The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-09-19
SUNDAY READING.
NOTES FROM ABROAD.
BY JOSEPH P. THOMPSON, d. D., IL. d.

culture in Russia, in science. letters.
arts, is already on high plane aud is
advancing toward the best ideal Tbn
visitor TO st. Petersburg is astonished ot
the rich collections of its galleries and
museums. These, however, Indicate
rather the taste and wealth of the SOW
ereigns of Russia than the culture of
her people. 1t has been the fortune of
Russia to have in the market of Europe
appreciative agents, ready to buy up the
art collections of French, Spanish and
Italian noblcmen who are reduced TO
the necessity Of parting with their
treasures for ready money. Tho Her
mitage of st. Petersburgh is adorned
with such spoils from Western En-
rope.
But there has also been for years in
Russia a school of native art, coming
more and more into prominence. and
which attracted an attention not nm
mixed with surprise at the Paris Expo-
sition of 1873. In Russia the name of
Alexander Iwanoff is in everyboy's
mouth as the ccclcsiactical painter of
The Greek church. Visitors TO St. Pc
tersburg will recall his "Christ and
Maedulene," one of the noticeable
works in the Hermitage. Some wears
ago colossal painting of Iwanon
| C'Christ Appearing before the People'')
was exhibited in some of the chief cities
of Europe. In Russia several churches
are adorned with frescoes and PAINTINGS
from his hand or after his DESIGNS
lwanofl had undertaken n great work
for the illustration of the Bible. bv
compositions from scenes out of thc
Old and New Testament. At his
death, in 1858, this work was unfinish-
ed; but 232 of these BIBLICAL sketches
were left in the possession of his broth
er, Surgius Iwanolf an architect of CO
lebrity i'll Russia. Sergius died in 1877.
}and bequeathed his whole pronertv IN
the " German Archaeological Institute ;,
in Rome, with the condition that tha
Institute should publish in a verify
| manner this collection of his brother
AleNander's representations of sacred
history. This condition the direction
OF the Institute has begun to fulfill in
truly imperial style. TIE sketches are
most carefully and delicatelv reproduc.
ed in acknowledgement, each sketch
mounted on a folio sheet of Bristol.
board, and fifteen such sheets clasped
together in one portfolio, which is
numbered as "part." There will be
IN all 10 such parts, at the price of so
marks; being | 200 marks or, i'm ronnd
numbers, $500 for the 232 plates. The
work will be furnished to Subscribers
by "A. Asher u Co., 5 Inter den Lin
den, Berlin.
vi course, so large a work al such a
price should have some special merit 10
attract subscribers. I'm the Initial
States these may be sought among cen
tlemen of wealth who are making col
lection of representative schools of art.
and among those public libraries and
museums III which every school of art
should lind place. Iwanon7s sketches
are 1or the most part unfinished i'm de-
talls OF drawing and color. Their in
terest lies i'll the spiritual conception of
inc artist, as seen even in his crudest
outlines, and in certain bold and some
tlmes majestic effects in grouping, and
oil light and shade; and also in the rem
resentation of the biblical history from
the point of view of the Greek church.
as compared with the Roman. Iwanotl'
possessed uncommon richness and vi
vacity OF imagination, and remarka-
ole power of conveying his fancics tc
lhe eye by few original strokes of his
pencil. Looked at. not as finished
works OF art, but as suggestions from a
master to be copied in church windows
or III fresco, these sketches will be ra-
ied highly both by amateurs and by ar
lists, while they will open to every in
telilgent reader volume of Russian
thought, fancy and religion which will
be OF permanent value TO the history of
civilization.
1t is hardly possible to classify IVAN
on win any school of Christian art.
III his treatment of landscape and of
hgures, he exhibits the simple fidelity
10 TACT which alone would stamp him
as realasllc; as, for instance, in the
meeting OF Mary and Elizabeth, where
simple peasant girl, brrefoot. with n
stan III one hand and bundle in the
other, with tiinid, anxious look, re-
celves tne salutation OF her kinswoman.
ana Lacharias, effectively sketched in
outline, Is leaning on his crutch. And
Ill the command to return from Egvpt.
where Joseph and Mary, with the Babe
are seen sleeping oil the ground beside
a palm tree near by an Egyptian village
with the Pyramids just visible in Tie
distance; and also in the appearance of
the angel to the sheherds, where the
sheep are running frantically about. or
u.tuiins ,nns 'oSether Tor fear. But.
then, when IwanoH touches upon T.
IHpe,ha.urai TX, d. ne produces effects
Sn s'cc iuealstic. Both the
u.ieu . III the song OF the 3
n,,', wne.o .hese simple men ?
a..iuuues Wonuerfully
pieIsi'e' while the o.
Is 30 uimiy sug@
tha ;n,aoGiouq no Giouq
No., Is 'n"
pay I'VE
gels OF
OF me- 4