The Savannah morning news., 1900-10-29

OF nature. the benign. God-like dignity"
wrote Mrs. jameson. that admirable art
critic. who saw everything she described
- Well suffered with the profound -
sorrow. in the head OF Christ. surpassed
all could have conceived az possible IN
art"
Since She frst saw this work over sixty
years have passed away aud tho picturs
was much less faded then than nov Yet
she says. And faded as u r.. the char
acter there. being stamped on u by the
soul. not hy the hand ~ the artist. vii
remain while a line or hue remains Wis
ible"
There Is much reason 20 feor that this
sad timc-N not now here's near a.
hand 1T Is = divine shadow. aho
adds and until e fades into nothing
AMI disappears utterly wih have tho line
amenia Of divinity
TIE figure Of Christ says Kugier. forms
tho center lie sits In tranquil att
disciples are ranged three and three to-
Rether and thev form two separate
groups on zach side OF the Saviour These
four groups in their general treatment
Indicate a certain correspondence af emo
ton and harmony In movement. united
however. With the greatest variety ia
gesture ana in the expression Of the heads
Hts DiscipIes.
While the greatest interest 81 the picture
csntera around Christ. where there IS
tranquility. mnch excitement prevails
among the apostles. with the exception
OF - John. who leans over from the
Lord a. n his gentle nature was oppress-
81 beyond uttsrance by the approa c hing
betrayal. The lower part OF the face Of
81. John g. quite indistlnct IN outline.
ana lts color and shadows nave almost
wholly merged into one hue.
The other hgures. though there are
spots OF fading coiors and 81 blurred out
lines upon them. are not quite 50 deterlor-
ated
The tablocioth. with its blue pattern
such a pattern a. YOU may see to-day In
old cloths which were placed on affairs IN
the sixteenth aud seven ieenth centuries
under the Amer altar CLOTHS still sum
GENTLY evident 20 the sight.
The tiny ioaveu. or breads. such as are
still 10 be- seen IN Italy, are quite vist.
BILE and preserve much Of their original
color and outline
Tho face OF Judas that bold Mephis-
tophelian oountenance Tor which Ia
Vinci 80 hong sought a model endures
stll. ~ do the red brown ueCk OF the
traitor and the blue dress that covers tho
right shoulder. 90 strong looking ana mus
cular. which Is nearest the spectator
The Traitor.
You may shil distinguish the nervous
right hand. with It's eager fingers clutch
Ing tho money bag OF which he has
charge. ana which led 40 his souls ruin.
This money bag Is his distinctive sign
Of the Italian art OF the sixteenth aud
seventeenth centuries
The action % Judas in this picture Ia
such ~ Dante describes In his account
Of the fate of tho avaricious IN hls"In-
ferno"-
These from the tomb with oienched grasp
shall rise.
OF Judas. Mrs Jameson says: His
face Is seen Ia profile and cast into ahad-
ow Without being vulgar. OF even ugly.
Il IS hateful" This describes IL truly
She mentions. besides that Judas. who
knows full we'll OF whom the Saviour
spake. starts back amazed. oversettlnR
the salt
II shot incident was ever evident In tho
picture II Is 50 no longer There e. not
tho slightest slgn to-day Of salt being
spilled IN front 81 Judas That may have
faded away like 20 much else but. though
II n seen in some copies OF an early date.
made when the original was still com
paratively perfect. others have nothing OF
this saii-spiiling Incident
Tho story Of the gradual fading away
Of this picture Is long and sadly interest
Ing.
From a very early period. even during
the life % the artist. rs vicissitudes be-
gan.
door was cut through the wall on
which ~ vas painted. removing the fee,
81 the Saviour and eone Of tho disciples
a. well as a portion OF the tablecloth.
" was painted over. and spoiled
The French soldiers az the end OF last
century stabbed their horses IN n and
other misfortunes of an equally disastrous
character fell upon n.
And noW Il would seem as II the intor-
rity Of the last fragments remaining OF
the work Of this glory Of Italian art. Leo
nardo "a Vinci. were again threatened
A work on Milan. just published By one
Of the principal publishing houses la this
city, announces, apparently with knowl-
edge. II not with authority, that IAN at
tempt IL now about 20 be made 10 restore
10 IL lts primitive beauty"
one breads such attempts that always
promise so much and which end 50 badly
Perhaps the coming enterprise may b.
successful. and n 80 the world Will again
be glsddened with a sight OF one OF the
greatest % masterpiece
II Is well 20 remember. however. the ad-
vice Of Didron regarding ancient works.
"lt g. better 20 consolidate than 20 repair,
better 20 repair than 20 restore ana BET
ter 10 restore than 20 emheilish." In no
made 20 such works.