Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04

4 a ton of the Declaration of In
, dependence, an event which, OF
necessity, went unrecorded photogra-
phically, but which we can all readily
picture, our conceptions being based
on a painting of the subject that is
| universally familiar. That such con-
dition prevails is a remarkable tribute
to the genius of the artist, John Trum-
bull, who, having seen service as
soldier in the Revolutionary War, and
enjoyed the personal friendship of
both George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson, was uniquely fitted to por-
tray the event which marked the
birth of our Nation.
1t Is commonly known that Trum-
bull made the picture Of the adoption
of the Declaration of Independence,
which Is now in the Capitol Building
at Washington, but 1t is not so well
known that that picture Is a replica
artistically regarded as inferior to the
| original. Neither is 1t common knowl-
edge that the painter who produced
them both had an exceptionally long
and eventful life - for a painter
which included imprisonment as a
| war repriSal.
Although he was paid fair price
| fcR his works for the Capitol by Con-
! gress, and was what might be termed
| popular" artist, Trumbull never
made a fortune from his pictures.
| However, he felt that he had been
| paid in a currency better than dollar
| bills. In life's greatest treasures,
| friendship and experience, he was con-
| tent to take his reward. He enjoyed
the confidence of such men as La
| fayette, Franklin, John Adams and
Edmund Burke. In following his pro-
| fession he visited all the important
| cities in the United States, and his
ability was recognized in London and
| Paris. He saw parts of the greatest
two historic happenings that occurred
during his lifetime--the American and
French revolutions.
The Declaration of Independence
Is considered to be one of Trumbull's
its perfection becomes increas tngly
evident upon close examination.
| To begin with, the artist had large
and difficult subject. Each of the Al
faces in" the picture Is an accurate
reproduction of the likeness of a
| signer of the Declaration. In addition,
though the members of the Cont
mental Congress were doing something
highly dramatic from a historic stand
point in pledging their lives, their
| fortunes and their sacred honor to the
cause of freedom, the actual perform
ance was by no means dramatic
from an artistic standpoint Without
reSorting to theatrical effects such as
handwriting and defiant postures, and
almost without deviating from the
details of the occurrence, Trumbull
painted picture that forcefully
told the story" by stressing the sim
plicity, sincerity and seriousness of the
scene.
The main feature in which he ex-
ercised his painters prerogative"-the
artistic equivalent Of poetic license
was explained by the artist himself:
I'm order to give some variety to the
composition, 1 found it necessary to
depart from the usual practice Of re.
porting an act, and made the whole
committee of five advance to the table
Of the president to make their report
instead Of having the chairman rise
in his place for the purpose; the silence
and solemnity Of the scene offered such
real difficulties to a picturesque and
agreeable composition as to justify
this departure from custom and fact
The room Is copied from that In which
Congress held it's sessions at the time
such as it was before the spirit OF
innovation laid unhallowed hands upon
it and violated its venerable walls by
sooalled modem Improvement