Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-17

very large canvass, and the p0rtly figure OF
Caesar is given at life size. The atmosphere,
the solitude, the emptiness of death peryades
the canvass.
At the other end of the room, even larger TIL an
Gerome's painting, is the prize picture success
fully presented before the English Academy
last year, entitled, l believe, THE Drought in
Egypt" In this are several figures life size
male and female. gathered around a well with
different expressions, and over all the solemnity
due 10 the type of race and the necessity of the
time. over the heads of the grown persons an
infant is held alOft. The drawing is vigorous
and the composition effective. This picture
will give good exercise to amateurs as a subject
to copy.
The London Art JgurRGi for January, 1874.
contains the following laudatory notice OF
Egypt" "This fine achievement by Portaels
has been sold to the Corcoran Gallery of Art at
Washington, U. s., at a large price; but its value
can scarcely be estimated in money, and il Is to
the credit and honor Of the America an institution
to have acquired it. 1t obtained the gold medal
at the Crystal Palace Exhibition. The accom-
plshed painter holds foremost rank among the
great artists of Europe; his genius has been
displayed in many works, and is indeed a spe-
cial favorite in England. 1t is of large size,
fitted only for large gallery, and worthy of a
national gallery. Except for its dimensions it
would certainly have found an appreciatiye
space in this country
AIRY scHEFKR AND FARD.
IL bhO iciI, ar VIC chlcI, anu DculuU is aIy
Schetfer's original and infatuating subject one
OF the best specimens of his second rom antic
series of paintings, and midway between the
sentimental and religious series Uhla and g bal
lad: Old Charlemange bewailing his dead son
whom he had driven to battle despair BY his re-
ception Of the youth when he lost a previous &C.
ton. The bronze and golden :ints Of the paint
ing, the consonantly mellow atmosphere, the
blending OF death, beauty, woe, and tenderness
in the feeling. and the suggestion of the ban
quet without to celebrate the victory, are all in
the best style of AIRY Scheffers most healthy
period. The style is fabulous and mysterious,
like the theme, and something hosry in the
MISUNDERSTANDING yet not unreai-gives the
stamp OF age to the canvass as il IL were almost
contemporary with the subject.
Fourth in consequence as a subject, if not as
work of art, is the original oil painting by
Faed of Shakespeare and his Friends, steel en-
gravings,of which are known wherever the En-
glish language is spoken. John Faed is Scot
fish painter, born in 1920 and he has probably
produced nothing more ambitious than this
which will be good relief TO our Shakespear-
ian scholars when they put by the text and
stroll in to see the man among his fellows
There are two French landscapes OF large
size in the collection by Japy, and two by
Emil Breton, which give vigorous contrast to
the half dozen American scenes, OF which a
small kensett, showing the White Mountains
Is soon discovered. Eastman johnson contrib
utes one of his prettiest household scenes a
quaint little girl watching a cat go rapaciously
around globe filled with gold fish
COLE, ETC.
The two paintings, by Cole, called the Depar-
ture and the Return, are fully descriptive of the
man in his conscientious study of details and
versatile aspiration to combine the largest pan
oramic effects in nature with dramatic move
ment and human sympathy. A great castle in
the foreground is defined against a range Of
mountains, from which its abuts, and through
the awbridge the knights are trailing, while
gray palmer or priest waves disbursement to
mem from under the green oak, where the
ieader advances. In the next picture a chapel,
whose stained windows are lighted BY an au,
tunnal sunset, stands amidst the fOlia ages of the
vale, and the dead knight, who rejected the
warning, is seen returning on litter with his
rect 10 the castle, followed but BY one mounted
companion. In these landscapes, nature ana
man JOIN to perfect the feeling and idea.
ohe large and new painting, around which
lovers ana young couples will rally, Is OF the
French school and called "The Talking WE'LL,
young girl Of exquisite grace has filled her
to hear the spirit of the fountain who whispers
over the wall in her ear in the form of richly
dressed youth with crimson jacket, slashes and
Leutze's composition of Milton playing the
organ before Cromwell his family and the
society OF the Commonwealth, deserves atten-
..oh ioA tuC pains WulCu tHc artlst mas taken to
90 something worthy, and for the subject which
is historically treated. This is a fair specimen
OF the school OF painting at Munich, which had
great influence over all Leutze's work
There are some delicious flower and fruit sinh
Jects of the French school. Suliy's Andrew
jackson Is set of by a copy of Stuart's we'll
Known washington, by the artists daughter.
There are some excellent portraits here,
amongst them one of Sully the artist, antique
ones of General Joseph Warren ana his wife:
s ana OF pleasan. studies by both native and
touching and pretty. Two hours can well be
spent in this saloon by even a restless person
HUNTINGTON AND RAPHAEL MRNGs.
Huntingtons Mercy's Dream, long in Mr..
Corcoran's possession, is the picture which
Edward l.. Carey, in long illness, derived re-
hgious consolation from. 1t is suggestion
IRON the Pilgrims Progress, which well de-
scribes this canvas:
81 was dreaming that sat alone in solitary
place. and was bemoAning of the lowness Of my
heart. Methought looked up and saw one
coming with wings toward me. So he came
directly toward me and said: Mercy, what
ai!eth theey' Now, when he had heard me
make my complaint, he said: Peace be to
head"
The religious as well as the lighter emotions
are ministered to by this nucleus OF a future
great gallery, and one OF the most valuable
canvasees is '.The Alteration of the Shepherds"
by Raphael Mengs, the great religious painter
oI the eighteenth century, sometimes called
The German COrreggiO.' He was Saxon,
who spent much of his life i'm Rome, and was
employed by the Pope, the King of Spain, and
other pOtentates, and the face which prevails
IN many OF his pictures is that of the peasant
girl he married. The fine specimen of his rev
erent and faithful, ii not original STYLE in this
gallery, Is notable for the almost literal repre-
sentation of the holy child, In what we may call
It's dtmptttude, and warm red infancy. and for
the human sweetness Of the Virgins face,
which is quite unlike Italian embOdiments of
the same subject.
Ohurch's first picture after his return from
south America table peak of the Andes At
the head of the Magdaiena river-occupies q
place to the left Of GerOme's contribution. The
date OF this study is 1854. The brown terraces
OF the mountain are in warm contrast to the
snowy summit, and In the middle ground an old
spanish mission puts q drop of rich color into
the f0nages, and the same Is repeated in the
foreground, where dyed scarf wsrn BY boat
man is reproduced in the exquisite blue of the
water. This Is not the largest specimen OF Mr..
church, but contains in epit0me all his fine |
effects.
TIE CIRCULAR ROOM. |
Returning from the great north hall through |
several empty rooms, one day to be bright with |
color and illustration, toward the front of the |
building, We find directly over the vestibule the
octagonal chamber, where the eek Slave oc-
cupies place in the centre. This is the fret |