The record-union., 1898-10-16

"A capital idea Of a mechanical kind
is shown in a West of England win
dow, says Chambers Journal" The
subject is Noah taking provisions into
the ark He is a gigantic person,
standing at a portfolio. from which to
the shore is an inclined plane made
from a board of wood. Noah is shown
hauling a tremendous barrel probably
fierce of beef up this plank by means
of two ropes, which, being fixed to the
side of the vessel, are carried under
the barrel, then over it, and the free
ends rest in Noah'S hands. Never
mind thinking as you look at the scene,
that the barrel is four times as large
as the portfolio Noah is about to try
and pull it through-that is his affair."
but note the capital use of two powers,
the inclined plane and the leverage of
a circular mass by two ropes.
Many years ago Qess than forty) a
lady was impOrtuned by the head of
an English college to place a painted
window in the college chapel, and at
length, wearied with being so repeat
eddy asked, she yielded, STIMULATING only
that she should choose her own subject,
and that the window should not be
viewed until the proper day arrived for
its unwilling. In due time the window
was painted and fixed, and when the
yelling cloth was removed, behold she
had chosen as her biblical subject Job
plagued with boils, and Jobs face was
very fair representation of the mas
ter who had plagued the lady. Need
less to say the window was removed,
and another subject inserted at some
one else's expense, probably that of
the master.
In the October Century" there is an
article on "Edouard Detaille, Painter
of Soldiers" by Armand Dayot. illus
trated by many sketches by the great
French artist. The author says: De-
taille's method of composition is thus
stated by him in Vachon's biography:
I compose my pictures in my head as
musician composes without the piano.
A fine picture requires whole months
of internal reflection; there are others
which have terminated for years in
my brain. 1t is only when I have COM
pletely conceived it that I throw my
vision On paper; after that 1 seldom
my thoughts; and that is true even of
the most complicated things, which it
is necessary to see in large masses.
Ihen L begin the labor of putting my
thought out clearly, a labor which I
do not leave to chance. because l al
ways make the first quick indications
direct from nature. l detest those
smudges in which the largest role is
played by chancel If | make a. big
painting, my sketch is very definite and
very much matured. without being. for
that reason. what one calls executed 7
ind it very difficult to paint from
studies. While 1 am copying myself
L lose all my steam; it is always direct
from nature that l execute each detail.
That may1 mot always prove convenient
but execution is more fresh and living
when there is direct contact with ma
ture"
From Tunis, also. comes the report of
an archaeological discovery. Near FL
Aha, the ancient Achalla, has been ex-
caVated a very large Roman country
house with an extensive system of
baths. There are no fewer than TWEEN
ty rooms. with mosaic pavements and
wall paintings. One of the mOsaics
represents Nile landscape The city
of Susa and the city of Mahdia are
competing for the privilege of rernov
ing it TO their respective museums.
An enormous find of silver coins has
been made at Soldn. There are 10000
Silberpfennige, mostly of Pomeranian
origin, and 1000 other coins which in
clude 800 Bohemian Silvergroschen
struck in the reigns of Charles 1. Q34f-
1879 and of Wenceslaus ". Q31S-
1910.
That the promoters Of the Salon.
Paris, and the less eminent fellow So
ciety, once of the Champ de Mars are
both greatly exercised by the prospect
Of there not being room enough for
their respective exhibitions at the great