The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-23
A NEW PORTRAIT
OF GEN. R. {, lee
Fine Work Of Mr.. DUNCAN Smith
OH Exhibition at
Library.
PAINTED IN FULL UNIFORM
The Beauty Of the Work Is the
Expression Of the
Chieftain.
PAINTED in FULL UNIFORM
Especial TO The Times Dlspatchl


CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, February
e2.-There Is on exhibition In the IL
prary OF .hc University of Virginia a
lifc-size portrait OF Robert II. Lee,
which is likely to he accepted as the
best OF the general at the period Sc
lccted by the artist. 1863 when the fou-
tunes of the Confederacy were not
bright. and It's cares and disasters
weighed heavily on It's military leader
rho portrait is the work of Mr..
Duncan Smith. son of Professor Fran
els II. Smith, Of the University OF Vir-
ginia, at whose home It was painted
during January of thfs ycar.sj Mr..
Smiths friends. among whom are fotn-
potent and Just critics, eaard-tt--a
hie masterpiece
General Lee is painted in full uni
form, and at full length. physically.
In the easy and upright pose OF a SOL
der. and spiritually. in n pose show
ing the serene. thoughtful dignity Of
great soul--a characteristic always
present in Lees photographs because
1t was never absent from his life. The
setting is a rlysrside. with abundant
tree growth upon the foliage of which,
the figure is delincatcd, and beyond
which stretch of river and. above It,,
n reach of evening sky are seen. The
landscape Is pleasing variation from
the conventional portrait setting, and
contributes to the success OF the ar
lists purpose to present an heroic fig
ure. The layman may not fully COM
prehend the artistic resources. but he
will appreciate their result, which er
ablcd Mr.. Smith to procure depth and
quality Of color by series OF trans
parent glazings OF pure pigments over
Iprf, nal n r.
Ing.
The gray uniform. showing fading
color and the texture of long-use
cloth. Is one of the ingratiating bits of
color realism in the work. The fol-
lower of Lee Will be touched by 1t.
and think 1t was so his uniform looked
in 1863.
Fine study.
The face IL fine study of the soul
of the man: an aged face. one would
say, although the general was but lit
tic more than fifty-six. with sad,
kindly eyes, that looked back on the
struggles that made him gray. but did
not bcnumb his soul: the figure erect
and firm OH its feet, the stature of
soldier who stood UP and took the
storm on the field and in the council
without hardening his heart. The
whole is the truest vision perhaps that
arriving in Richmond from Appomat-
tox was greeted by the troops of both
armies with respect and enthusiasm.
1T helps us TO understand why this
hero of a lost cause. as Ii was re-
garded. had gathered about him white
radiance which history has never be-
slowed on another great commander
In defeat. and which II cannot give In
purer or greater splendor to any
,syhng catt
crown OF successful achievement. 1t
was the man behind the cause. and
God with the man
The artist. Mr.. Smith, after being
carefully educated at the University of
Virginia, whose masters degree he re-
ceived. studied at the Art Students
League under George DeForest Brush.
Joseph DeCanp, KENYON Cox George
Bridgeman and G.. C. Curran. and
studied mural decorations more than
a year at the American Academy in
Rome.
Before going to Rome lie received
honorable mention in the Lazarus
Scholarship competition in 1902. He
assisted William DeLeftwich Dodge In
his mural paintings for the Empire
Theatre. the Aston Hotel, and the
Devonshire Apartments and aided him
III the fNoSdlcS lOi. the Hal OF RECORDS
in New York and the ceiling of the
banquet hail OF the Auditorium Annex
of Chicago He is now assisting +. w.
Stokes in his mural paintings for the
Natural History Museum of New York.
His Mural Work.
Perhaps his best single piece of mural
work is the salon $50 by 40 feet) of the
Morgan mansion of Deal Beach. n. J.
Thelfrieze is GO by 4 feet. in five divi-
sions. Representing the length of Man
haitian seen from the Jersey side across
the North River at sunset, with the
sun striking the tops of til, skyscrap-
ers. Mr.. Smith has also found time to
do excellent work in book-plate de-.
signing, book illustration, and pen and
INK drawings. the best examplescofsth the
last having appeared In "criteri IN.
and Life"