The New York herald., 1879-10-29
FINE ARTS.
MuNKACsY's MILTON" ARRIVED.

MUEKACSY'S MILTON ARRIVED.
Michael Munkacsy's great picture. "AIilton Die
tating Paradise Lost to His Daughters. has arrived
from Munich its last place OF exhibition. at its fu
ture home. the Lenox Library in this city. 1t was
bought. it will be remembered. in juno. 1878. at
Paris. by Mr.. Robert Lenox Kennedy. for presenta-
ton to the above institution. The price paid was
some 1O0, ,o00f. (s20.O00 NJ. Munkacsy received for
it, when formed part Of the Universal Exposition
OF 1878, grand gold medal OF honor. tho
cross Of officer of the Legion OF Honor
and the universal praise of the French
and other foreign critics. Since then 1t
has been exhibited ut Berlin Vienna. Buda-
Pesth. London. everywhere attracting great atten-
tion and anally at tho recent Munich International
Art Exhibition. where the painter received of
the eleven first class medals for painting. As tho
picture is not yet placed on exhibition aud cannot
be seen for n few days until just before the APP
preaching opening OF the library for the season,
will be obliged to defer tor the present criticism.
We can. however. give description of the design,
the figures in which are two-thirds life size.
The blind poet Is seated, surrounded by his three
daughters by his first wife, Mary Powell--Evc.
Rachel and judith. i'll plainy but solidly fur
nished room. The light enters through the many
round panes of window to the left. which the
poet sits facing us in a leathern armchair, turned
slightly toward table to his left, grouped about
which are his children. to one of whom ho is die
tating. His head is bowed down ON his chest,
and his iurrowed features are contracted by tho
throes of composition. His right hand IL claspcd
with energetic, nervous action to his breast, while
his left lies with extended fingers the end of tho
chair The right loot is advanced, and has. by
its involuntary sympathy with tho vgor OF the lines.
slightly pushed up the rug which lies on the floor
under the table. while the left is bent back to the
chair. At the furthest end from her father of the
oblong table, which il covered with an Oriental
CLOTH and nearest the spectator sits Eve the eldest
daughter, to whom the blind man dictates.
Slightly haggard and tired out as she looks,
she nevertheless leans forward in her chair,
her face intent and expectant for the words
which are to drop from her fathers lips.
with her quill pen hand, over the manuscript,
which looks as 1t hurricdIy written 10 keep up with
the poets surging thoughts, and shows erasurcs.
On the other side OF tho table stands second daugh-
ter. handsomer girl than tho first. She has her
right hand on chair. and has turned to look at the
poet as IL she had just risen to leave the room on
some household mission, and. struck by the beauty
OF the lines lust delivered, was waiting for the next
onos The third aud youngest girl the prcttiest of
turned toward him, the same side of the table az
the one who has just risen. She is embroidering,
but stays tho needle in her uprted hand as she
looks tenderly yet sadly ut the stricken man and
waits for the immortal words.
Tho concentration of interest Of the thrce Girls
IL powerfully expressed Their costumes arc
severely Purtanical though graceful, with their
large white collars falling to the shoulders,
and broad turned back cuffs, their short Jackets and
velvet his head relieved against tho covering OF tho
chair and his broad white turned down collar.
AGAINST the WALL back OF the group, Is q carved
cabinet, on shelves on either side of which are
PORTFOLIO few books and n facnce hagon. On tho
wall by the latter hangs Mirror Besides the chairs
In USE there Is against the tapesried wall by and
TO the right OF the cabinet, and another between tho