The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-19

4
Roman scholar, beardless. with classic
| lace and young in years. but the Sec
ono Is the Oriental. no longer young.
ana with the board. severe. long. set
FEATURES of that people. At that period
In Rome the artists worked I'm glass
as our artists to-day work IN gold and
! colors. but 1t Is Il lost art. There are
many portraits in the cups of this
imperial glass, and especially we'll
known are those of Peter and Paul
The Christian art, OF course. had
much In common with the pagan, with
only the difference of few details.
Like the pagan artists. they employed
the fresco for it's form instead of paint
ing on wood or canvas. and used much
the same colors the four original col
ors-red. green. blue, yellow-to which
they added brown. The wall upon
which fresco was done was prepared
tor the painting by three layers Of
| lime and fine white sand, to which
three other layers OF more lime and
pulverized marble and sometimes a
coating of wax were added before the
| picture was ever begun. The colors
themselves were mingled with wax and
resin. ana put on generally with some
iron instrument. Now. although these
metallic colors have faded, they have
left a rust on the outside. which, when
1t liz washed off with an acid. reveals
the picture I'm all it's pristine beauty
1 OF tone and brightness.
| a
/ in the art OF the catacombs and the
Roman art of the same period The
! Roman artist worked at his leisure in
the fuilneas of broad daylight. as con
tiasted with the poor painter welding
! his brush down in that dark night of
earth. lighted only by nickering lii
tie taper, and the fear always present
OF being Interrupted by "A summons
TO the judgment. Most of the fresco
work OF the catacombs is the product
| of the poor
! The subjects OF the pagan art are
taken largely from mythology. but i'm
the whole range of the ca,Acornbs' art
there is no trace of the myths The
ancient art or Egypt took it's inspira-
ton from real life; in the catacombs
very fcw subjects arc taken from such
source; their inspiration IS drawn
IRON me literature and scripture. Thus
one mas III. walls adorned with sceney
! illustrating beliefs and tenets Of the
| church and forms of service
Bishop OConnell explained at length
the favori,c subjects portrayed by
these artists in their work, showing
ne beauties and meaning Of it ALL the
inspiration, The symbols of hone and
revelation that these historic and allie
gorical representations meant 10 thesa
poor prosecuted beings, in view OF their
own condition. Strange to say. there
is no reprcse nta ton OF the cross or
crnciiiNion. This art should be inter
pretatiHe and In parallel lines 10 the
New Testament. but, though the writ
ipgs are full of it. the art is cmptv
probably from fear of proclamation by
the Dagans, and so IL is that one comes
upon the hidden crosses in almost all
of the various symbols used
To understand this art how much il
means. how deep its sincerity, one must
kno" mat IL portrays the very first
sugg estion Of the life OF the church
IT Is mos, valuable because there are
so few writings TO throw any light ON
the life of these people, and it is only
! through these paintings that one
giimpses the changes that were TAX
ing place among the people. You do
not note the exquisite touch of Greece
and Rome, but the art of the catacombs
mas warmth and feeling that fills the
heart of humanity with hope and as
piration.
Guest of Relatives.
Mrs. +. r. Brady, of Roanoke is the
guest OF Colonel and Mrs. John w.
Richardson at 1924 Grove Avenue DR.
Brady. who has also been visiting Col
onel and Mrs. Richardson here. has
returned to Roanoke.
Club Meeting.
The Monday Evening Five Hundred
Club was entertained by Miss Sadie a.
Selden at her home. 210s East Frank
lin Street. Five tables were engaged.
and the extra guests were Benjamin
McPhail and MFR. and Mrs. Alfred +.
Selden. Jr. the highest score being
made by Miss Marie Tmberlake and
John Bolen. a Dutch supper was
served after the game was concluded.
The table was decorated in lilies and
sprays of the lilies marked the places
OF the guests present
The next Meeting of the club will be
held on March 81 with Miss Myrtle
Brown AT her home in Woodland
Heights.
Guest of Miss Bemiss.
Miss Mary Anglionby Johnson, who
has recently been the guest of Mrs
John +. l.etcher in Norfolk is now
spending some time with her cousin.
Miss Frances Bemiss. at her home, III
East Grace Street Miss Johnson and
her brother. William Johnson. have
just returned from a trip to Panama
and Florida where they spent several
weeks with a party of friends
At the Woman's Club
Because OF Holy Week, the March
tournament will not be held at the
Womans Club on Thursday, but will
take place there on Thursday even
ing. March p, at SIS o'clock. The
usual rules concerning the register
ing OF tablAs and gentlemen partners
will prevail
This afternoon at half-past O'Clock
Miss Augusta Daniel will meet her
class in architecture. which has proved
such an interesting and delightful
phase OF the club life this season. THE
class gathers promptly at half-after
4 and for an hour discusses and views
certain number of pictures of famous
buildings and such. with an interesting
little talk by Miss Daniel, following
which tea is served
Visiting Here.
Miss Mamie Burwer Norton. OF
Alexandria will arrive hero to-day to
be the guest of her sister. Mrs John
X. Mason. at 4o2 East Grace Street
Miss Norton will also spend some
time with Mrs Alexander H Sands
here. before her return to Alexandria
Concert To-Morrow.
Musical people here are much in
terested in the concert that will be
given tomorrow evening at $3.50
in the Auditorium. w. Henry Baker
and his chorus of well-trained voices
including celebrated soloist from
Philadelphia will render the program
for the evening. The program to be