The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-05

the honest hard-handed peasantry OF
his own France, while his fellow-country-
man, Corot, stands FOR the mysterious
lessons and secrets which nature is ever
whispering through the leaves and brooks
and rocks, among which Alillets peasants
make their humble homes. one stands
for human, the other for inanimate
nature.
Only From Hear-Say.
Those who know the artists only from
hear-say are prone to get the names OF
this French Millet, and the English Sir
John Mllais confused; but having once
seen their works, it is impossible ever to
conf0und them again. Millet is great
in vigorous, homey, rugged, pathetic
way He gives us few details. He does
not appeal TO the fancifui or aesthetic in
our natures but with a few bold strokes
of the brush he goes straight TO the
heart Sir John Millais is great In
pretty, tender, spiritual way. lie gives
us exquisite coioring. graceful dfapery'
quaint, dainty-ruhled garments. His sub
tects are simple too. but with a different
kind Of simplicity. The child faces he so
loves to paint have a soft, melting eX-
preston and tint that seems TO be, not
paint, but flesh and blood, with a soul
shining through
The most appealing and strong Of Mil
let's pictures to me was the MAN With
a Hoe"-a workman In field pausing to
rest, and leaning upon a short-handled
hoe; that was all, but how much Of feel
ing and Of tired nature there was in
IT, I'm the sweat OF thy brow shalt thou
eat bread" this picture seemed to say.
1.-THE Sheep-Shearers," Cleaners" THE
Haymaker," end "Pig-Killers' were other
realistic scenes in peasant life, that need
no description other than their nance.
The two pictures by Millais that pleased
me most were Bubbles" and the "Orni-
biologist" With Bubbles" most OF as
have already been made familiar, as
Messrs. Pears, to whom the picture be
longs, and by whom IL Is loaned 10 the
exposition, have sown copies Of It broad
cast. IL represents a little boy blowing
bubbles. His pipe is in his hand, his love-
" face is upturned, and his wistful blue
eyes are gazing at the miniature worlds
which he has set floating above his head,
with as deep awe and interest as ever
astronomer, on his tower watched the
race of the whirling planets along their
ethereal track. 1t is well nigh impossible
to believe that those transparent airy,
iridescent spheres are painted, ana we
half expect them to burst and be absorbed
in air as we look at them.
The "Ornithologist' is too genial and
kind-hearted looking TO have such a for
midabIe name, and the expressions OF
the sweet-faced, golden and broWn-halred
lads and lassies who are gathered around,
and hang over his couch 0or be seems 10
be an INVALID testify that he is much
less prosy companion than the scientific
name would seem TO indicate. He holds
I'm his hand 4 gorgeOus-feathered bird,
while others lie on a table at his side,
and from the kindly way that his eyes
beam through the spectacles on his nose,
and the GREATNESS interest in the faces OF
the little people about him, | should say
that an illustrated lecture on ornithology
must be a very delightful kind OF enter
tainment.
Alma-Tadema.
Entirely different from the
work Of either Of these art
lists are the wonderfully beautiful ana
vivid pictures of Alma-Tadema. lie Is
great in a poetic. classic way. Plutarch
quotes one Of the old Greek poets as car
ing painting silent poetry ana alma
Tadema's paintings are, indeed, silent
r,oemsi He might ftly be called the HON.
or OF modern painters. His men ana "o-
men usually are purely Greek IN feature
nose dress. and occupation; while the
marble columns. floors, steps, ana seals
which he almost invariably brings INTO
his nictures are so really and uhInlstah-
abIv marble, tfat IL makes one
sbiver 10 look at them inc
grace. classic outline, ana ex-
sS,tsiteIv delicate coloring and finish OF
"a Reading from Homer" and "A Ded-
,cation 10 Bacchus," are unsurpassed. In
the latter the mellow reflection OF the
sunlight. falling through Wine-coiorea
oanonv unon a procession OF vine-Wreath-
"a majdens. seems 10 moderate the tenn
perature created by the chilling marble
very different still Is the collection OF
paintings by EIihu Vedder Rome) each
~ which has a story to tell. His heads
~ samson and Delilah are fine work,
though az one may presume TO criueise)
:, seerns 10 me that with all Of the superb
s,rang4h and manhood he has succeeded
a. quitting into Samson's features and ex-
pressIons, IL falls somewhat snort OF the
IDEAL In not being Of distinctly jewish
,,,ne With his Delilah no fault can De
tonnd sorrow represented by the race
- ON old mani, Between Doubt ana
ys.tth" frepresented by two girl races
=, ,,l, Of feeling. while "A Soul In Bond
20 80 "a one of the seddest. most fascinat-
tng and most powerful pictures IN the
.olIaction. A beautiful woman Is oouhd
hand and foot by a siiken scart' hef eyes