The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-18
JOHN TRUMBULL PAINTINGS
ONE or THE FEATURES OF THE
 COMING CELEBRATION.

School of Fine Arts Contributes It, Share to the Diversi1ied Programm, for Next Week-EarIier History of .hs College illustrated by Fine Paintings The programme of Yale's Bicenten- nial festivities cannot but impress one
 with it's extraordinary diversity. From football to scientific scholarship every feature of university activity is to be represented. To this varied programme
 the School of Fine Arts contributes as its share a collection of paintings illus trating the earlier history of the col lege and the lives of the men connected with it's development. The nucleus of
 this exhibition is the unique collection
 of paintings bequeathed to the college
 by John Trumbul, patriot-artist of the
 American Revolution.
 The immediate interest of the Trum-
 bull gallery is further enhanced by the forthcoming publication of work pre-
 pared for the committee on the Bicen-
 tennial celebration by Professor John
 F. Weir, director of the School of Fine
 Arts, entitled: John Trumbull, A
 Brief Sketch of His Life" to which is
 added catalogue of his works This
 little book, artistically printed, and
 adorned with reproductions of Trum-
 bulls best pictures will appear from
 Scribner's press in time for the cele-
 bration of next week. It makes Trum-
 bull a very real and living person, and,
 by explaining the motive and purpose
 of his work gives to 1t the character
 of a national heirloom.
 John Trumbull, son of Jonathan
 Trumbull, the revolutionary governor
 of the Connecticut colony, was born at
 Lebanon, Conn. June 6, 1756. Being
 naturally a quick student, he entered
 Harvard college in the middle of the junior year when only fifteen, and in July of 1773 was graduated with the degree of B. A. His college tutor mo- ticed his talent for limning Gas our grandfathers called the art of drawing), but advised his father that it could prove of no possibly advantage to him. And, indeed, colonial New England was not pre- -eminently an art-loving community.
 It was a splendid time in which to be young the rights of the colonies and the expressions of the mother-country were being discussed at every gather ing and by every fire-side. As the low growing of thunder announces the ap- proach of the tempest, Trumbull writes, So did these discussions give notice that a moral storm was at hand; men nJ1pcftonq would soon be referred to the decision of arms. I caught the growing enthu- siasm. My father was the governor of the colony, and patriot and of course surrounded by patriots, to whose ardent listened daily. At the earliest opportunity he enlisted as ad- jutant in General Spencer's first Con- necticut regiment and, though not ac- tually engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill. was near enough to watch the smoke of the gradually retreating lines; SO that his painting of the battle, If not the work of an eyewitness, Is at least that of one who shared in the emotions If that first act of our national inde- 1endence
 While stationed near Boston, his tal- mt for limning stood him in good ,tead. He had a chance to sketch the ,nemy's Notifications on Boston Neck, md his sketch brought him into Wash ngton's notice and won him an ap- ointment as aide-de- camp on the staff | if the commander-in-c n-chief
 He soon felt, however, that his first uty to his country and to himself lay long the paths of art, and failing to eceive a satisfactory commission from he Congress, he resigned his position n the army. and embarked for Europe where he intended to work in the tudo of Benjamin West
 But England was not a very com ortable place for an American Pa riot. He had not been long there when ews arrived of the treason of Arnold nd the subsequent execution of the nfortunate Andre. As Andre was an djutant in the British army and rumbull had been adjutant on the merican side, he was promptly clap ed into prison, and, despite the inter- ention of his master, West, 8 high fa- orite with George III, was confined 1T several months and only released on ondition that he should immediately , uit the kingdom. He was not able to .. turn to pursue his studies till after le declaration of peace in 17S1 Though living and studying in Flu ,pe, Trumbull did not, like Irving or S 5e Benjamin West abandon his C merican patriotism. His first origin t
 works of any merit were the Battle
 Bunkers Hill and the Death of painted and first exhibit in London, seen and admired by | oethe in Stuttgart, and now a part of e Yale collection. His ideal work is mmed up in the following passage om letter written to Thomas Jef- rson in 17S9 declining an appointment r
 Jefferson's private secretary To Il eserve and diffuse the memory of the 0 blest actions; to impart to future '. nerations the glorious lessons of hu- - an rights, and the spirit with which ese should be asserted and supported d to transmit to posterity the per- nal resemblance of those who have en great actors in those illustrious snes are objects that give dignity to ' profession, peculiar to my situation ,m having borne personally a hum- part in the great events I am to scribe. No, other artist now living ssesses this advantage, and no one,