The Drum Beat/Number 10/Our Daily Record
OUR DAILY RECORD.
The melting snow made the walking so bad that not a few were yesterday deterred from visiting the Fair, which henceforth will open in the morning at 11 o'clock, instead of 12, as hitherto. Yet there were enough present to crowd the buildings almost as much as on previous days, while the night presented the usual scene of brilliant gaiety.
We yesterday alluded at some length to the features of the Museum, but overlooked an interesting article exhibited in one of the second story rooms in the Taylor building. It is a model of a pontoon train, with all the apparatus, very neatly made, and presented to the Fair through Mrs. M. F. Odell, by the officers of the Fiftieth Regiment New York Engineers, Brig.-Gen. Benhan commanding. The models of yachts and other vessels, on the walls of the third story, front room, should be seen by all visitors at all interested in ship-building.
All the art treasures of the Fair are to be found neither in the Art Gallery nor the Museum building. A notable example of this is the case of the altar pieces in the auditorium of the Academy of Music. They consist of a series of admirable paintings on subjects taken from the New Testament. The two large paintings are the work of Henry De Pondt, under the supervision of the President of the Academy of Arts at Antwerp, whose pupil the artist was; and they are, moreover, interesting as being the first ones executed and sold on his own account, De Pondt having then—in 1860—just attained his majority. The smaller pleture of "Christ on his way to Emmaus" was painted by Charles Felu, of Antwerp, a man without arms, copied from an original by Mons, in the church of St. James in that city. This artist Felu may be seen any day in the great art gallery of Antwerp, busily copying the works of Rubens, Van Dyck and the other great masters for which this collection is famous; and his pictures fully equal in merit those by copyists who paint with their hands. Incredible as it may appear, Felu paints with his toes, holding the brush between the big toe and that next to it, and grasping his palette with his other foot. He wears stockings which only cover half the foot, leaving the toes exposed as mittens do the fingers. He has no arms, and walks on the feet with which he paints so beautifully, though, as may readily be supposed, his pedestrian exercise is very limited, it being requisite to take as much care of his feet as other artists do of their hands. Felu is a quiet, gentlemanly man, and is much it liked by his fellow-artists.
Other pictures of this collection are "Saint Chrysostom and the Infant Jesus," "Simeon in the Temple," and "The Meeting of Elizabeth and Mary." All these rare works of art, principally copies from Rubens, and valued at three thousand dollars, are the gift of Mr. Tatham.
From these pictures it is casy enough to go to the Art Gallery, to which we have already alluded, as the finest and most valuable exhibition of the kind ever offered to the gaze of the Brooklyn public, including as it does so many works which have already received the verdict of artistic and popular favor.
The Sanitary Fair is indebted, for this fine Exhibition, first to the Artists and owners who so kindly loaned their pictures to the cause; and secondly, to the indefatigable Art Committee of the Fair, consisting of Messrs. R. W. Hubbard, John Williamson, N. B. Kittell, J. H. Parker, Jr., and Henry Ward Beecher, with Samuel P. Avery as Secretary, and Regis Gignoux as Chairman.
The collection includes very many interesting pictures, but we shall attempt only to mention a few of the more notable. No 1, is one of Gilbert Stuart's portraits of Washington, lent by H. E. Pierrepont. No. 2, is Eastman Johnson's spirited picture of Slave Life, which he calls the "Kentucky Home," being a family group of slaves at rest or play after work. No. 87, "The Neglected Picture" by W. T. Davis, is an oddity which has been exhibited in New York with great success, and represents a lithograph of Jeff. Davis in an old pine frame, and with the glass broken and shivered, leaving only jagged points, and so well done as to quite deceive many a passer by, who wonders why such a shabby old affair should have been allowed to find a place here. Hasenclever's three pictures, "The Student's Departure," "The Examination" and "The Return," all loaned by Mr. J. T. Johnston, and already familiar to those who have frequented the old Dusseldorf Gallery; a quaint etching of "Leapfrog," by F. O. C. Darley, representing a company of frogs engaged in that intellectual game; Couture's admired painting "The Indolent Scholar," representing a handsome schoolboy, of life size, lazily engaged in blowing soap-bubbles, instead of studying his lessons, loaned by J. T. Sanford; Gignoux's picture of "Niagara in Winter," now owned by A. T. Stewart; Baumgartner's "Auction in the Studio," a piece including numerous figures and choice studies of costume; an extremely charming and brilliant blittle{{{1}}} reminiscence of Italian scenery, by J. F. Cropsey; one of Bierstadt's fine landscapes taken from the Rocky Mountains, from sketches made during his visit to that comparatively unknown district; Church's small, but striking picture, "The Meteor," and Gifford's admirable view of Mount Washington.
