The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-19
Art. Music and the Drama.

The New York correspondent of the London
Academy, the growing rival of the Athen@um,
has recently given list of pictures by distin-
guished European artists now owned in New
York city. We think in must tend to astonish
art circles abroad to learn thus how large pro-
portion of the treasures of modern art are owned
in this country. Indeed, next TO London and to
England, we presume it is fact that New
York city and America can present better
representation OF the best modern artists of the
world than any other city or country.
George Rignold, the manly young actor of
Harry the Fifth, intends to come this way next
spring. to play the principal role in new
American drama. "Don't you think I'll make
up well as an Americana he asked "The
play, think, will be success, even if it is Q
thoroughly good-natured satire on the follies of
American life." 1t will probably be put on the
stage at Booths; Mr. Rignold won't say yet
who wrote it, The new play which w. G..
Wills is writing for this actor turns on incl
dents in the early life of Henry VIII, when
says Rignold, she was rather fine sort of fel-
low"
The lion of Ch@ronea, great stone sculpture
of the days of Philip of Macedon, which lies
overthrown and in fragments where it once
stood as symbol of triumph, has had atten-
ton drawn to it by Rev. j. P. Mahappy ian
English cleric who has written book about
ancient Greek civilzaton), who says that it
was "b0wn to pieces by some Greek savage a
generation or two ago. who expected to find
treasure IN it," But a Greek gentleman writes
to the Academy that the destroyer was Odys-
seus Androutsos. a patriot hero of the Greek
revelation of 1871, who was Ignorant but not
avaricious, and who DESTROYED it in the Supposi-
tion that it had been set up there as trophy of
victory over the Greeks. And the Greek sar-
castically remarks that Greece ought to be very
grateful for English interest in her antiquities.
derived iron the vast stores of Greek works of
art OF which Lord Egin and other English
ren have despoiled the country. The Greek
government when it can afford it will restore
the lion.
Anna Dickinson has put still another new
play of her own writing on the stage in PhIla.
delphia, herself acting the heroine. The story
is IF an actress pamed Laura Chester, and if
fairly represented by the papers is not above
the average of the modern sensational drama
In the part Miss Dickinson perhaps endeavors
to act out herself; the Press says: Laura
Chester, as personiied by Miss Dickinson.
seems to be young, intellectual, nobe-souled
woman of the Hannah Thurston type, but
Aith less heart and deeper passions-a woman
who might willingly become living sacrifice
| for the sake of friend, but would track to the
death foe; one who might smile and coquet
and love in the sunshine of life, but would be
equally happy in battling single-handed against
injustice, hurlng invectives upon the heads of
evl-doers, or piercing their quivering souls with
barbed shafts of unwelcome truth. Laura
Chester is presented as an actress but the
Laura Chester of last evening gave few indica-
tions of ever having stood before the foot
lights"
One grea. drawback exists to the entrance
to the Paris conservatory of American or Eng
lish grls-that is to say, to the classes of vocal
music and defamation, the objection being the
extremely low rate of morals that is prevalent
among the future prime donne and ctresses Of
the French state. Chosen often from the lowest
ranks of life on account of manifested talent,
many Of these embryo artistes are models of
precOcious depravity. The same objection
does not hold good respecting the classes for
the piano, certain amount of training being
necessary before the pupil can gain admission,
and consequently the competitors usually
| spring from more respectable class of society
| than do those of the other divisions-Mrs
| Hooper in New York World.
Elaine is not more pictorial in Tennyson's $
| 1dyls than the other heroines, Enid or Guine-
vsre or the lissome Vivien, but she is at present
| il favor with the artists. Frederick Wright
| has chosen to paint her before the tragedy of
| life has killed her, and his portrait is shown in
| the rooms of the Boston artclub Elaine is
standing within the tower chamber beside the
| arched and ivy-bordered window, holding by
her right hand Lancelots shield. She wears a
| closely fitting robe of white satin and mantle
| of crimson and blue. has a gauzy veil upon her
hair, which is golden, and the face is 'falr aud
thoughtful, the features delicate and indicative
| of queenly pride. while the mouth seems to ex-
| press that sensitiveness which, combined with
a deep, soul-fet passion. could not survive
the sorrow of great disappointment" As
| Rosenthal made his Elaine German, and To
| jetti made his French, Wright has painted an
| American Elaine.