The times., 1901-03-10

large picture, The christening, Dy VII
Iegas, in William H. Vanderbilt's private
gallery, l remember asking myself the
question. What is the character of the
rest of that great cathedral interior not
more than one-third Of which was com
pretended in the picture? There was a
profusion of ornate architectural detail
swept into imposing shadowy masses
by the hand of genius and that a Span
ish genius. The colorful splendor of that
/ interior, and the gold, jewels, and rich
fabrics on that royal assembiage exceeds
the power of language to convey, for it
is in itself a climax exceeding any reality
and therefore the outer limit of sane i'm
agination Like a sunset in the Tropics
one is made speechless. however much he
may long for courage to describe his SEN
saticns This much | decided-the artist
had made this picture of a part seem
picture of the whole, and it was practi-
cally that, for one was oblivious to that
major part of the cathedral not repre-
sented in the picture.
There was in the Pension Office Mon
day night a scene dazzling 'oautiful,
surprising the dream of VI IN size,
spectacular magniffcence, and
harmonious color, but it was ub-
ject for a painter II was too democ, tic.
There was no splendid altar, like a Ill
liant throne, no glittering crown, and err
mine-trmmed robe of scarlet to accentu-
ate the picture. Nothing on which the
pencil might rest as a central note of
form or color more conspicuous than the
rest The Presidents balcony was sim
pie but thoroughly tasteful and appro-
pirate affair, while his party, with true
republican spirit, seemed little different
from the vast mass of humanity which
packed the floor and galleries of this great
interior The decorations and every fea-
ture of the adornments seemed to pro-
claim with emphasis The people are SOW
ereign here
Above the music, gayety, andspirit of con-
graduation that was in the air arose those
eight mighty columns imposing and
sphinx-like, a sign of the enduring char
acter of this great nation of ours In no
court assembly hall in the world may
one see anything at once so imposing
and so simple For the first time in the
history of this giass-roofed court was the
ceiling brought down to the level of the
capitals of these great columns and this
ceiling of yellow cheese cloth was a mas
terpiece of decorative skill and simpHci
ty The smilax and azaleas festooning
the smaller columns was broken by
swinging and circling lines of electric
lights. These confined to the four walls
of the interior helped materially to de-
fine the space and give form to what
might otherwise nave seemed chaotic. It
was wise to keep the lights and greenery
from the great columns and the ceiling.
At these two points alone was there that
repose without wk. n no decorative
scheme is quite whs it should be. A
note Of rare taste was the four groups
Of flags in the centre of each Of which
was placed, glowing and brilliant a
shield in red, white, and blue in electric
lights.
Discussing the paintabil,ty OF that spec
tacle with some artist friends there, it
was agreed that while it was probably
the most wonderfully rich and splendid
scene ever witnessed anywhere in the
world, it was utterly impossible TO re-
duce it to d picture, mainly for the rea-
son that one could not possibly take in
the whole view, or any adequately Illus
tratiVe part Of it, ana Keep the eyes In
one direction. From the galleries look
ing straight ahead toward the President
box, one could neither see the capitals
nor bases Of the nearer columns, and If
forced into the picture the barren un-
brokenness of those sixteen perpendicU-
lar straight lines must destroy all sense
OF reality in the picture. This problem
is the Waterloo Of photographers ami
while admitting that, beyond doubt.
il is the most magnificent and imposing
sight l ever witnessed, / am just as sure
that no adequate picture of It Will ever
be painted.
1t may be observed that in all photo
graphs where the capitals and bases of
the near columns are included the inte-
rior becomes apparently half mile long
and the distant wall so remote as to make
it impossible to distinguish details. How
ever, the pictorial possibilities Of this
temporary Inaugural ballroom is very
small matter II has served its purpose
with wonderful success. It's artistic de
sign and beautiful color scheme has been
remarked by ali critical persons sensi-
tive TO such things and have heard
nothing but the enthusiastic praise which
its artistic success has fairly won for
Chairman Marshall and his able assist
ants on the committee while Chairman
Edison has proved his executive genius
In the wisdom Of his selection of these eX-
pert architects, artists, and decorators,
and in leaving TO them the entire prob
lem of converting a very prOsy and un-
wieldy interior into a bower of light and
radiant beauty i'm every way artistic and
entirely appropriate 10 the occasion.
At the Treasury, il was generally re
marked that the fine Pompeiian taste in
dicated by the red gable, and red band
behind the cOlOuuade, the green strip of
cloth back of the iron railing with the
greens sparingly distributed, the artistic
grouping of flags, aud some other toucn~
es on the Treasury building could not
be the work OF an awning factory. I'm
curry revealed the interesting fact that
two artists who stand high here IN the
local set, amateurs who are Attached TO
the Treasury in a clerical capacity. de-
signed these unique and very notable dec
orations.
They are too modest to care for any
publicity in this CO. uection, but the Sec
rctaries would do well to keep them IN
mind on future festival occasions, for the
decoration Of public buildings In the past
has been apparently the very simple prob
lem Of getting all the flags loanable and
spreading them ever the face OF the
building as far as they would reach Ihl5
is patriotic, but without being less SO the
Treasury boys have proven that artistic
taste may be employed to immense ad-
vantage.
There was Shown at the Cosmos Club
last week an extraordinary collection OF
flower pictures by Mrs. Rowan, OF Lon
don. This artist a modest. fra!l little
body, is the wife Of an English army OF
| 1icer who having Travelled all over the
globe, took up the pleasant task IN those
jOurneyingS Of painting flowers IN Opaque
water-color on paper about 10Xl4 inches
in siZe-and painting them rlGht WheIe
they grew. The result Is revelation 10
artist and scientist alike This hercuIedh
undertaking such IL seems Mh'h one
contcmplates the Jrk accomplished with
the slender physical resources OF TINS 1T
tie woman Of gcIius-puts us men, the
best of US. to shame. and would nave heeh
a valued lesson to that unconsclouSly IN
sincere artist who frittoTs away ms days
in the studio. and who IN snug easy chairs
at his club talks, ,VcrlastlnSiy talks put
never does anything unless he sees a rat
check at the other end of II.
These pictures are 50 obviously cont IoI
the love of flowers aud her love of art that
chapters might be devoted TO single spccl-
mems of her work, 50 sl1ilfui and charm
ing are they Indeed, taken altogether 1t