Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-11-12
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Description Of The Grcat Painting
Now ON Exhibition In PhiIadei-

I 80 =
phia.
PHrLADELPHIA, Nov. 7.--One of Phila-
delphia's new attractions and one which
no one should fail TO see is the new pic
ture of the Battle Of Gettysburg, by the
/ celebrated French artist, Paul Phillip
poteaux, who spent four or five years on
the scene Of the battle gathering informa-
ton and details for his great work.
II is on exhibition i'll large circular
building erected expressly for it at the
corner of Broad and Cherry streets, only
a few steps from Broad street station, and
is about 90 feet to the top of the dome
and $50 feet in diameter, lighted at night
by electric light, 30 that il can be viewed
as well at night as day time.
The entrance is o marrow hallway
where the ticket window is situated, and
to one side is cosy little waiting room
with chairs and settees for resting. After
passing through the door you go up a
flight of steps which wind round to the
top and You come out on raised plat
form about 20 feet from the ground, when
the scene that suddenly bursts upon the
view almost bewilders one aud you can
imagine yourself suddenly brought from
the quiet of the outside world into all the
roar of battle field; all looks so real.
On one side battery (Wheeler's) coming
into position and on another the hand to
hand conflict between Pickett's men and
the Union forces. In another place q
surgeon has his headquarters, and is
quietly working on wounded man Just
brought in.
The viewing stand is circular like the
building and will measure about so feet
in diameter, being capable of holding
about 200 people. The canvas is 40 feet
high and MS stretched around the walls of
the building 400 feet in circumference,
having surface of about 10000 square
feet. 1t was shipped from Paris in a zinc
case thoroughly waterproof and that was
enclosed in another making a package
that weighed nearly five tons.
Around the raised platform dirt is
thrown up and gradually sloped away to
the canvas with real trees planted in it
and the work is so well done that the eye
cannot detect where the real ends and the
painting begins. On one side the dirt is
plowed and the continuation of the can
vas is so real that it is impossible to tell
the difference. At another place nm
empty ammunition box is shown, one
half real, the other painted, and 80 we'll
is it done that it looks like one real box.
On another side is the famous wheat
field, part real and part painted, all
trampled, with troops marching to the
front passing through it. Generals Han
cock and Meade with their staifs are
shown in the painting as natural as life.
Among the principal points that are
shown are Round Top and Little Round
Top, Cemetery Ridge, Oulp's Hill,
Meade's headquarters, and also the
Taneytown and Emmittsburg roads.
The writer had the pleasure of listening
to General Lynch describe where he was
and he stated that it was the most real
thing he had ever witnessed, it being an
exact counterpart of the ground. Dead
horses and men, broken muskets, cannon
dismantled, trees cut and splintered and
shells exploding, make scene of such
awe-inspiring grandeur that it can never
be forgotten.
There are hourly explanations of the
painting given by Capt. Charles A. Hale
of the First division, Second corps, who
took an active part in the battle. MIR.
Hale is very agreeable man and never
gets tired of answering the many ques-
tons that visitors may want to ask.
The exhibition is TO be permanent and
no one should let the opportunity go by
of visiting it, and more especially those
who took part in that great battle for
| their country,