Our other artists are most liberally represented in the collection, the catalogue showing the names of Mignot, Durand, Huntington, J. M. Hart, Kensett, Hall, Carmiencke, Spitzweg, Inman, De Keyser, Inness, Tait, Ehninger, S. Coleman, Jr., Shattuck, Beard, (his "Bears on a Bender," from the Academy of Design), Boddington, Mozier, Lang, Hicks, Mrs. Greatorex, W. T. Matthews, W. Homer (a curious picture of a Berdan sharpshooter,) Lambdin, (his admired painting "The Bubble Blower,") Weir, Casilear, Boughton, D. Johnson, Nehlig, Bellows, Hennessey, Gifford, Rossiter, Thorpe, and others. The place of honor opposite the entrance is occupied by Stuart's full length portrait of "Washington," while the "Niagara," of Gignoux, and the magnificent picture by the same artist, "The Alps at Sunrise," (loaned by Mr. A. A. Low,) look towards each other from opposite ends of the room, and happily represent, through the medium of an American artist, the great natural wonders of the New and the Old World.
In the Art Gallery is also placed on exhibition the splendid Album of Artists' Sketches, a series of over one hundred pictures in oil, neatly mounted on pasteboard, and from the pencils of most of the various artists above mentioned, who have each given one of these pictures to the Fair. The whole contribution is valued by the artists at six thousand dollars, and for one of the pictures—a female head, by Baker—three hundred dollars have been offered, as well as two hundred for another individual painting. It is decided that this superb collection, including the elegantly carved case and the stand, shall be sold to subscribers in shares of ten dollars each, entitling the holders to one vote for each share, in person or by proxy, not less than one hundred shareholders to constitute a quorum. The first subscriber is to call a meeting to decide upon the disposition of the collection. Some have attempted to question the fairness and impartiality of the movements in relation to this collection; asserting that it is the intention to present the Album to some individual, and not allow the shareholders to dispose of it according to their own views. We are authorized to state that this assertion is utterly without foundation, and the whole arrangement will be a perfectly bona fide transaction, the shareholders to decide at a meeting, and by their own votes, what shall be done with their property.
Before dropping this matter, we would state that among these little pictures—many of which are exhibited on the wall in the northeast corner of the room—are some gems of singular merit. Connoisseurs will be specially interested in a bit of painting by Church—a wild swamp scene, with the Sun just bursting through some clouds; in J. M. Falconer's pretty little picture of a boy looking out of a window upon the tossing sea; in Lang's delineation of a little girl weaving a willow basket under the shade of an overhanging tree; in Tait's animal piece (for which $200 have been offered) of a dog with a bird in his mouth; and in other choice little specimens of the skill of Rossiter, Kensett, Bierstadt, Hazeltine, Suydam, Durand, and their brethren in Art, who, by their contributions to the Good Cause, have shown that they are also brothers in patriotism.
In the Taylor building, where the Museum is, the visitor may remember to have seen the portrait of Egbert Benson, in his lifetime a prominent Long Islander, painted by Gilbert Stuart. This painting has been bought for $300 by Mr. George S. Stephenson, and presented by him to the Long Island Historical Society.
The elegant Album of Autographs, collected by Miss Ripley, from the different leading authors of America, has been purchased by Mr. James P. Dike, a member of the Church of the Pilgrims, and by him, we understand, has been presented to his pastor.
