Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-26
A GREAT PICTURE.
CHRIST BEFORE pILATE-THE MUNKAcsY
PAINTING AT PARIS.
Some Details About the Picture-The First
Rivet in Bartholdi's statue-A
Friend to America.
PARIS. October 81, 1881.

PARIS, October 81, 1881.
No. 6 of the Rue Rochefoucauld, al
though occupied by marchand de tableaar,
is handsome private hotel which is en-
tered through an imposing iron gate, and
reached at the end of beautiful green
lawn trimmed with graceful tees. The
lofty stoop, with its great pillars, add to
its imposing appearance, and as you are met
by gentlemen in white cravats, and with a
seriousness of expression consistent with
the gravest of ceremonies, you are inspired
with a certain awe before reaching the
much talked of picture Of MIR. Munkacsy,
Christ before Plate" You pass through
carpeted hall with frescoed ceiling, and
enter doorway draped in red velvet cur
tains, when Immediately before you,
lighted from ceiling wholly of glass, and
filling one entire side of large room, is
this marvellous painting, which Is justly
considered the most remarkable work OF
art of the present day. Christ, in his
white robe, is of course the center figure,
but the glance is first absorbed by Plate,
who sits on a sort of throne, and with one
hand clutching the fingers of the other as
though enumerating certain facts, the
brows are knit in an intensity of reflection
and perplexity one would scarcely have
suspected the human face capable of ex-
pressing. Pilates robes are white, with a
border Of red, and his head is that of
DOMAIN
Which could almost be taken for Nero
himself. There have been two Christs in
this picture, as the world has learned the
first, that of most beautiful and perfect
man, with clear, fearless eyes, bearing in
| their expression conviction Of the truth
| of his prophecies, whose intensity is modi.
fed by the gold.tinted hair and flowing
beard. His hands are attached behind his
back, and this pose gives to his bearing
something bold and provoking, which we
feel did not belong to Christ. This Christ
has disappeared, to make way for another,
| whose arms, folded in front, give the ap.
pearance of dignity and resignation which
did not belong to the other. The face is
pale and emaciated, as one who has sui.
fered, and there is something vague and
distant in the expression of the eye, consist
| emit with our Chris ian ideas of a God OF
inspired prophet. Crowding around Christ
is the rabble, an ignorant, almost
savage people, approaching him with
indignant, threatening looks, while
some with arms upstretched call upon
| Plate to condemn the impostor. Some
| few, who had followed more from curiosity
than indignation, looked on the scene with
almost quiet indifference, among whom is
young woman with child in her arms,
and on whose handsome Jewish face is de.
picted the expression of almost sorrowful
regret. Around Plate, at the foot of the
| throne, sit stout men with heavy boards,
| and who have close resemblance with the
| money.lenders of all ages. Near them are
other heads in the close contact of discus.
| sion, each one possessing an individuality
and marked with character of its own.
One of the most striking and important
figures is that of
THE ROMAN SOLDIER
Who, with his back turned to the audi
ence, extends his spear to keep the rabble
from approaching too near the judges
throne. As he stands more in the fore
ground than any other; the figure is larger,
and there is authority and frmness ex-
pressed in the very pleats of his green
mantle, besides there is a substance of the
body rarely as well developed in the most
famous pictures of the world. 1t was fol.
lowing the general and severe criticisms of
his first Christ that the artist, Mr.. Mum
kacsy, decided on painting another and
Il Il. 81 &al hat = no
intention from the first to change the face,
it is easy to believe that he was strongly
influenced by public opinion, which caused
him to sacrifice his first and probably best
inspiration. The pose of the first Christ
was unpleasing, for there was the straight
line of his white dress, which was harsh
and ungraceful, and the bringing of the
arms to the 'front.' where they are folded
with quiet dignity, modifies very materially
the pose. With whatever head the Christ
might be painted he would have had, with
his hands behind him, always bold, pro-
voking manner and l think, had the first
head been retained with this change of the
hands, the picture would have been more
satisfactory than at present. An American
lady, very enthusiastic on the subject, in
sisted that
THE FIRST CHRIST
Was the real Christ, for in the first pose
his attitude was that of warrior who
battled with divine power to keep together
the ignorant spirits around until they were
touched by divine grace that the second
was weak, delicate man and might an
swer for any exalted spirit of this earth.
A gentleman present remarked that the
appearance of the first Christ was that of
revolutioner, when he was answered that
Christ was in reality the greatest revolu-
ZIONIST of the world. The first Christ, l
observed, must be the ideal of Renan, for
he is in that represented as a most beauti-
full man physically, and as one possessed
of superior intelligence, with the delicate,
refined nature Of womA. ono" | was
answered, Mr.. Renan was not very much
pleased with the first Christ, but on seeing
the second he joyfully said VoiLa mon
Christ This information very much
surprised me, for the face expression of
the second might as well belong to
an insane person as to that of a
divine prophet. People came and went
aud all spoke in whispers as though they
were in chapel used for divine worship.
Their reflections were varied and more or
less profound. l was startled on hearing
young lady on entering eXclaim "What
beautiful frame % The frame seemed to be
part of the wall and left no space around
it the soft dark carpet and velvet hanging
of the room aided in making ressortir the
best qualities of the picture On the floor,
leaning against the wall, were the esquisses
of the first picture, the bust of the first
Christ and head of the second, all of differ
emit sizes and portraying the evolution of
the artists brain. These of course are of
great value, commercially and artisticslly.
In the center of the room stood an en-
graver bending over high easel, who with
a sharp instrument slowly drew lines on
the copper plate before him. This plate
was quite large and the engravings will be
very important. As is well known, the
frat engravings struck off are OF great
value and diminish according to the num-
Der of times the plate is used. was told
by gentleman in attendance that mum.
L l. J