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Rapp (GEORGE a German-American)

GEORGE, a German-American socialist, founder of the sect of Harmonists; born in Württemberg, in 1770. After an attempt to restore the Church of New Testament days in Germany, he emigrated with his followers to western Pennsylvania in 1803. There he established a settlement which he named Harmony (whence the early title of the sect, Harmonists or Harmonites). In 1815 the community removed to Indiana, and founded New Harmony; but this was sold in 1824 to Robert Owen, and Rapp and his followers returned to Pennsylvania, where they built Economy, a village on the right bank of the Ohio, 15 miles N. W. of Pittsburgh, and engaged in farming. Impressed with the certainty of the speedy second coming of Christ wealth, to be placed then at the Lord's his absorbing aim was to amass great disposal. To this end he and his followers practiced a rigid economy, and lived a life of toil and self-denial, in which celibacy formed a part; and with the same object all things were held in common. As the years passed the community became wealthy. Its numbers, however, have not increased, and in 1890 did not exceed 70. He died in Economy, Pa., Aug. 7, 1847.

absorbing aim was to amass "Philosophy," painted in 1511, first showed traces of his third and highest style. It was followed by the "Parnassus," or "Poetry," "Jurisprudence," "Expulsion of Helidorus from the Temple of Jerusalem." The works of Michael Angelo in the Sistine chapel stimulated him in the production of his "Isaiah" and "Sybils"; and in 1515 he prepared the "Cartoons" for the tapestry of the Sis-munity tine chapel, three of which are lost, and the other seven, sent to Flanders, were bought by Charles I., and now form part of the National Collection in South Kensington Museum, London. Among Raphael's oil paintings are the "St. Cecilia," at Bologna; the famous "Madonna di San Sisto," now in the Dresden gallery; the "Spasimo di Sicilia," now at Madrid; and the "Transfiguration," his last wo work, and perhaps at once the chefd'œuvre of Raphael and of painting. ng. It is now in the Vatican. His drawings are very numerous, and are to be found in most of the public and private museums of Europe. Raphael died in Rome from the effects of a cold caught in the Vatican, on his 37th birthday, April 6, 1520.