The elegant and valuable Autograph Album collected by Miss Clara C. Harrison, for the Fair, has also been sold to one hundred and twenty-five subscribers, who now own the book, which contains autograph letters, characteristic sentiments with autographs, and autographs alone, from our most eminent living men. President Lincoln and his Cabinet, noted generals, statesmen, scholars, poets, divines, philanthropists—all are represented; and a hundred years hence, should this volume be preserved, it will be valued at thousands of dollars, as containing the names of the men who took an important part in the greatest revolution of modern times.
To leave art and literature and turn to the more material delights of the cuisine, we would remind our readers that to-night will occur the culminating event of the Fair, as far as the New England Kitchen is concerned—to wit, the great old-fashioned Wedding, for which such preparations have been made. We are informed that on this occasion the Jerushas, the Priscillas, and the Jemimas of the "Kitchen," will appear in the most elaborate of antique toilets, many of them genuine relics of old times, of considerable intrinsic value in themselves, and the more interesting from being heirlooms handed down "from one generation unto another." Some of the dresses to be worn are really superb; and in view of these personal decorations, and the time required for the necessary toilets, there will be no five o'clock dinner as usual. Tickets for admission to the Wedding will cost three dollars each, for which refreshments will be provided, while each visitor will be invited to be a "wedding guest," and join in the festivities of the occasion. Last night the Kitchen was the scene of a very amusing "apple pairing;" and yesterday more people ate dinner than on any preceding day of the Fair.
The ladies who form the Womans' Rellef Association wish us to say an additional word in behalf of their most worthy enterprise; and, while we are glad to use what influence the Drum-Beat may possess in so noble a cause, we feel that we cannot exert it better than by publishing the following communication, which supplies a "missing link" in the History of the Fair:
Mr. Editor: Your readers were doubtless interested in the sketch of the rise and progress of the Fair, published in Saturday's issue of your popular little paper. It was mainly correct, but it has been suggested that the ladies of the Woman's Relief Association did not receive full credit for the conception of the idea of the Fair. We would not detract one iota from the honor due to the gentlemen of the War Fund Committee, who so nobly responded to the call of the ladies, and so generously pledged their assistance; but it should be known that the idea of a Fair originated with and proceeded from the ladies of our Society, and was first suggested at the Depot, 30 Court street. By reference to the Minutes of the Association, it will be found that at the regular meeting of the Board of Managers on Friday, Nov. 6th, the need of a special effort for raising funds for the Sanitary Commission was considered, and a Fair was suggested as the most feasible plan.
It had been determined to call a special meeting for the purpose of discussing the subject, and the day was appointed for it, when the news came that our plan had been divulged, and that a great Metropolitan Fair had been projected in New York.
After some deliberation, it was determined to have a division of this Fair in Brooklyn; and a special meeting of the Board of Managers was held on Monday, Nov. 30th, when it was decided to call a mass meeting of the ladies of our city to make arrangements. Circulars were issued to this effect, and the Packer Chapel was well filled on Friday, Dec. 4th, and an enthusiastic meeting was held, at which several resolutions were passed, one of which was the following:
Resolved, That the War Fund Committee be requested to appoint an Advisory Committee of twenty-five, or more, to assist us in carrying out the object and plan of the Fair.
On the following evening the meeting of gentlemen was held, whose action was recorded in your statement. Subsequently, the time of the New York Fair was changed from February 22d to March 28th, and the ladies of Brooklyn withdrew, and decided to have a Fair of their own. An Executive Committee of ladies was appointed, with our honored President at its head, to whose unwearied devotion of time and thought so much of the wonderful success of the Fair is owing; and this Committee was composed of many of our managers, with other influential ladies of our city.
From this Committee have been chosen the Chairwomen of the various Sub-Committees, whose diligent labors in the prosecution of their work are attested by the well-filled tables and handsome appointments of the halls of the Fair.
Nor will the labors of this Association be ended with the closing of the Fair.
Shirts, socks, and hospital stores, are to be made for the brave men for whom we are laboring; and this work will fall upon the Woman's Relief Association, whose energies will still be taxed, and whose labors will not cease, till peace is restored to our beloved land, and the last sufferer is relieved and comforted.
For this Association, therefore, we bespeak the continued patronage and sympathy in their labors of love of every patriot in our city and island. Veritas.
[The names of the Ladies' Executive Committee will be published hereafter.—Ed.]