Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-01-07
Alefauorla 6axttte
MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY
The sew Corcoran Pictures.

The sew Corcoran Pictures.
Some Of the neW pictures at the Corcoran
Gallery lately purchased out OF the collection of
lR NJ. OIypbant, of New York, deserve notice,
An autumn afternoon on Lake George, by
lJ. 4, Kensett, 1864, is considered the finest
Landscape he ever painted. From an open tore
ground of rocks and fallen trees. guarded BY
mobile group of large trees Of varously hued 10
!iage relieved against the luminous sky, We
lcok over wooded slopes. gently descentl ~ -
the blue bosom of the island dotted lake, while
oa it's further side rise high, peaked mountains
THAT like giants stand
To sentinel enchanted land
| The deep flush of autumn is flung over these
stones and peaks. and with "tbe tender azure
of the uurufflsd" lake, they recede and melt into
the warm hazy air of the coming sunset. 1t is
remarkable that this picture, with its sky. water
and foliage 80 suffused with the light and color
of autumn, should be 80 very harmonious
throughout. There is not garog spot OF
color to break the charm OF deep broodlog re-
d pose. There is not touch of bright yellow.
I green, or scarlet with which some artists "o.er-
step the modesty of nature. even when richly
! altired, nor is there any dreary effect OF gray
sky and leafsss bough, norc BETTING the mel
ancholy days of November, than the gorgeous
4
I Given to the picture below the left foreground
| by the cattle, and rustic bridge over sr5am
issuing from the shadowy forest aud showing a
j crest of its cascade over the rocks below.
I The Judgment Of Paris; or the apple OF dis
cord by H. Peters Gray, is. perhaps, the work
on which rests the fame of that tne artist, de-
ceased only two months since. 1t ls regarded
az ono of the noblest pictures ever painted by
an American artist. and in some respects equal
to any modern European work. Mr.. Gray
modelled his style upon the Venetian school.
and q single glance at this work will show how
! successfully he has caught the spirit of Titan
! 10 composition and color. The graceful llues
I of all the figures, the lovely smiling face and
beauteous demi nude form of Venus. the rapt
dmiration of the handsome Paris, and sroh
ex preston of Cupid as he unveils the charms
Of his mistress, oomtioed with the hsrmo
NOUS color of flesh aud attire. make this
piotu &c irre:istibIy captivating. IL Is
pure, classical rendering OF the ola 0reek
storv' ,vhio \ it may be well to sketch tor tho
bsneat f,f st,me readers Paris was the son OF
Prism. King of Troy. 1t was predicted before
his birth, that he would cause the ruin CT ais
fathers kingdom; so he was sent, "hen an 10;
FAINT to perish on Mount Ida, but ne was SUCKED
by bear. and gr'W up to strong snnGea fesas a. Of
Peteus and Thetis, the Goddess Of Discol,d' en-
raced because she was not invited, threw amCng
the festal goddesses . golden apple, inscribeu
with ''let the fsirest take me y Juno. Minerva
and Venus coItended for it, and worried Jupi.
Mercury to carry the disputants to Mount Ida
where Paris gave them hearing. Bribery
was the game of the three ladies'. Juno offered
him kingdom-a sceptre for his shepperds
crook Minerva foolishly ofered him only wis.,
dom and warriors fame, out the knowing
Venus promised him the fairest woman in the
world for wife The last brlbe won, and
Paris gave the golden apple to Venus, who re.
deemed her promise by. putting him in the way
of running of with He.en. the wife Of Meme.
Troy and the fulflment Of the prophecy. With Il
painters license the artist has left out the de.
fested candidates. and shown the scene whore
Paris pauses ere he passes the apple, in earnest
admiration of the temper. The form of Venus
is obviously suggested by that OF her nsmesake
may have been disported when complete surely
never had q more graceful position than Mr.
Gray has given to this charming semblancs of Il
aesh and blood Venus Victrix. .-Wash Post.
SCIENCE AND ADvENTURE.-A writer rs.
wives the familiar old story Of an incident which
| occurred during the lifting into position Of tho
celebrated obellsk Of st. Peters at Rome. At
| the instance of Fontana, who had charge of tho
| raising, Pope Sixtus had issued an order that
| absolute silence should be Preserved by the
| spectators, and the scverest penalties were at
| tachcd to any violation Of it. Ropes passing
over enormous pulleys were fastened to the
upper part Of the caso containing tho mono
| lith and the traction was afforded by oxen. The
obelisk was nearly in position. when destruction
was threatened because the oxen had reached
the walls and could 90 20 further. The engi'
ucer in apporioning the length Of the ropes
had forgotten that they would stretch. 10 this
| predcament a spectator cried OUT: Aqua
aqua j. and was at oncs sez;d TOR dIsobeylng
the Pope's order But the HUT Was taken, aud
when water was poured ou the ropes, they c,n
tracted, and the mooolith vas soon firmly iu
position. The engineer represented to his
Holiness that tho culprit deserved reward in
stead of punishment for his presence of miud
The man was pardoned, and Informed that aoy
reasonable request he mig ht make would be
granted. tie con unauded small vessel that
hailed from Boriighera, beautiful place ou
| the Riviera between Mentono aud San Reno,
and had often brought palm leaves from thence
to Rome for Palm Sunday; be claimed for his
native place the monopoly Of that supply. His
boon was granted, and the pslm-eaves of Bor
digbera still make yearly deso,nt to Rome.
While Don Carlos was s1ayiog at Milan his
collar OF tho order or the GoldeD fleece was
stolen. The collar Was greatly priced, it having
belonged to Philip the Good Duks of Burgun'
dy, who founded the order in 1880 to celebrate
his third nsrriago, with the lnfanta Isabella or
Portugal.
The following awful warning is going the
rounds: "A few years ago Mra. kste Chase
Sprague paid 81, 0OO per yard for dress mate
rial. 10 day her husbands paper sells for Two
and half ccots on the dollar.
If Mauton Marble and Wade Hampton will
e,ch marry one of the score or more OF widows
that have been assigned them by tho gossips
for the past six months. they will obige.
Senator Copkliug's sister is employed as an
examiner Of female smuggers in the New Y ork
Custom Hou-e.