Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-08-12
WASHINGTON ALLSTON.

The death Of this distinguished artist has drawn
forth number of notices Of his life and produc.
tions. The following, among the best Of the num-
Der, we extract from the New York Advertiser, as
AL interesting sketch worthy ofthe subject.
'sW ashington Allston was a native of South
Carolina, born in the year 1873. 1t was early dis
covered tibet the climate was not suited to his con-
stituton, and he was sent to Newport, X. l., then
the ayorte resort of the Southern gentry to school,
where he was fitted for colege--enterng Cam
bridge University in 1896. The natural tendency
Of his mind for the fine arts was early Developed
His first rude drawings in the sand were observed
at the early age of six years, and his taste for poe
try, music landscape gardening, painting and stat
uary--with love for the wild and marvellous
tales of witchcraf and tcnor--was at the same
time manifested in numerous fanciiul ways lie
constructed tiny cottages, laid out and and planted
miniature pleasure grounds, copied pictures, and
painted originals, at very early age--storing his
mind with tales and traditions, relations, rela-
ted 10 him by The sage negroes OF his iather's
plant.,ton. 1t was while at school in Newport
that he formed an affectonate acquaintance with
Malbone, the artist, afterward settled in Boston.
Allston had painted in oil even before entering
college During his freshman year he tried his
hand repeatedly la mature, but made decided
faiiures-feeling them to be such. Many years
afterwaTd one of these efforts waS shown 10 him
and instantly condemned, he having no recollection
Of beidg himself the artist. His leisure hours du-
ring his college course we're devoted TO painting
figures and landscapes. His lavorite compositions
were connected with the lives and quarres Of BAN
diti, and he felicitated himself, much before lea
wing college Oh his success il cutting throat
the bandits of the piece being engaged IN quarrel
among themselves over the body OF murdered tTa-
weller for the booty. Ile was graduated in 1900,
and returned to South Carolina, where he painted
head Of Peter hearing the cock crow, and another
Of Judas IscaIioi.
la The following year he embarked for England
with his friend Malbone. lie had friends who Of
fered to assist him in a financial way, on his en-
barkation for Europe, one Of whom, a Scoiehman,
having seen and ed his head OF Peter, pressed
him 10 accent from him ihs sum Of one hundred
pounds a wear while he should reside abroad. All
tfese offers however, we're declined, and the young
artist sacrificed his ancestral inheritance in pur-
suit Of the prolessioa lie mad chosen. tie arrived
IN I.oadon m June, lS0l--wss received kindly
ne West-was 90 successful in his hrsf drawings as
10 attract at,enion--and in the following year ex-
hibi,ed three pictures in Somerset House
We have not time TO sketch the subseqaent
brilliant career Of our gifted and accomplished
eoaatryman. Suffice il to say, he was emInently
sacressfui, and during residence o. eignt years a.
broad. contracted friendships with the most Gel
ebrated scholars and artists. and gained repuia-
ton hisa and hsnerabe for himself He travelled
extensively through E8Tope, especially thfougA IT,
aly, tie and ofposiry and song, st1dyias all that