Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-21
National Dauhs.

The artloving people ofthe Eastern cities
are getting good deal stirred UP over the
proposed amendments by Senator Sherman
to some of the appropriation bills, BY which
he proposes that the government shall buy
Miss Ramson's full-length portrait of Gen.
Thomas and Mrs. Fassett's painting Of the
Electoral Commission. They protest against
the purchase for decoration OF the
Capitol or other government buildings
Of inferior works Of art, thereby lowering
the standard of art i'll this country and in
the capital of this patton, which processes 50
much intelligence and culture. Aud surely
there is ueed enough for reform in this dl-
rection The worthless daubs in some of
the public buildings of Washington are too
numerous 10 mention. JUST at the present
moment :. distinguished artist from New
York is here engaged upon a portrait of
an eX cabinet officer which is to take the
place in one of the departments, of por-
trait for which high price WAS paid, aud
which is now recognized as unit for the
place. TO the artistic eye some OF the work
upon the walls of the Capitol is absolutely
painful. 1t is hard to believe that the fore
fathers have been in every generation de-
formed lot Yet any one who will study
the paintings in the public buildings here,
and especially in the rotunda Of the Capt.
tol, must arrive at the conclusion that those
| whom they are intended to represent were
bad lot, or else that the artists who made
| them were to be thus classified. Arms alb
normally long or short, legs with such Il de
velopment of calfGs 10 render the i'm preston
Of absolute and painful deforlnity, and faces
bearing the brand of vice, are 10 be seen. II
| is notorious fact. or at least statement
| which appears to be founded on fact, that
| one of the numerous artists contributing TO
the work of this class in the Capitol build
ing has perpetdated the face of bis mis-
trcss in one Of the groups now to be seen
upon the walls Of that building In the de.
partment buildings are to be found por-
traits Of men long since forgotten, who
served, perhaps, few days as temporary
heads of departments, and whose coEnec-
ton with that service would be perhaps Ell.
tirely forgotten but for this fact. And yet
they have been paid for at from three 10
five hundred dollars apiece. The paintings
which Senator Sherman proposes to buy ale
open to criticism, although they are not
daubs. That there has been good deal
of work put upon them, however-eS-
peciaIly on that of the Electoral Com
MISSIONS beyond question. 1t is a
view OF the interior of the Supreme
Court chamber where the commission sal
! showing the members Of the commission
in their seats-Mr Eyarts, q central figure,
in the act of speaking, and upon the floor
of the chamber and il the gallery as many
people as could be packed into the room.
OF course, the artist has brought into the
picture all the most noted people who were
in Washington at that time. Blaine and
Randall are given prominent positions.
Mrs John Tyler and Myra Clark Gaines
are also portrayed, while in the gallery are
to be seen the faces of many prominent
Washington correspondents. The most
striking feature of the picture, however, is
the fact that the artist has painted herself,
sketchbook aud pencil in hand, in the i'm
mediate foreground one of the most promi.
nent figures in the entire group of two hun
dred people.-|Fash cor. Baltimore Ameri
| can.