THE DIORAMA.
Two new views have just been completed. One is the interior of St. Mark's Cathedral at Venice. The manner in which the pictures are got up here is well known: to the resources of painting are added the me- chanical appliances of artificially-arranged lights, reflected and transmit- ted: the painting is a transparency, to be seen by light shining through it, but also capable of being viewed by a light reflected from its anterior sur- face. Seen by the reflected daylight, St. Mark's is deserted: the day clouds over, lamps and candles are lighted as if by magic; and figures, painted only to be shown by the transmitted light, crowd the edifice. With the help of the artificial lights, a considerable degree of reality is attained. The Cathedral of St. Mark's is one of the finest in the world, and is asso- ciated with the stirring history of one of the most remarkable communities that ever existed: it is an interesting addition to the sights presented to the home traveller in London.
Theother picture, of Tivoli, is a view in the open air. The town is first seen by a dim light, day gradually dawning. Before daybreak, a light is seen in a mill-window, in the chamber of a girl awaiting her affianced lover; a murder is supposed to be committed; and when daylight appears, the actual blood is seen as it has flowed from the cottage,—an incident which seems to be considered as adding to the attractiveness of the scene!
Previous page
