The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-10-16
Correspondence Of the Floridian.l
EXPOSITION LETrER.


LOUISVILLE, Oct II, 1883.
| 1t is an open question whether the enjoyment
| of the connoisseur OF Art is greater than that
| of AN ordinary observer. The very fact of the
connoisseur being familiar with the technique
and having prac,iced eye, which at once dis
covers every flaw, debarS him from the real en-
joyment OF taking the picture for what ii is in
tended to represent. fine illustration of this
was seen in criticism which appeared in u
prominent journal II few days ago. The picture
so severely criticised is called
GOING TO MARKET, ITALY.
\ party OF gay Italian peasants, dressed in their
bright picturesque costumes, are making their
way through dusty road. Some are carrying
grapes, others are bearing loads of golden oran-
ges while the men driving sheep and tur-
keys. "Such sheep, such turkies!" eXclaims the
critic. They must DC hybrids for nature pro-
duces none such True the sheep are not South
down, nor the turkeys such as we are accustomed
to, yet tor aught we know, Italy's sheep and tur-
keys may differ somewhat from ours. The artist
evidently had no intention OF devoting his main
strength TO the production OF perfect animals,
the ideas uppermost in his mind were to picture
the gay badinage of the Italian, and to produce
the optical illusion of seeing the dust rise from
the road At distance, the illusion is perfect,
the dust seems To rise in great volumes and tall
upon the hats and clothes OF the laughing, jost
ling mass. The picture deserves a better fate
than the one suggested by the honorable critic
masterpiece. There is one picture upon which
all are agreed that it is the greatest among the
great,
THE HELPING HAND.
The great beauty lies in lis vigorous realism and
the harmonious blending Of colors 1t is Il
bright sunshiny day. the old fisherman has taken
his little granddaughter with him in his boat
She has asked him to lei her help him row, and
her tiny little hands tightly clasp the sine
pulls with all her might There is an earnest eX-
preston of sturdy resolution on her face which
has been born OF the thought that she had at
last reached an age when she could be OF ser
vice TO her beloved erandsre The old man 5
face wears a humorous expression of mingled
pride and tenderness, look which makes the
plain, honest tcutonic face almost handsome
The picture is SO lielike that whether one stands
near or at distance, the scenic effect is the
same. A picture which humorously illustrates
the tralties of our frame is
THE MONASTERY CELLAR
Here in cellar, the walls of which have upon
them the damp and mildcw Of ages, is a monk
who has consecra1ed his life to the service of the
- Great Master. But even he, the patriarch S
OF old, has his weak moments. There in the
demijohu is the famous cloistcr wine, perha ps
the celebrated Wiue OF 1911 How can he resist
the temptation . Tor a sip. ii little sip, Can
there be any harm in tasting the wine No :
Out comes the bottle from lis wicker case and the
cork is pulled. The expression Of the monks
face Is study. A casual glance would give the
impression OF great joy, and yet on closer exam
nation there are lines about the mouth and eyes
which show that he has little contempt for him
self t"r having yielded to the temptation. The
struggle betW cen his better and evil nature is APP
parent, even though the predominant expression
is that OF joy. 1t g true To nature Even though
The forbidden pleasure is sweet when the hand
first grasps ii, YET even in the sweetness OF the
moment the thought that it is not right will cause
a feeling of dissatisfaction and give the joy a
hinge of bitterness which will make it seem in
complete Two companion pictures entitled
HER LETTER-HER GLOVE
illustrate the difference which love makes in the
sexes In a country road, white in its mantle of
snow, young girl warmly clad in her cloak and
hood, is slowly wending her way. She holds in her
hand an open letter. Her face wears Il sweet
sober look she is pleased with the contents and
yet aslounded. The beautiful womanly express
sion shows that love has transformed the gay
giddy, thoughtless girl into noble self-sacritic-
ing woman. In The companion picture Her
Glove the scenery is the same the puritan, for
such his modest dress shows him TO be, holds in
his hands glove. His face is simple, insipid
just As men really look when they worship some
fair being. Love makes woman grand, man
simple
Florida will soon attract universal attention,
for the 18th is fast approaching. We hope to
become personally acquainted with the noble
sons and daughters of the beautiful land OF flow
ers The Commissioners are making every effort
10 have the Florida display such as every Flor
idian will be proud to acknowledge his own.
May goodly number be present.
FAUNTINE VETrER