Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-13
Letter from Boston.
Pictures-Freneh and American Aft-Pei
DOgs-City Hospital.
rFRoM OUR RpoU1 AR CORRESPONDENCE
BosroN. March Il, 1872

BosToN, March II, 1872
Pictures are not only pleasing and interesting
in themselves, but they give rise to a great deal
of Interesting conversation, and of curious and
varied criticism. This is especially the case
with the modern French pictures which are fast
becoming very popular here, and which sell
rapidly and at high prices. Last week dozen
or more new ones were hung in one of the gal.
leries, chief among them is Faust and Mar
garet, by Tissot It is said to represent their
last walll-a purely imaginary one, not de-
scribed in the poem. The landscape, called by
Gissots admirers an autumn scene, is abso-
lutely fiat; it gives a mass of trees, looking as
| if a fire had passed through them; a view of a
village church; wood piles as thin as pasteboard;
bit Of stone wall; a dog, looking like a skin
hung up to dry; hunter, shooting at two deer,
who stop half way over wall to look back at
him; and other details of rock and tree
trunks. The figures in the picture are
painted with extraordinary firmuess, bold
ness, and briiancy, but are so hard, so start
lingly distinct, that in spite of the pure bright
color they are cold, and suggest the outlines
that we see in the clearest and coolest of
winter days, outlines as sharp and cutting as the
cold is. A little on the left, as we look at the
picture, are Margaret and Faust. She leans up
on his breast, and bis right arm is round her;
both faces are sad, hers is weary and despon-
dent. She has lost all girshness, all lightness
of heart; the heavness is carried even into the
folds of her drapery, the lines of which harmo-
ME with and deepen the one impression made
by face and figure. Faust wears suit Of bril-
liant red, unrelieved by any other color. Behind
these two, at little distance, but in full sight
and hearing Of them, is a picturesque group of
two old people and three or four children. The
old man and his wife, richly and warmly
dressed, cling to each other with that weakness
of old age; two children keep near them,
while an older boy, in a very effective
costume has strayed away and fingers
behind the others. cannot describe the
impression that is made by these clear, bright,
carefully painted figures standing out from this
landscape. For they do stand out from it; they
have nothing to do with it; they are not walk
ING in it; it seems used merely to enhance their
color; as foil to the yigor, accuracy and
roundness of their drawing. Tissots admirers
defend this Conventional landscape, and find
wonderful meaning in it; it stimulates their
Imagination, and they find no want of harmony
between it and the figures
There are good many specimens Of weak and
sentimental subjects; here young woman in
low-necked white dress, broad sash, and slippers,
has lain down fiat in field full of lovely red
dowers-fowers that we do not know; they
look something like peoples, but are the color of
red clover; they are painted with marvellous
care; each one as II it were the only one; the
canvas is covered with them as they grow in
the soft green grass; and in the middle Is
stretched the young woman, with light
parasol behind her head, moi held over
| " for there is no sun, but standing
open behind her, and making right
angle with her body. Farther on IS a
chamber with walls, table, ornaments, car.
pet and cricket well painted, and In the chamber
sits young woman; she, too, is in white; one
diaphanous and voluminous garment With low
neck, wide sleeves, aud no belt, falls over her
and conceals most of the outlines of her figure /;
she sits With book on her knees, her bare toes
Just showing on the cricket where her feet rest !;
and an immense, frizzy chignon on the top of
her head. A pair Of ianciiul shaped, and very
large slippers stand by the cricket
ihere Is good deal of variety in the young
"oneh ~ white. Another in one very scanty
s"'"''"' seems on the point Of wadIng Into