Viewing page 19 of 43

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

16

CHAIRS; AND THEN PORTRAITS. LAUGHABLE AS THIS MAY SEEM, IT IS, NEVERTHELESS, ENTIRELY AND STRICTLY TRUE..... MR. H. IS NOW IN LONDON; HAS PAINTED SOME REMARKABLY GOOD PORTRAITS...."

[[marginal note]]JOHN QUINCY ADAMS [[/marginal note]]

HARDING'S PORTRAIT OF J. Q. ADAMS MAY BE INCLUDED IN THIS ESTIMATE, FOR IT SHOWS THE OLD CURMUDGEON IN AGRIMMER AND MORE REALISTIC SPIRIT THAN THE FASHIONABLE PORTRAIT WOULD.

IF THE PORTRAIT WANED IN POPULARITY DUE TO CHANGES IN TASTE, NO ONE MORE DRAMATICALLY ILLUSTRATED THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL OPINION ON ART EXPRESSION AND CONTENT THAN MORSE. FIRED WITH PATRIOTIC LOVE OF COUNTRY DURING THE WAR OF 1812, HE BURNED TO PAINT VAST HISTORICAL PANORAMAS. TAUGHT IN WEST'S STUDIO, HE WAS IMBUED FIRST OF ALL WITH THE CLASSICAL VIRUS, SO THAT NEAL WROTE (IN 1823) OF MORSE'S STUDENT WORK AS FOLLOWS:

[[marginal note]] THE DYING HERCULES CA. 1813 [[/marginal note]]

"MR. MORSE'S PRIZE WAS RECIEVED FOR THE DYING HERCULES-.... [WHICH WAS CRITICIZED AS SHOWING] TOO MUCH CONVULSION IN THE SINEWS AND FLESH...."