The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-07-10
aigtrlaanalluu5s. i
An American Artist In Rome.

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An American Artist In Rome.
We have been accused Of 7partiality, and ex.
travagant Slaudation for the. honest opinions
which we have occasionally published on the
merits of our countryman, William Page, the
portrait painter, but nothing that we have ever
said of him was SO, Mandatory or extraragant
as the following, remarks which We find. in the
December number Of, the london Art Journal,
publication which is not often guilty OF. no.
ticiug an American artist at all. Mr.. Page is
now at Rome :. - =
s'At the risk of beingthought guilty, Of ex-
aesera,iou, / declare, after visiting the studio
Of Mr.. Page, that he is undoubtedly the best
portrait painter OF modern times. / Say this
emphaticaIly, and let those who doubt it go
there and Judge for themselves. Tam aware
that the low tone. of color pervading his pic
lures is disapproved by some artists, VII" quail
fy it By the term !" blackness, but this is un-
just; bis touch is always transparent and har
monious, and his system of colOring borne out
by the gn atest masters. Of his flesh tints it
might be said, as Of the Ventian masters of
oId-prick it and it will bleed. -.
Not least asbong bis extraordinary and ma.
nv perfectionsEs the,treatment, the attitude OF
his subjects; he invariably selecting such posi-
:ions as Titan or Paolo Veronese would have
chosen. Yet this similarity is spontaneous, and
and wholly free from servile mannersm; but
bis brush and his eye are so modu!ated with
the conceptions Of the great masters he fni.
lows, that the resemblance comes naturally.
lhave visited the best studios Of Rome, butin
poin. Of color and treatmept MI. Page may
challenge them all. He is truly 3 second
Daniel come to judgment" =. -
cannot describe the qualification Ifelt while
looking at bis works, for of all schools in the
world, 1 prefer the Nenitian; and Frankly own
would rather possess Titan "Assumption
of the Virgin. than Raphars rrans6gura.
tion.n Mr.. Page is sei& a young man, and
looks himself, like q; Venitisn painter. He has
Just finished q. head Of Miss Gushman, one. Of
the most skilfnl likenessess of 9 plain: woman !
ever beheld; for he has toned and softened
down her defects, and heightened the pleasing
expression Of her countenance, without in the
least sacrificing the vitality of the,resemblance.
But the picture 1iespecia!ty notedSand, which
actually caused me o thrill Of delight, as my
eyes rested on Il, is portrait: Of Mrs. Craw
ford, wife Of the celebrated American sculptor.
Talk Of Michael Angelo buryingh his Bacchus,
after he had broken the arm, to- deceiyesthe ig.
norant, make believe very much it was san
antique ;swby this picture, after Q few years
and that Paolo yeronese or Titian; were alive
asd at work. : -1',S ~ 8 <. ~ -
He has been particularly happy in the sub;
iect, which is an extremely handsome woman
largely possessing the rich, ripe, Yenitian:type
Of beauty. Tie figure is partly turned away
the face looking round. at the spectstoras orer
tho shoulder, giving charming lines in the fine,
full neck and shoulders. Tho ehair is simply
braided,
."Ystlock upon the open, brow, ,:ss-t
Nadonna.wise, divided there -.
The whole execution of the head is; model
of color. ThstIsngnid, sleepy eyes turned to :
ward one With just that dreamy ihddlent ex,
Sression Titan gives to his venlses. he back
erouad is,vefy singular diamond nded tapestry,
in stiff tesselated pattern, absolutely Byzsn.
fine il, ifs severe rigidity.s Shchsa background
is q Triumphant test of the artists power, for
the truth: of 'tbsdfawing Is ,undeniablys proved
by the ACT that itadnits of:detached sobjecH4
in the immediate vicinity Of the figure being
accurately Hads out without deterioratng or
confusing tie principal object This was the
case; With Holbein and AT The severe Dutch
I could not 6utinstitutsssa "a passing compare
son between the, peculiar and almost syrrmetri.
cal accuracy of. this treatment With, the ptac-1
tice of modern painters shch as Reynoldss
lawrence; HoppRes aud Rotnuey, who all,
,ore or less, INDUCED id the dash style &. CTas,