New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1855-07-04

Al NOVELTY IN PAINTING.

III
paid visit to the Opelousas Railroad Depot, in
order to see for ourself what the AlgGines have
been talking so much about for week or two
past, viz: a,lady engaged in the ornamental
painting Of the cars. We there found plain,
humble-looking man. engaged in the plain
painting of passenger car. and his wife. the
lady spoken Of. perched upon a board, painting
landscape on the end Of the car, outside, amid
a handsome design of flowers and scroll-work
There is something in the process Of painting
that every one likes to behold; even painters
apprentice, putting cheap letters on door-post'
will draw some admirers from the passing
throng. 1t may therefore be imagined that
lady, engaged upon flowers and pictures in as
public place as a railroad depot, would excite
universal attention; and the lady in this in
stance has excited an interest which she could
certainly never endure, but for the companion
ship of her husband and her desire to help him
in his labors.
The painting Of this lady is very fine, exceed
ing anything we have yet seen on wood; the
flowers in particular being exquisite. She
handles the pencil nimbly, too; she had put ON.
in five hours time, two landscapes, each of
which we should judge to be nearly days
work--they being copied fromprints before her.
The scroll work. Of her own design, is not to be
surpassed. What struck us most forcibly,
however, was the unpretending, democratic
beaGing of the artists, and the air Of domesticity
which pervaded the car. They are poor, hum
Bile people, who live in o cottage in the Third
District, with little child two years old; they
have no servant the wife, besides doing the
cooking and washing, and taking care Of her
babe, crosses the river with her husband every
morning, she carrying the little one and he
their dinners and in the car We found a pallet
and playthings. for the repose and comfort Of
the baby while father and mother were busily
plying the brush. There was something very
e taking in all this, which we find it hard to
explain.
Mr.. Leddy-for that is the painters name
told us that his wife was the daughter Of an
English artist, and had learned flower painting
as an amusement, and that, being pressed by
poverty since marriage, she had become anxious
to turn her talent to account, even if she had to
60 in public to dose; which she does willingly,
SO long as he is by. Under his encouragement,
she has been for some time practicing portraits,
with q mothers fondness, using her child for .
subject. On Monday we stopped at Mr.. LIS
house, and inspected these efforts at portraits,
which were very creditable for a novice, and
satisfied us that with reasonable practice, Mrs.
i. would be able to enter the lists with our
regular professors. We were shown also per-
feet gem Of apicture painted by her, entitled
the " Nymph Of the Waterfall it being copied
from print, which print was taken from an
original picture in the possession of Charles
Dickens, in London.
We are strongly Of opinion that the light of
these poor people Is hid under Q bushel, and
that if Mrs. Teddy could receive proper en-
ooursgement, she would soon, with her brush,
raise herself and her loved ones from their pre-
sent poverty; and we therefore take pleasure
in recommending them to the consideration of
any who may wish to have picture copied, Or
ornamental wood painting of any kind done.
They will be found worthy of encouragement,
and we are certain they are not to be excelled
in their line. Mr.. Teddy lives on Casaealvo
street, opposite Washington Square, the second
door above Hope Hook and Ladder House.