, 1886-12-29
WAR PAN0RA MAS.
METHODS BY WHICH A GREAT BAT
TILE PAINTING IS MADE.

Work That Calls for CareluI Judgment
and Much Artistic sliii-rnintiug IL
Cavalry omcer-turio-iiy of Ni~iiors.
An Old lady
Whcn-rbattle panorama or cyelorama
is TO he set mp the material for IN. fore
ground is always prepared before the re-
ceipt of the picture. Tn chief artist and
the mechanical constructor have suptrin-
tended the construction of the platforms,
following the irregular line indicated both
on the first lrawing and the panorama.
All the lumber that is used is treated
with II composition of s~ilicate, to keep out
moisture and to make it fire proof. Hun
dreds of loads of earth have been carted
into the building: quantities of lumber,
trees both living and dead, together with
n collection of fente rails, bushes, sods,
logs, sand and n variety OF camp equipage
are piled about ready fon' use. The plat
forms are the groundwork for the earth
and sod, which are very skillfully joined
to their painted scnblnnces ON the canvas;
bushes md trees are planted; earthwOrks
md log camps are built; everything is
done with careful intent to make the
foreground aud painting appear rs one
whole landscape, and so to join the two
In meaning and color ns to make il nearly
impossible for II spectator to determine ut
any point which Is the real and which
the painted scene.
CAREFUL JUDGMENT NEEDED,
This work calls for very careful judg-
ment, as it is necessary to settle the exact
relation in size which renl objects shall
bear to those in the painting. An ordi-
nary hat or cap placed upon the fore
ground near the canvas would seem pro-
digious, though the same hat thrown on
the ground near the platform occupied
by the spectator would not attract notice.
The entire foreground must therefore be
arranged to aid the perspective of the
painting, so that when the panorama is
ready for exhibition even the artist who
has constantly labored to attain that very
result finds difficulty in realizing that the
scene spread before him is painted
upon canvas which hangs vertically but
forty feet distant from his eye.
The central platform is of course the
standpoint from which visitors will view
the therefore the artists
are obliged to 20 to it frequently as the
painting nears completion in order to OBJ
serve the effect and progress of their
work. The floor of the platform is chalked
and rechalked with diagrams, some re-
ferring to the panorama itself, but more
toillustrate occurrences upon other fields.
The strong pine rail surrounding the plat
form is penciled all over with kindred
decorations. while scraps of paper on
which IRE memoranda of incidents and n
variety Of data, AS well as names n ad-
dresses, are pinned to the convenient tim
Der with thumb tacks.
The artists paint steadily, every individ-
nal being mninly coupled in perfectipg
his own work though never hesitatinc
10 ask or extend mid in some special direc-
tion one artist. for instance. has mn ex
celleut no1ir, Of a mounted officer. all com
plete excepting the portrait. n photograph
Tor which is mined TO the canvas. While
this artist u,oes To strengthen "A line of
battle another one will rapidly paint in
mn admirable nortrait for the incomplete
figure soon another brush is busy with
the horse while still another artist cnlls
for some special saddle and bride to be
brought to the platform that he may
paint the %trappings.
ptxNrn IN THE Canvas
Nu,,.i -, H., hnol, OF On rho,orr,nh
,.htch ;s nfn,.d 70 tha nanvasNa fadeed
oart. a. -, - ,n,,,r n.,i.... unon a
Ia ,hn lin, ''%oi
- w. 49, e. Sh.,a1a 49, .,aT. ,han
~ !" ~ ,.,aT II 80, naa
tn, A. - ~ -" 90 fla mann-
ra1,nI, -, c,n lJn,sc cnninin,a
@n' 1n.. rti,,, o,,or ,n1j
a,,.i Ill, IN s,n,.5 Sfcciella, sad-
ia. .a rI,,i, ho,yo. 500 .to,ch y,
mis- u,.f,nco ,viIl giv, n, iden of The
,vnv in ,.l,ich f,cte nre preserved when n
nnnn~n,un 1. nnin,eJ bv 2rtists who con
sci,u,a.usl, Strive 10 rn,le nf th. v.,rk n
,n,,n, his.nricnl nnintinn
ri. nuestion IL freouontlv asked;