The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-07
IRI SENSATION
To-Day N PRS
Jan Styka's onderfuII Scenes
From "Qua VadlS".
TOOK FIFTEEN SUBJECTS
From the Book and Painted
Them deliberately.

New York, Dec. 6.-The New York
World prints the following from Paris:
The greatest art sensation OF the year
in the French capital is the work of
Jan styka, Polish painter. whose won
derful pictures illustrating QUO Vadis, -
the famous novel OF the Polish author
sienldewicz, have recently been placed on
view.
1t true that there have been several
illustrated editions OF that marvellous ro-
nance of the early Christians, but the
paintings OF Jan Styka are upon plane
so UNNECESSARILY higher that compari-
son is scarcely possible.
In themselves they are great works Of
art, and one is amazed by the contrasts
they present The artist is as success
ful in portraying the awful horrors of
the Christians devoured Dy wild beasts
IN the arena as ne is depicting an idylhc
love scene. The faces Of men inspired by
the hottest passions that ever uplifted
the human soul and the faces of beasts
on four feet and two are equally i'm
pressive.
lie paints the massive Ursus, whose
every line shows the monstrous strength
and viIility Of the man, ana the delicate,
voluptuous feminine charm OF perfect
womanhood with the same master touch.
A famous French art critic, Boyer
d'Agen. SAYS that Jan Styka has a knowl-
edge Of the times. of the manners. Of
the surroundings which are presented in
''Quo yadis" that is as full and as ac-
curate as that of Sienkiewicz."
And this knowledge the result Of long
and careful study worthy of a scholar,
is joined with the feeling and skill Of
s really good painter. In connection with
the QUO Vadis" pictures NJ d'Agen
says:
There are two master qualities which
characterizes Sty1a work The first is
that OF a painter, as strong as ne is vo-
luptuous. VINO draws. first faithfully, and
then caresses his creations until the in
tense life is made to palpitate. The sec
ond is a new manner. personal to Styka,
IN drawing his figures. lie makes the
slphabet OF his line. which some aecen-
tuate too much. give to the scene spaces
where they evolve naturally and where
the subjects have room to breathe with
IN making the picture. The illustrator
OF past times as a painter Of instinct and
OF viii whe brings the line back to the
color which envelops it and leaves no
trait in the air which does not vibrate
naturally"
1t was during the Paris exposition that
Jan Styka came into notice as a painter
OF the early struggles of Christianity in
Rome He had on exhibition then in his
studio in the Champs Elysees a huge
panoramic canvas, 200 feet long and 20
feet high, which ne called Christian mar
tyrs in the Circus OF Nero-a tremendous
thing, whose power was irresistible.
1t was this work that led him to be
especially interested in QUO Vadis" and
to desire to illustrate il. He read and re-
read the book with great care and select
ed for illustration fifteen subjects, of
which eight are large canvases.
He made an immense number of studies |
passing weeks IN Rome, with the models !
posed amid the actual surroundings when
Il was possible. When the studies were
complete he worked long over the paint /
ings. He made no fewer than five COM
plete pictures Of the mighty Ursus before /
he was satisfied and the pictures in which |
that giant is shown are really tremen- |
oous in their power. One portrays the |
struggle with Croton. whom Vinicius be- |
neved no human being could scope with /
him. and the power of the human bear I
is shown so skillfully that one can under /
stand how it was possible that he was |
able to overcome atrocities in the arena /
when the beautiful Lygia was tied to the |
animals back
That is one of the largest and finest OF /
the paintings. It shows the vast arena, |
empty save for the Christian girl. her |
champion and the beast. with the great 1
throns above them. The contrast of her |
delicate body against the rough fur Of /
the brute. and the enormous muscles /
OF the man and the concentration Of the /
supreme effort with which Ursus brings |
the buffalo to earth are pictured with /
marvellous effectiveness.
Horribly fascinating Is the scene in
which the Christians and the wild beasts
are thrown into the arena In the fore (
ground IS a great tiger. with severed
human arm in its mouth, which domin-
SITES It all-the lions wolves. dogs and
tgers and the muulated victims. The
stated Romans look upon the sacrifice
the rendering Of limbs by the ferocious
beasts. less cruel than they. and lolI in
content in that voluptuous luxury the
ike OF which the world VIII never know
again.
nan entirely different key is the Won
oerful scene Of the floating banquet Of
Asripps. where are shown Nero and Pop
peea. with the thousands of beautiful wo-
men whose dramatic poses sccentuate the
Elsoe and beauty of their forms.