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Art Matters.Our home artists have not produced any thing of decided merit very lately, but we have a promise of something good about Christmas times. Welsch and Duncanson are both busy at their pallets. Wiswell, however, has been getting something new—and very beautiful—in the way of pictures—oil paintings on copper. They are manufactured in Germany. The pictures—of various themes— are painted in the best style of art upon copper. They are then flowed with a kind of varnish and placed in an oven heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the moisture of the varnish. When they are removed a misty glaze rests upon the painting, which seems almost effaced. The plate is then manipulated, the operation being like that adopted by daguerreotypists, until the glaze becomes perfectly transparent and the picture breaks through, perfect in every feature, and displaying remarkable brilliance of coloring. They are beautiful ornaments, undoubtedly much more durable than ordinary oil paintings. We cannot conceive how they can ever lose their freshness of color. Those which Wiswell has received are about a% foot square—generally copies from pictures by celebrated masters. The price is very moderate for ornaments so extremely beautiful.Rickey, Mallory Carroll, Booksellers, cr who have generally developed fine taste in the arrangement of their establishment, making it one of the best decorative features of Fourth street, are also doing something in the way of fine arts. In addition to several highly meritorious oil paintings with which their “show room is decorated,they have recently displayed a collection of exquisite ambrotypes of celebrated paintings and statuary, thus bringing within reach of all who admire fine pictures— and covet gems from the old masters without being able to secure possession of any—rich copies in miniature, of the noblest specimens of art in the world. The present collection embraces many of the master pieces of Raphael and his school, and other masters, the themes generally being of a sacred and mythological character. They are not only beautiful, but they are cheap. There, is a great demand for them.We incidentally remarked several oil paintings at this establishment, but one deserves specific attention—a large cattle-piece by Coleman. It is a scene taken from the campagnat about Rome—where Coleman painted it. We think the subject remarkably well handled. Indeed, it is one of the most spirited pictures of the class we have seen, and bpt little fault can be found with it. We understand it is the property of Mr. Hugh McBurnie. In the same collection there is a fair painting of large size, representing Abraham offering Isaac, and near it there is also a remarkably fine face of a young woman in hunting costume, executed by whom we know not.While alluding to such fine works of art in i book store, we will take occasion to remark that within the past three or four years, our book men have generally developed a disposition to run into captivating displays in their mow windows—prints of high merit, photography, paintings, and occasionally sculpture, forming the prominent features of this clever idrertising invention. The public appreciate such exhibitions of taste, and testify their approval on the spot by stopping in high business career to admire. Sueh ornamented windows have fine effect, and contribute much to the gaiety and attractions of a fashionable thoroughfare. But Fourth street is not alone in its glory of fine colors. Our German friends n Main street, and democratic booksellers on Central avenue, evince like enterprise—though of a less aristocratic character than that of their imposing cotemporaries. We may also extend our remarks to the retail dry goods 3tores. They do not exhibit any disposition to trench upon the demesnes of fine art, yet their improvement of late years, in the showy arrangement of glittering goods in their windows, is very perceptible; and the effect produced by tasteful arrangement of their richest silks, gay scarfs, and brilliant stuffs which so captivate the senses of the ladies, is not at all lost upon those whose delight it is to see beautiful women in bright apparel.And we do not think our observation is at all at fault, when we assert that the dispensers of silks and ribbons vfho evince most taste in “setting off” their show windows, have the best run of profitable customers. Ladies of taste are quick to observe such attractions, and do not hesitate to testify their practical approbation of it. But we should like to see more general attention given to this subject. A window filled with gay goods artistically disposed is very pleasant to look at, and the most careless belle or beau on the street will pay such enterprise a tribute of admiration, while those w ho go a-shopping will be sure to prefer neatness and elegance of display to the slovenliness of disorder and confusion.
Newspaper Details
Cincinnati Daily Commercial
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Tue, Oct 30, 1860
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 08 Aug 2023
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