Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-02-13
RELIGION IN ART.
The Power of HIiliets ''Angelus,''
and ats Meaning.

The Power of HIiliers t'Angelus,''
and ats Meaning.
Sidney c. Lawrence in New York Times.
The "Angelus" is essentially religious
picture. II 10 an admitted fact that the
highest art Of all is religious art, that is
to say the painting of religious subjects
or divine psrsonages, and TO achieve this
end oil artists aim. In our practical and
scientific 10ih century thia goal mas been
40 bard of attainment that the braYest
have laid down brush and palette in sad
encouragement. Wherefore, We ask our
Belves, is talent at 80 low on ebbY The
answer lies in the above statement. We
live in pERc iosl and scientific century.
In tho middle agi s,duripg the eleventh,
twelfth, apd thirteenth Centuries, mems
minds were wrought TO the highest pitch
| oil religious enthusiasm. Fauatioism con-
| trolled tho wise and the foolish, the
strong and the weak. When religious
warfare ceasod, Rsoeticism toos another
fora, and religious fervOr was material.
izad by art. This period begot such men
Bs thu giant, Michael Aneslu, and his
gentl0r contemporary, Raphael, who be-
quaathed NC works which stimulate while
tneY discourage imitation.
1t Is tho prerngative OF art TO elevate
poetic and dreamy negotiations, which
even orr present practical condition oan-
not quite neutrelizA. Thia ia demon
str ted by the lonSiEg-iu many cases
embodied in their Work--os modern
artists to paint religioua pictures. For
instances, we haze Fandrin's "Procesaiou
Of sain,a," GoEoLs ''5t. Sebastian, !"
Gerome'5 "Eatly Christian Martyrs"
Bopnat'5 "St. Dsnnis," and many others,
which croditabiy represent episodes in
the History of early Christianity. We
vs. also moEe presumplGuus and leas
successful efforts in the pictures of the
mother OF orr Saviour. by Diaz, aod of
oar Saviour Aimsalt By Dsiacroix. Thes
examples show whittier the minds OF
srtists tend.
The aReat painters OF the Middle
Ages had ~ iacentiye6 love, chivalroua
devotion and fame, Iacs5 ot later days
nro lasg miihetio, more given TO self
indulgence, and arr controlled by the
ruling spirit ct the sge--money making,
But tho lov0 OF the beautiful is still the
, Inherent quality CT the heart Of the true
/ artist AID its tendency is TO make him
i lOok upwarl,to make him ynssn ,os some
: thing spiritual; hence tie strong desiso &c
! psint religious pictures.
, haYe mentioned the efforts Of Soma il
this direction, but nv object here IL t,
I exhibit tho "Angelupn from the point 0
a view OF tbs artist himself Oh,
0 "AnEslos" is as truly rei2ious pictur'
{ as any Of Raphsel's MsGonraa. III,
:. subisct was suggested by Millep
b mii3u. and this point mast not be los
) sight of
. It is the common cry that France i
isr ligiouY, even inf Tel In This We dis
il cam the judgment OF the man who HsyE
i paris, o'est Ia France" A few years
/, rcoidence in the country in daily Gasociu
q ton with the sinpl minded and devon
il peGsRntry would retute this argument
0 The pranises are false and not adni5s
q bio. Miilot was peasant brought up j
! tho humble way OF his kind. Ills sal
rouaainGs ere faithfully portrayed in al
/ wurks. But ais artist hears wss fred
: the common desire. BE ionged to pair
II somaihing religious. He conld not pair
4 Madonuas and cruoilgions; his humilit
q and correct pelt-meRBurement forbade i
q bu he could psiat poem, what be dali
n Witnessed, nay more, what he daily pEa'
= ticed, the reverence, the faith, Il
ia humility, and tho loving simplicity I
" the Freuch peasants religion. Thr,
II times day, by " religious custom estal
% lished for ages, the Augeius bell of h
!" parish church calls the peasant to praye
DO Az the sound falls upon his ear hs sticl
: his fork or apade in the earth, unoove
n his head, and with folded hands homo
,e the incarnation of the SON of God, Ar
il thanks his Creator for what seems to
" little enough-toi', toll, unoeasing toi
"a But this toll is sweetered by a pescef
N and contented life. This Millet felt al
reproduced ia the "Angelus," al
" though we only see 9 spade and ty
W BlInpls peasant figures, we feel that it ia
10 religious picture, 50 sermon that de
i, | Innn can hear - -