National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-04
NIB. DE HAAS MARINE PAINTING.
Our Critic Criticised,

To the Editor Of the National Republican:
SIR: have read an article in your paper OBJ
jecting to this picture by Mr. De Haas, now In the
old hall Of Representatives, and while your cor
respondent speaks like q historian, cannot alto
gether agree with him in his criticism as to the
artistic design Of this beautiful work. In draw
ing and detail It is very certain that this picture
is not entirely historical although true as far as
It goes as that wonderful scene, as it really oc-
CURED and as laid down in the programme quoted
by your correspondent, is beyond the gift or power
Of any artist to delineate or to place properly
the canvas. 1t is simply an imposslbility, even
If the programme was carried out as originally
determined upon. Such scenes, necessarily COW
ering vast extent Of territory, can only be rep
resented in detachments. II 1t were otherwise,
one might be instructed to believe that several Of
the remarkable works intending to represent his
tory, land, unfortunately, the property of the
Goyernment) are really pictures, and creditable
while we agree with your correspondent that the
best works OF Hamilton are quite as forcIble in
marine SUBJECTS IS any Of the works OF American
artists, yet Mr.. Hamilton never attempted TO
paint picture with such q remarkable and pecu-
liar combination OF lights as represented In this
picture by De Haas.
Here at least we have night, partial darkness.
the hrelight from the RATS, the blaze Of guns
from the forts, the explosion Of torpedoes and
S oI1 ~ I Win
all Of which are very difhcult to harmonic or
graduate and which show the genius and power
Of q master hand, perhaps not yet surpassed by
any Of our native artists. There is, therefore, no
legitimate degree Of comparison TO which this
picture Of De Haas may be compared. For in
stance, the pictures Of Moran are quite as won
deTful in their way, and those familiar with real
pictures would not deny them the highest place
In the scale Of art-but yet they are totally differ
ent subjects; and while LongfelIoW's Building OF
the Ship is q solid poem, and Poe's Raven, !" as
such, is marvellous production, both Of them
differ and please in accordance with the style Of
appreciation they may meet with.
In reference TO Mr.. De Haas picture, ] can
state on authority from the artist himself that
this work was painted partially under the su-
perVision of the late Admiral Farragut;" that is
to say, number Of sketches were made by the
artist and submitted TO the Admiral, and such as
he approved Of were embodied in the general
classification Of the picture. This fact alone
would give force to It's correctness and In this
connection we respectfully differ from your cor
respondent in leaving the description or painting
Of any material question or subject for any dis
lance Of time, "as one that has long ago passed
into history" as It too often happens that many
prominent details and real scenes become only
Imaginative, and more frequently ridiculous, or
are lost TO truth altogether. A scene, like por-
trait, ought TO be taken while the active material
is near H. q, w.