Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-12-31
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

The following letter is published in the Saunton Vnt
Gator subject OF establishing gallery of Paintings
the University Virginia. The letter is from TIC pen
John l.. rryron Esq., and written while that gentle
man was in Paris:
! PAnls july 20'h 1852.
Conference.-The have recently IA cores pondrnce be
yourselves and Daniel H. London ESQ., in reference
20 the purchase OF copy OF the School Of Athens 10 hC
presented by former students choose 10 con
butte TO the object, the University of Virginia.
1t seems To nave been your intention originally 10 employ
azzoln ard late letters from Virginia. satisfy that you
under the impression that Mr. London will engage
him do The work as nc has agreed TO The terms proposed
by another gentleman uf high merit and distinguished rcpu
aon but hcsitaes TO conc ude contract in the absence
OF any authority to do from you, va have thought il
might not be inappropriate in US TO address you few words
his character and qualcaOnshe whole 81 NC heing
either members of the Society of Alumni former students
OF the Universiy and concurng entirely with Mr. in The
selection he has made OF do this work Paul
Balze, who will be, in all probability, before you receive this
letter engaged 10y Mr. L. is distinguished graduate of The
Eco des eaux Arts in Paris and OF the French Academy
in Rome, where he the public expense.
OF his early exhibition Of talent 10 prosecute his stu
dies.
About seventeen years ago, while Theirs the French
Prime Minister the directors OF the Ecoe DIES Beanx Arts
IN Paris 10 Rome the instance Of the government,
the competent person persons they could en-
poy copy the logcs and stan-cs OF aphael-a WORK
deemed the time Of the most important that could be
condded under any circumstances 10 an artist -Four per-
sons were suggested By MI ngTes the Director OF the
French Academy Rome, and OF whom were the bro.
theirs Bazec The subject Of this note and his bothcr NJ
Raymond Baze. Shortly after they undertook This COM
who had united with them in the work returned TO France
and the whole responsibility OF its completion devolved
upon them For twelve years they were engaged IN ms
work. and the opening of the thirteenth returned TO Pa
rs with the result of their long and arduous labos They
the ordeal Of criticism through which they should be
forced 10 pass but they were prepared it with per-
feet confidence. While Rome they had thrown open
their studio all the artists there assembled from every
quarter and had received from the whole Of Them the most
aering of the entire success with which they
had accomplished their task. When HE painting eXhi.
bed for the first time in Paris nothing could exceed the
public enhusiasnl-PauI Bllzus copy Of the School Of
Athens declared by Of the first and best critics
in the capital 10 be tune simple copc nas reri!abc
double dc chef drurre" The Queen, Of great
cultivation upon occasion visited the Pantheon where
they exhibited with ree number of persons con-
ecled with the Court aud expressed in animated terms to
Paul Baize her appreciation of his and learning that
his brother had gone that morning TO visit M ngrcs his
former instructor she said ce op justc feierc Jei
porter q mditre success bicR MERLE"
In order give you idea O The estimation in
which these copies held by the French and
people, few from various notices Of
them in tho a5est and most respectable Partisan journals.
La Prose- in an interesting article on the subject, re.
marks: ais Leon u nul dnute que NJ.
Paul Raymond Baze les deus frcres aucurs ds copies
expresses present az Pantheon ne &c iussent Joints
bandc art""s por Raphael liz n eussent
'ravai,e aux orgI-S gu ils vcnnen dc Ieproduire."
La Ssmains thus sped"; If them "Noux deux
aurions done lc dro de uscr scVeeme" copies dc M
BIzc: eh ben pons irousons gu IN mot % appc-
cer Giles son tout Supplement admirablcs Flies cu.-s-
sent, une penetration p,onnde sympahique du seni-
matrs, attention extreme ct soutenue des plus
qu aait. lie dc Raphael est un de ccux qn
cxgeGt Ia transcription ntcrncare la plus sriclc suht
dc Ia deviation dc cscamotnec d unc deces gncs pour
aire dssonancr, ccic gnr c est In gno meme dc IN
5cante, sc Sc.
y IL Co"serrour says, lie .csul.a obenu par NM Paul
el Rayuand Bnlzc prouvc qu' pnuva airo neil
.ur choir pour realization dc Ia pcnscc du s"uvcrn:nrn
Qui ru admire, euce les chambes et les ioscs du Vail
can doir rrauvcr { rcsuhat excellent"
The "Rerus de Paris"" ~ Opinion" the "ournai Uni
&c. seln the Journal ts DebatS" "L Steele" and in fact
every paper Pars spoke Of Them in high Terms OF com.
| pft.tin nchn m n
limit these iricng notices OF the copies VI raul and Kay
mond Ba7r bnt il is wholly unnecessary. Is the empoyc
Of the French Paul Ba2c fulfilled the cIpccla
lions OF lis friends maintained The reputation OF The two
academies that boast of many luslious scholars and of
which he is Of the most conspicuous members and
satisfied lie government having al its head one OF the most
enlightened Of modern times, and one o! the sncercs
admirers the 6nc That Louis Philippe, Theirs and
lngress could made good selection is Idcu
uue and that they made the best il possible 10 make is
nbundanv evident from the spontaneous and unqualified a
prevail of SaIzes work by all classes OF citizens NJ ngres
present Director OF the Ecole dies Beaux Arts at Paris
in conversation with OF number, remarked that Paul
Ba2e of the first artists OF the day and that he
only capable of executing any task connected with his
profession but capable Of doing il in that would
reflect credit upon ime-upon his probes ana his coan
try.
II may seem TO you absurd in US 10 venture expression
of our own opinion upon subject of Sir Balzes qualif
rfum this work in the satisfactory Han
ner after lr authority we hav inst quoted But you will
view of the deep interest we feel IN The success
| tul tcrmini'lin of this matter.
For III. part, We have The originals and the CO.
IN huuie Judgments superior the copies made by
any other nat either Paris, at Florence or Rome
they are, in fact executed in maaiey STYLE that dchcs
competitisn BalZe produces the originals perfect
curacy and life. He never resorts in any OF his work 10
The tricks of The in order produce effect II is
POSSIBLE 10 catch the genius the cgina-h fire springs
from God, and lights mi,aon-but far il may be
Infused into copy by the fidelity with which 10 repro
dnced NJ Base has succeeded in giving 10 his copies and
especially that Of the School of Athens. In this piece
which Justly regarded as The master work, all the force
aud Character of the original is retained together with lis
animated expression The coors sonibs and cold Civ
ing 10 il the character Of the esco, without much OF s
tone. The figures perfectly drawn, and the outlines OF
The limbs so visible That conscious that there IL
fraud hesitation no deceit nothing but genius and
er in the hand that drew Them. 1t s in word fine spe
cmen of his rare aent-one of the best the very
best paintings have by any living artist and
which be carried 10 our country without exciting
| general admiration.
We learn from Mr. London that Baze has undertaken the
work for 50 O0O and agrees 10 place up in the Rounda
provided sufficient defay his expenses 10 America
is raised by the Society of Alumni MIR. L., estimates all
al ho 30