The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-10-25
Last Days OF the Centennial
The Art Gallery.
PHILADELPHIA, October 20.


Editors IntelliSenCer.
In the Art Gallery the concourse is SO
immense, that several policemen are re-
uuired to preserve order, and enable
visitors to see the great collection OF
paintings and statuary. To go through
these halls and inspect the works OF art
properly, catalogue is necessary. AS
one passes up and down these vast isles,
and secs the paintings hanging, from
floor to ceiling, he regrets that his mind
cannot comprehend, nor his memory re-
tain one half Of what he beholds. He
feels when moving through these interim.
liable lanes Of paintings that the compre'
hension Of the whole is an impossible
task. ~
In the department OF France, No. GS
n large painting represents the death Of
Julius Caesar. The colors are not high
" laid on, but appear as they do in na'
lure. The lights are distinct, and the
shadows finely softened. The subject has
4 lie like appearance. When one looks
for some time at this scene, the Senate
Chamber Of ancient Rome seems to stand
before him. The statue OF Pompey Is
elevated upon a pedestal OF dressed
stone, and one can scarcely dispel the
illusion, that he is. looking upon a
yeritable statue. The front Of the
pedestal is freshly stained with blood
Caesar, amazed at the sudden attack
s,aggers backward, while the conSPira'
tors look like 50, many demons, their
faces distorted with rage, fury and envy
Each draws his, glitteripg steel and aims
il directly at tie great chiettain. The
eyes Of Crsar are directed upon Brutus
az the deadly weapon flashes in the air
and we can readily imagine the dying
general excIaimins AFT III, Brute" The
friends Of Cesar rush with wild disnay
from the horrible scene. The artist has
admirably portrayed in the faces Of the
persons introduced the various human
passions. Revenge and envy in the
murdercrs, horror upon the friends o.
Cesar, and u consciousness OF unmeritec
wrath and innocence, on the face OF The
great Roman General. The painter has
caught the spirit Of Shakespeare:
TInrratItude more strong than traitors arms
Quite vanished him. Then burst his mighty
heart.
Even al the bAse Of POmpey'S statue,
which ali The while ran blood. Great Cesar fell.
In the German collection, we see
crowd around large painting, and We
hear them extol its praises in the
Languages Of England, Germany ant
France. Inthis great gathering OF ma
lions, every tongue on earth is spoken
but lew understand any other than that o
their native land. Pictures, however
speak language known and read OF al
men. They are Understood alike By
Greek and Italian, by German and
French, by Chinese and English. The
peculiar traits OF character in the paint
er can DO as easily discerned in the pro
ductions OF his easel as in the writings o.
the poet, the historian or the novelist
The picture so much admired is"Colum
bus discovering America" The scene Il
on shipboard. Two sailors have climbed
the rigging and graSped the shrouds
They shout cxultingly, and point to thu
land now dimly seen over the sea. II thu
painter could speak TO the ears, n
he does to the eyes, we would heal
these men shout, "Land Hor Columbia
places his right hand rcverently upoI
his breast, holds scroll in his left hand
and looks up to Heaven with gratitude
Two OF his officers, who had hitherto
manifested spirit Of mutiny, now pros
trate themselves ut his feet to implorl
forgiveness for having doubted his judg
ment
In the German collection, two larg'
paintings represent the Surrender a
Sedan" Both are we'll executed. Thu
King OF Prussia is standing on the TOT
Of q hill, surrounded by his staff. Thu
flames OF the burning city cast an unnat
ural light on the faces Of the Prus
sian generals. In the distance ART
two horses held by an orderly, and two
officers Of high rank are approaching thu
PrussiAn monarch. The younger anC
more robust OF the two is the Crown
Prince Of Prussia-UnSer FritE-wht
salutes the King, his father, and tn
other is tho naughty Emperor Napoleon
I'LL, who had dehed Prussia, now advano
Ing bowed down with grief and making
humble obeisance 10 the King oil Prussia
Pictures Of this kind express the exulta
ton Of the Germans At the humiliation
Of France, but they are not calculated e
appeaIe the wrath Of the French people