Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-06-19
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
The CorcOran Art Gallery.

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which is novel and of most apprcciablc char.
actcr. No visitor to the city should omit
seeing its specimens, which are universally
the subjects Of admiration and wonder, and
regarded as the masterpieces Of genius,
skill, and the standards of excellencc in THO
plastic and graphic arts
The building and grounds, valued at
$3.50 900; collections of pictures and statu-
ary, valued at 100000, and an endowment
fund of 100000 yielding at present an an
nual income of $G3 600, was a donation to-
the public by W. w. Corcoran, a wealthy
banker of Washington. A year has not
yet elapsed since the opening of all its
parts, yet it is Il resort daily thronged from
far and near. The building occupies the
northeast corner of Pennsylvania avenue
and Seventeenth street. opposite the War
Department. 1t is of brick two stories in
height elegantly proportioned. with
brown stone front, divided with pilasters
having capitals of the Columbian order, and
rGcesscs for statuary. The interior is divid-
ed into galleries which communicate by
ample arched dooor ways, those above,
which are lighted from the roof, containing
the paintings.
The right and left corridors upon the first
floor contain principally busts and heads in
sculpture and casts, with n few miniature
statuary in bas-rclief. Among them is that
celebrated specimen of marble sculpture,
the colossal head of Napoleon ! by Canoya
two busts of Augustus CGzar. representing
him in youth and when emperor; a bust af
Homer, and other representations number
ingstogether thirty one pieces of art
The Hall of Sculpture is occupied with
life size statuary, principally casts from
Greek and Greco Roman sculpture, the
most celebrated OF which are from the MAJ
bles of the Parthcnon. 1t also contains Il
cast from the famous Venus of Milo, the
original of which is in Paris and miracu-
lously escaped destruction there during the
riots of the Commune at the conclusion of
the lite Franco -Prussian war. This hall,
with two small side galleries, one of antique
and the other of modern art, contains sixty
specimens.
Adjoining is the hall containing the
bronzes and ceramic ware. Among these
! collections are seventy-siX bronzes by sh.
celebrated sculptor, Barge, representing
principally the larger subjects, domestic and
wild of the animal kingdom. Here arc also
clcctrotypc reproductions of the famous
Hildesheim Treasury, the originals OF
which were found buried near the remains
ofa Roman camp, near IIllcshcim, Iano-
yer, and at first supposed to have been the
dinner service Gf Varus, a Roman general,
who was defeated near that place by the
Gauls in the year 0, b. c. They number
/ thirty pieces, richly ornamentcd with i'm.
ages, flowers, etc. This room also contains
number of clcctrotypc reproductions Of
mediacval armor, among them helmet
and shield Of Francis !, of France suit OF
armor of Henry ii OF France horse armor,
etc. An interesting object of the room is u
reproduction of the Column of the Palace
| Ncndomc, Paris, five feet three inches in
! height, The specimens of ihe rQom num-
Der one hundred and forty four pieces.
The main gallery Of paintings, with two
side galleries upon the same floor, contains
one hundred and twelve specimens, many
of them life size portraits. One Of these
entitled Cazar Dead, representing the hero
of five hundred battles and the conquercr
OF thousand cities PROSTATE upon tie
! floor in the murky light of the Senate
Chamber, almost concealed beneath his
blood stained garments where the conspi-
rators left him. Around him and leading
to the door are the bloody tracks of the re-
tired assasSins, while above tower the proud
pillars of Roman architecture An ideal
Of the tragedy similar to this must have
prompted the following wa.ds af Shakes
, pearc:
"Oh, mighty Cazar dost thou lie so low?
Are all thy conquests, glorics triumphs,
spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure: ?"
The octagon room, over the vcstibul
contains a number of specimens by Hiram
Powers, the great American sculptor
Among them his Greek Slayc, the most
famous production of modern sculpture
and which, perhaps is in every respect uu
cxccllcd by the most renowned specimens
of Greek sculpture CHIT
Washington, D. C.