Norwich bulletin., 1921-02-10
NORWICH MAN DISCOVERS
 DANIEL HUNTINGTON PAINTING

With the discovery of a painting, "Mercy's Dream" done by the celebrated American portrait and genre artist, Dan- iel Huntington, of New York, arises /e question whether the painting "MeTcy's Dream now hung in the Coreoran gal lery at Washington is the first work of the great artists brush or whether the newly discovered painting antedates the Washington painting.
 The discovery of the painting was
 made several years ago by a Norwich man interested in the old masters. but who was unable to get possession of it
 until Tuesday. The painting has hung
 in storage room of a New London an-
 tique dealer. unappreciated for many
 moons, until discovered by Norwich
 man who resides on Broadway.
 As to it's being a genuine Daniel Huntington, there is no doubt whatsoever
 for the history is easily traced and veri- l fed at all points The question Is wheth- | CT it was painted upon Huntington's re-
 turn from Europe in 1898 or whether the painting was made in the early '50s. The 1 painting was originally made for Israel
 F. Brown of New London. founder of the
 Brown Cotton Gin company, and it was | his daughter, Mrs. George Colfax, who | sold the painting to the New London an- l tique dealer without realizing its worth.
 ''Merey's' Dream" is one of a~series of paintings that Huntington did to illus
 trate Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress, and is
 considered to be one of his best works.
 This series was >done shortly after Hunt 1 ington's return from Rome in 1888 and l during the painting of this series his eye sight failed him. In 1S44 he went back to Rome, returning to New York in 1S4s
 and took up portrait painting. although he did many genre, religious and histor- ical subjects. As far as known, until the recent discovery, there were only tive ei
 "Mercy's Dream in existence, one
 claimed as the original, in the Corcorar
 gallery, and replica in the Pennsylvania 1 academy. Now the question is whether
 the recently discovered ''Mercy's Dream
 is of the first series painted upon Hunt
 ington's return from Europe or whethe
 it is one that was painted after his sec
 ond return from Rome in the early '50s The fact that the painting is mucl : smaller than the two known painting and that under strong light there is evi 1 dence of parts having been painted ou and then reDainted, and its known his tory, would lead one to believe that i was a first study. The painting whether a first study or whether a re : pica, is one of magnificent %eauty, 5 beauty that grows upon one. The mas
 WOIh IS WOHueTiully QOIle ana the SunSe glow in the distance shows long stud of the afterglow effects. The two figures \ Mercy asleep in her solitude and the an
 gel that came to her and placed a crow upon her head, are wonderful studies i figure proportion and grouping. Tn textures of the garments and the textur of the skin of the figures are done b none other than a master hand Asid y from the mere technicalities of the brus work, the whole story of that passage i l The Pilgrims Progress where Mere \ dreams is portrayed with feeling ths Il l leaves a lasting impression on the min
 1 of even the casual observer.
 Among Huntington's paintings, all ( : a date after 1850, are "The Florentir :, Girl" Early Christian Prisoners U "The Roman Penitents," "Republics :. Court in the Time of Washington" COT II taining 64 careful portraits QSs1
 Juliet on the Balcony" (1S7e), an = "Goldsmith's Daughter (lgg4'. H y principal portraits are President Lincol . in Union League club, New York; Chal 't cellor Ferris of New York universit T Sir Charles Eastlake and the Earl IL Carlyle, the property of the New Yol n Historical society, and President Va . Buren, in the state library at Albany.