ART, LITERATURE, AND DRAMATIC

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2404, 19 December 1881, Page 3

ART, LITERATURE, AND DRAMATIC

[From English and other files.] A French dramatic critic, now in London to notice the Gaiety performances, denies to th« audience the capacity of either feeling or conprehending the higher or more subtle manifestation of tragic art. “ This was clearly seen,” he says, “by the manner in wlich Monday night’s performance of * Adrienne Leconvreur’ was received. Intelligent recognition of Mdlle Sarah Bernhardt’s cure delicate artistic touches in the personation was not to be obtained. The Gaiety auiience seemed to like best the broad conic situations, and the way,’’ says the cri'.ic, “in which the ladies in the boxes largh at and applaud the tricks played upon a husband who is being deceived, is somethiig to be wondered at, even in this country of cant.’’ Ihe enterprising manager of a theatre called upon the famous artist Meisaonier and askid him to paint a drop-scene for a certain theitre, and named his own terms. “You havt seen my pictures, then ? ” asked Meissonbr. “ Oh, yes 1 ” exclaimed the manager ; “ but it is your name, your name I want ; it will draw crowds to my theatre.” “ And how large is it you wish this curtain to be? ” inquired the artist. Ah ! well, we will say fifteu metres by eighteen.” Messonier took up a pencil and proceeded to make a calculation At last he looked np and said, with imperturbable gravity, “ I have calculated, and find that my pictures are valued at 80,0(0 francs per metre. Your curtain, therefore, will cost you just 21,600,000 francs. But that is not all. It takes me twelve months to paint twenty-five centimetres of canvis. It will, therefore, take me just 190 years to finish your curtain. You should havecome to mo earlier, Monsieur ; I am too old for the undertaking now. Good morn.ng,”