking an opportunity to "dive" into
the grain the sheep are nibblIng at, and more
especially the plate Of "CArlo's,n who is play
ing swapping turtle" at the heads Of the
ducks and chickens, for which he is being
severely reprimanded by the Irish girl or
Scotch lassie, whichever she 10.
In the way OF silent poetry" In the gallery,
we have two marble statuettes, minerva
and "yenus surprised" copies from the origi
nails In the Vatican.
Speaking of statuary reminds US OF the fact
that Miss Winnie Ream has just completed
some Of the figures representing "America"-
East, West, North and South. She has Just
completed 1.-THE Wcst;'' and has had 1t photo
graphed, and so very beautiful Is 1t that she
receives an avalanche OF letters by mail and
otherwise, soliciting copies TO adorn the pho.
tographic albums Of the admirers OF the artistic
and the beautiful. 1t il on exhibition at De
VOLTS jewelry store, under the Metropolitan
hotel.