Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-15
FROM NEW YORK.
Durand, the EngraVer and Artist-AEis
Residence and Himself
Tspseiai Correspondence Cleveland LrADrs.l

4
Especial Correspondence Cleveland LEADEs.l
NEW YORK, February 9, 1866.
EDITORS LEADER: One of the pleas
antest and most interesting places to visi
in New York is the residence and studio
of A. B. Dursnd, in. Amity street. where
for many years he has lived and created
the productions both on steel and on can.
vas which have so justly assisted to place
his name among the foremost ofAmericar
artists.
Retired from the noise and hustle of the
city, Mr.. Durand pursues his art with
still youthful energy. His rooms are at
tractiyely hung with his many pictures
and studies from nature-the latter aside
from their wonderful truth in color and
form are SO full of pictorial effect as TO be
classed with his larger and more finished
works. Portfolios replete with choice en-
cravings and drawings and well stocked
library-all eombines to demonstrate the
love for art and literature that has urged
him TO gather around their monuments, to
render pleasant the eve of his life. Here
the sympathetic visitor can forget the ever
present brick and mortar Of the city, md
lose himself among the pleasing views of
mountain and forest, hillside and plain
while the representor Of so many beauties
discOurses Of the past, and to his mind the
ever distinct wonders OF art and nature.
Born in 1890, of French Huguenot de-
scent Mr.. Durand imbibed' in his father s
shop-who was a watchmaker-the taste
for engraving, which led him to seek a
place as apprentice with one of the first
engravers Of the day. By long and con-
scientious study he finally attained the
first place in that profession in the coun-
try. He has been supplanted by none
since l believe. Ever desirous of becom-
sng painter Mr.. Durand looked upon
engraving as a means to that end, and as
success crowned his efforts he devoted his
leisure hours to that branch of art in
which he is so distinguished. He was one
of the founders of the National Academy
of Design, and on its establishment in
1925 exhibited his first portrait.
For the succeeding nine years he con-
tributed either figure or landscape pieces
to the yearly exhibitions, though still
pursuing his profession as an engraver.
The most noteworthy Of his ehgravings
are Declaration of independence" "Mu-
sidora" and "Ariadne" after Vanderlyn,
this in 1885 being his last work of any
importance.
Many of the subscribers to the old Art
Union will recelleet his Capture of Ma
jor Andre" "Wrath of Peters Stuyve
SAINT " painted by and I believe engraved
by him-as well rs remember his hand on
other works of its day.
Following his original intentions Mr..
Durand abandoned the burrin for the brush
and for several years devoted himself to
portrait and figure painting. a portrait
Of VIM. Cullen Bryant now in his studio,
which has been engraved, is regarded as
the best one ever taken of the poet. Yet
as the facilities for studying landscape
painting were so much greater, and it be-
ing more in accordance with his taste he
finally relinquished all other branches to
follow that-with how much success his
numerous celebrated works testify. An
"Old Mans "Reminiscences in the library
at Albany, and Wood View are the
only names recall to mind at present.
Mr., Durand was the first Of our artists
to make studies direct from nature, and
think besides Cole no man has assisted so
much to the elevation of American land
seape art to its present excellence-indeed
the two men may be said 70 be the found
ers of the art in this country. Cole and
Durand, though now supplanted in public
opinion by the dazzling regulations of
Bierstadt and Church, were each ia their
prime of life the leading artist of
America.
Mr.. Durand spends his summers usually
at the Catskills or Lake George, making
most careful and finished studies, which
he afterwards works into compositions.
His productions are characterized by the
fine feeling for nature, great truthfulness
of both color and composition, and the
poetic sentiment prevailing there. He
affects warm, sunny and genial scenes, and
in this reflects the man.
His pictures, particularly of Catsldll
scenery, are manly and noble, and in their
truthful rock and tree painting in which
he excels, put to shame the snowy, glitter
ing unreality SO prevalent in the works of
some men.
Mr.. Durand until year or tive since,
was for many years President of the
Academy, supplanting in that position
Prof Morse, who was a painter before he