The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-07-14
Munkaczy's Christ Before filate.

I spoke some time ago, and before it
was finished, of the magnificent picture
of Munkaczy's Christ at the Preto-
rum" NJ. Munkaczy was not able to
have it ready for the opening of the So
Ion, and asked for u respite, which was
refused him. He then asked to exhibit
it in q room of the Decorative Art Exhi-
bition, occupying wing of the Palais de
I'Industrie. The committee objected,
and at length it is ON view at Sedel-
meyers, the we'll known picture dealer
of the Rue de Rochfoucauld whose
rooms for the last few days have been
crowded with lovers of art. Munkaczys
picture contains about fifty life-size fig
ures. On the right, on throne, clad in
the Roman toga, of white bordered with
red, sits PLATE listening. At the foot of
the throne, right and left, Jews in cos
tunes indicative of audience and posi-
ton, are contemplating the scene with
curiosity, sympathy, fear and hatred.
On the steps Of the throne, the
accuser, with outstretched hand,
vociferatlng violently, his long white
beard, as it were, on end with fury, is
laundering his accusation. Behind, q
motley, compact crowd. in divers poses,
are striving on tip-toe to get a view of
the Judge and of the accused. A Jewess.
full OF sorrow, is lifting up her child to
show it the Savior. Behind the Savior q
Roman soldier, his coarse brown mantle
thrown back over his shoulder, his legs
firmly set and bare, with his halberd
crosswise, with all the strength of his
muscular arms, is holding back the
clamorous multitude, amid which, in
particular, with distended mouth,
stupidity ferocious eye, and in tattered
garments, a sunburnt porter is furiously
demanding that Christ be delivered to
him. Solid, somber architecture. be-
meath the arches of which there is
glimpse of the deep blue sky, encircles
the scene. There is not one of the figures
with an insignificant physiognomy, and,
despite the utmost uniform type of the
face, each stands out in defined manner
from the mass. The two most striking
characters are, of course, Christ and
PLATE. The latter, his marked Roman
physiognomy troubled with vague
hesitation and an almost timid embar-
rassment, stands forth all but alone of
his race amid the uproarious crowd. He
looks a. if he will not be able to resist,
and evidently the accused will fall vic
tim to the pusillanimity of the Roman.
The Christ, on the. contrary-and
here was the browning difficulty to be
overcome-is standing and facing PLATE.
His long white robe reaches the ground.
Through its folds you discern the nat
ural symmetry of his supple frame. The
attitude is serene, full of pity, with
which-and this is the fault one finds
with it's mingled, as it were, vague
expression of disdain. The head is in
tensely beautiful and melancholy, and
the general conception is one of the
loftiest expressions of ideal beauty.
That Munkaczy has not attempted to
paint what is called divine figure has
given rise to discussion. II should
rever have ventured to paint a divine
figure" he says, "for what is divine can
not be painted; if it could, it would
cease to be divine. l wished to paint
God who has assumed human form, and
who could only assume it in its most
perfect aspect" This is the best reply
to those who reproach Munkaczy with
having tried to modernize the physiog-
nomy of Christ. Apart from this dis
cussion, everything in the picture, which
is to be exhibited throughout Europe,
Is irreproachable, and is destined to
rank as one of the chief works of con-
temporary art London Times.