New-York daily tribune., 1844-08-03
From The Kricksrbookst fo' August
FREDERICK s. AGAT b.
Concluded

In the FILL Of lS3 he seilsd for Havre, intend
ipg To spend the ensuing three years IN Luio?e'
Alter remaining slcr; time In Pa-ls, he set ou'
for Italy Z, Genoa be remained long eGolga -
examine the fine collection of pictures which -hat
city affords. which though no: as numerous: are
more choice than these Of either Rome or Pans
On his arrival at Florence he commenced copying
few pictr-es 10 fuli orders which ne tooE cut
with him. but the only one 'ast he compeicd' IS
lar "a we can learn. was one ifotn k.i ie''e
celebrated Madonna Dc!lo Seggio!a, which ne
finished fo- his friend and patron, James boo'-
man. ESQ. Of New.York. He assigned as Fea-
son for not making more copies, that he thoGglt
his t;rne could be much more p-oftab!y einPloyed
in drawing from the living models and maAing
notes and memoranda of the '7o'ks oi o.a 'iifS-
rers and IN his opinion be was undoubtedly COZ
rect, as almost every intelligent ar'is'' ai'el {
snort stay in Italy comes TO The same concusioii'
II was MS usu. prac;icc in studying old pictures
TO accompany his rc-c5 and remarks WIN q F'--
Ter colo Sketch, from two 10 three inches IN SIZE
a D-ac.ics which We would recommend 70 all
artists visiting I,ar, from The great beEcht winch
they confer alter they return home, IN refreshing
The memory Wit: the Characteristic features o.
,hose works.
While at Florence his mind became stF"ng'y J
bent upon historical compos!t"ns, G:l' ne "ss -,.-i
OF enthusiasm c, thc highest style oi the at " u
eyert;o-s seemed 10 &c too great, ana iof oiiihs
he lahored with the greatest assiduiiy' In '"'
ro;ds. OF his studies he commenced large pc
ture the subject OF winch was, the ms. ciIufts
of the Jesuit missionaries |. converting the In
dams r,oe. c-ceent subject for an historical
o.intiDg Of lfc.siz5. he had il aca-iy tHu.tnTds
painted, and was ;.boIt r"i,.ce Il up TO hnsh II
during the ensuing winter IN Rome. when he was
sci-et with severe iIlness, arising oUc OF MS III
tense devotion 70 his studies. Tins picture, We
are informed br ore who saw II, was exceedingly
bold in composition and effect, and woutd hav.
been dec!tediy the best picture he ever painted
could he have remained abroad 10 finish II. we
learn with rcgce. that he could never be persuad
ed ftcrward TO touch it, and finally DESTROYED Il
which was ffequently the fric 81 many OF his
other works LEI. II 80 unfinished state.
] I; was originally his intention to have remain
ed IN Italy Two years, and then spend Tue oihel
wear in visiting Germany, Holland, and Englanc
but the loss OF his ..oath with the prostIation o
his high hopes so affected him, that when HI:
friends in Florence finally prevailed upon HIM iC
return 10 the United States, thfy did not expect
he would live TO make the voyage. lie was
however taken TO Leghosn, and then embarked
in vessel for New York, at which place he ar
rived in the Fai! OF 1885 1t appears that the sea
voyage proved beneficial, and partially restored
his health. Had not, however, this misfortune
befAen him, we confidently believe that .hf
Agatc would have become one Of the irst among
American painters. When We remember that
nearly all o! his large pictures were painted pre-
vious tp his voyage TO Europe, and painted tno
u
under those Disadvantages which historical pant
ers know arc almost in>urmountablc in this coun.
try; namely, The difficulty Of getting lie models
costumes, suitable apartments, etc.. We may
readily believe, from what he dlo accomplish un
der all these disadvantages, how much &c could
have done in Florence or Rome, with every
facility o the kind at his hand. With the loss
of health he seemed TO have lost that ambition SO
essential TO great effort indeed we are persuaded
he never sufficiently recovered from that attack
10 grapplc with the difficulties which present them
selves in painting large historical pictures His
lungs were evidently affected; and VIC do not be
licve he ever afterward saw Il day that he was not
troubled with the lingering effects of that illGcss
But such YVES the nIldness of his disposition, aao
such his disincl!naton 10 alarm his friends. that
he allowed no mumur or complaint 10 escape
him, but sua1uii.tcd quietly to the lot thatwa as
signed him, with sure trust IN that religious
hope on which, through his whole lie, he he'd
been accustomed to place The fullest reliance. In
the lay exhibition Of 1897, there were four pic.
lures painted by him on lis walls the most at
,ractive of which was Genevre,' painted VIC
oresurne while abroad, and while frosh frcm con.
;emplating the works of the Flemish school aP-
pended 10 this picture in tic catalogue were the
following lines
I'm weary OF dancing row she CRED
Here tarry II moment | II h;de-l'll hide!
And Lowell, be sure thou ri iir>t In trace
IN. rlu 10 my lurking place :