The Portland daily press., 1874-07-09
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM In ADVANCE

the course OF Mr.. IiltOn's Artistic career has
been essentially an upward one; and, in the
second place, because the modesty and the
severity of selfjudgment which rarely fail TO
be the accomplishments of real merit would
not permit him at an earlier period, and with
a work that less approved itself TO his own
Judgment, to challenge the criticism of the
great world of art by the exhibition of his
work on the wall of the Royal Academy.
How greatly talent th Us gradually matur-
ing under the results of prolonged aud labori-
GUS study, enlarged opportunities Of obserya-
tlon, and increased experience. is of Larger
promise than the immature ceverness how
ever wonderful. which often captiyates the
eyes OF the art-loying world by the dash of
Its earliest productions, il is hardly necessary
to remind those who have been ia the habit
OF watching the yearly records of the London
exhibitions. Whether in art or in literature,
second work following successful first con-
stitutes very dangerously trying point in an
a1thor or artists career. But a fifty first
work following successful fiftieth, which
has surpassed all 1t, predecessors ON the same
easel, IS hardly likely to deceive the expecta-
tlons which the one world known predeees-
sor has caused il to be regarded with. L have
the less hesitation, therefore, N accepting the
verdict of my own judgment, and venluring
to bespeak the attention OF the woIli of art
to another picture which Mr. Tilton purposes
to send to London this year.
1t is again scene in the wondrous Nile
Valley; but both in the selection of subject
and the mode OF treatment the absence of
repetition is complete. 1t would not even
serve as pendant for the former picture. fer
The size Is much larger. The subject is ar
tistically as fine, and at the same time as am
bilious an one as could be selected. while any
other so historically interesting could hardly
be found in Egypt, 1t is the Plain of Thebes.
The point Of view is from the extreme edge
OF the bills OF the Lybian Desert, looking up
and across the Valley OF the Nile to the dis
tant heights OF the Arabian Desert, ON the
western side OF the stream. The prevailing
tint OF the foreground is thus the rich yellow
and brown of the sandstone hills, i'm the side
OF one OF which is the entrance to a tomb de
scrbed by Wilkinson, the deep blackness of
which, caused by the utter darkness of the
interior OF the tomb, assists very effectively
in giving value to the neighboring colors.
Fragments CT other tombs and buildings are
scattered around The impression of solI-
tude, SO needful to right conception of the
| special poetry of the scene is properly pro-
| duced, not by the entire absence OF life. but
by tie sparing introduction of very small
number OF figures. In the foremost fore
ground couple of Egyptian women are seat
| ed on fragment of stone, near the entrance
| to the tomb. A slender column of efey
smoke rises from the fire they have lighted.
which will net fail to strike the spectator az
| being of no small artistic value in the compo-
| sItlon. The women are clad in the ordinary
| dark blue burnous and their walls are drawn
| down partially over their faces because an
| Arabian man, also clothed in a blue burDous
| OF similarly dark and sober hue, is approach
ing them. Further off hat figure OF a
| woman-the lower part being hidden bv an
| inequality of the grounds seen Carving
with the graceful ease so universal among the
| women OF the East, water-ptcher on her
head. To the right OF the foreground are
the striking ruins OF the Memronium. In
| the nearest portion of the middle distance il
one of the Islands which the Nile makes i'm
that part OF its course; and beyond it a whole
fleet OF danabeehs, giving their white trian-
gular sails to the evening breeze, are making
| their way up the stream. On the further
side of the river Karnak is seen prominently
1 on the lett, and Luxor on the right At a
| little greater distance, and somewhat farther
| to the right, are the two colossal isolated Sit
ting statues, so well known by innumerable
] drawings, one of which is the .'yocal Mem
non." The whole farther middle distance is
| occupied by the wide valley of The Nile, and
| the landscape is closed by the distant sand
| hills OF the Arabian desert The time chosen
| for the picture is the sunset of a November
| DAY. Thus the whole of the v9st valley is
! green from the recent iuundation; the lights
|
| stretches of the plain, assist in giving the eff
feet OF distance, and the rays of the sun, play
| ing among the ruined tombs and temples,
| and on the sides of the sandhills of the
| deserts, produce a thousand diversified
effects OF tint, and of light and shadow.
| Those who know well have assured me that
the atmospheric tone has been most admira-
/ bly, rendered, and that the truth of local
| colour is very striking. But TO me, ineom-
petent to judge of the fidelity to nature
| which am assured characterizes the work
| in these respects, the thing that strikes one
most is the really wonderful skill and mas
| ter with which the immense far-stretcbine
iiatness OF the plain is given. The picture
is, to my thinking, very grand one, and [
shall be much surprised If the general opin-
| ion does not see in it marked advance ON
the excellence of its predecessor l am sorry
TO have to conclude my description of the
| work by the statement that the acquisition
| OF 1t is not open to English picture buyers.
1t has been painted for Mr.. Roberts, of New
York, andi believe The price was a thousand
pounds. The size OF the canvas is five fee.
inches in length by three feet three inches in
height.
| Mr.. Titon has also completed an exouiste-
ly lovely little landscape of Orvieto, seen al a
| distance in the valley of the Tiber looking
northwards; and l hope that | have sue.
ceede.l in persuadiDg him TO allow it TO ae-
company his larger work to London. II is
| seen there / leave it to the London public
to say whether have used an expression in
any degree exaggerated in calling this little
| gem exquisitely lovely. A long and loving
observation of nature in many clmes aud in
all her moods has enabled this artist to do by
nature as an experienced portrait-painter
| does by his sitters-to select each subject at
its best, at the most favorable moment OF the
day and of the year, and under the most
favorable circumstances of light and atmo-
| sphere; and the result Is that this little view
OF Orvieto makes singular contrast of tore
to that of the "Thebes." The Valley of the
Nile III the latter is at IFS greenest, and yet it
is very different greenery from that OF the
Valley OF the Tiber. Many persons who
know Italy would hesitate to accept as faith
iul the deciously cool looking, 5osky rchness
OF lush verdure, which is in this little land
scape combined with the craggy outlines of
form which characterizes this part OF Italy,
and which generally involves aridity of tone
aud coloring. The solidity of tie painting,
and at the same time the transparency of the
work, are truly remarkable in this little tit
DiL of landScaDe.- London Sfondord