The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-04
TISSOT'S LIFE OF CHRIST
THE SACRED STORY TOLD AGAIN IN
A LONG SERIES OF PICTURES.
Four Hundred Paintings and Draw
ings Illustrating Biblical Events
Ten Years Thought and Labor.


The Criterion.
The product of ten years thought and
work, concentrated in one direction. may be
seen at the American Art Galleries in Madi-
son Square. NJ J. James Tissot is there
exhibiting over four hundred paintings and
drawings, illustrating the life of Christ. In
their preparation he visited Palestine on
four occasions, remaining each time only
some three or four months, in order as he
says, that the freshness of the impression
might not have time to grow dulled. The
result is a mass of material, astonishing in
the scope it covers, the thoroughness with
which the large side of the subject has
been grasped. and the infinite delicacy of
imagination and treatment displayed.
NJ. Tissot's triumph is a personal one.
Though he has entered field in which
many men have been competitors, he has
outdistanced all, both in the quantity and
character of his work Il is of sort to
interest not only students of the Bible mar
rative, but archaeologists and lovers of art
generally. He visited Palestine with 2.
much larger purpose than to secure mere
accuracy Of scene. WHAT he sought was in
spiration for a thorough study of the gospel
story itself. The character Of the country
and the people, the mode of life, and all
local accidents became for him so many
sources Of light, which he kept constantly
focused upon the pages of the Bible. They
We're much more than scenic setting in
which the life of Christ could be imbedded
and lost sight of, as is usually the case
To NJ. Tissot they furnished a commentary,
which gave increased actuality to the story.
For the story, all through the work has
been the main thing. Other men have Dor
rowed this or that incident attracted by it's
dramatic or pictorial possibilities. But in
this case the raison detre of the painters
labor has been to illustrate the life of
Christ, using everything else as supple
mentary to this single and sincere purpose
NJ. Tfssot is a profound and devout believer.
II is on this that his personal triumph is
based. Everything else fell into its proper
place of graduated subOrdination. To his
devotion he joins a technique as resourceful
and as infinitely dainty as Meissoniers, and
q force of imagination entirely his own.
CLOSE OBSERVATION
Included in the collection are over one
hundred studies. made upon the spot;
beautiful examples of minute observation
and vivid expression. The directness and
economy with which he uses his pencil or
pen are remarkable. There is a sensitive
ness in his style and versatility in his
method which belong to a past time This
power of drawing is one of his sources of
strength. 1t enabled him upon his return
to Paris, where he set himself to the eXecu-
ton of the finished work, to readily put
upon paper the thoughts and impressions
with which his brain was teeming. There
is no hesitation in his methods of work, no
roundabout searching for results through
the intermediary OF models. His hand
works in complete obedience to the brain.
Ills imagination summons up a crowd of peo-
PIE, representing a multiform variety of
lFlH h1If 1ifl1s2f 1h IL
emotion. Evidently the scene grows rapid
ly, almost spontaneously. He includes in
one of these little pictures. which is only
an incident in the huge undertaking, q re-
suit that many men would have had to
spend year upon.
He introduces his backgrounds, whether of
open country, street scenes or interiors, in
such a way that they assist the sentiment
OF the picture without detracting from the
action of the characters. In this way he
has obtained realism without being realistic.
Herein is his greatest achievement. The
distinction is so subtle that it is hard to
fix 1T in words, but careful study of this
collection cannot fail to make it clear. Per-
hapS one comprehendS it in a negative way.
One finds that the perception of the old
familiar story has been remarkably quick
ened From out the shadow land of inn
aginatfon it energies into brilliant sunshine
upon hill slopes overlooking lake of sap
phire blue, or into the tortuous streets of
Jerusalem. or into the SOmbre sumptuous-
ness of Herod's palace. Our mental picture
is not rudely disturbed. 1t is enforced, de-
fined, and visualized. Then one studies the
details and finds them rich in suggestive
ness but never intrusive Enthusiastically in
spirit with the biblical story and falling
into their place as simply and naturally as
the words in the old Bible story. Picture
after picture, for example, is devoted to the
successive incidents of the cruclhX1on.
LOCAL COLOR.
From his study of the local surroundings,
Of the inhabitants and not less of the gos-
pels NJ Tissot has evolved, bit by bit, the
tragedy as 1t seems to him it might have
been enacted. Nothing could be less SEN
sational or theatrical, yet the horror and
soemnity have been expressed to a degree
hitherto uninterrupted. The plain, unvarn-
ished truth has been set down quietly and
reasonably, as if in the assurance that it
had enough inherent force to make its own
point And it does. The painters imagin-
alton has been so keen that it WHITES ones
The scenery of Palestine, when repre-
scented in d photograph, is particularly UNI
interesting. but i'm NJ. Tssot's drawings the
reverse is the case AS he says, the beauty
lies in the colo ing the pink and yeloWS
of the rocky hills; the dull red of the soil.
greens of fresh young heritage after rains
and the dark green or gray Of olive trees.
And over all is q brilliancy of sunshine that
scintillates. In contrast with the dainty
radiance of the background the
tunes of the people. White is largely used,
especially in the headdress but the draperies
are low in tone; dull blues and reds browns
and green's, a rich rude harmony that is
very impressive. When studies were i'm
possible and NJ. Tissot has had to depend
entirely upon his imagination, he gives ex-
preston to much originality. His repre-
sentation of angels for example, is very
striking. He wraps their bodies round with
diverse wings. so that only the heads and
hands appear These wings have the tex
ture and some of the color of the plumage
of a peacock. They are not constructed on
anatomical principles but are creatures
purely OF the Imagination.
1t would be quite impossible TO attempt
a detailed survey of this collection of draw
ings One and all make the Bible past live
sgain in a way that pictorial art has never
done before. The reason is that NJ. Tissot
has not viewed the events through the
medium of Western notions, ancient and
modern: nor has he used the local condi-
tons only as a landscaplst or archaeologist
would do, but he has turned the light OF the
East on to his studies of the Bible, and
then projected his impressions back on to
the scenes in which they occurred. The
Imagination has become visualized in truth
full perspective.
JEFFERSON'S RIP VAN WRINKLE.