National Republican., 1875-05-26
THEODORE KAUFMANN.
A Series Of Pictures for the Centennial Ex-
hibition.

The above-named emnently Well.kpown master
is at present engaged on 8 work Of art especially
composed for the celebration Of the one hun
dredth birthday Of our Republic. The compo-
sition, consisting Of ten pictures, is an histori
cal one in the boldest and most unlimited sense OF
the term, representing not only historical data but
also depicting in a most convincing and lucid
manner the mutations in the condition and
thought OF man as resulting from these historical
events.
The painting now on exhibition at Ellis music
store is Of that series Of ten pictures. 1t rep
resents BENZ. Franklin, with his son, experiment
ing on the commons OF Philadelphia, and at the
very moment when the electric spark made itself
perceptible through the key attached to the
an idea Of the tram of thought underlying this
grand composition we deem It proper to give
turtive description Of its Constituent parts: The
first picture shows Adam and Eve terrified by
and fleeing from stroke Of lightning, natural
phenomenon, the short duration and irregular
appearance OF which first led man, in his primi-
tive state, to the supposition Of supernatural
causes governing that and similar phenomena.
The second picture represents the Eastern
rather floating over It in mid-alr, throwing deep
shadows over that part Of our earth. This figure
rather allegoricsl in its character-holds q
book In one and an uplifted sword in the other
hand. The picture shows the spirit of religion,
sprung from desire to gain the means for avoid
ing the wrath or gaining the @ favor Of the sup,
the first picture. In support Of these two repre-
sentations respectively there are two pictures,
his Olympic throne and welding thunderboits,
and the other representing Huss burning at the
stake. The latter painting foreibly demonstrates
the stubborn determination Of man to propagate
his conception of these supernatural agencies,
even at the point OF the sword and by means Of
ViOence.
The fifth picture is a representation of the
Western hemisphere of our globc-George Wash
ington standing upon 1t, holding in his hand the
Constitution Of the United States, from which
emanate poWerfulrays of light repelling the dark
and menacing clouds drifting hither from the
Eastern hemisphere.
The sixth picture represents Benjamin Frank
lin investigating the causes Of the effect which,
together with other natural agencies, formed the
basis Of religious superstition.
peIiments Of Volta, Professors Henry and Morse,
and the final domestication Of the hitherto mys-
teriGus s, element, electricity. In glowing and
Kaufman painted two auxiliary pictures, in
which the telegraph wire is seen conveying the
thoughts Of s1 through the depths Of the ocean
our far West. Both these latter works are beau
tiful beyond description. In the one we behold
a number OF mermaids, fabled beings Of Nep-
tunes mythical realm, gazing in utter amaze
ment on the cable, the relentless destroyer of
their romantic existence, while in the other pic
which seen buffaloes 1.-THE victims OF ciViIlZa-
tion) disporting around telegraph poles.
1t is a fact not to be overlooked that the max
ing Of our Constitution, in which the American
people, cutting loose from the traditions Of Eu-
rope, declared that every person should be at
liberty 10 De IHe IeNealer OF MS own religion, Is
coeval with the discoveries made by Benjamin
Franklin, and that both these historical events
are the significant forerunners Of an era in which
the thought Of man has undergone, and still is
undergoing, most radical changes, changes cOm-
pletely oyerthroWing the traditions ideas and be-
liefs Of our ancestors. What better subject could
a master.mind and creative artist have chosen
for the alteration Of the birthday of our Repub-
lie? In concluding this article We cannot abstain
from repeating q remark made by Mr.: Ksut-
mann, when explaining to US his grand idea; he
said: Formerly the thought Of man was gov
erDed by such phenomena, at present the very
essence Of one Of the most powerful of these phe-
nomena is governed by the thought Of man."