"LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8093, 25 April 1906, Page 2

"LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

EXHIBITED AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Holman Hunt's world-famed picture was brought from Auckland yesterday morning, and shortly afterwards was hung in the Town Hall, where it was on exhibition all day. Unfortunately the building proved altogether nnsuitable for the purpose, the light being bad, and tho accommodation altogether inadequate. During the whole of the afternoon, people flocked in hundreds to viow the picture, and so great was the pressure that eventually the doors had to be closed, and the constant stream of sightseers regulated. Notwithstanding the defective light, the painting was still so striking as to command admiration. The wonderful expression of wistfuluess, aud the pleading eyes, following one wherever one moved, were sufficient lo ingrain lhe likeness on the minds' eye for all time It is estimated that upwards of four thousand persons, a largo per eentage of whom wore country visitors, visited tho hall during the afternoon. The following particulars, in addition to those previously published by us, will be read with interest.

1 Hunt and Millais were on a painting , visit at Worcester Park Farm, near [ Surbitou, in 1851. Autumn was far advanced. One night, after dinner, Millais was bantering a friend wnora ho wished to cure of his "monkish ' nonsense." When the visitor went off to bed Millais came up to see what 1 Hunt was sketching. Ho put his hand on his friend's shoulder: " I say, whatever is that you arc doing P" Hunt replied: "I was on tho point of explaining to you ; thero is a text in I Kevelations, 'Behold I stand at the doorand knock.' Nothing is said about the night; but I wish to accentuate the point of its moaning by making it the time of darkness, and that brings us to the need of the lantern in Christ's hand, He being the Bearer of the light to the sinner within, if he will awaken. I shall have a door choked up with weeds to show that it has not been opened for a long titno; and in the back-ground thero will be an orchard (I can paint it from the one at the side of this house)." " What a noble subject," Millais cried. Ho wbb so much impressed that he said: " I will tell you what I'll do j I'll at onco make a companion design of the sinner, with the door opened, falling at Christ's feet." Two nights later he showed Hunt a sketch qf the " repentant sinner," Then his friend felt it necessary to protest: " Ono strong intorcst in my design depends on the uncertainty as to whether the being within will respond. Your picture would destroy all this. Besides, as you paint with greater facility than I do, your subject would bo done first, and perhaps exhibited before mine, and thus the possible effect of Christ's appeal would be presented ere the cause of it were understood j this would be confusing, and would give tho impression that I was copying your idea." Millais saw that Hunt was right, and left him to his glorious subject. Here is Holman Hunt's own interpretation of the picture:—"The closed door is the obstinately shut miud, the weeds the cumber of neglect, tho accumulated hindrance of sloth ; the orchard tho garden of delootablo fruit for the dainty feast of the soul; the music of the still small voice is tho summons to tho sluggard to awaken and become a zealous laborer under the Divine Mastor; tho bat flittiug about only in darkness is a natural symbol of ignorance; the kiugly and priestly dress of Christ, the sign of His reign over tho body and tho soul, to thorn who could give their allogianco to Him and acknowledge God's over, rule. In making it a night sccno, lit mamly by the lantern carried by Christ, I followed tho metaphorical explanation in the Psalms, 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto ray path,' with also the acoordan allusions by St. Paul to tho sloepiiu soul, 'The night is far spent, the dav is at hand,'" J

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