The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-12-11


despondency rushed down to the North
River and threw himself in Wellthe point
Of all this is that in Salmi Morses Tabel-
nscle, they are now exhibiting Mnnkarsy's
great picture of Christ before Plate, which
was one OF the identical scenes in Salmi
Morse's Passion Play
New York has seen something of art,
and knows something of advertising, but
nothing has appeared in this city for years,
which touches Munkacsy's. Christ before
Plate" j was heraldcd before its arrival,
with It came the immortal painter himself,
and since his arrival he has had ono con-
tinual round of receptions and fctcs,
enough to turn his head. That is all right.
This is as it should be. The Prince of this
western world are not the corrupt descend
ants of an eiTete aristecracy, bat the men
who have bought their titles to nobility by
the works of their own imperial genius
therefore welcome Magyar Munkecsv
cannot speak forthose whose sole guides
are the severe canons of art, but to the
million the picture is disappointing. / do
not think it is within the scope Of human
genius to paint picture that will satisfy
everyone; each man has his ideal, and each
wants the picture painted as he conceives
it. In this great cartoon there are about
forty fyurcs-most of them life size. The
principal characters, however. are Christ,
plate and Cephas, the accuser of Jesus.
Back among the mob is a ragged vagabond
who keeps houting-Crucify him, cruelty
him, cruelty him; the spear of the Roman
guard is all that prevents him from rushing
OH the SAVIOUR
Only one face beams in pity on the suf-
ferer, and it is that of a young woman who
holds in her arms child. Sweet and
soothing is the sight of that pitiful face in
the midst of that cruel throng The figure
of Jesus is disappointing; all of the critics
have had ding at it; hut it is worth while
before pronouncing Judgment to ask our-
selves If the painter is not positively right,
and his critics wrong. What warrant have
we for believing that Christ was digniied
or handsome. His public life was one con
tinEous scene of persecution and suffering.
lie slept wherever chance furnished him
shelter and he ate the bread of charity,
and we all know what that means. The
night before his trial he had been wander
ing, mp TO the hour of his BETRAYAL by Judas,
in the sorrowful Garden of Gethsemene.
When dragged into Court before PLATE,
what wonder that he bore the incenteStable
evidences of his suffering. No halo of
glory encirced his hpad no white winged
dove hovered over him {; he was human. AL
ready in the stern eye of the consul, he read
his cruel sentence, and in Imagination he
felt the cruel nails and saw the cruel cross !;
and there he stands before Pilate-not
transfgurel Christ-not a defaut God
but man Of sorrow with his death sentence
ringing in his ears. Now in Munkacsy's
picture there is neither grandeur nor dignity
in the figure of the Saviour it is all human.
and wrecked and suffering humanity at
that The effect of the figure of Cephas is
destroyed by the figure placed behind it,
and which almost appears suspended on
the wall. StHl the press has been lavish in
its praise, and one of the finest art critics
in New York, Herman Schaus, assured me
it was wonderful picture. The receipts
of its exhibition in Europe reached nearly
million of dollars.
We are still busy with our boodla alder
men, and | must confess il il rather llphilI
work. The prosecution have to get twelve
men, the defence has only to get one. Heavy
odds, and Doodle will tell.
Stocks are lively. Real estate booming.
General business far; and these things
with fair promise of Moody and Sankey.
for our benighted neighbors in Brooklyn,
give us hopes for the future as well as
realization for the present. BBoADBRIM.