The Louisiana Democrat., 1881-01-12
NEW ORLEANS CORRESPONDENCE.
1879 WASHINGTON AVENUE, :
New Orleans, La,
January Sth, 1881. }

1879 ASHIESTON AFENuE, 4 y
New Orleans, La, ]
January 9th, 1881. } i,
Dear Democrat \
We will not characterize that MS re- a
mjssness where no neglect has been ;,
proven, for, although did not prom t
Use you regular letter, still 40 strong I
is the force of habit with us Bohem''
ans. that teel an actual derellct'oh os
duty in not preparing letter, last
week, for the appreciative readers OF
the leading paper of N"'th-westef"
T,ouisiana-the DEMoCRAT-an no"
"Du bouonet que je tous compose
Durant mes heures de loislrS,
.Je ne detache anjourd'hui qn'ene rose
Pour multiplicr mes plaisirs.'
am going to describe to yon Gen
ms allego,ical painting Of Louisiana.
Rut how Can I describe it? Did you
ever enter a church and fnd yourself
face to face with an unexpected work
of art in an altals or do you recollect,
when wandering through those palaces
where the treasures of the chlsel and
pencil are enshrined, suddenly con-
fronting some noble group in marble,
or some dream of beauty in a picture
that actually dispossessed you for tho
moment of your sense of realizationF
You are aware of my love of visiting
such places. One of these shrines is
. Genin's, and one day he drew aside a
curtain and eyealed-Louisiana! The
S picture is seven feet by five. 1t rep
+ resents that point in our history
:, known as the slate war;" A far
! spreading field of cane lies glistening
5 in the sun-adj jacent to it low rooted,
. spacious plantation house, surrounded
e by the usual galleries-a ditch runs
S by the side of the fence, dividing the
J. cane field from the road. At the left
IS a cotton-boll has not SO completely
= crushed row of tobacco plants that
10 vigorous stalk has not managed to
n push up by the side of it and hang its
J. pretty pink flowers over the interstlces
y in the bagging where the cotton peeps
10 out. At the same side, in the dis
v. tance, but half lost in the shadows, the
- contending armies retire from battle
De At the right hand upper corner re-
al turned soldier stands, with one hand
W. ", crasping the handle of plough
er But the crowning beauty OF the pic
ed ture is the figure in the fore srount
If and occupying the centre Of it. 1t Is
ge of course, female Ggu'e, and in tn
h outline, pasture and shading M' Gen
r. in has idealized all that is pIqnant
it? graceful, tender and wonanly in ere
ell ole beauty. 1t is positively the near
20, ,ui est perfection in special or character
Sc. istic beauty that an artist can hope t
EN- attain. The figure stands at case, til
H. H. right foot little advanced. The lei
cid arm, from which the sleeve of the drf
perry falls back, depends lightly at IL
iod sdo. The right arm is raised to tt
the centre of the breast, and the pret'
,ol- hand lies careleSsly on the folds of Il
inc robe. The head, with natural tur
arc reveals white, round throat, al
oso from rounded temples the wavy hal
"rold in the sunshine and brown
the shade," turns back and forms t
" Grecian classic knot, always seen
'"' the Venus, by whatever master. \
I'LL ewes are dark and look forward.
"eo world of sad thought seems hid
The them, and you would 60 away FRI
the the picture sa4llened and in some "
in depressed if you did not catch 10
tisb Of the mouth. Such mouth, fl
at. pouting, rosy, firm. Where did
s;ro Gen,n get a model for that mou
1t smiles as if an answered pra
,ho kissed its lips, and you look up 8
" see the retreating armies and the r
'"'p, elation comes to you. Do you W
y u der that the tears, happy tears, FL
feal my eyes, and right there, as before
rule vision of saint, vowed to or
e of back the past, and from the shadov
.tion Sorrow, look out into the blue SIX!
ubus Hope. The women--I mean the NJ
unon women of Louisiana-should SEQ
:, 80 chef d'ouvre of their own artist.
r,o should be in the parlor Of our S
" House, not only because it sugges
gland lesson of hope and peace, but the
,ncti- ents of such an artist should be
- * honored. Dear DEMoCRAT, are
~ 'e too poor to buy this beautiful pict
8 not If so, how cruel is the poverty tina
hate stricts us from thus appreciating
mind that could conceive and the
''hlou that could execute so noble VOL
'wded Genin's allegorical representation
v de. Louisiana! +. A.
''oua' V1DALIA, La,
effort Jan. 3rd, 18s
Grim Editor alexandria Democrat:
es for DEAR SIR-The substantial p