Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-03-06
MUNE4CSTS NEW PICTURE.
Completion of His "MoEarts Last Day -
Mastery Creation.

Mastery Creation.
\ little more than a year ago II was au-
nounced that the great Hungarian artist
Munkacsy pronounced MounkatChi - was
engaged on a new picture, to be entitled
"Mozart's Last Day" The painting is now
finished, and on exhibition in Paris. Day
after day and week after week, with un-
wearied patience, the artist worked at his
canvas, while his wife, one of the most ac-
complished of women, sat beside him, read
ing to him the gossip of the hour and keeping
him in good humor by her vivacious chat
The figures are three-quarter lie size, like
those in the artists picture of Milton dictat-
ing his Paradise Lost" to his daughters
The idea was suggested to the painter by
reading MOzirt's Lille, one OF the saddest writ
ten. 1t represents the great composer as he
listened 10 fragments OF his "Requiem'
which he did not live TO finish, sung by his
friends whom he called around his death-bed,
Dec 5, l79L Tue diving composer is seated
i'll an armchair, clad in yelowish robe de
Chamhre, with a wOOen Coverlet thrown over
his knees. The face j. in profile, and the left
hand holds the score while the right hand
marks the movement tor the singers. His
wife stands a little to the rear, listening with
a mingled look of admiration and pain, while
his son, lad of six years too young to COM
prehend the gravity of the situation, is half
concealed in the shading at the extreme right
OF the canvas
The second group to the left of the picture
| is composed OF the eNeCutants, four in num-
| berthe aCcOmpanlst seated al the harplschord
| and three singers. Between these two groups
| is a third standing behind the harpisChOrd
| and composed of friends and attendants OF
| the great master. one OF these, his elbow
| leaning on the instrument, has his eyes fixed
on Mozart and follows with sympathetic at
tentiOn the impression made on the dying
musician. This figure i intended to repre-
| R,sar ha pTrlpS a. MGZlTt's de-
voted admirer and friend
| While engaged in painting the picture Nj.
| Munkacsy was deeply moved by the pathetic
| scene, and he imagined, as he says, "that
| vague harmOnies issued from the canvas and
| that not only coOrS but sounds proceeded
| from his brush. He fancied he could hear
| the strains that gladdened the heart OF the
| dying composer and an iTrepressible impulse
| to hear the requiem took possession of his
| mind. He mentioned the fact to his wife and
| she suggested that when the picture would
| be finished a choir with amusical aCcOmpani
| ment, should be invited To repeat behind the
| canvas the scene which the picture itself pOr-
| trayed, The ruInOr of this novel exhibition
! went abroad and NJ. and Nine. MunkaCsy
| were beseiged with requests for permission
| to attend the performance. Most of these re-
| quests were necessarily refused for want OF
| space, but over two hundred invitations were
| issued and the exhibition took place few
| evenings ago. This select assembage EN-
| braced all the members of the diplomatic
| body with their wives, and the most distin-
| guishcd persOnages of literary, artistic aud
| aristOcratic Paris. Nine. Munkacsy did the
| hOnors of the occasion with her accustomed
| gracOusness. At given signal the organ
| sounded behind the canvas and the bright
| lights in the studio were extinguished.
! While the grand picture stood out in the
| fullest light the auditory was IN profound
| darkness. The mass began amid unbroken
| silence. The effect was indescribable, The
| figures on the canvas seemed instinct with
| life. They appeared to be real things OF flesh
| and blood. The lips seemed to move and the
| voices seemed to come not from behind, but
| from the figures on the canvas. The illusion
| was so perfect that the spectators imagined
| that they could see the hand of the dying
| Mozart marking the movement and the look
| of joy on his spiritualiZed face As he listened
| To his requiem for the first and last time.
| When the lights were turned up almost every
| face bore the mark of tears. Alphonse Dau'
| det declared that he never witnessed any
| scene, spectacle or performance that touched
his senSlblities so deeply. NJ, MunkaCsy :
| picture will be on exhibition in all the Euro
peau capitals, and will doubtless be great
| success. Apart from its artistic merit the sub
leCt il one that Immediately appeals to the
senses AprOpOs of the realism OF NJ. Num-
| kacsy's paintings pretty story Is told When
| his famous Picture of "Christ before Plate "
was on exhibition in the Ledeimeyer hall one
| of Mime. Munkacsy's friends visited the ex-
| hibltiOn, accompanied by heI littl g son, some
three or four years old. As the thTong sur
| rounded the picture the mother lifted the
child in her arms and held him for few
moments while he stared tiXedly at the fig
ures before him. "Did you find that nice "'
| asked the mother as they turned to leave.
"Oh, yes, mamma | saw God all the time,
but ! couldn't hear him speak"
NJ. Munkacsy's only deviation from historic
| truth in his picture OF Mozart is in represent
| ing him on a chair, instead of in bed, but this
he was compelled to do for artistic reasons
ri zt has L lodi nt al a.
destination OF this work, but hopes 1t will
go to Austria Hungary, and not follow so
| many OF his other pictures to foreign cOun-
tries. 1t is probable his wish will be gratihed
in this respect, as measures are being taken
in both Vienna and Pesth TO secure this mag
nihcent work OF the great Hungarian mas
ter From the NCW Moon.