Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-15
AMUsEMENTs.

At the Metropolitan Theater to night the
Grismer-Davies company. good and re-
liable troupe of competent people, will
present the military drama of Beacon
Lights" 1t will have the assistance of de-
tachment from Company 4, First Artillery
Regiment, Captain Glas The romantic
piece is thus spoken of by the Chicago Ti.
bune, the Grismer company being the
troupe referred to: The powerful and
picturesque drama. Beacon Lights was
presented at the Opera House last night.
1t is seldom that a company as strong and
meritorious is sent on the road to render a
play which has SO many other elements OF
popularity. The play is full of thrilling
incidents. No more striking drama in lit
erary merit in original theme and motive,
in enjoyable features generally, of construc-
ton and rendition, has been seen here for
years The central figures of the play are
Captain Allan and Carrie Calhoun, the lat
ter a girl of tie natural type, with big
heart and few ready-ma6e manners, but
a little lady by instinct if not by instruc-
ton. Captain Allan is hardy, y-day
soldier, who has seen service, not dandy
from West Point, and the romance between
him and the sprightly little Western girl is
original and fascinating, and natural
withal. There are other elements of inter-
est in the play. 1t is story of hearts,
good and bad, ard cannot fail to touch the
responsive chord in human hearts the
world over"
Mrs. Ballou, of San Francisco, painted q
nude female figure after Gupirs Paris
suggestion. She had q model, and it goes
without saying that il must have been q
graceful one. The figure is in good draw
ing and fine color. The artist sent it to
Superintendent Bush for exhibition at the
State Fair. He doubted if the Board of
Directors would deem 1t within the lines
of propriety, since it is rather too sugges-
tive to fall within those artistic barriers that
make the nude unobjectionable, and rob it
of any immodesty. He therefore sub
mitted the matter to the Board, and that
body resolved to exclude the picture as not
proper for exhibition in a gallery where
the general public visits. In that decision
the Board was justified, and it might have
gone further in that direction, and had the
approval of good taste.
1t is anY advertised that the picture
will be exhibited at 800 J street,
in Hammers concer. rooms, this even
ing. That puts the picture upon q
different plane. Whoever wishes to form
judgment by inspection, if it is offensive
and immodest, or whether, as the painter
claims, it is the nude in art that the
schools approve and the Judgment of the
world has justified, can go to see it, OF
course. But upon the walls of the Art
Gallery at the fair it would have been in
truded upon those who find in it offense
and yet have the right to visit the gallery
f@aC =, J.. -
esty of themselves or their children. Let
the artists dispute as they please and the
critics assail or defend, it remains that the
Board of Agriculture was justified, and the
Superintendent of the Gallery was wise in
submitting the question prior to hanging
the production. It is picture that is not
more nude than many in art galleries, no.
tably OF male figures, but it is, notwith-
standing, not picture for a general gal
lery, and is one that falls without the
limits of the permissible in art.