New-York tribune., 1876-05-04
A CkNTENNIAL BLUNDER.
MIR ROTnERNEI's PICTURE or THE "BATrLE OF
GETTYSBURG IS 1T TO HAVE TIE PLACE OF
HONOR Al THE CENTENNItL!

MR. RoTHERNELs PICTURE or THE BATTLE OF
GETTYSBURG "-.s 1T TO HAVE TIE PLACE OF
HONOR Al THE CENrENNINL!
To the Editor or Fhe Frfbnne'
SIR: | make the statement subject to cor
recon-but my authority for II is 80 dir ct ana t'usi-
worthy must believe il until IT is contradicteI by
auhoritytat niendcd put In the place OF honor
in the American group OF pictures in the at Bu lang AT
Philadelphia Mr. Rothermr's Battle OF Gettysburg"
This picture commission from the State OF Pennsyl-
vapia is 80 feet long anl VIII necessarily bc very con
spicuous object in the Exhibition. III aIh nS''y
informed there reasons. not OF very credtapie
character why it is desired TO make a. conspicuous as
nossibe but 10 those reasons viii not just now ande
Nv objection s not that the paintns Is to be made CON
suicnous: il is that it ia to be exhibited at ALL
Nr ia tba reason why IL should not be exhibited
that II Is a picture which pcturc--as Ar-wl DO
MS 10 credit either with own people or w'th people
from abroad In ordinary cases, something might DC
allowed for local preudices. Some pictures are Thought
very great in one part the country That are Thought
very small in another An artist may b vcr' much al
nired at home and very little thought of abroad Mr
Rotber1uel is very much admired by very few people
in Philadelphia They admire him so intensely That II
ia the same TO him-as II he were admired by thc
whole city full. Tis Is pitiiul, at least 1t seems
So but 80 long rs there Is no s'atu'e th"t
nakcs IL felony not TO admire Mr.. ROth"iincl ah
the word ont lido OF Philadelphia viii hear with eqna
,ic,ures IN the Exhibition We know that We cannot be
osljged 10 look them. But the news that picture by
Mr. Rthermel 80 feet long, Is TO be made the central
object n the Art gallery, ia anJ;hcr matter We must
ook at that All the world must look at it, Tie North
mus look at it, and South must look at IT. and do tho
Commissioners think that either the N0rth or te ooat
will take pleasure in the ghastly sight
Fr the pictnre is not picture OF her0ism II is pic
ture OF blood and fury, of menOf brothernn OF eio"
citizcp-nurderng one another in the lust Of hate OF
5iers bye men OF south and North, IN the spasns of
mortal agony; Of dead mcn with bne faces and swollen
bandshorr0rs piled horrors for central shOwpeco
at the Centennial feast OF peace and goodwin
II would be fair gh 10 hold up this picture even as
a work Of art TO the common-sense verdict OF the
American people. Everybody who knows anything
aoont the relative standing or our artists KNOWS
that by 10 possibility can picture by Mr. Rotnernei
deserve a distinguished place at the Exhibition mncn
less the most distinguished place. The truth Is, that
u1n.ne the cloud bad pictures he has painted THIS Is
re worst II out-Herols Herod ana viii make us the
lanoljngstock of every foreign critic But might
stand beng laughed at If the picture one III sym
paihy with the time and place one that would prove
hond 70 bind our people closer together, instead ~
being this Will prove U ". one 'i't wi'i 'o III
ord discprd and reopen woun IL once closed
n il be skcd how IL has happened tDat such an OF
-, ~ ~ a,"rst ~ good manncrs AGAINST common sensr
~ oasng in good feeling well in tact could
have been contempiatcd-the answer hIAes lhe case no
"nsI nIare in The Exhibition comes. 1t is said, from
tie head of tie Art Department. wb0 exercising almost
n,t,c noyers has OF himself settled tho pont-and
rr his deci>inn over the heads OF all WHO have any
voice in the matter. IL is 10 secret that THIS gentle
man well known as an engrayer, has long been el-
aye5 nnnn a stccl plato u Mr. Rctherncls picture
and il il supposed that this exhiOIion " Wv
will create wide public aehasu ter ol rnason lan his
for Insulting South with the memory oi her u,el,
he, reason for putting whole North IN the attitude
it hates-that one who likes to brag OF his pfqwesS
and taurt his enemy with defeat AMI. last not east,
tO bet reason gwen