New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-07

than sorry TO forget the splendor and luxury OF this
world the dark shades and sorrows OF that world
into which he had been born and where his first
OF struggle had been passed
Whoever has the early picture TO
which have alluded. "The Last Day OF n Con-
demned Man" and compares II mentally with the pc
ture now III Gcupips Gallery IN this city. with the
picture In the LenOx Gallery. eau hardly help being
asonished at the change both IN the artists choice OF
subject and the decline of his OF expression
The early picture conquered, not as painting
for IL was somewhat severely criticised for
the blackuess ana mOnOtony OF Its tones, hut
by its command of varied expression the human face
and by Its intense way Of telling moving human story.
In the Interior at GOupiPs and In the " Milton of
the Lenox Gallery reduced 10 admire He sklfu
painting sius. costumes. furniture, the arrange
meut OF light ard shade and the clever draw
ms OF the hdman figure. There is in the
first picture story told and al
tempt ar dramatic expression in the second there
subject but without sincerity aud with
any real interest the part OF the artist He cares
nothing. knows nothing. except he is told, and
wrongly told. by some one else, OF the incident
he Is narrating II with him II was with
Gusiave Dore when he pestered 0y the pub
LISTERS TO illustrate Tennyson. "Who the devil
Is this Tcnny son r. he exclaimed, and b, the will
ug work which If we were 10 believe the advertisement
had been with him the aspiration Of years. Can any
body tel why Munkacsy should take John Milton tor
a subject OF his own motion OF course 10 was sug-
gested TO him, ard the result is what might
have been looked for. from ibe adoption OF
alien theme. meet the demands OF COM
mercial market. The treatment 81 the subject Is
with reality. and hist, rical composition IL has
small value. II II may he allowed any. The
picture is large one. measuring about
seven feet by ten. In furnished quite
in the modern taste Of the revived seventeenth
century blind poet debating his poem to of
his daughters who alter him. while the other two
listen, the between the pauses Of her en-
br0d-ry. The other standing by the table.
The room Is hgnted by window al the
left the sash filed with bu l,-eye glass from which a
green curtain has been drawn. and The gray studio
light Is clevery conducted over gne composition 'uni-
mating nothinc bringing everytAg cut IN Just the
way 10 satisfy the artistic love Of ~ubdued tones
Along the wall Ut the back there runs
SHELF on each side OF upright cabinet OF
dark wood with broken pedlment and pan
cllcd doors. and he shelf SUPPORTS quite Ia mode
blue-grecn Flemish bberon, some books anu PORTFOLIO
all these objects relieved AGAINST faded tapestry,
which hangs "a small 70 broad black frame. The
centre Ae picture is occupied by Jacooean table II
tle most approved type. covered win delightfully."-
faded Oriental rug and standing upon red rug which Is
also brought down 20 thai subdued EXPRESSION Of used
upeaness when when actual rug OF to-day
too seldom SEEM the heart OF the artist leap
III his bosom. The rug of knows better Than to
he tas and crlnKles its edge ia WY take the eye
The unoccupcd chairs with those IN which Milton
aud The daughter who is writing, are silt
ting, are OF piece with the rest
aud ply their part the scheme Of color and deco
ration IA s.rct obedience TO the well-known laws OF
modern tableaupanting. in which things play
most important part and ometimes succeed IN reduc
.rg the human element 10 wholly subordinate position
That ;his the here owing partly 20 tue fact
that we have 10 look az particular scene IN his
tory, ana at people whose names and whose
story know ana Interested IN. out also.
aud quite much because the great skill OF the artist
knows better than contradict his avOwed theme
prepnsierousy n IL would be sink Milton aud his
daughters under such sea Il decorative spendor ne
meets Us In us Interior" a. Gouui's. AL the same,
whoever looks picture ,or what II really Is VII
that IN the picture as IN tie other The artists
aim has been not 70 show bow well
he can paint people, but how wen he paint
things N the Goupn picture DO not look at the
peope al after the Hrst glance, We look Al the as
semblAge OF things wnole and In detail more leis
ury. az rugs and the tahle-covers. rue amp tile
brouzes the banglngs az al the incongruous bus vel
hnrmouzng onjects that make MP the artistic drawing
room OF tie period And. fact. tis IL Whai comes
TO In The Milton picture. FOR AFTER seeing thas
this Is not Milton. aud that these are not
MS daughters and that the whole composition Is only
a tableau OF the sort now 40 uresomeiY common. we
anuse ourselves with the extreme ceverness OF muc
~ he painting. with rugs again. and taoie-covers.
bor4h M .tOn's gown. Not that the painting Of a.
these things gives unhloyed pleasure for Munkacsys
color Is most lsagreeable, morbdb black anu
monotonous. hut tie drawing Is excellent and every
tnnr Is I'D Its place the technica merits OF the picture
challenging critic But rhere nothing III The paint
enjoy for is beauty We must De content 10 praise
Il for It's skill
Wnen picture is given name and We are told that
We are looking az real people, have clear night, y
We Will exercise IT, ask questions and demand an an
ser In this II hardly worth while u insist upon
Tie rient For the artist had my IN OF Milton
and lis Daughters repeated him. and be has accepted
IL without question seeing his way 70 give little IN
terest OF a personal KIND 10 another INTERIOR. and
not seeking 10 DO more AZ FOR ourselves We
know the dreary truth too well 10 accept
with much patience this attempt to make
Il pretty and attractive, 70 reduce 10 the
proportions OF a stage tabeau or fashionable
Interior" this rather squa1d domestic tragedy that
was played under Miton's unhappy roof. The portion
due to me from AIR. Powell. my first wife's father.
leave 10 the uDkind children had by her.
having received part Of II" q. - Mary
PowelPs promised d0wer). but my meaning is
that they shall have other benefit OF my
estate than the SAID portion and what ] have
besides done Tor them, they having been undunfu 10
me-" TINS Is MilroE's Will declared in conversation
with hs brother Christopher. wnen Mary, the second
daucter head that her father had married again @
marriage he appears have been forced INTO oy his
aaugnters' 81 behavior. she said that "tbHt was
no news 10 hear Of his wedding. but she
could hear Of death, that would be some
hing" 1t Is plain then that Tins nice little
family party all cosey comfortable. with Mary the
young lady just quoted. elsuIel ousy with her en-
,rodery Anne personal deiOrmity IL here cor
ceG OeIng likely to interfere with al @sheto enjoy
ment lust ready go out apparently on some house
keeping errand, but stopping 10 catch the music
last uttered which Deborah lie eager ~ write
dowu-thls drlgHtuI Interior is not al al
thr one which History introduces us into. II the
asusl cOuld have known the fscts II might have
struck chord In his breast would revis ed