, 1872-11-04
"CLE0PATRA BEFORE CAESAR. !"


From. the Ne,o York Tribune, Oct. 26.
One OF the most important and ambitious
works Of Gerome vas, Yesterday, placed on e.
Cleopatra Before Caesar" It is not q new pic
ture. It was painted as long ago as 1865, for
and affer-if the gossip OF the studios is to be
credited-one Of the most notorious and eccen-
trio of the Partisan beautiesof the day. She WAS
not pleased with the portrait, and II. Gerome
appealed to the public by exposing it in the
Salon Of 1866. It WAS one Of the most noticea-
bic pictures of the year, and met with vehement
criticism, and scarcely less qualified praise.
There we're some who went so far as to call it
his masterpiece and others who condemned it
as an utter failure. One savage feuilletoniste,
alluding to the singular combination Of jewoled
belts and shoulder straps which make the pic
turo unique, called it "the Herniac Venus"
name which had a great temporary SUCCEEDS.
The painting has outli7ed it's little scandals
and its vituperative criticisms. It is certainly
not the best of Gerome's, yet any man who
could paint it might be sure Of fame. It is full
Of faults and beauties, but the beauties are IN
questionable and evident, and the faults are 80
audacious that there is something piquant and
not displeasing about them. It ia a large and
airy piece, full OF space and freedom. The COM
position is mastery. It represents the moment
when the exiled Queen, oboying the invitation Of
CRsar, has been brought, wrapped in o roll OF
saries OF her husband and brother Ptolemy.
The tapestry lies in al admirable disorder on the
floor Cleopatra has risen to her feet, and stands
with her left hand resting on the shoulder of
her crouching slave and porter her head is
turned to the right: where at the end Of the
room sits Cesar writing and debating to q
group of secretaries. The distribution OF light
and color is made with the skill and ease with
which We are familiar in this matter. The draw
ing is marTelously strong and spirited, and the
flesh tones are as delicatey perfect as n. GeroEae
has ever achieved. We can even pardon the lib
erty which the artist has taken with the skin Of
the Sicilian Apollodorus, whom he has converted
into dark hronze Nubian, when We consider
how e1quisitely the swarthy hide of this powerful
crouching figure relieves the delicate white
beauty Of the Spartan Queen, Il Gerome had
only poised his Cleopatra with the firm yet
airy grace which he gave to his Phryne, he might
have trusted his renown to these two works..
But it is safe to say that no one ever liked the
attitude of the Cleopatra at frat sight. Nothing
can be more deftly and gracefully drawn
But the position is cruelty trying from
the waist down, and the light gauze
drapery hanging from the gold and studded gir-
die rather increases than relieves the defect OF
the pose. We cannot share in the criticism to
which the face OF the Queen has been subject.
more Of the Oriental character than can be seen
any day among the handsomest women in
modern Greece. The head Of Cesar is a re-
markabie and clearly q conscientious and sincere
study. It ia keen strong, intense countenance,
lighted up with an expression in which there is
nothing whatayer OF the lover at first sight. He
is delighted and surprised more by the SUCCESS
Of his political Btratagem than by the unvailed
beauty Of this woman1y paragon. His admira-
ton is evident, but it seems rather given to the
pluck and daring which ia to make his plans sue
cessful, than to the fascinationB which later be-
guiled him into dangerous folles.
1.-THE painting has been purchased by Cali
fornia gentleman for 1000.