The Red Cloud chief., 1895-01-11
"LOvE AND liFe,s
Ne Famous Painting That Msy Not Hang
I'm the Executive MnnAlnn.

49, eh0OuH HhtuttU8 huut WY NV srlsuB
I'm h Executive Mansion.
I, 10 DO hung or not to DO hung is the
question Just at present in Washington.
Those in favor OF hanging SLY that
Che a~llegorical painting Love and
LIFE presented TO the American people
BY the distinguished English artist,
George Frederick Watts, X. A.. ought
20 grace the walls Of the executive man
sion in Washington. Those who oppose
the hanging claim that Love and
Life" il immoral; that representations
Of what Trilby called ''the altogcthor'
ought never to be seen anywhere. hut
lenst of all In tho District of Columbia,
and seem to think that tho proposition
90 hang tho painting in the cast
Of the White House Is nothing Less than
deep laid scheme 20 cntrap tho gov
ernment into q quasi official approval
Of indecent art
: SO that tho great paintor's generous
gift has stirred up n greater oommotion.
II that were possible, than tho famous
controversy which arose about tho fig
ures on tho st. Gaudens modal.
1t il Mt the door Of Colonel John M.
Wilson, superintendent Of public build
dngs, that the responsibility is said to
nie. No one supposes for an instant that
Watts presented the painting to Ameri-
30 for 1t TO be carefully boxed up and
stowed away in an inaccessible room in
khe White House. II liz hardly likely
that tho subject Of Glove and Life"
WAS altogether unknown To tho men,
fhers Of congress, who, last session, &c
Ceptod tho gift In the namo OF the
american people. Tho painting was ex-
Inhibited here for several mouths nine
years ago I'm tho Metropolitan Museum
IT Art. 1t was among tho pictures
placed Oh exhibition last year mt the
Worlds fair. and it has been rcproduc-
cd often enough to warrant tho assump-
Ition that we arc a very immoral people
" the influence Of the picture liz AZ cor
rupting M IL said.
In addition, the people Of tho United
States, through Secretary Gresham,
pledged their word after congress had
accepted the gift that it would DO hung
in the White House, n letter to that
effect being written to the artist.
But the picture, according to Colonel
Wilson, IL not u fit one to be exhibited
in the executive mansion. He simply
ignored tho claims Of Mr.. Watts to lie
regarded az one of tho first among living
Qainters and stated that until tho prcsi-
dent gave instructions to that effect he
could not think of allowing such n work
to be exposed to public view in the
rooms of tho White House. sven though
the work In question were intended tC
form the nucleus Of q future national
art gallery and would consequently
only remain there until more fitting
quarters could DO secured for it.
The painting which has brought
about this discussion il ono of tho most
important works from the brush of tho
British artist and is q companion pic
ture to his ''Love and Death" II rep
resents tho figures Of q winged youth
and n maiden climbing q steep and pre-
Cipitous ascent. Both figures arc nude
but, 1t is an absurdity to say IL, there
is not tho slightest suggestion Of indel
'icacy about them. Love, excmplificd by
the youth, stoOps, tondcrly helping hit
companion upon their toilsomo journey,
His half extended wings protect hel
slight form from tho suns fierce rays
The picture il an illustration of thu
truth that love raises life; that an idea
existence is possible only with the pro
tectiny care Of love. In the picture
where loves feet have trod, flower
spring on the hard, rocky ground. ant
M the figures ascend the atmosphere be
comes more and moro rofulgoDt ant
pure. New York Herald.