The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-10
TISSOT'S PICTURES.
RESULT OF HIS VISIT TO PALESTINE
TO STUDY THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

the Top of the Cross"
Theodore Stanton in Tho Century tells
tho strange story Of the conversion Of M.
james Tissot, tho French painter whose
| 300 or 400 pictures illustrating tho life Of
Jesus formed one OF the most interesting
| features of tho 1894 Champ do Mars salon
Seven or oight years ago artistic Pnris
talked for n day Of the departure of Tissot
| for the Holy Land In order to Sock now In
| spirations. Tissot was then fresh in the
| public mind as the author OF series OF
etchings depicting tho passions, charms
| and scductions of feminine life at the
French capital, and many an artist smiled
| skeptically Mt this apparent contradiction.
| Yet Tissot had already shown moro than
| once that his talent had bent In the di.
reotion Of religious subjects
Then, too, at the very moment when he
was engaged in packing his trunk for
| Palestine he had in his studio carefully
hidden canvas, scarcely dry, which was so
| penetrated with n subtle spiritual and
| Christian spirit that les tlmld author
dared not exhibit it in public. 1t now
forms the center OF the Tissot collection ut
the Champ do Mars, where 1t Is exposed
for tho first time. l refer to largo oil
| painting called "The Voices within,n
! his wife, who, fallen into deep despair in
tho midst Of poverty and ruin, finally take
new heart and courage through the con-
ISOLATION OF Jesus, who appears TO them,
comforts them and shows them his
pierced hands. "That was tho starting
point Of my now dispensation," said NJ.
Tissot, pointing to this picture tho first
time saw 1t, but had long and hard
struggle before could bring myself to be-
GIN IL. More than one night did lie
awake for hours, till my head was burn
Ing through tho mental strain, struggling
| against tho admission into my heart Of
the now light that was dnwning upon me.
But when finally felt myself conquered
and was penetrated through and through
by tho grand mystery OF n God turned
man in order to save humanity I could
no longer escape from 1t. So, of course.
this large painting must go to tho Champ
de Mars, for 1t is really the father OF all
this big brood OF little ones"
With such thoughts in his mind and
such awakenings in his heart, in tho au-
tumn Of 1886 Tissot started for tho holy
sepulcher with all the enthusiasm Of the
crusaders Of old. He saw, questioned and
meditated. He made scores of vivid
sketches and wrote reaIns Of thoughtful
notes. The first visit was repeated. Dur
ing this second sojourn he utilized instan-
taneous photography, which was then first
becoming known In France, and was thus
ablo to bring back with him quantities Of
characteristic types, scenes and landscapes
Tho farther he wandered In Palestine
tho moro he saw there, and tho deeper he
studied his object tho stronger grew Tis-
sot's conviction that his precursors in tho
field Of Biblical illustration had not caught
the true spirit Of their scheme, had not
struck the right note. He returned to
France determined to catch the true spirit
and to strike tho right note. Once within
tho walls Of Paris again he buried himself
In his handsome, secluded home, situated
at the head Of quiet lane within q stones
throw Of the Bois dc Boulogne, and gave
himself up entirely to his thoughts, his
books, his collections and his art. He
pored over musty old commentaries on tho
Bible. studied archaeology, mastered the
Talmud, dcvoured books Of eastern travel
road the history of the Jews and Arabs
and went over the Scriptures again and
again In the Vulgate and In the French
and English translations. Nor did he
neglect the Apocrypha. In q word, before
taking up his brush Tlssot saturated hN
mind with his subject and gave full rein
to an imagination now thirsting for tho
occult and mysterious. Society lost Its
charms for him. He who had been mon
dain now became almost recluse.
Emphasis must bo laid on tho fact that
Tissot, In the enthusiasm Of neophyte,
has not simply gone back to tho antiquat-
cd treatments Of religious subjects. Hero
In lies perhaps the chief merit OF his col
lection. His originality may often border
on profanity, buc neVer crosses the line.
His innovations in the handling Of old
familiar themes frequently take the breath
away when the beholder Is Of the cloth
An ecclesastic who has carefully studied
the collection declares that in his render
Ing Of the passion Tissot has introduced
numerous details that had never before oc-
Cured to the clerical mind, and yet that
none of these new departures Is contrary
to orthodoxy and in no respect mara tho
emotion produced by the scene,
Tissot's series of portraits" Of the
apostles is q mixture OF archaeological,
chronological, chronological and historical
data welded together by reverence, art and
talent. They are suro to startle-that OF
St. Peter, for instance--a priest at the
first glance, but the work will win respect
and admiration at the second for Tissot
has reason for all, even for the color of
garment, the form of q hood or the style
visitors has remarked concerning this re-
markable gallery of saints that the artist
has not flattered his subjects There is
nothing wonderful about these poor fish
ermen, he says, nothing in their plain at
tire or everyday physiognomy to awaken
awe. But you feel that these are indeed
the men whom Jesus inspired" In a
word Tissot's creations are pure realism
tempered by sincere faith.
Perhaps the boldest of the pictures OF
pure imagination is that which he has
named, "What Jesus Saw From the ToI
Of tho Cross" In tho first place, you see
no cross. The spectator stands where the
Christ should be, and this, in tho words OF
the note, Is what meets his eyes: AT the
foot, weeping and burning with divine
love and rcpehtence, is Mary Magdalenc;
his mother with her look of ineffable
tenderness; st. John, buried in profound
devotion, and many holy women bathcd
in tears. A little farther back arc the
hn hata ha mid