The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-16

a' The St.fLouis Republican says that
lady visiting friends in that city has in
her possession rare gem OF art, con-
sisting of painting of the head Of St.
Dominick cut from the fragments of the
canvas when Van Dyck's great painting
of that saint was destroyed about as''ore
of years ago, at Somerset. Ohio, "The
original painting" says the Republican,
"was about eighteen feet high and near
ly.as wide, and the Virgin Mother and
all the terrestrial figures were of life
size, The central figure was st. Domi
nick, his right hand resting over his
heart and his left extended to receive
rosary, rendered him by the infant
Jesus, seated on his mothers lap, in the
Clouds surrounded by halo. The
several emotions Of alteration, awe, sur
prise and expectancy are admirably de-
picted in the countenance Of the saint.
Above and surrounding the Virgin was
a group. of cherubs. intently watching
the scene. AT the feet of the saint lay
the Rlissal, while on his left stood a
group Of nuns of the Dominican order,
the foremost. one bearing on her shoul
ders cross.
Ii "The painting was brought to this
country from Rome about seventy We
years ago as present to Archbishop
Fenwick of Cincinnati, and was by him
hung in ST.. Peters Cathedral of that
| city, where it remained several years.
1t was valued at over $500, Geo. On a
presentation Of st. Peter TO the Arch
bishop, he wished to utilize the place
occupied by the ST. Dominick, and pres
ented the latter to the Rev Dominick
/ Young, the oldest priest of the Domini-
can order in America, who hung it in
the church of the Holy Trinity at SOM
erset, Perry county, Ohio, one of the
oldest Catholic churches in the State.
1t hung there until about twenty years
ago, when, during the demolition of the
church, the picture, with many others
that adorned the walls Of that primitive
building was removed to- the choir OF
the convent chapel as sac place OF
storage until the completion of the new
church. Unfortunately, the convent
caught fire under the gallery where the
pictures were stored, and great expedi-
tion was necessary to save them. Eight
or ten stout men undertook to carry out
the St. Dominick, frame and all, 5ut
were unable to do so. The picture was
cut from the frame and hastily rolled
up, and even then was heavy load fol
the persons removing it. The canvas
was almost rotten from age, and, re
moved from its supports, was SO crisI
that it would not stand the rough hand
ling of the inexperienced person whC
rolled it up, and the paint was cracked
and peeled off in many places. As I
erowning catastrophe, the men who were
| handling in on getting it outside threv
; it hurriedly over high hedge fence, b,
I which it was broken beyond restoration
t Four heads of figures on it RENAME,
entire-St. Dominick and three cherub
r land these Father Young cut out an
J presented to esteemed friends in his par
ish. St. Dominick fell to the lot of Mr.!
: G. Wiseman. of Somerset, granddaugh
7 ter of one of the first Catholic emigrant
e to Ohio. The cherubs are in the posses
sion of Mrs. Henry C. Filler, of Colun
bus, Ohio, formerly Of Somerset. Th
beauty of the St. Dominick is, of cours
much marred by the cracking and pee
ing Of the paint. but the glory Of I'll
composition is unimpaircd, and excite
as much admiration as its pristine cor
dition. 1t has all the authors peculiar
tiles of light and shade, but being
single 6gnre from large compositio
does not show the broad contrasts j
which Van Dyck SO delighted, br
= which were very marked IN the paintir
as a whole. We understand Mrs Wis
D. man is about to transmit the 'St. Dom
es nick to the Academy of Art in Ne
re York for exhibition. Sir Anthony Va
10 Dyck, the painter of the picture, w
10 born in 1899, and died in 164l, two hu
IL dred and thirty -four years ago. Th
10 painting is probably two and half ce
ID turies old.