The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-24
FOREIGN ART ITEMS.


1t is called SdtOme, the work of M. A. Reg
nault, and represents the damsel resting or a
seat, her feet on leopards hide, and holding
on her knees the gold charger and red
sheathed knife of John the Baptist's death.
She is painting, as if after the fatal dance; her
very feet are hardly yet still, the heels seem
to tap each other and the toes to twitch; her
youthful bosom, hardly hidden by silk of rosy
and golden colors, heaves; the vast tangles of
her hair of deepest black fall over her 6rows,
which shadow eyes unchaste, cruel and lighted
with wicked triumph, to her shoulders, where
they meet the as yet imperfect luxury of her
bust and its delicate skin. Her lips are just
parted by the smile, and show the teeth within.
Her body is covered by the rosy and gold-hued
silks before named; her tunic, gorgeously
painted and in itself gorgeous, is of the thin
nest tissue of cloth of gold, itself mystery
of sheeny wealth, which hardly hides the
limbs which she designs to show. She is
otherwise bejewelled and bedizened in bar
barrie magnifcence sits on stool of subtlest
inlays, and before curtain of glowing yell
low. AS to the representation of the subject,
of course it may be objected that this is rather
the personifcation of a French opera dancers
widest dream of theatrical triumph than
picture of the fair daughter of Herodias as
she sat before Herod and her mother. This
objection would be SO far just that this ''Sa-
lone" looks too much hardened in wicked de-
sires, if not wicked ways, too much like many
mems ideal of French opera dancer, to agree
with our notions of the maiden's life; also
that it is ''French" to the core, that is,
not far removed from operatic: yet this
criticism is not wholly fair, because the work
thoroughly and entirely fulfls its purpose of
presenting new subject to French eyes, and
the result is fascinating after one has got
over the startling effect of the yellow back
ground, mastered the cruel insolence of the
eyes, SO i'll suited to the damsel of our
thoughts-eyes which stare and defy while
they eXult-and has got over the amazing
splendors of her costume, which are rather
meretricious than superb and princely.
These things mastered-no easy task-we
begin to admire the power which produced
the face, the skill which dealt with the rose
and ivory of the flesh, especially in the feet,
and the fine points of vivid and original
color which appear in this figure; the very
dexterity which SO tricked it in tissue, and
the audacity which dealt with the background,
are certain of applause. Of course, after all
this is said, the very powers which are thus
triumphantly displayed in all their luxury and
fervency are those which herald as we'll as
insure the corruption and decline of severe
art.
The same critic notices as follows the alle-
gorical picture by Yvon, painted for Mr. A.
Il. Stewart, of New York;
Man is mortal, and critics are but men; so
we admit without shame, nay, with satisfac-
tion, that there is Art and an irresistible
charm in Mr. Regnault's picture, which are
wanting in that tremendous historical alle-
CORY which no less famous painter than M.
Adolphe Yvon, Delaroche's own pupil, has
condescended to produce for M. Stewart, of
New York-and we trust, at an enormous
price, because the agonies of its bringing
forth deserve an immense return. 1t is de-
signed to glorify the Northern States of the
Union, and does so fulsomely. 1t represents
q gigantic figure of the American republic
giving hand to 'la Sagesse;" archangels are
expelling evil passions, sanguinary traces on
the earth represent the past; black, white,
hordes of European emigrants arrive
and find Virtue triumphant; the Ame-
rican rivers are personifed, together
with Peace, Labor, the statue of Washington,
| and proclamations of the glories of the United
| States are going forth to the four corners of
| the world. Bad and stupid as these things
/ are, we recognize and, with laugh, endure
them; but what on earth can be meant by the
| grim figure which, like Nemesis, rises from
the grave on our left? This portentous pro-
duction would not call for notice, if the fame
of N. Yvon were not concerned and its vast
dimensions and prominent position did not
challenge the eyes. Drawn with a cold aca-
demic correctness, painted heartlessly fri
| gidly inspired, conventional, boastful, and
| yet weak in sentiment, here allegory culmi-
| mates: would it were the last of Ats kind !!
| There is more of art, more of the human
heart, more truth in the tritest picture here
of an Italian organ grinder than in this enor-
nous daub by one of the most eminent
| French artists
| A correspondent Ewrites as follows to the
London Athen@un with regard to another
Reading Magdalen" attributedto Corregigee:
This picture is at Heidelberg, and said to
have been brought from Italy by Duke Carl
Eugen Won Wurtemberg, is in excellent pre-
seryation, on canvas; size, 10 by 81 inches.
The Magdalen is in a wood, lying on the
mossy ground, supporting her head on the
/ right arm, and holding with the left an open
book, bending over it as though absorbed.
The dark-blue drapery falling back from the
head is arranged to leave the arms, breast
and feet uncovered An expression of life
in quiet repose is over the whole; owing tc
this, and the grandeur of the contours, the
effect of q full-sized figure is produced, and
the smalIness of the work forgotten. The
chiaroscuro is mastery, transparent, anC
delicate. The tints of the flesh are harmo
nious, and the tone throughout is clear ani
pure The hair is abundant and fair, ant
the color Of the drapery SO toned that tn
texture appears in all its reality.
Compared with Lord Dudley's and tn
Dresden pictures, the ''Magdalen" at Heidsl
berg shows in the head and figure differen
type of character. In the features is some
/ thing peculiar and characteristic, whic
proves 1 think, that the artist worked directl
from living model. The head has less of a
, oval form, and is taken more from the sid
than the others. The pose is considerabl
i more horizontal, and narrow piece {
| a~.nary sensrates the bosom from I'll