The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-14
ART MATTERS.
walkers Battle ON Lookou,


ter than the page Of the historian Will be the con.
temporary canvases, glowing with the life notes
OF spectators OF scenes which they record with the
brush. II Is not necessary here to stop and inquire
the exact art value OF the work which is being
done by men who accompanied the armies OF the
North IA Their victorious march southward, and
who repro luce for US In the form OF battle pic
lures the notes made in many instances
at the very moment they occurred
When the ages have rolled by men
will gather round these canvases TO learn what
manner Of men were these that pushed through
the wilderness. that hurled back the invading host
at Antietam, and from them they will gather fairly
correct notions OF the earlier ages OF the Republic.
1t would be difficult 10 oyerestimate the value TO
nation OF TINS class OF historical art and though,
beside the EFFORTS OF the Vernets and Yvons, our
battle painters may not claim hign rank In
merely executive skin, yet in the smpleness and
trutnfuness with which they have sought 10 pre-
sent the incidents OF the war they stand
as lar above their French rivals as in
technical ability they are below them. "Tne
Battle Of Lookout Mountainn Is an admir-
able illustration OF TINS essential difference
OF American rom foreign art dealing with mill
tary subjects. II would be rash to call Mr.. Wal
ker's work great picture in the art sense, and
yet 1t possesses an unusual degree the elements
OF grandeur. In its treatment 1t is bold Tree and
massive. There Is nothing to detract from the
powerful general effect which the painter has sue
ceeded In producing by putting on canvas toll
eraby complete view Of q battlefield In which
large armies are engaged. 1t is singular per-
Torrance in this, that 1t presents In one coup
d'9H the whole battle field, shows US the
troops engaged and the nature OF the country
In which they are operating, so that any
sees at once how the rebels were beaten by the
splendid flank march OF the federal forces. The
topography OF the country Is care ully noted, and
none OF the essential historical truths sacrificed
10 mere effects of composition. In the back
ground Lookout Mountain rises through the lower
strata OF clouds which divide, as 1t were the
mountain in two, vast and menacing. Along its
base the rebels had constructed their batteries, In
expectation Of a front attack; but the flank move.
ment of the lederals has turned these intrench-
ments. and the line Of battle, marked by the puts
OF white smoke. runs perpendicular to the front
OF the picture. One wing OF the advancing
army has already reached the summit
OF the mountain, ana the whole
rebel line has been rolled up for half its length at
the moment chosen by the artist for representa-
ton. Victory has declared for the North. but the
enemy, though retiring still resists, and the en-
gagement may be regarded as stil in progress.
though strategically the battle Is lrretrievaby
lost. We are made witnesses OF the conflict in it's
general results while being freed from the painful
sights incidental to the struggle. Our magma
ton is left free to picture the thousand gallant
men writhing lar away where ths checkered line
OF smoke tells that the musketS are belching
forth death-dealing volleys but It is all hid away
under the friendly smoke that like huge winding
sheet wraps the line oil battle. While giving
us one Of the most perfect ideas OF the position
and progress OF the tactical movements OF battle
that has ever been put on canvas the artist has
the abnegat0n to make the battle itself little
more than an incident in his picture. His lore
ground is wholly devoted TO the reserves. and
here the artist has shown in details the same
truthfuness to actual facts that marks the COM
position Of the work. Immediately In the lore
ground company OF infantry has been introduced
BY the artist or these we only see the upper part
OF the bodies. This is done TO remove them from
the plane OF vision and allow us to command a
complete view Of the whole battle field.
THE group of war-worn veterans are
very unlike the prm and neatly ap-
pointed militia men with whom the
general public are acquainted. In the rough
campaign LIE all the prlmness Of the barracks
has been swept away, and even In the matter Of
dress there Is far from existing that uniformity
arabic from soldiers. Here there is evidence or
considerable confusion in the matter OF dress,
though all the men are supplied with the essen
tial equipments. Everything from the torn hats
to the battered canteen and soup cans OF the SOL
diers is purely realistic. All that is merely 70 :
mantle is avoided and the men put on canvas are
simply the rough and ready, hardy element that
furnishes the campaigning soldier. All the details
Of the equipment or this infantry group have bee
carefully painted, as have been those OF the mass
OF reserve artillery, which occupies the right OF the
picture. General Hooker, mounted on a
white horse. occupies the central position on the
canvas; behind him IL his sta1 and mounted
cort forming the left OF the composition and bal
anclng the mass Of artillery that on the right IS
moving forward at the gallop to take up position.
the spirited manner in which this incident Is
treated deserves high praise, as the artist has
succeeded in conveying not alone the sense Of
motion. but of massveness, that is well nigh ire
sistibe. There is an amount Of individual action
and life IN these figures. combined with the move
ment Of the mass. which is very true to nature
and shows that the artist has been very close
observer OF what came under his notice. Indeed,
there Is In every inch OF the canvas proof that the
composer has witnessed the scenes he depicts,
and, more than this, he impresses this fact the
observer. In one important particular he has ven
tured to depart nos alone from the customary
treatment OF military subjects out also from the
actual facts as presented in warfare. There Is not
visible in the whole canvas a wounded man or a
dead soldier. 1t appears that the artist wished to
remove from the public eye the horrors OF the
battle field, but we think that this was mistake.
There need, OF course, be no undue exhibition or
human suffering, but lt cannot be otherwise re-
garded than as an error to bring soldiers under
fire and have no trace Of the loss that inevitably
results. 1t is suppression OF truth which is not
at all defensble. Bur, apart from this error OF
judgment, Mr. Walker has produced very impor.
tant historical work-the more valuable because,
as we are assured, 1t presents faithfully the dispo-
stion OF the forces and the accidents OF the
ground. Many portraits are introduced into the
work, among the star officers that OF General
Butterield. the chiei OF stan, being particularly
happy Mr.. Walkers picture Is an impo rtant ad-
. v,tItt