The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-08-27

A plaster cast of the ''pieta," by Michae
Angelo in St. John Lateran, is to be taken.
The Chapter of st. Peters has finally per-
mitted this only on condition that the work
shall be given to Signor Matipieri, of Rome.
The cast is to be exhibited at the Michael An
gel' festival at Florence, to which cast of
the "Moses'' will also be sent
Mr.. w. M. Rossetti in the last number of
the Academy, on the occasion of the Flushing
of another art work by Mr.. Maddox Brown of
subjects taken from King "Lear," gives some
account of the artists project. Years ago he
executed series of designs from this play, GO
ing half through it These were exhibited in
an exhibition of his works some ten years ago
as rude first ideas for figure more finished de-
signs As yet but three of these have served
for pictures. The interest of the designs lies
in the individuality of the characters and their
departure from ordinary conceptions. Lear is
himse If gaunt, king-like and aged in every fea-
ture and wrinkle, yet mystical and Druidical.
His complexion is bronzed and his white hair
and beard profuse. He wears white garments
embroidered with gold, ''epi ,al even in the
lines and twists" Cordela is an ideal beauty
of the sef-contained type, fearful but not hys-
Mr.. Rossetti; soft-eyed, rich-lippcd for loving,
but with full brow and accentuated chin, to
prove mind of her own G5neril Il fiery.
eyed and fiery y-complexioned, with scornfully
merciless smile, only less terrible than the
snake-like, merciless smile of Regan. Goneril
is thirty five, Regan, thin, dark, about thirty,
with deadly nightshade twined in her hair.
Albany, the husband of Goneril, is q mild,
handsome English gentleman, fitted to put up
with her for time Fs
.t r Milk hvered man
That bear'st cheek for blows, head for wrongs-
but open eyed, and with no look of meaness.
Cornwall, the husband of Regan, is coarse
bully, bound for some bad end. at which he
finally arrives. Gloucester is reflective man
somewhat weak, but high-spirited, yet nervous,
looking, and i'll fitted to cope with the lawless-
ness of the age. The Fool is represented as
thoughtful, ,jocosa and philosophically resigned,
strong chinned, firm Tipped, and With the over
hanging lids of the middle age. Stont Of limb
as of heart. The king of France is noble,
well-growp youth. with swelling chest of cour-
age fair-haired, blue-eyed Frank. The Duke
of Burgundy is dark of visage, narrow eyed, and
dressed in gorgeous cloth of gold. sr,f
Schneider is positively to return to the Paris
stage by next season. She has been impe led
to this step by the cost of her hotel on the Av-
enue del Imperatrice. She is to create the
leading character in new piece by Messrs.
Meilhac and Halevy, at the Varieties-probably
the ng-promised piece of La Bouangere
des Ecus" There has been some talk of reviv-
''La Graud-Duchesse," but that opera will not
soon be performed in Paris agsiu. The author
tiles have forbidden its reproduction on account
of its satire on the petty princes of Germany.
1t is feared that General Bouns andBaron Puck
might be made the object of popular demon
straton more ardent than agreeable. t~s
Thomas Mast, says the Home Journal, lives
in very handsome style in Morristown, N. j.
He has wife, three daughters and son.
He delights in his home, aud has taken every
pains and spared no expense to make 1t a
beautiful one. Ia every look and corner The
exquisite skill and trained eye of the true
artist is seen. In paintings, in statuary, 10
bronzes, &c decorations, in styles of furnitcre
in everything, everywhere, there is shown the
hand and brain of a lover Of the beautiful.
Miss Kate Cameron, an American lady art
ist long and favorably known 10 Paris. has
just completed a picture of Italian life, entitled
'tJ'en al tros," or Happy as q Queen A
little peasant girl, IN the picturesque costume
of the Campagna, seated in the shade Of tree,
IS hugging to her heart, in childish rapture,
three big red apples. rtru sf
London newspaper thus enumerates some
of the prominent beauties of the Marlborough
collection of gems, which were sold recently,
giving the number as catalogued: 160. The re-
~ tha r.
Cupid and Psyche, which has been so beaut-
fully reproduced by Wedge wood: an Arundel
gem, and either an antique or of the finest
Cinquecenro work and design, perhaps the finest
of its kind in existen ,e. 1874. A cameo Of great
beauty-Ariodne or Bacchante. 236. An onyx
cameo-a nymph assailed by satyr and de-
Tended by soldier. 325. A minutely carved
cameo of exquisite Italian work: twenty-seven
figures -s'The Death of Meleager." $50. A
she'll cameo-of the LAGOON, supposed to be the
work of Flammngo. but original, and not TAX
en- from the antique group. 1853 Cameo head
of Alexander the Great. 3S7. A fragment of
portrait of Augustus as Hermes with the cadu-
ceus. $50. A cupid on-a marine pard, an ex-
quiste little work of the time Of Hadran. 165
and 166, remarkable as showing the skill of
some copyists-165 being the original, and
work OF not later than the third century, b. @.
Az. A large cameo bust of Claudius, set in
case OF the most beautiful Italian, sixteenth
century, arabesque, chased AID enamelled In
gold. $40. An intsglio, a prize for victor, on
the back of which is cut the early Christian
symbolic word, Icltttus. in Greek chsracters-
having the double allusion to the hsh and Jo-
nah, aud the initials of the words Iesous Cnrss-
tos, TZeou Sotor-Jesus Christ, the Son OF God,
Saviour. This is therefore, specially inter-
esting gem.