The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-10
ART AND ARTISTS.
BENTLEY'S GIVING CHRISTI MAY
BE EXHIBITED HERE.
The Discussion Between Mr.. Evans,
of Lehi, and the Art Editor Re-
SardinS Mountain Subjects,

Puvis de Chavannes, one Of the
greatest and most poetical of living
French painters, is now 6S years of
age and though he is an incessant
worker he finds nothing more amusing
than his work. He does not find it
necessary to go outside Of his studio
to find diversion, the varying phases of
his art giving him abundant pasttme.
He is set down by an English critic
as the only man remaining in the
world who can decorate an interior
with absolutely pure taste.
If you can't understand thing. it
must be wonderful. If you can't see
how an artist does thing, you think
he must have genius. We acknow-
ledge ourselves quite unprepared to
pass on the claims of John Theo Dore
Bentley until we have seen his pic
lures. Bearing name until now I'M
known, he has taken possession of an
enormous building on Twenty-third
street near Broadway, New York, and
there he proposes to establish the
American salon. 1t is the structure
until recently occupied by Roster and
Bal for theatrical purposes-many of
our readers will remember it-yer-
batim sat Sapienti-and within its spa
clous walls he has set out studios. ex
hloitlon rooms. class rooms, etc, a
Verltable aggregation of art in the CEN
ter OF the art center of America. This
IS truly an exhibition Of nerve in a
young man. But it does not stop
there.
In great hall, in dim religious
light with the ceiling decorated with
futings of amber silk. with frescoes of
palms, superb and gigantic draperfes
OF purple, maroon, scarlet and orange
hanglngs. with arabesques of wrought
iron, huge vases Of sweeping tropical
foliage, Mr.. Bentley's large picture of
'9rhe Living Christ is on exhibition
There is ample room for spectators
to view the work in an ideal environ
ment. Nothing so elaborate has ever
been done in America by an artist in
presenting his. work to the public. He
has designed the frame in vine and
foliage and lent his art to every ac-
cessory of the exhibition. People
throng to see it and enjoy the art
atmosphere that surrounds them on
every side. Nor is this all.
Mr.. Bentley has his manager. just
like some theatrical star, and though
he may not travel and show himself,
his pictures are to go out and be seen.
like any ether spectacle, in all the
larger cities ali over the country The
Living Christ" his picture entitled
1.-THE Critics" and some of his newly
conceived prints called vitagraphs are
to be shown in this city before long,
and probably some of his other pic
lures will be shown also, his Morn
ing" Heart Of Niagara" The Elec-
trio City" and others. We cannot
judge of their excellence until we see
them as he is a new light upon the
horizon, but we like his aim in paint
ing ''The Living Christ and only ques-
ton the accomplishment of his pur-
pose. He says, The desire has been
TO portray ideally the face of Christ
as the universal brother, the perfect
man, the sympathizing and ever-help-
full one, friend and associate of sin
ners-" That is the holy grail in quest
Of which all the great knights of the
brush have spent their best efforts. 1t
is too much to believe it has been