The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-28
CHRIST BEFORE PLATE.
MUNKACSY'S GREAT PAINTING
ON EXHIBITION
In the Same Building Wherein Saint
More Gave His Passion Play
and O'Neill Play cd "Jsius."
IcoRREsPoxDEScE OF THE APPRAL.I

lcoRREsPoNDEScE OF THE APPEAL
NEW Y RK, November 27.-'When
l wanted to play Jesus they wouldn't
let me, and now look 1t ihatW The
speaker did not intend the slightest
impiey, or even uiviality. Ga the
contrary. ne was in reveIent earnest.
He was James 0'Neill, the actor, and
what he meant WIS that seveIal years
ago he bad been prove ted by law
from enactlng The +, Ia of the Savior
in Passion plar, while now he stood
pazing at thea ricsl r presenta,i n OF
Christ before Plate. 1t was in the
very same theater, too, where Salmi
Morse spent $70,0t0 in preparing the
divine tragedy for performance, but
was at last stopped 10 his enterprise
1t is true that the pers,nages in the
present scene were merely painted, for
it was Michael Munkacsy 3 painting
that was on exhibition; but the big
picture was set in the proecenium
opening, which it filed; the figures
were life sixs; they we're illumiI ated
by foot and border lights, stage fash
ion; the spectators sat like an audi
ence in front; and the whole was
s'artlipgly like dramatic representa-
ton. No wonder that O'Neill, who
had been forbidden to act the part Of
Christ in a play on that same spot,
should regard the Munkacsy show as
unjustly privileged.
After the Morse failure, the tsber-
nscle, as he called his theater, was en-
gagged by the Rev. A. B. Simpson for
regular Sunday services. The attractive
feature OF Mr.. simpsons work was
miraculous healing. He occupied
public attention for time as passing
sensation, and then removed his ef.
forts to the iron tabernacle on the
other side of the city. After this
Morse's building sank into the OBJ
security Of lecture hall until Michael
OF Munkscsy crossed the sea sick billow
aud called upon the people of the
metropolis and the whole continent in
fact, TO bow down and worship him in
the idol which he set up in the taber-
nacle. MunkaCsy's ideal OF Jesus
stands in lis big gilt frame on the very
stage where Morse's Christ was TO be
crucifed, end where Simpson pre-
tended to be the medium OF Chris 3
healing power. 10 it's way the paint.
ing is an innovation, a destroyer OF
popular notions, and to many 1t will
doubles seem somewhat sacrilegious.
The innovation referred to is not in
the use of cclors, or in the devices OF
the artist to secure effect, though the
Hungarian will undoubtedly fad the
artists and critics Of America thrice
aimed in def, nee of the rules and in
opposition to the infringemeDts there
of; it ia in regard to the ideal of Je-
sue. The greatest painters since the
beginning of the Christian era have
agIeed ia certain respects Ia the de-
lineaions of Jesus's features. AS
consequence the people the world
over have come to associate with the
name OF Christ certain expression of
face, and certain attendant features
that they will miss unwi linely in Mum
kscsy's work. For although the 240
square feet OF canvas covered
by Michsel's brush contain score or
more OF figures, and although each
person in the group has his individual
place and meaning In the general con-
ception, 1t is the fsure of Christ that
will command attention as the critic
rion of genius, originality and artistic
inspiration. Munkscsy endeavors to
portray him as a thinker; a revolu-
Zionist, II you will, one Of the uDcom-
promising agi'atOrs of progressive
idefs. In doing this he gives the Sa-
vior stern expression OF face, a COM
manding presence, in which unyield-
ing conviction, calm but very deter
mined, IS more prominent than the
compassion we are accustomed to asso-
ciate with him. Muukacsy also dis.
cards the halo with which his prede-
cessoIs have always distinguished
Christ's head.
Il prefer to paint Him in His aspect
as a man." he explained, "but my
manager is of the orthodox, conven.
tional way OF thinking. He srgues
that the halo is an essential feature IN
every Christians imagination. He
favors the introduction OF one, and IL
hss been proposed to employ electrici
ty for that purpose. Tell me-do you
think that the public would mistake
our intention, and i'm agine that we
meant 10 he theatrical ?"
Possibly" was the reply.
OMAR JAMES.
VANTnV mn NuRlm MINI