[Boston—Saturday, 21 November 1863]
Saturday. Went to Mr Rowse at ½ past 12. The picture is about finished. He talked of Carlyle whom he discovered a little before the new Idyl made him known to Americans. Carlyle talked of pictures saying he preferred Banvard’s panorama of the Mississippi to all the paintings he had ever seen. It was so true indeed the thing itself. Afterward he went to see a panorama of the Holy Land which was made up, the artist never having been there “if I could have found a hot poker I would have penetrated the thing through from end to end but not having one I did the next best thing, I left.” He also admired Hunt’s pictures, some of which Rowse thinks very vicious in style especially the one which inspired me, “The Finding of Christ in the Temple.”
Dined at Mrs Silsbee’s with Ann Whitney who is modelling a statue of Africa. Her heart is bound up in her work. It is sweet to find a true artist.
