The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1884-06-12

NV ANNA AaAHAA - 49,
New York May ia private view
was accorded Thursday 10 aftials cri-
tic and persons interested On art Of
MrThOmas HOyendenis historical pic
ture, John Brown on His way to
execution This important work
was cOmpleted only q few weeks agO,
too late 10 allow its exhibition In the
National Academy % Design. 10 was
painted for Mr. Robbins Baiiell Of this
city
The artist had chosen Tor representa-
ton the historical incident Of John
Brown on his way 20 execution stop
ping to kiss q negro child In Its moth
er's arms This incident also forms the
subject of part Of WhittieF's poem,
Brown Of OssaWOtomie. I" The picture
shows the porch Of the jail with part
Of the brick wall on either side. II Is
q covered white wooden porch Of typ
ieal American character with rather d.
lapidated wooden steps and hand rails
At one side Of the stairs, on the right Il
seen John Brown IN his we'll brushed
carefully arranged suit Of snuff brown
rcd velvetslipPeTs andiEhite stOcking g,
arrayed for his death as IL for q Sun
day morning In his NOrihen home.
His arms care tied behind with ropes
and the halter Is about his neck. He
has stopped, and the nlomeulary ae-
ton Is capitally expressed Ia the
whole pose Of the figure 10 kiss the
child held up to him by the negro
mother, who gazes wlstfully into his
face. His br0nzed face, crest Of white
hair aud long white beard form q stri-
king contrast with the small black
head ef the negro baby IN its dlngy
garments. The figure OF the baFefOOted
mother, in lie iaWny brown ragged
pettieoat aud urban, repeat the color
notes In the figure Of John Brown.
Behind the negress Is q little while
girl, with tangled fair hair, gazing
curiOusly up at the old man on the
steps above. A small negro boy ls Wis
ible against the background Of bare
brick. wall. Part Of 9 dingy blind is
seen ct the extreme right. At the right
OF the foreground are two soldiers fine
looking stalwart men IN the uniform
Of the Jefferson Guards. The imme-
diate foreground Il simply q strip Of
light earth and stone worn away By The
tread Of meny feet. At the len q the
fOTegroundlstands another soldier proLs
ably a servant, in dieating by his ;at-
titude and the expression Of his face
that he Il keeping of a mob behind
He holds gun transversely, 80 that It
cuts across the principle group and viz
tually forms barrier between John
Brown and the sheriff, who stands be-
hind him on the porch holding the
warrant OF execution. This figure
forms one Of a group Of men issuing
from the door Of the Jail. They are
all distinctive Southern types in dress
and features, and are strongly indlvid-
ualised. At the left on The ground
and against the side Of house, are fig
ures Of negroes, old and young, who
haveistOlen up 70 give q parting glance
Of sympthy to the champion ofttheir
race. One wOmanlstands with heT, back
against the wall Of the house and her
teaFfull eyes raised to heavn, evidently
praying for the man about to die.
Tie first thing that impresses the
the spectator as he gazes at this pic
ture Is the reality Of it. It seems less
like q work Of art than like q group Of
living, breathing, human beings called
from mere tradition into tangible ex.
istence. Every figure presents q diff
ferent type equally truthful and care
fully studied. The composition e 90
good that 90 trace Of 1t exists-the
scene appears 10 have been literally
transcribed from Rctuality. IL IL an
American picture from beginning to
end not only It's subject, sentiment and
style, but In It's pathetic stoielsn. The
stOlidity Of the face, the absence ofem-
OtiOnal expression except on the ne
gFO's face, reveal the nationality Of the
scene and the figure, and emphasize
the significance Of the subject more
powerfully than q dramatic, that Il q
more faelitiOus treatment would have
done. The essence OF American life
and character is In this work, and e
deserve 20 rank among the historical
master pieces Of the century.