Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-28
ART NOTES.

One Of the last paintings finished by
Millet was the Pri0ry of Vanyille," COM
pleted for Quincy A Shaw of Boston.
William NJ. Hunt, the painter, Mr.. Shaw
and other Americans sought him out at
Barbizon and did what they could to atone
for the neglect of his countrymen. Many
critics spoke out then in his favor, but
the public and the Government were
apathetic.
The Ellsworth prize of $500 for the best
landscape by an American shown at the
Chicago Art Institute goes to D. w. Tryon
for his November" The gentleman who
gives this prize is doing for Chicago artists
the same service that Thomas B. Clarke
has been doing for those in New York.
Both set the example among the young
men of business to buy American pictures.
and thus educate their taste in art instead
of accepting such foreign work as the
fashion of the day prescribes.
A painting by Millet, which is some
times ranked before the "Angelus," is in
the gallery of Mr.. w. T. Walters in Bal
timore. This is the moonlight scene called
1.-THE Skeepfold," in which the shepherd
who has thrown his heavy cloak about
him, opens the gate of his fold for his
flock. The atmospheric qualities of
the picture are very remarkable. An
other Millet of great beauty was owned
last year by Mr.. William Schaus. 1t rep
resents an old-fashioned French farmhouse
with droves of sheep brought together for
shearing, and has a wonderful golden tone
There are in America several examples of
"The Sower," each differing slightly from
the other, and the curious example of a
landscape with plowman and pillow on the
high horizon formed by a sloping HILL
against which at one time the artist had
painted peasant in the act of sowing.
But for some reason he had painted this
sower out. With time, however, the paint
has sunk, so that by looking at the canvas
from the side the figure may be still dimly
perceived.
Saratoga is to have another curiosity in
the way of architecture, differing widely
from the colossal hotels, and indeed meant
as piece of refined luxury for an indi-
vidual. Designs have been made by Mr..
q. Hornblower, a foreign architect, for a
large villa, which will rival, if it does not
surpass the finest house unearthed at
Pompeii. 1t will cover about 100 square
feet, and have front about 60 feet long
and two stories high. Entering by door
with fiat Intel, considerably to the right
of the center of the front, on which are
raised panels, but no windows, one crosses
the vestibulum, and leaving the ostiarius,
or porter, In his small room on the right,
enters the atrium, whose ceiling is sup
ported by six ornate pillars to right and
left of the fountain under the compluyium.
or open part of the roof Off this first hall
there are small bed-chambers and it is
decorated with large statues on pedestals,
casts being obtained from Rome and Paris.
Just beyond the impluvium, or fountain,
stands the altar on which Mr.. Frank
lin w. Smith, of Boston, the owner,
may sacrifice to the shades of his
ancestors. The library is near the
door, the picture gallery (pinakotheca)
beyond the altar on the left, balanced By
the trictinum or dining room on the right.
Here the triple couches on which the
ancients reclined at meals will be exactly
reproduced. The tabulitium, exactly in
the center, is reached by low steps,
and through it one reaches the largest
hall, the peristy lium, the roof of which is
supported by twelve pillars clustered about
the vlridarium, or conservatory, with a
fountain in the center. There is sum-
mer dining-room in a wing with lara
rum behind it, where Mr. Smith can keep
the effigies in wax and marble of his deihed
ancestors, together with the little idols of
his family, the Lares and Penates. The up
peraoor is largely composed of the solarium,
or upper garden, with roof supported
by columns and caryatides and star,
outside communicating with the grounds
of the villa. Mr.. Smith proposes to
have the upholstery Identical with that
in Greek and Roman use, the walls
and pillars painted in the Pompeiian
fashion, the library stocked with books on
Pompeii, and some OF the walls COW
cred with pictures of Naples, Vesuvius,
and other appropriate scenes. To visit
Mr.. Smith and to read Beckers "Chari-
kles" will be equally instructive as to
the manners and customs of Romans
and Greeks. 1t was at first his intention
to build this villa at ST. Augustine, Fla,
but his purpose now is TO favor Saratoga
Springs with curious and doubtless beau
tiful reproduction of the residence of
PoGpeilan gentleman of wealth.