The Panorama of "the Battle of Gettysburg."

This panorama represents the decisive battle which took place on the afternoon of July 3, 1863, between the Southern or Confederate troops under Gen. Lee, and the Union forces under the command of Gen. Meade, at Gettysburg, Penn.

The battle resulted in the retreat of Gen. Lee, and the loss on his part of thirty thousand men; while the National army lost more than twenty thousand men, but gained the victory.

The author of this great work of art, Paul Philippoteaux, was born in Paris in 1836, and is now among the foremost painters in Paris. The success of his panorama representing the "Siege of Paris" induced him to paint others, which have met with like success.

In order to paint the panorama of Gettysburg, Paul Philippoteaux came to America, and spent several months on the battle-field, taking sketches and drawings of the country. He also consulted the official maps at Washington, and obtained from Generals Hancock, Doubleday, and others, details of the battle as it took place. He then returned to Brussels, and was occupied for two years in painting this panorama.

The canvas is four hundred feet long, and fifty feet high, or covering an area of twenty thousand square feet.

A special fire-proof building was erected for it in Chicago, Ill., where it is permanently located.

The building is duo-octagonal in form, and the light so arranged as to produce a most wonderful optical illusion. The beholder, standing in the centre on a little platform, can hardly realize that he is not actually on the battle-field, surrounded by hills, highways, artillery, and battalions of soldiers, or that he is not looking miles away over green fields and valleys.

Between the canvas and the platform the artist has placed some real earth, fallen trees, and cannon; and the effect is so realistic, that it taxes the ingenuity of the beholder to tell where the real ends, and the painting begins.

The building cost forty thousand dollars, is a hundred and thirty-four feet in diameter, and ninety-six feet high. The walls are windowless, the light coming only through the roof in daytime; while at night the building is brilliantly illuminated by electric lights.

"The Chicago Times," Dec. 2, 1883, says,--

"The panorama of 'The Battle of Gettysburg' is universally conceded by all who have seen it, to be the most extraordinary work of art ever seen in this city.

"To describe it in words is impossible. It must be seen, in order to have any idea of its striking realistic effect."