The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-04
FINE ARTS.

MUNKACsYS "BLIND MILTON Debating PARA
Disc LOST TO HIS DAUGHTERS" AT THE
LENox LIBRARY-sEcoND ARTICLE.
Michael Munkacsy's celebrated picture. "Blind
Milton Debating Paradise Lost to his Daughters"
was exhibited tor the first time. in this country.
on the opening, yesterday, for the season, Of the
picture gallery OF the Lenox Library. We have
already given an account OF the pictures
arrival from abroad, and description of the
design. SO that we will now conAne ourselves
to q criticism OF its literary and artistic quail
ties. From the first standpoint it is far from salts
factory while from the second it is. notwithstand-
ing it's faults. great and noble work Of art. Ita
chief literary fault is that 1t Will produce
an erroneous impression upon the public,
for the recollection carried away. after examine
ton Of it, will be much more powerful. on the
student mind, than from tho perusal Of the conclu
sions arrived at by competent biographers from
listing and credible evidence. However. though the
of the foreign critics have wlled 1t, do
not consider that the painter has far misrep-
resented the story of the immortal poets life.
they have, without blame, interpreted him to have
done. They state that it il blind Milton debating the
great work to patient and loving though wearied
daughter in the presence OF his two other girls. who
wait for the words with glances In which mingled
admiration pity and love. The truth is that. though
the face Of the youngest daughter may be under
stood to express these emotions, those OF the two
Others certainly do mot.
Nj. Munkacsys great sin is, that, following others,
he has bestowed tho stamp OF approval by great
work Of art OH heinous literary fallacy. The part
which the poets daughters played ia the production
OF the poetn too insignificant to justify the rep
resentation OF their collaboration. In even such
subordinate way, A pictorial illustration of the
composition OF the greatest poem in the English
language should not represent the-we had almost
said inspired-poet debating it.. to one of his
daughters and in the company of the two remaining
ones. competent authority professor David
Masson. OF the Edinburgh University. Of whose
peared declares, in his introduction to an edition
OF the poets works, that the eldest daughter.
who is represented in the picture as the
amanuensis, could not write and that, II the two
younger ones could. and may occasionally have
acted in this capacity their ages exclude the idea OF
their having been his chief assistants. Professor
Mason also says:-"we know also that the poor
motherless girls had grown up in circumstances to
make them regard the services they were required
to perform for their father as less duty than .
trouble" Again the comfortable and elegant, II not
rich accessories the taposried walls carved cabinet
mirror faience hagon, Oriental floor and table rugs.
solid carved table and velvet covered gilt nailed
chairs. with which the painter has surrounded his
characters, though much used In appearance, prob
ably with vague idea Of Difference to the poets
in no way to be Justiheu rs pehg
a correct Representation of the fittings Of tho homo
OF man who sold tho poem he was composing
among them Tor Is. .
favorable literary criticism to an examination which
must, in the MAN, be one OF great admiration OF tho
paintings points as work OF contemporary art.
The lures In admirably dramatic poses, and, a.
We have before said the concentration OF interest
expressed by the positions aud looks OF the three
daughters IL very effective. How helplessy tho
sghess poet sits In the hgh-backcd ar mchair, with
his head bowed down, his left hand convulsively
closed and pressed TO his breast. and his feet in
strained poses on the floor. His thin face,
surmountcd by tangled grayish hair. Is powerful Ia
Expression and we'll painted. The flesh coloring.
also In tho OF his daughters, might
however, have been improved by higher lights, less
piuky tones aud deeper shadows. The wearcd
pose and anxious, waiting. though almost cross,
Oppression of tho face OF tho eldest and plainest
daughter, to whom the poet s debating. ~ finely
rendered. How well the idea Is carried out, IL shown
in the nervous position OF the by means delicate
and work-worn left hama. resting the knee Tho
face OF the prettiest and youngest girl, who alone
looks somewhat tenderly at her father. from her
seat by him. as she stops in her Knitting is very
successful. As to tho third girl the young house,
keeper, hers is the weakest face of ALL and We
only learn from IL that she is about to leave the
and has turned to- look at her father In reference to
the accessories IL is only necessary to say that they
are painted In tho dashing. effective manner with
which the painters admirers are familiar. The coli
he had at the time emancipated himself from his
earlier methods and was on the way TO become
powerful coorst position which the lato pictures
show that he has almost IL not fully reached. Finally,
the effect of light is good, everything takes its place
and the threequarers life size figures, when at
the proper distance--some twenty-five feet--appear
as IL they were of natural size and in room into
which looking. NJ Barrias' bronze bust Of
the painter, also in place, is J6ugeuse, we'll UNDER
stood representation OF strikngiy picturesque and
vigorously iutolliqept head