New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-14
AN ART JOURNEY.
ART IY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. sULLY's STUDIO
"REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD MAN BEAUTIFUL -''i
From Our Special Correspondent


.lr,l PHILADELPHIA, August ls66.
turned to-day ont Of the heat and glare OF Chesnut'
which nlcases me- more and more by its Spiritual resem
bapee to washngton-s- shall be disappointed II the
NeJerusaem itself does not remind me, little, OF Bos
ton-lnto Sixthst which like all the sidestreets there
abonts is become a sort Of creek into which the tide OF
business pent closely in the narrow MAN channe ses
back with some vehcmence and seems 70 pIecuoo e 0s
sibv Of any quiet retired living. But not iaf rom
tho main thoroghfne came to an od-iashoned oooi'
reached by few white marble stops, and naIns 1een az
mtcd by the maid who answered The Deu ouIh llsel
i'm small parlor del ghtfully cool with It's closed shutters
blinds arc unknown in notwithstanding an answer
10 my letter Of Introduction to Mr. Thomas suliy t.e
Oldest American painter living, man VINO snaIes WIN
ALL ton the honorable fame OF having maze the hamc VI
Artist mean TO Americans all OF high personal character
and pure aims that it has ever meant at any ine 10 any
people The story Of Mr Sqllys life h9i Reea paEly t2.G
In america and well told too. With more leisure ana
greater freedom from care, Dunlap might have maze
book u still greater value He was not OF an aeeur1s
he wrote mis- book forbade his taking the time necessary 10
insure accuracy and he was not entirely nee ron
If he could have forgotten bis prcludiees When
he WAS Writing; but, in spite Oh these
defects in spite Of the sloyenly sly SAND tbe us " t
otition and omission, he has made book when VII
always be read with pleasure. lie is rarely we may ~
never on stills he loves good story, and tells one We
and his lives Of Stuart and Jarves preserve great many
Characteristic and amusing anecdotes OF those reakaD"
mon that but for his enjoyment OF humor would have
beeu forgotten and inecoyeTable. in Short unaPs BIO
graphical sketches excellent Of their kind because h
wrote naturally from full mind and was not burdened
by any uncomfortable Of responsibility as an auof
An aIiahe genial man. unfortunate but always STRIVING
to keep himself out of misfortune, he found every one
ready TO help hun in the preparation OF ms book among
others Sully sent Dunlap his journal, IN order tha' lie
might make up from il the brief biography for which he
had applied to the artist Dunlap, only too much delighted
10 seSilre sncb n valuable contribution bis book, pn-
shcd the whole Just it stood, not little to Air sas
clagn who had not expected TO read IN PRINT suS ean
ala account lis early difficulties and struggles Dub no"
that so long time has elapsed he is reconeed 20 me ~
discretion and enjoy without feeling that we
invade private domain the lively narrative which so
nodesv and unconseously sets forth story OF youthful
elearness Of PURPOSE sedenying perseverance, and gn
conduct in every relation in life such as cannot easily ee
matched And rs close the book, we reflect, not WIN.
OIL pleasure that this honorable life has not been without
It's rewards The veteran artist draws toward sunset
with cheerful serenity, in happy homei ne woo mas
been better and happier because ihonas Sui Aa' 'sY
In IT,
These Philadelphia houses pleasant relief TO the
nonotony of New York. not 80 much externally ior GER
tanly Philadelphia streets cannot be excelled Tor mo-
notonv but Internally there seems much individ
ualty and freedom from convention than with u.s. " was
very pleasant 60 me 10 find myself sitting IN this quaint
od-fashoned paTor where all the furniture looked ~ ID IL
had been used and enoyedi as none OK II were seIe 9
show but all for service and Il easy 10 see that refine
ment and culture and worth had made this PLAN house
their home and thrown the charm Of their presence ana
memory around il; charm which upholstery sad 9i5.sf
cannot supply Through the do2r looked out across
the entry Into The Little gasdss with is high brick wall
eooness and to the od-tine look OF the Surroundings
Presently, heard light, quick step, and Mr.. Suy en-
tered the room and gave me cordial welcome. lie Is
slightly below middle size of slender Frame but, though
81 years old scarcely bent at ALL aud showing hardly
any signs Of bright, active and most kindly spirit,
TO whom nature been gracious beyond her won't hay
ing eft him in undstnbed possession of those senses
which he has abused with eyes that need spec
taces, and that still allow him to work his accustomed
time OF the easel with perfect hearing with appetite and
sleep and with memory that holds as in magic crystal
minor the long procession of his varied busy years.
