New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-08-30
NUMBER 15g, D.
DAILYCRESCEN1


o. s Second Page ie charged rs each
be made With those
ALI marked will peblbsd ens month"; .ud
From the London Family Friend.
THE HIDDEN PICTURE.
e .E5 ! n
Philip w, of Spain, the munifcent patron of
Velasquez, desired that distinguished artist to
paint portrait of the Spanish Admiral Pareja,
then just returned from serving with honor on
the coast of South America. The naval warrior,
delighed at seeing; himself 50 well represented,
called on Velasquez few days after the picture
was finished, bringing with him asyoung mulatto
slave, who carried costly gold chain as a pres
ent to the painter When the Admiral was
about taking leave, the slave was preparing to
follow, but the rude sailor pushed him back
with his foot, saying g Do you think that when
| give gold chain the bearer is not to go with
it. Learn that, for the future you, belong to
Signor Velasquez' - S.s - +:
attendant on q state of slavery, his thick lips
and woolly head, seemed to the pupils Of Velas-
quez to be only q strange animal with which
they might amuse themselves with impunity
The manner he had entered the studio, with a
kick, was an inexhaustible source of practical
jokes for them. In ridicuIe, they gave him the
name of his former master, name which he
ever retained. Yelasqusz employed him in
grinding colors and keeping the studio in order,
| and always treated him with Kindness and con-
sideration; but, whenever the master went out,
the slave had to suffer continual persecution
from the mischief loving and thoughtless pupils,
For leng time he endured this treatment with
silent resolution. At last, worried to despair
by those petty annoyance, he contrived plan
of avoiding them, which he practiced by taking
refuge in an almost inaccessible garret during
the absence of Velasquez. .t.4.-sgs,.s u
1t has been well said that man is an irnitator,
that industry promotes industry, and that the
arts are propagated by contact. But very
great deal more than the application of these
sayings is required to form an artist; still, at
the same time, it must be confessed that circum-
| stances often awaken feeling of art in minds
| in which it does not seem innate. Juan could
not see painting for tive years, during which
| time he heard persons of the greatest rankextol
| it in the highest degree, without feeling an nn-
conquerable desire Of being able to use the pen
| Gil himself. He,7 therefore, in order to relieve
the tedium of the long hours he waited in his
lonely garret, endeaEored to paint. He had
only old brushes that the pupils had thrown
| away as no longer fit for use, and small frag-
ments Of color, the refuse Of the studio He was
quite aware that he was only daub, but he
found a delightful charm in the occupation, and
he was so quiet about it that neither Velasquez
|
the slightest idea Of painting.
Diego Velasquez was, at the period Of which
we write, no more than thirty -four years Of age,
but he had already made himself name in
Spain, and Philip Nv, lover Of the arts, was
one of the first to recognise the genius of the
painter, and appoint him 10 be chamberlain,
an office never previously given but to men OF
4 high birth and rank. ts 7Ev' ~ esas5sa a (
l
the house Of Velasquez one fine morning
/ The fore court was being freshly sanded
carpets were under the process of relaying, the
paintings were being arranged in their best
lights; every thing, in short, betokened that il
was no common visitor that was expected, In
the midst of all the hustle, no one was. buster
than the poor slave, though every person was
giving him orders, and all seemed excited with
the anticipation of some great occurrence. Two
illustrious persons were, in facts, to visit the
studio of Velasquez on that eyentful day One
Of them was Philip "; but he used often tt
come, SO all the excitement was not on his
account. The other visitor, however, was Petel
Paul Rubens, a. native of Antwerp, and, in. thu
eyes of Velasquez and his pupils, far abovt
. Philip, King Of Spain and the Indies Rubeni
. was their Sovereign, the King of Painting, th,
Grand Master of thetArts. Throughout eyerJ
country of Europe the name of .Rubens wal
utN61t AZ tudt peTlOu, rDuLts VIII
respect and enthusiasm. In Holland, Germany
France, Italy, Spain, every where, his name wa
deservedly reyered.
Rdbens was man whom kings delighted t
honor. 2 Mary de Medicis esteemed him. Th
Infanta Isabella took pleasure in sitting by hi
! easel. Philip ~ loaded him with honors. Th
unfortunate Charles the FIRST knighted him, an
! then presented him with the sword by whic
the honor was conferred. he also gave him
l Il E,s.. IS h H.
!, 1000 crowns, and "a massive gold chain, t
! which his miniature was attached. Nor wa
such popularity undeseryed. Rubens had hun
This paintings in all the great galleries of Europe
: He had formed schools Of painting and engrav
= ing which subsequently astonisheds the worlG
He had displayed his architectural talents b
! ! building for himself palace, and by designin
I the Magnificent church of, the Jesuits in AM
Iwerp, AS philosopher, he corresponded wit
4 the principal learned men In Europe As
diplomatist. he had concluded treaties Of peat
i between the potentates whose portraits /
: painted. . &. E.5. ,. 7=f,5. 7.5-.E=. 5
u Few men ever possessed, in q higher degre
j the personal and mental qualifications most sui
: able for an ambassador. His general appear
3, ance was noble and dignifed, his figure hant
: some, and his features, though bold and mascl
@ line, remarkably regular. His voice was agre
: able, and his manners elegant and courteous
IT DuG, ab tAe Sulio ITduh auu uuhuSCISs
:. To crown all, he had thorough knowledge
n seven languages, and was as completely ma
ter of rhetoric as he was of painting. 5-
: His amiable disposition was as worthy Of AZ
le miration as his genius. Out of his own pock
! he maintained young artists at Rome. Hearir
Ie that his great adversary, Cornelius Schut, Wi
out of employment and in distress, Rubens in
% mediately found employment for him, and thu
converted an enemy into O friend. He eve
= replied to adverse criticism by disarming il
n that is, by doing that whiohEh he was charge
- with being unable to perform. Thus, when b
D, studies of heads were found fault with, he pr
duced his famous &c Descent from the Cross
Again, as he employed Van Uden, and othe
among his pupils, to execute the smaller anima
and landscapes in his paintings, it was said tn
he could not manage such subjects himse
Il But, Immediately afterwards, he publicly e
IS hibited hunting scenes and landscapes of gre
excellence, entirely painted with his own han
: He was particularly fond of quoting to his pup
or Spanish proyerb to the following effect 81
II we'll, you will make people envious; do bette
and you will eonfound them" 5.e,..,
Il Velasquez was considerably agitated at t
KS idea Of receiving Rubens in his own house, al
nd what opinion the Great Master might form
his paintings - szaz,a.'
"My renown." he said, ais nothing, as 10
Ne as do notghave the appreciation Of Rnbens.' p
= AT noon two parties arrived at the gate
"a Il uo1,a.,,ar n,,o ~ than, sfnpnp1 10