Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-16
An Extraordinary Ccntenarian.

Mr.. Ilmi e.', ihe f.niIloloai>t Of the Giogja
= P'uls, si',> Ii" following curioUs account, for
.tbr exa,tj5uae Of ms.ich ho !Giiy yourhe-
"A person na3e d Il ,gcr Largais has in-t died
n Paris II the alrol 100 precisely, day I,r day,
aed even I. ur i,g hour K WAS Mt oaf nelpek in
t. afternoon # lbe 10 b OF December, l7j0, that
he Was A,rn, au at nne o'eork in tho u,t,In5 Il
Il The l0.h If December, 1853, tltat be died, lie
aysavery f'marhn'le parsonage. having eXce,iei
- rairter, "'graver, poet and musician and
YET lao WI, totally unknown to the public. hc ,au
he would never consent t. exhibit or publish any
or lis pro,nr'iru. His father was i ho>icr % the
Enn Saint Denis. and destined hm for trale but
Ho.er nj nn early age manifested strong taste
far the arts, and passed the greater part Of his
time in copying the works of the great masters.
and principally If Raphael He display Ncl 70
much talent that his father, who had II fortune of
SOOo0f. year t. leave, resolved to l,t him follow
his bent. H. even allowed the buys godfather
an Eigli>hman, 10 take him to London for in.
siruction, and there the godfather procured him
lessons from flaxman and Fuseli. on Lareois
having died. Roger came to Paris. and, having ie
ceiyed hi. fathers property es5lved to devote him
sell exclusively to poetry and art; and tie taste
OF the day IN both appeared to him tnbo vicious
he determined 10 follow out his own ide.l and in
order to do so completely, without being infu-
enccd either by the criticisms Of cotemporaries or
the caprces Of fashion. he further determined to
keep his words to himself. lie caused house to
be built on his plans in tho Boulevard de Mont
Harnassc, aud annexed to it n vast painting room
and two picture galleries. There he labored in
cessantly year after year in painting and engra-
vng in composing poetry and setting it to music,
the rest Of his time being passed in his painting
room. He carefully preserved all that he pro-
duced. and ali his productions collected in the
two galleries--his poetry, music and engravings
in shelves along the wall, and his paintings ranged
according to date.
These paintings show that although Mt fstr he
was a brilliant colorst. he was but indifferent
designer and that afterwards he laborcd to unite
the two qualities-design and color. Most of the
subject Of his painting allcgorical but he was
also excellent portrait painter, and has left not
fowor than forty-nlne portraits cf his wife. whom
he tenderv loved his rule being to make on
each anniversity of her brtEd.y. The day before
his death he said to his wife, i shall die Tomorrow
my dear Catherine. feel it, but have only one
regret, and that is to leave you. we have been so
happy together Then, taking his palette he
snid, Remain as you are; | will make last
sketch of YOU And he executed it with marvel
lous fidelity aud power. lie leaves a son aged Is;
and grandson nearly so; and by their efforts,
combined with his own frugality, his revenue had
increased from 80, 0O0f to between 50,000f. and
G0,000f. These two gentlemen propose to exhibit
his paintings and engravings. and to publish his
poetry and music. That the works will excite
great curiosity is not doubted"