Mr.. Suy led me mp stairs 10 hispantng which is
a. the back OF the house and is entered BY sort OF
chamber where several OF his pictures ar" hgo TIE
~ Zee, T. s, But snguarIy unlike studios
IN general. large easel at one side table or two
Of vhich sword presented to his son, Gen Sui
~ by his brother officers and three or four chairs
sute its sole furniture No canyases, casts no pic
lures; Of tho ordinary litter Of studios none Of the
Interesting confusion of6rcdrae which makes many
artists room museum, and affords so often, delightful
relief from the owners picturesl Mr. Suly had been
painting all the morning. and said that he s f his old
happiness at the easel He had not been wen for day
two; AT time indeed no had been IN some danger,
but, he said, pleasantly do not wish 20 die vet am
not rcady but then think neyershal DO" Certainly,
he seems IN no danger of leaving this pleasant world,
although 10 one car know anything OF his life, or how
those who know him best speak Of him, without feeling
that death may te Ooh upon with tranquility BY any
man, surely suly has no reason to be afraid
IL the anfe-chamher is his fulllengh portrait of his
wife excellent picture, and very good example OF bis
styc. Mrs Sulyss At the end OF sofa; she Is dressed
black and by her side stands dog which she has been
placing sitter By an instructive refinement be strikes
the between stiffness and freedom lie calls
out all the refinement there Ia in his sitter and u may be
confessed that lie not inifeGrenty adds something rom
his when there Is deficiency in the subject
Perhaps We may admit the CHARGE not unkndly made,
that of late Year, tins tendency has resulted IN manner
isn; bit certainly If this be so, it j. not peculiar 10
Suly. For Sully like seth Cheney, cannot rairt vul
gnuty A too great preponderance OF body over sliut
daunts MIN, and weakcns his hand, Cheney es-
capped by refusing the sitter When Dsniel Webster's
lends urged him paint the Great Defender, Cheney
had go Elliott" Suliy had different method OF
dealing with such tasks he looked through the flesh 70
the spirit where there and tried 70 express that
he ldealized be turned sl To grace. This has made him
famous as painter Of women aad under MS hand the
IN her eyes new wv gras IN her motion she saw
In moments of aspiration she dssIred 60 be as in her
highest sell appreciation, she loudly persuaded herself that
she was Su1ly paints women their lovers see them
In the ancchamber is the original study OF tho
head Queen Victoria for the portrait which he was
20 paint by me St Georges Society of Phil
adellha The finished picture is in the rounda of
the Penn. Academy Of the Fine Arts, where IT, else his
fire picture OF Cooke the actor in the character OF Rich
Grd Ill. Mr. Sully gave very interesting account of
has Experience in painting the Queen. lie found no df
IeuV qgei g PeHnison 70 paint but the greatest di-
fea " iAs world in getting stimc appointed to begin.
IL vas evident that there's design in the way in which
he patCof md ts possible that similar apIgcatops
may have been TO make il Desirable to di-
nnish their number But Suy perseyered and at engia
on certain day, he WAS told that tho Queen would be
ready atany hour he might choose to name. He named
IL O'clock and Buckingham Palace at mat hour,
where he found everything ~ readiness Tb2 Queen was
ut that time nineteen years old and made the impression
upon Mr. Sully Of wclbred girl Of great sweetness OF
disposition and the most unq ected cordial manners.
There no more constrair imposed upon the painter
hy the difference in their yoly positions than he would
have fell in The reseDe of anylsdy h own Country;
and indeed, NJ Su.y bears this testimony TO the man.
ners of the ued English whom he necessarily much
on ms egpet vss to the palace aud in the Negotiations
prcyona ~ beginning the pieurethat the higher tbs
rS shd the more responsible the place, the greater the