The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-11-10

Edict of Charles v, we are carried bacl
in thought to the Inquisition and the tim
when this proclamation introduced tha
reign of holy terror into the Netherlands
The next pictures of note are Gilber
Stuarts Portrait Of Washington, ant
Riyiere' Syria-The Night Watch. show
ing the majestic columns Of some ruinet
palace rising in the distance, while in thC
foreground are prowling several beasts
that wander nightly among the decayin.
relics of former glory. The mantle of de
parted day hangs over this scene, silence
save now and then lion S cry or an owl
wall floating from the distance, rules ovei
all this waste of what was centuries ag,
magnificent pomp and splendor, but now
only the shadow left by fleeing time. The
Hemicycle by Delaroche, is one Of the mosI
remarkable works of French masters, and
well deserves the attention Of all lovers OF
true art 1t is a copy, dated 1853, Of the
great composition decorating the semicircu-
lar wall of the Amphitheatre in the School
of the Fine Arts of Paris. The artist ex-
ecuted the original in 1887, aided by his
pupils, but the painting in this collection was
done by Beiar0che alone, and of it he says;
IF my name is to be known to posterity, ii
will be through this picture. AIRY Schef-
fer speaks to us from the walls where his
Christ Weeping Over Jerusalem hangs; and
De Neuville's martial painting. The Attack
at Dawn will not fail to attract even the
peace loving.
Another work by Gerome, is the char
acteristic picture of The Duel, which can
not be passed without thought of the
dissolute days of France. The scene is of
the Bois de Boulogne, and the time.
early morning in the winter Two revelers
from a masked ball have come here for the
purpose of fighting duel; and now the
encounter over Pierrot falls back in the
arms of his attendant, while Harlequin,
whose foil has pierced his enemy guady
dress, hastens toward the carriage in the
distance, where several companions await
his arrival About the whole picture
hangs halo of romance, which does not
fail to impress the beholder.
Let us turn to more peaceful subjects
and our gaze soon rests upon view of ma
lures beauties. 1t is Rousseau's Winter
Solitude, which was executed under great
excitement in eight days. At first not
appreciated, this picture now so highly
priced was a loss to its composer; but
twenty years later its true value being un-
derstood, it took rank among the greatest
works of the day. Again we see Millet,
this time represented by small compost
ton entitled The Sheepfold (Moonlight }
which Albert Wolff. the famous French
critic, has pronounced a masterpiece 1t
becomes immense, like Nature, he writes
in his characteristic style.
p A. Hall, the Van Dyck of minia-
ture painters, has two portraits from life,
one of the artist Girodet, the other over
which bends a rainbow of historic bright
ness, shows the lovely face of the martyr
queen Marie Antoinette. The are also
miniatures from life of empress Josephine,
Hortense and Lord Fitzwilliam
The place of honor in this gallery is
given to Meissonier's "1S14." for which
$50, 600 was paid, and which was at the
Ruskin sale of London in 1881. Upon a
rising knoll, overlooking the field where to-
morrow the great armies will play the game
of war, the white charger of Napoleon
stands. The Emperor has unfastened his
great coat, and from beneath his overhang-
ing brow the far-seeing eyes of the Corsi-
can wander across the plain. Above, the
dome of heaven is filed with dark, gray,
threatening clouds, which pile in heavy
banks at the horizon; while the sun that
shone so brightly ofttimes before, is near
ing the hills in the west, for the God that
ruled most gloriously at Austerlitz. will dis
appear from mortal sight when night closes
over the field of Waterloo.
Many other compositions by artists of
far reaching fame could be mentioned, but
space permits only to glance hastily at
few. Alma Tadema will long be remem-
bered by The Triumph of Titus, and My
Sister Is Not In, a pleasing bit of girlish fun;
Vibert impresses us with his painting of
the Toreadors before Entering the Arena;
Breton bids us farewell with The Close of
a Day; Sappho, by the author of Titus,
expresses in almost classic coloring scene
where the poet Alcseus engages the sym
pathies of the mistress of the Lesbon
school; The Scarlet Letter of Merle brings
to mind Hawthorne S charming story; Del
acroix has for our attention the canvas of
Christ on the Cross; Venet is represented
by subject entitled italian Brigands Sur
prised by Papal Troops; and numerous
others by such painters as Couture, Vau-
tier, Isabey, .imenez, Gallait, Turner,
Elliott, Munkacsy; but for fear of already
wearying the reader, we will take our leave
of this collection of modern art