The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-11-10
Lienard'S Great Picture.
. A PAINTING ONE THOUSAND FEET LONG
NJ AND FIFTY FEET WIDE, By
! L 1 = - PARTISAN MASTERS,
COMING OVER
@5ll4g3 TO AMER

- .AIHIIA@s.,IIE
I recently inspected the ''Siege Of
Paris" now painting in the vast bull.
ding originally occupied by Les
Pompes Fsae6res, and destined for
exhibition at the Americaa Centen-
nial. The great success Of the SINH
las work exhibited on the Champs
Elysees evidently Cred the American
soul with the desire Of possession,
for negotiations Of all kinda we're
opened, not only forthe existing pic
ture, bat for another on the same
subject BY the same artist, NJ. Phil
ippteaax. The first was found i'm
practicable, with La Conapagaie Gen.
eral DIES Pasoramas, except at an
Z enormous advance upon its cost, for
the reason that its powers of attrac-
tion remained as great as ever, after
"a two years Of continuous exhibition.
Notwithstanding the high price
charged for admission, it continues
q to be, one Of the most popular and
literally -frequented Of all the sights
fof Paris n iII}0a EfI{
NJ. Philippians was then appealed
to to duplicate it, but he could not
conceive the probability Of paint
fng such Q picture anywhere except
faths building wherein il was to be
exhibited and he positively de-
clinsds Journey to America for that
purpose.
~ The enterprise was not abandoned,
but Colonel Lienard, the most compe-
tent person perhaps, lin Paris, for
the work, was induced to become its
director. Under his intelligent and
z skillful management, the picture has
steadily progressed for about year,
and is now nearly, completed. The
mechanical difficulties of the work
have been marvelously overcome.
- ; The great canvas is stretched fat
upon the floor of the great building.
AS soon as portion of this painting
which is worked up from miniature
sketches in sections-of sufficient
dimensions is flushed, the surface is
covered with paper, and the complet-
ed part is rolled up, thus bringing a
new and unfinished section upon the
vast easel and within reach of the
artists brush.
The finished picture will be over
fifteen meters wide and about three
!. hundred 1oDg-say fifty by one thou
, sand feet. 1t will be even finer than
its prototype in the Champs Elysees,
being taken, from far more advan-
,tageous point of view--namely, the
I position of the Prussian batteries on
1.-THE heights of Chatillon. which over
looked all Paris and its environs, and
from which superb view of the
whole city was obtained. w
- "A peculiar and attractive feature
in this4exhibition will be the intro
duction of superb life-sized figures,
in papiatma of men and horses
occupying the foreground of the
earth in front Of the canvass, by
means Of which the eye will insensi-
bly, be carried from reality to the
painting perfect illusion. These
figures are modelled with painstaking
accuracy and ability, and are even
starslingly life-like. Special messen-
gers were dispatch to Metz for the
necessary Prussian uniforms, hem
lets, weapons, battle parphernalia,
and so forth.
The artistic portions Of the work
were con6ded to corps of illustrious
painters, among whom are some of
the leading exhibitors at the salon of
this year, and notably NJ Betseilier,
whose fine equestrian portrait of
Marshal Macmahon was so eagerly |
admired. Over four hundred sketch
es were painted to serve as models
for the work.
IS The painting-complete in all its
letails-will be ready for shipment
by the steamer Of September 25th
(which, by the way, is the only ves-
sci of sufficient capacity to store it
safely, and, | suppose, it will arrive
in. New York about the 10th of Octo- |
Der. Colonel Lienard, who expects
to accompany the painting, and pro.
duce it under his personal supervis-
ion informs me, that it viii first be. ]
exhibited In New York, and finally
transferred to Philadelphia for the
CentenniaL-[ Paris Cor. Appleton's