Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-14
A eroRm OF INDIGNATION

And criticism OF the CRITICISM ehowereG
in the press Of San Francisco. Some came
to his rescue, but the mass Of judges were
against him. Everybody took to reading
Marmiou," and everybody began to criticise
the art of Toby in interpreting the text
In the heat of the debate even art theft
was charged upon Rosenthal, and another
painting Of old date cited, from which he
was charged with having stolen the
"ideas" OF his picture. The painter of
the work, Samuel Baldwin, wrote
from Yorkshire England, to vindioa1e
Rosenthal. Friends rose up 10 Rosen-
that's defense in reply to assaults upon his
work, and the contest waged over him and
his picture in Fan Francisco fairly stirred
that city to its depths. The picture tri-
umphed and won its way to public faYorso
thoroughly that very soon adverse crit
cism was stilled, opposition to it practi-
cally Dead and RosenthaPs unques-
ti9ued senigs given dgs NEED Ct ~
plause Perhaps one Of the most
fitting expressions INDUCED in during the
period ii which the excitement ran SO
high over the picture, was that by a
weekly paper which held that the picture
performed great, good mission by being
exhibited in city where false art reigns,
and where by lobbying false art finds
acceptance, and that the picture is q monu-
mcnt of industry and conscientious work,
and victory of the school of realism over
that Of lazy pot-boiling.
AMONG THE AMUSING
Criticisms made upon the picture was one
that referred to the position OF Constance,
it being held that no woman could 80
etand In reply, it was said that young
women in mems attire are often seen to
assume such q position on the stage; that
if it be admitted that the hmbe are con-
torted, SO is the soul. That had she stood
in q graceful attitude we should
have u cherubino, an opera page, balles
giri-but not Constance" Rosenthal
began TO compose the picture in July, 1881,
after a visit to the Louvre, the Inter
national Exhibition, and the Musee de
Cluny. While working it. out
he made study tri p to Ratisbon, Nurem-
burg, Wuerzburg, and finally to England.
He complained that the subject was diff
ficult one and that to transpose & great
literary masters language to canvas in
work Of the same merit in color, is in
many cases impossible. He frankly wrote
that he would take some poetic, artistic
license, as ali translators oi tongues do
inyenting new terms to express the sIne
thoughts. He studied all the history Of
the Benedictine Order, and consulted the
the great church historian, Dol
tingcr. During the painting Of the
picture the studio was visited by
many distinguished Europeans and by
royalty Itself to see marmion,' as the
canvas was known in Munich In July,
1882 Toby went to the Danube to visit dark
crypts in an ancient monastery, in order to
study in color, black ard white, architectu-
raj accessories for the picture. IN oneletter
Toby says: "Sir Walter Scott disposes
his figures to suit himself; he dresses them
without considering the effect Of color;
IT SUITS HIN WILL ENOUGH
To express in black and white all his
imagination set at freedom can form; he
places seven figures dressed in black gar
ments in pitch-dark interior;
but how are you to produce O beautiful
picturesque effect while embodying il on
canvas. Piloty, I}aferegger and Kaulbach,
Jr., said it can't be done said it aud
must be done, for ! have promised to solve
the question aad viii do it." lie did and
exhibited the picture at the great Interua-
tional Exhibition Of Fine Arts in Munich,
July, 1882, whore it received the second
gold medal, Toby claiming TINT intrigue
robbed him Of the first. The picture went,
az Toby put II, Through hre-proof Europe,
and hung side by side with the greatest
art productions of the country, and com
peted with the Lest works loaned from all
the national galleries and royal collections
Of Europe, and had the approval Of all tho
greatest art critics Of Europe" 1t comes
now to Sacramento for the criticism Of a
cultured people, and in aid Of broad
Ehilanthrupic work.