National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
ooRcoRAN ART GALLERY.
interesting Pictures OF Eminent Nen-A
sLofcI, of Them

interesting Pictures OF Eminent uen-A
sketch of Them.
IL is quite impossible for any one to suffer from
enpuf in this city. There are so many places of
interest TO visit and so much to study II seems,
instead of time hanging heavily upon oneshands.
the trouble would be IN finding sufficient time TO
beslow upon what Is so freely offered upon all
sides. Take the Corcorun Art Gallery alone. II Is
brimnil OF beauty and interest, and hours may be
spent there without exhausting the rich store con-
tanned there. A beautiful picture has been placed
there recently, "a View Of Constantlnoplc," by ].
o. dc Montalant. This gentleman, although
native Of this country spent many years In foreign
travel, and has painted number OF other pic
lures This view OF the celebrated city OF the East,
being painted from drawings taken on tho spot is
wonderfully correct Tho artist has apparently
stood In the suburbs Of the city, for the beautiful
gardens aud charming villas are near at hand,
while In the distance Is the city, with It's grnceiul
domes and numerous minarets, aud beyond u mo
famous Golden Horn, dotted with craft Of every
description.
There Is another worry thoresting picture" The
Procession of the Sacred Bull Apis Osiris"-by
+. A. Bridgman. THIS represents an Egyptian
festival. The animal Is led by n high priest, pre-
coded by the king and queen. Dancing-girls In
gay attire attend them, and the pathway is strewn
with flowers aud ferns.
may find whole volume to be read and studied
in the portrait gallery. Who can gaze upon the
peculiar wizencd face OF John RandOlph-the
amlable expression, the dstrustful eye-without
recalling many of the strange incidents OF his
life2 Learned. eloquent, sarcastic, brave, he was
both loved and feared. How very tenacious he
was of his dignity, and how ready he was to re-
sent any real or imagined insult offered Know
| ing all these traits of HIS character one can
readily picture that scene eighty years ago In a
| Philadelphia theatre where he became so en-.
| ragged with certain officers Of the army for repeat
| ing the terms "ragamufins" and mercenarles" !"
in his hearing thinking they meant to insult him
by doing so, as he had used those terms few days
| before in bitter speech he made against the In.
crease of the army. With nil his faults. though,
| virginians were proud Of him, and he was with.
| out doubt man OF considerable influence
Hanging right above him is tho face OF that
great commoner, Henry Clay; the piercing blue
eye, large, firm mouth, noble brow, and intellectual
nose-for noses have almost as much expression ns
| eyes shave--proclaim him TO be no ordinary man.
| What an orator he was, and how those who had
| the pleasure and privilege of hearing him speak
love to dwell upon his powers An admirer Of his
| oratory says "his voice was sonorous, null toned,
flexible; sometimes sinking TO the faintest whis-
per or rising to the highest tones without nppar-
| ent effort upon his part That when he rose to
| speak all eyes were riveted upon him, and those
that followed him seemed tame in comparison"
How very interesting TO the present generation
| Is the face of q. w, Parke Custis His name has
been so intimately associated with that Of General
| Washington and his former home, in full view
across the river, is object of great interest Ia
every one. II is not handsome face and the be-
holder does not see in II the country gentleman
that he has a right to look for Ono turns from the
plebelan features and horld complexion to looR
with pleasure upon the extremely handsome face
Of George Peabody. Beneyolcnce and goodwill
is absolutely beautiful, and Is what ladies woult
call a real kissabe mouth" Probably the arts
has fRttered him.
Quite near the great philanthropist hangs tn,
portrait OF Bernadine st. Pierre, French au
thor of considerable rcnown, whose romantic love
affairs, first with Polish princess and aiterwart
with French girl, were the means OF driving hin
to books
There never was a greater contrast between two
faces than between Abraham Lincoln and An
drew jackson, which are hanging one above tht
other. Both Of them are homely, as far as feature
are concerned, as man can well be; but with sucl
q history woven around them they become object
of admiration. Brave, honest, patrlotic-not with
out faults either of them-,their names arc dc
servedly honored, and no doubt will continue t
be as long rs this country shall stand.
A fine portrait of Thomas Jefferson-the thir'
Presdent-by Healy, after Stuart, hangs neal
The nose is good also the mouth but If the nam
were not given one would scarcely expect to hn'
in that face President. Vice President, statesman
lawyer, scientist, writer, farmer frond-all o
which positions he filed with ability and grea
credit.
John Quincy Adams had as honest face as Go,
ever gave to mana large mouth, an aristocrau
nose, and arched eyebrows, and stamped with in
telllgence and strong good sense Looking upoi
this frank, manly face one might expect TO nn'
Just such nm agreeable companion as was de
scribed by writer many years ago, atter VISIT =
him. He said: The last conversation | he'
with him was long and desultory on many sub
iects-of science, of letters and the arts, and o
| agriculture and gardening. He seemed ut hom
| in air and water. From him became acquainted
/ with tho biography Of the canvas back duck th
course of his Hight the place of his choice, tn
food he seeks, Opening some books upon archi
lecture the President touched upon every orde
known among the scientific, from the pyramids :
St. Peters, when Michael Angelo threw the Pan
theon In the heavens and from them down to m
cottage. had been acquitted with scholars froI
my childhood, but such fullness and accuracy
never had before witnessed. could have stage
forever with such an oracle"
, Millard Fillmore might be called the handsom
President, for his face Is certainly one Of unusut
beauty.
r The portrait of James Buchanan is not withor
. interest. Around that hoary head hangs tn
7 shadow of the cloud which, appearing in the dis
( tance "no larger than mans hand" rolled o
S and muttered and rumbled, and increased In vol
ume as II rolled, until II broke in the fearful storI
!, which fairly deluged the country in blood.
5 There Is one portrait absent from the CALLER
which ought to be there--that OF Daniel Webster
great for his intellect and eloquence great for h
d | natriotism and learning, great for his mastery
knotty law questions; surely his portrait deserve
= place among these other great men of our coul
try
9 The first picture meeting the eye of the visitor
Il ascending the steps leading TO the gallery Is Il
portrait OF W. W. Corcoran, the donor of this gre
treasure house. 1t Is splendid picture, and II
| hoped that the manly form aud handsome fa'
may appear not only there, but upon the stree
and In the homes OF Washington for many years
come.
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