New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-12-26

vet we must think after serious examination. that the
rvsut here Of the practice not successful III per
fecty legitimate TO paint stone or TO gid It; abundant
examples OF the highest beauty spendor attest tho
reasonableness Of the practice. Ithperecty legitimate
to paint and gid carved stone; it was done IN Greco"
IN the best time IL was done all over Europe IN the
Gothic period But here every where, 1t Is only sue
that Juses, aud the application OF color 70 'nc
stone in this case Of the Assembly room IL not IN our
Judgment successful because the color does not
heighten the effect OF the carving. nor Oh
the other hand, does the carving leighton
the effect OF the color in a degree ut oil pro
portioned the expense or the means employed on
neither Of the three days that At the Captoi
the light sufficient enable us 20 clearly ana I'D
evtably receive from the floor, nor even from the
scaffOIdOrdge erected for Mr.. Hunts accommodation
soms forty feet above the floor that the bands deco
rated in color are also in relief. though when we aiu
discover IT, evidently TO that reief that the
color design was dstnguisbablo plainly from the hat
ness Of stencil. As OF contemporaries IN AN
exceontly Gear scientific description OF the building
and OF this ana OF It's decoration remarks Inc
fact that the work is in relief, though
can scarcely be perceived on q dark day Iom
the hOOr is felt at once IN the lie anu
movement which it gives the decoration an adVahtase
simply stenced painting at least as great In eject
as that which fabric woven coors has one that
Is printed" (Anerican architect and Building NeWs
Vol. w.. D. 1861 This is true; but We still md the
result inadequate 10 the expenditure OF LABOR 10 us tne
whole OF the architects color decoration Ia tame ana
betes. not enhances, tho effect OF the architecture
We cannot even agree with those who think the diaper
work and the incised patterns should have been eit
without any color decoration at all What we complain
OF the decoration. not the TACT OF
decoration. We plead for more richness. we
think The whole vaulting should have Deen OF
gold slightly enriched with color. but In hor
ated or fgure-sulJect designs we ind the IN
and conventlonalized pattern so properly EN-
ployed here very wturyng, it almost succeeds IN neu
traZlng the ina giuatye conception OF the archltec
turc itself II may be remarked here that the use OF
gold we suggest all rich decoration the least ex
pensve and II certainly would have bc tar cheaper 10
have gded The vault in the first place than to carve u
first and paint il aiterward As for the richness ana
effectiveness Of the result we think thore can be no
question about that. We have but to remember o.
Marks to be convinced of It, Something OF the effect
too may be learned the corridor the story be-
low, that was alongside the Court OF Ap-
peals. But would have asked Tor
less sumptuous expression In the decoration of the
Assembly Room than is produced in this corridor by the
of red and gold.
It ia not becoming to dismiss Mr.. Hunts paintings
with few words at the end Of For, consid
cred as art it is the only considerable adventure yet
made by auy OF governing bodies in the pictorial
decoration OF any public building The decoration OF
Trinity Church in Boston by Mr.. John La Fargo, MI
Frank LahrOp, SIR Maynard, Mr. Mlllett and others;
the painting OF the chapel OF BOwdon College
with pictures by Mr.. Frank LathrOp, and the
painting OF the apex OF st. Thomass Church
in this city by Mr.. John La Fargo, are works
OF importance, which have doubt had great hhu-
IN leading up this employment VI Mr. william
Hunt In the painting OF his two great pictures III
the Assembly Room. Much as we wish New-fotk could
have furnished the artist who should decorate her AS
semhly Room, there be question to Mr. Hunts
IN he the splendid
IL Is the first time that this artist man OF trained
powers widely recognized ability, OF great talent II
not OF genius has been entrusted with work
such rs every artist must covet and such as Mr.
Hunts numerous admirers believe, ana we
cordially believe, TO be his honorable due.
On these broad lunettes. in fifteen by foryhye
feet Mr.. Hunt has painted with great breadth and
simpcIty Two allegores OF universal import, which
yet speak clearly perhaps to US than tn Others On
the north Ill Is the allegory OF Ormuzd ana Ahriuan
flight evil before good OF Night before the Dawn
Nights GhaTiOeer his eboD car Is hurled along before
Tho breaking day by three pungnR rearing steeds who
subdue their naughty crests to the sway OF the dun
guide who, with a touch cOmpes them down 20
where tho day ia silent These horses ore
drawn with great spirit and ones only
complaint OF them that they mOnOpolize too much
the eye spectator to the detrment Of the figure OF
Night The goddess leaves the charge OF her steeds
wholly TO the guide, herself toward, and sleep
ing woman with baby ut breast above whose head
a floating child holds mantle that prevents the dawn
from reaching slumbering Ignorance to waken It, II
may be that we don't understand this portion OF the sub
i.ct and the chd may DO lifting the veil that shuts out
the light OF day from Nights victims but what Regory
cannot be read spectator chooses The lines Of the
floating drapery Of this sumberng figure well gwen
and the expression OF slumber Is complete But the
psinting OF this and Of the children Is far from
satisfactory. Certainly without any violence to the
KEY in which picture is tainted, something OF the
beautiful coloring OF childhood might have been given
10 the 70 ms which present seem pnched ont OF clay
The opposite segory IL OF the Discoverer who sails
out on unknown seas, following the sinking sun and
attended BY Fortune, who holds the tier OF bis
mounting bark. Science also unrols her SCROLL Hope.
WIN points the way. and Faith. who hides her face
and let's the waves take her where they Will
This Is a new noble Interpretation OF the fable of
the Sirens and whether for the aegory or not
we can well enjoy the painting Of theserpe but severely
noble forms Science and Faith lightly floating In the
water and Fortune, q "Reminiscences OF the Venus OF
Milo who plies the rudder and lightly trims the sail
The poetry OF this conception s however TO think
ing sadly marred by the figure OF the DiscOye who
IA sort OF cross between Admiral Fsrragut and Hamlet,
with a costume equally ncongruous composed OF IA
tjgue cap spanish cloak and steel greayes. In color,
too the black OF his overweighs the light color
ing OF the rest OF the picture The sea Is beautifully
painled its depth and transparency, its movement all
are here.
Something must at the last be left unssid, and we
leave undescribcd the Court Of Appeals-which
is to be used for the present Senate chamber-and
the corridor that skirts It, In time the somewhat
raudy look Of this corridor will be sObered by the plants
which Mr.. Omsted Intends placing In each wIndOw-bay.
and II Ia hoped that In time statues OF distinguished
sons OF New.York be placed against the piers. Tins
building Is destined TO attract wide curiosity, and al
ready Is awakening interest in the Arts that Is
never TO be less than bur must widen and deepen
until II becomes great Influence and motor in eu-
Gallon in There is nothing like great architec-
tursl undertaking, with Its implied accompaniment OF
sculpture and painting TO create love Of Art in com
No the nrond dlstinction OF he