M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-08-30

The following brief history Of the distinguish.
ed Artist Mr.. o. A BULLARD, is taken from the
American Biographical Sketch Book, and from
other authentic sources. The Sketch Book con-
tains the lives of 1913 distinguished living, self
educated men, and in IL Mr.. Billiards. properly
assigned a conspicuous place, as Being ono OF
the noble few, in our country, who have by their
own excrtions, been elevated fEom adversely TO
a high and honorable renown. The crowning
work of Art by Mr.. b., and the one which above
all Others is now winning for him wide and
enviable fame, Is his Panorama OF New York
city, Painting Of rare truthfulness and pericc-
ton, which cost him four years inccssant toll
and was attended with an expense of over
$4,000.
o. A. BULLARD
Was born at Howard, Steubcn Co, n Y, on the
I'd of February, 1916 His parents came from
Massachusetts,, and were among the earliest
settlers of Steuben county. His father was
farmer of good repute. When the latter died,
the subject of this sketch was fourteen years Of
age, and he was apprenticed 10 the business Of
wagon making and sign painting; those branch
es being frequently united, in many of our
villages. His love for the fine arts was first
awakened by the arrival of portrait painter in
that place. Eager TO obtain some knowledge Of
the art, he eXcrted himself to tue utmost to raise
the ways and means, and applied iorinStructon;
but the artist refused to disclose any of his pro-
fessional secrets. At that period he was eighteen
years of age and the productions Of this painter
were the first oil paintings he had ever seen.
Ever afterwards his mind was fixed upon paint
ing, and although the way did not then appear,
an artist he was determined TO become. With
this view he desired to leave his trade, for the
purpose of obtaining instructions in some of the
distant cities but at the earnest cntreatics Of
his mother, who could not bear the idea of part
Ing with him, he remained. All his spending
money was laid out in books but he searched
In vain for any that gave information on
painting.
At this juncture, a friend of his, young ply
sican, patiently waiting, like many others, for
gray hairs, to entitle him to confidence, agreed
ITO sit for his likeness" lie was in his glory,
as, with a painters pencil, odds and ends Of
brushes, and the premises all to himself and his
"subiect" he commenced his first portrait. 1t
was, we presume, with some such feeling as that
Of an orator making his dob0t, or q Senoral
about to fight his first battle. The portrait was
declared to he excellent and, to his qualification
Il was pronounced greatly superior to those
painted by the professional artist All the peo-
ple declared that IL was like life itself; and in
truth there was no fear Of his falling into the
difficulty of q certain artist, who having painted
q horse, thought it necessary, for the intorma-
ton Of persons not judges of the fine arts, to in.
scribe underneath the animal, "This Is a Horse" :"
Mne0 Ol Dlt Duhuiu NloiOu
sets and Connecticut where he found friends
who gave him the requisite instructions. He
then commenced business as portrait painter,
at Hartford, where he met with good success.
During several subsequent years, he painted por-
traits In Massachusetts, and in the western part
Of the State of New York.
In lSil he married the eldest daughter OF A.
A. Olmstead, Esq, and since the winter of 1913,
he has made New York city his permanent place
Of residence.
There probably Is no Artist now living, Of Mr.
Billiards. age, that has labored harder, or applied
himself more closely to his profession, for the
asst fifteen years. He has illustrated fact thai
has been illustrated by great many individuals
viz that God gives nothing to mortals without
abort Is labor that produces everything
There Is no doubt of the fact that 1t is the duty
Of eyory man, more especially Of every young
man, to find out what trade or profession God
Intended him fori and then, after asccrtainnG