The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-10-07
THE LAST SUPPER
3 MASTERPIECE OF
WILLIAM LEAVITT
Artist Who Wed and Was Di.
vorced from Ruth Bryan Elk.
hibiting Canvas.
Here Under Auspices Of the
Woman's Club.
~ WAS PAINTED IN PARIS

william Homer Leavitt. the voted
American artist. former husband OF
Ruth bryan Leayitt and son-in-
law of william Jennings Bryan, Is
la Paducah 10 exhibit his MASTER
piece. "The Last supper" which will
40 on exhibition at the Three Links
building at o'clock this afternoon.
Mr.. Leayltt arrived yesterday. His
appearance Is under the auspices oil
the Woman's club and his famous
painting arrived from Van Vert, o..
where IL was last shown, this morn
ing. IL required all morning and
part OF this afternoon TO hang the
picture and arrange thu draperies.
The painting Is IS feet high and
22is feet long. IL has been seen
by 235,000 people. by actual count,
during is ~ months OF exhibition
Ia France. England. ireland and the
United states.
Mr.. Leavltt IL an American. but
likes Paris and the French people.
Paris Is where the masterpiece was
painted. requiring two years work.
lie missed only one day The pic
ture l. valued at 100000 and Pa
ducahans are indebted TO the Wom-
ans club for securing Il. To fully
appreciate the picture one has to
study Il. II Is the only painting in
} existence showing Christ standing
and Is the largest painting since
Muncaksy's Christ Before PLATE
A noticeable feature OF the picture
Is that the room il lighted only by
the radiance from the Christ, Him
self.
The scene Is laid IN that upper
chamber In Jerusalem, where the
Savior. realizing that Ills last hours
are at hand. has brought His twelve
disciples together for their last pass
over supper. The table. at which
they are seated, Is opened at the
front. 80 the servants may pass in
and out, according TO the ancient
Roman custom. Christ has risen
from Ills seat at the center OF the
opposite side. Opposite Him Is the
seat OF honor. from which Judas has
Just risen. Judas. whom Christ has
Just rebuked, Is seen standing at the
rear of the room. at the parting OF
the curtain. Every eye. except that
OF Andrew, whose head Is bowed in
grief, Is turned upon the Master.
Mr.. Leavitt. In depicting the various
expressions characteristic OF the dis
ciples, has shown himself 90 be an
artist of rare talent. Christ alone,
Is composed and Is not pictured as
a man bowed with grief. but having
a beautiful expression on His conn.
tenance.
John, who sits at the Masters
left. Is looking up with loving fear.
and Peters face. the strongest I'M
the group. shows almost wrathful
indignation. Matthew, the publican,
shows n refined. intellectual face.
An the disciples are clothed In keep
ing with the custom, In white. ex-
cept John and James, the sons Of
thunder" one OF whom wears red
shoulder covering and the other a.
OMNl ltu uilltN SUI Ah'hAf
above his robe. The settings and
surroundings are held strictly to the
old Roman customs of the time OF
Christ. Mr.. Leayitt having visited
Jerusalem prior to painting HIS pic
ture, and studied the customs of
that quaint city.
Another notable feature is that
the artist has not tried to picture
the face Of Judas. the betrayer, as
repulsiye or malicious, as Is shown
In other pictures. A striking feat
ure OF the painting is the simplicity
d. imbedded In t. The characters are
ali taken from Jews from the streets
OF Palestine. where the artist spent
some time sketching. The picture,
no doubt. ranks among the greatest
paintings OF this last supper, of the
feast OF the passover"
The largest number viewing II In
one day was at Belfast. Ireland. and
the second largest number at Gray
Chapel, Delaware. during the latter
part of May.
In an interview with a reporter
for The Evening Sun today Mr..
Leayitt paid a high compliment to
the women of Paducah. The people
In general, he sad, are sooiable and
he likes this. lie considers Paducah
clean and attractive and likes the
buildings.
MIR. Leavitt's Career.
Mr.. Leavitt has the distinction OF
being the first American painter to
be elected an officer in the School OF
Fine Arts, Paris, France.
Mr.. Leavitt was born in Boston,
Mass. - and took up drawing at the