, 1876-07-23
MRS. SWISSHELM.
Further About the Dore Gallery IN
London.
The Mammoth Picture Of "Christ Ieav-
ing the Pratoriun."
Mrs. s. Criticises the French Painter.
and Analyses the Character
Of Jesus.

Mrs. S. Criticises the French Painter,
| and Analyses the Character
Of Jesus.
| sp<cta. Correspondence Of Tho Trioane.
| Leipzig, Saxony, June e6.-Dorc is devotion
| al Us well as horrible. His picture of '*Christ
Leaving the Prsctorium " is his largest, and said
| to be his best. It was, at least, the one most
advertised while we we're in London; for, IN ad-
dition to all the flaming posters and pronuncia-
| rlentos Of the gallery as whole, it had whole
set devoted exclusively to its advertisement;
and supcradded to these, a small army Of SOL
emu, old, sl,abby-gentcel men paraaing tho
streets with funereal pace, each ono quite alone,
and bearing on his breast, and between his
shoulders, haring placards:
1.-THE MAN OF soHRoWs!"
which, Of course, drew shil}ngs and attention
for, and to, Gustaye's pious labor. It seemed
to me that the admission-fec should have been
one shilling and three pence. The first man
who sold Christ got thirty pieces Of silver for
Him, and He should not be hawkcd around now
for less than that number OF bits of copper!
The picture is q BY 30 feet; and, as the de-
lineation Of furious mob, has but two faults
which challenged my attention in the few mo-
mcnts l felt able to devote to it. The first Of
these is, that, willie the wind is blowing galc
in one part Of the picture, other parts indicate
dead calul,-all being out OF doors, and in d
space Of few yards. The other is q soldier, in
an impossible position, pressing back the mob to
keep 4 passage clear. But, Notwithstanding
these errors, the picture Of the mob Is Rue-
'qualcd, Us such, by anything have ever seen.
It has more life and motion than have ever bo-
fore seen on canvas; and, if the artist had
chosen for subject some popular tumuH OF
which he had some personal or historical knowl-
edge, the picture would hare been valuable
contribution to tie treasures of Art. As it is,
Christ seems to have been thrown in to give it
market-yalue, and with total disregard for tho
event in which he is made to take Ill impossible
part. It processes to be historical, and Its ad-
lniring critics point out, proudly, the personal
peculiaritics OF dress, age, and character Of the
several actors and figures; ard yet the ono Ia
bclcd Christ walks, in the midst Of q crowd, in
broad day, with
HALO AROUND Ills HEAD.
It is, in fact, this halo which latcls him.
Had there been any such visible sign Of Deity,
there would have been no crucitlxion, or His
apology for His murdcrers would have been 8
slam. "They know not what they do +" instead
Of being the most pathetic and powerful plea
for bigots in all ages, would be 4 ChcStcrfeldian
falschood, hollow as an idiots hugh. No poetic
license can warrant historical painter, any
more than a historical writer, in introducing
into his work any feature which has no founda-
tion in fact, much less one totally inconsistent
wit!l-nay, utterly destructive of-the event he
pretends to illustrate It is an indgnlty, an i'll
suit, to human nature, tt represent the Jews
US crucifyiDg Jesus with such symbol on lis
brow; lor, had it appeared At any moment Of
the trial, condemnation, or suffering Of Christ,
the High Priests would have been the first to
have rent their garmrnts and cast dust upon
their heads, in token Ut their deep and bitter
Repentance for His accusation! Tie Jews most
joyfully have hailed tacir Messiah, and the
worlds central tragedy
WOULD HAVE BEEN USEN4CTED.
This idea Of the halo must have originated in
the dark ages, and Is i clumsy device BY which
Christian bigots begged the question In their
controversy with the Jews Priests inhame the
passions of the Ignorant masses against the
men they gave over to persecution aud plundcr,
by thus cuunngly representing them, ut every
shrine, as the wilfui, Intentional n1urdcrers of
one in whose Divinity they must have believed,
since it was attested to their senses by unmis-
taxable ocular demonstration. It is quite time
Christianity had cleared its skirts Of this kind
Of arguments; and the nun who deliberately re-
states this one at this time Of day proves that
he Was
SOME EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS TOO LATE.
Dorc belongs to the tenth instead Of the nine
tccnth century. His manner OF asking shillngs
for the exhibition Of his piety, as well rs the
picty itself, belong to the era OF begging
monks
But the halo is not the only feature Of the
picture that is q libel on history; for it repre-
sents the Christ Us walking voluntarily, alonc,
and untouched, away from tile judgment-seat
OF PLATE to the place Of execution, when every
historian Of the event especially notes that he
was "led out" Matthew says that, when he
was tirst arrested, in tue garden, his captors
"laid hold On Jesus, and leu him away to Cal
phas.'' After Caiphas had questioned him,
and morning vas come, they bound him, and
late" After PLATE had tried in vain TO save
him, and when "hc had scourgcd him, he IT,
linertd him to be crucileu, ,'-i. e., gave him into
the hands Of Ills enemies. "Thcy took him
into the common hall, and they stripped him,
and put OH him scarlet robe .... Aud,
after they had n1ockcd him, they took the robe
off from him, aud put his own raiment on him,
and led him away to he cruci6cd." There was
POSITIVE PHYSICAL CONFUSION
throughout the entire proceeding. lie did not
assuluc any part Of the responsibility Of Ills
own murder. lie Vas no suicide. He did not
take one voluntary step throughout the whole
proceeding. Whereas Dore represents him as
walking downs. flight Of stairs voluntarily, and,
and warn Him away, no creature is near Him.
no one leads Einl,-no Que restraIs or cu1npels |
Him to 80. This, like the halo, is not only un-
true to history, hut is positively destructive of
which the picture is Il traycsiy. 1t is self-con-
tratictory,-a combination of impossibiltics!
AS for the personnel Of the principal figure,
it. is mere repetition OF the old, Monkish idea |
Of tue Christ, Us ! weak, suffering sentiment |
alist; man destitute Of or hut poorly Ell
dowed with, either physical or mental force; in
capable OF passion, or any kind OF violent emo
ton; one Of those
NEGATIVE, GooDY-GooD rouNG MEN
Whoalways do just tw|lattheprcsts tell them, and
ask no questions for conscience sake; one Ut |
those pious folks whom the Scotch describe as
s. a chip in porri!gc;'' one Of those narrow
shullcd folks WHO never had, or could get hold |
OF, new idea, simply because there is not room |
for it in their heads.
So far as I know, this is the only type Of |
Christ that Art has Yet given us, and I have |
seen several dozens ol the artistic conceptions |
Of HiEl- Every artist has carefully ignored the |
character Of the boy who, at II, broke through |
and caravan, anil remain in Jerusalem to dis |
pute with the priests in the temple; Of the one |
whose voluntary subsection to pareutal authori-