The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-24
In THE ART PALACE
q Look az Some of the Paint.
sngs on Exhibition.
STORY OF Z DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

1t is the Greatest Picture To Be Seen at the
Worlds Fair ard is Entitled Alone in
the World ''-Tendency of Modern Paint
ing Toward Dramatic Eject Exemplified
in the Display.
WORLDS FAIR, June %. = [SpeeiaL] -
In a former letter spoke of the tendency
OF modern painting, as exem plified in the
exposition Art palace, toward dramatic
effect, and limited that | might some day
write about the many fine examples there
of to be found here 1t IS a topic which
think you viii like If / am able TO do no
more than 10 whet your appetite for a per
sonal study of she powerful paintings
which tbs artists of the world have hung
on these walls, ! shall be content: and
then, when you come to see them for your
self, and are stirred by them as thousands
are stirred every day, you viii thank me
for having called Your attention TO them
3 common consent, 1t seems. of both
populace and critics, the greatest picture
of the expositionis Alone in the World."
1t is by Josef Israels. who IS a Hollander,
and now an old man nearly ready to lay
down the brush and palette. But before
we talk of his picture let us see what tri-
umphs he has won on the field of art be-
fore producing this, his masterpiece and
the most talked-about of all the paintings
of the Columbian salon. AS long ago as
1861 he won third medal at the Paris Ex-
position Universal, and was decorated with
the Legion of Honor. At the exposition
of 1878 he took first medal, and was made
all officer of the Legion. He has won many
other medals and honorable mentions.
His masterpiece is aquiet, unpretentious
work. 1t shows the interior of q peasants
house, without details The peasant has
come home from his toll and found his
wife in bed. dead Her hands are clasped
outside the coverlet. There is a look of
peace On her face. The workman has not
burst into tears he has not fallen upon
his knees by the side of the bed; he has
not gFasped one of the cold hands and
begged but a word from the lips which he
knows will never speak again. Instead,
he has seated himself on a bench. and
turned his face from thesbed. His cap and
pipe have fallen to the floor His feet. in
cased in wooden shoes, are far apart, and
on either knee is one of his big, work
widened hands. The fingers are sprawled
in abjectness as if there We're not remain
ing in him energy or spirit enough to con
tract their muscles His body is bent
slightly forward, and the eyes are staring
at-nOthiag. The man is stunned by the
blow. He is dazed by the one phase of con
sciousness left TO him-that of loneliness
1t is curious to watch the effect which
this picture has upon the people who pass
it. Not one in q thousand of them knows
it is a famous picture, or that It's painteris
one Of the great artists Of the world. They
do not need to know these things The
picture speaks for itself It tells its simple
story of domestic tragedy in a way that
reaches al hearts. The people pause to
look at il. They are touched. In my iudg-
ment this is the true test fora picture that
is simple, of common, if rot commonplace
scenes. The critics may, or may not, be
satisfied with It. They may assail its
technique and condemn its coloring. but
no matter. If it arrests the attention of