Important Religions Picture.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 934, 24 January 1890, Page 5

Important Religions Picture.

Holman Hunt’s magnificent painting of ‘The Flight,’ is, to my mind, the most important religions picture of the century. I dare not attempt to describe its opulence of colour, its glorious mysteries of light, the grandeur, simplicity and vigour of its stylo. 1 remember well tho days that I spent before it in the summer of 188 a, when it was exhibited in Loudon. The rich bloom of the landscape, the garlands of heavenly human children, the joyous radiance of tho infant Jesus, made it seem like a dream full of real forms, lucid and beautiful and bright with rainbow hues, yet tremulous with mystical meaning, and ready to vanish at a breath into the circumambient night. This is the wonder of the picture; its realism is so intense and mysticism is so deep, and both are blended together in the unity of a vision. Nothing could be more solid and life-like than the painting of Joseph, with his bronzed, muscular limbs, and the basket of tools on his back. The css, intelligent and strong, has all tho marks of the high-bred Mecca race. The flowers are those that star the plains of Palestine in early spring, each one painted with such loving care that it bo- ms to blossom forever. Moon-threads—-filmy beams—weave a veil of light over the trees and distant hills of Judah. The wreaths of children are full of natural, human grace, brighter and more lovely than any of Donatello’s or Luca della Robbia’s. Year 3 of patient toil have been spent upon the canvas to give it reality and make it true at every point whtre truth was possible. But beyond all this, and above it—nay, breathing through and through every careful line and glowing colour—is the soul, the spirit of the picture, which irradiates it with The light that never was on sea or land The consecration, and. the poet's dream. The painter has expressed his meaning in the title of'-the pictuie. It is called ‘The Triumph of the Innoeeuts.’ And this is the thought which he has immortalized. The spirits of the murdered children of Bethlehem—not a great multitude, as they are often thoughtless depicted, but a little band such as really played in that little village—have followed after Jesus ou his flight. Joseph is turning back anxiously to watch the signal fires which burn upon the hills. Mary is busy in readjusting the garments which had been hastily thrown about her infant at the departure. But the Holy Child looks round, and seeing the spirits of his playmates, welcomes them with the gladness of a divine sympathy. The hand which he stretches out to them holds a few ears of wheat, the symbol of the bread of life. '.( heso children are the first of his glorious band of martyrs, and, as they draw uear to him, the meaning of their martyrdom flashes upon them, and their sorrow- is changed into joy. Tho last group of little ones have not yet felt his presence, and the pain apd terror of mortality are still heavy upon them. Over the head of one the halo is just descending. A little further on, a circle of flowerdecked boys and girls are bringing the tired foal up to.its mother’s side. Oue baby saint looks liown, amazed to see that the scar of the sword has vanished from his breast. In front floats a trio of perfectly happy spirits, one carrying a censer and singing, the others casting down branches of the palm and the vine. At their feet rolls the river of life, breaking into golden bubbles, in which the glories of the millennium are reflected. All mystical, symbolical, visionary ! But is it not also true ? Think for a moment. It is the religion of Jesus that has transfigured martyrdom and caponized innocence. It is the religion of Jesus tUat tells us of a Heaven full of children, and a kingdom which is to bring Heaven down to earth. And, so long as the religion of Jesus lives, ic vvili mean help and blessing to the martyred innocents of our race—the children who are opposed in slavery, neglected in want, and crashed by human avarice and ambition and cruelty in the wheels of tbe great world—help and blessing to these little ones in the name and for the sake of the holy child Jesus. —Henry van Dyko, in Hoip3r’s Magazine for December.