Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-03
DRSEREF EVENING NETS.
Thursday. April }. 1899.
THE LESSON OF A GREAT PIC
TURE.

There was never 50 costly a pic
ture as the "Angelus" Of Millet
exhibited in this country. The
throng vi spectators was incessant-
A procession of pilgrims was con-
stantly ascending the stairs, and
after wondering at the Barge
bronzes, passing by easy gradations
through ranges Of other modern
French pictdres and Of his own, it
arrived at last at the curtained
shrine of Nillet's most famous work.
Who would have supposed that
there was so general n knowledge OF
modern French art among US, and
that Millet's renown was so familiar
that we should all flock on foot and
in carriages to pay homage? But
how many of US observed the cynic
who sat smiling, sometimes upon
the landing of the first staircase.
sometimes in all the rooms? How
many heart or eOmprehended his
extraordinary remark that il was
sail a fad-a funny fad?'' Could he
have meant that most Of the eager
and pressing throng had never
heard of Millet, and knew not an
Angelus from a Bacchus? Could he
have meant that the spectacle was
not due to love Of art, butte servility
/ to fashion? Above all. could he
have intended 10 insinuaie that We
were all the victims Of an advertls-
/ ing genius before which Mr.. Fulk-
rrson would have been lost in Won
der, love and praise? In other
words, was it all, 20 TO say, an OF
verse Of Joyce Heth, or the woOlly
horse with his tail where his head
ought TO be? Was the public. sense
Barnumbed 50 that. like those sus-
ceptible TO the force Of animal mag
netism. we must DO what the
magnetizer willed? Perhaps so.
Perhaps it was great speculation-I
But whatever drew the crowd, the
I picture was there. Its beauty and
effect were untouched by the mo-
lives Of its visitors II they were
| susceptible 10 its charms, they
would not be less so because they
bad never heard OF the picture or the
painter, or because they merely fol-
lowed the fashion in going to see it.
The chief surprise Of the ''Angelus'
was probably its size. Perhaps to
those of us who did not know-and
they were the great multituGe-the
,arge price suggested a large picture.
Possibly also a great multitude,
when they were recouciled to the
size, sought its charm as honestly
and hopelessly rs Colonel Newcombe
tried to fathom the meaning OF
Gives great work. The "Angelus''i
IS a picture OF the utmost simplicity.
it deals with one Of the primary senti-
ments-that Of worship Of the I'M
seen. Its tenderness and gentleness
are profoundly affecting. In general
form and character Of sentiment
the "AneeIusv is like another
familiar picture Of American origin
-BoughiOn's "Return Of the May
fiower.D There also are the low
horizon and plain landscape and
two figures against the sky-the
youth holding his hat in his hand,
the mAiden turned toward him, but
both wistfully watching the reced-
irg sail. Both Of them are pictures
If deep and tender sentiment
Boughton's evidently and designed-
Iy 80. But how far Is this true OF
NiIlet,s? Did the artist intend the
pure and poetic effect that he has
nroduced? In his other WORKS, /
through which we come 10 this, is
there the same imaginative touch |
and seal? The acute eye. the ialth-
ful hand, the skill, are in all. But
do they prepare us for the poetic 4
charm Of the ssAngelus?' AT the
other end Of the long nom in which
il hung there was a picture Of two
figures planting potatoes ia a heid,
probably near BarbizOn, where Mil
lei lived. He saw the planting
in the spring morning,
and he painted it simply and natnr
ally, but motor is it so?-with the
eye Of imagination. and with poetic
intent and perception. Has the
picture Of potato planting any ofthe
higher quality which we seem to
find in the ssAngelus?" And yet