The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-07-25
BEFORE TIE ANGEL US.
Doma Criticiams Of MIiIet's Great Worl
Heard From Visitors 20 the Gallery.

Donaa Criticisms OF MIiIet's Great work
Heard From visitors TO the Gallery.
Millet. so the story goes. when he
/ had finished The Angelus.r y invited an
old friend In the church 10 come and
see L.
.'Ah." said the old man. as he gazed
At the picture. "It IA The Angelus;' /
hear the BELLS"
Whereupon. OF course. the artist was
! greatly pleased. and promptly declar-
cd that the aim of his life was accom-
plished.
The greatest artist OF ancient times
had been deemed wonderful for paint
Ing grapes, at which the birds came TO
peck; but he had painted a prayer and
a church spire. and priest recognized
the words of the invocation aud heard
the sound Of the bells In the steeple.
II Millet were living now. and could
come 10 stand before his picture Ia the
exhibition rooms, says q writer In the
I N. Y. Sun, he might be less pleased.
but he certainly would be as highly en-
tertained by the comments made by
the continuous throng that passes be-
fore tlie picture. OF course. nine peo-
pie out OF every ten are surprised to
lind how small II Is. Somehow no
amount of culture or training In art Is
able 10 eliminate entirely from the
mind the idea that pictures are valua-
BILE according to their size. and the
comparison between the price which
''rhe AngelusH brought at its last sale.
and the number of square inches in
the canvas Il SO startling that II shocks
the unprepared mind. Everybody has
n different WY of expressing this dis
satisfaction ith the size of the master
piece. One old lady pushed up before
Il during one OF the most crowded
hours OF the exhibition. She was rich
ly dressed and evidently felt herself
fully competent to critieise anything
in the art line. II could be seen as she
approached that her eyes were focused
+ for something very large and start
ling. When she had reached The front
she gazed blankly at the expanse OF
red draperies. Finally she caught
sight OF the picture. aud placing a
lorgnette to her eye, leaned her head
well back and gazed At the picture in
tently. and. at last. scornfully. After
a few moments she put down her
glasses, aud, half turning TO the specta-
tors about her. said In loud aud dis
tinct voice:
.'Well. I'm disappointed"
Nobody seemed interested in the an
nonneement. aud she turned and took
another look.
s'Yes. am disappointed. she re-
peated ia an even more distinct tone OF
voice.
Nobody answered her.
Il am very much disappointed, she
ventured again. after another look, in
the same aggressive tone.
Still nobody paid any attention 10
her. and she looked again.
s.I don't know when I've been 80 dis
appointed" was the way she put il this
time.
There were few disrespectful gig
giles, and then "A woman near her re-
marked ia a coldly unsympathetiC
voice:
Would yon kindly keep your disap-
pointment TO yourself aud let us enjoy
the pictureP"
The disappointed woman evidently
had astonishment added To her other
feelings at this unexpected sally. but
she made no reply aud strobe haughti-
the helpless little eanvas. AS she
passed out of the building she was
noticed stopping before gorgeous red
aud black Rocky Mountain scene in
/ the front room and exclaiming:
There, that what call something
likei"
Very comical are the mistakes made
/ by spectators as to the meaning of the
picture. II would break Milletss heart
TO know of some of these. One appar-
entity Intelligent and cultivated woman
came ia the other day. and after gaz-
ing a long time at the picture sat down
in chair beside the girl who sells cata-
logues at IA table in front OF The An
gelus."
That's love subjecte' remarked
she woman. opening a conversation.
The girl discreetly made no reply.
''Yes. aud think it's so beautiful.
continued the woman. Just see how
i modest the young woman is"
The paralyzed catalogue girl ventur-
ed feeble "YesP"
81 do love such subjects; and hasn't
he painted it exquisitelya" the woman
went on.
just here the catalogue girl was
saved from danger of hysteria by the
arrival of the woman's husband. He
had catalogue in his hand. and he
led his wife around to look at the other
pictures.
I ACcCANAA vic MoAAAtn CantC btCh III =
great hurry. She had evidently been
reading the catalogue.
"Why, that isn't love subject at
all, she exclaimed sharply to the girl.
The girl was arranging her cata-
logues.
mo. that's a religious subject; II
isn't q love subject at all repeated the
woman.
The girl saw bit of paper on the
floor on the other side of her table aud
bent over to pick it up. The woman
eyed her for a moment. and then said,
with subdued intensity:
"Did you know that that wasn't 9
love subject when was talking to
youP"
The girl is usually truthful. but there
was no help for it this time. She raised
her eyes to those of the woman and
said unblushingly, but somewhat fee
bly,:
mo, ma'am."
The woman gave her another sharp
look. but went away apparently salts
! fed.
Witty and Righteous.
1t is related of an old-time Bath
school Toy that after the master had
i oivan him a uood fiopuinu the younU.