New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-22
FINE ARTS.
n,cu,pn CATION woopvILI.E.

of man who had been drummer at the batte OF water
lo, another ia small picture called "Wating for the
Stage" and the third "1he Sailors Wedding" Iney
are the only works Of his left In the possession OF ms l
" at the time Of his DEATH and are now olered lor sac
We urge every one Of our readers who takes annterest IN
art cpecily the development Of it here In America
to examine these pictures with Wo SHAH be SUI
prsed il It be generally admitted that "Ihe SAILORS
Wedding" his last work. shows delcaey OF touch'
knowledge OF dEawing and cosoness or Observation OF
mon and things, that mako him formidable rival OF
Messonier in the field in which the Frenehman mas thuS
! far been unapproached by any modern
Woodyle was born in Baltimore in the month OF APRIL
1895 He was OF good English stock, and the faInhy
branch to which he belonged boing transaned 10 tS
country held an honorable place here and took an acVe
part In public affairs His mother was MISS Ose' anu
ancestors of hers twice Governors OF the Colony anu
State OF MARYLAND. lie educated at ST. Maiys COL
lege Md and very carly showed love OF art In 1910 no
sent TO the Exhibition Of the National Academy OF
Design his first picture. The subject was helther NcIg
elevated nor very interesting being nothing more thah
two bar.room loafers sitting stove. Although the
oafers are evidently Americans the little picture, when
ia also at Mr. Ayery has the look Of copy from Ostade
or Of having suggested by of his pictures Anu
very like, 1t was so; for when Woodyiile was o poy'
there was collection OF pictures in Baltimore owned ny
| Mr. Robert GmOr which considered very valuable
and TO which had constant access IL doubtless con-
tanned number Of original pictures, but they were chez
IL by the later Italians and by the Dutch Masters among
| them one by Ostade and could not do student much
good Probably, however, they kept alive an interest
I'm art In young WOodvilles mind and strengthened MS
desire 10 artist; much the poorest pictures
may do and have often DONE and the stimulus wehthey
give to nascen genius often their best excuse for being
Woodves father did not wish him to become painter,
md believe IL without his knowledge that ne sent
his first picture to the Academy Exhibition friend OF
our tOwnsman Mr. Abraham C0zzcns known Tar ana Wde
rs generous and discriminating lover Of art told him
haI
buy IL for the sake Of encouraging the artist Mr. Coz
zens accordingly bought without seeing IT, trusting in
| his friends recommendation, and when the exhibition
opened the picture marked In the catalogue sold"
word which artist need not be mecenay TO see WIN
real pleasure for it means not merely "cash" but zap
probation" recognition" and be is dun soul to whom
these arc not dear. Mr Cczzenss prompt generosity
brought forth speedy fruit The father Of young Wood
ve convinced by the ready sale Of his sons picture mat
he must have talent longer opposed his pursuing the
artist e and IN June Of the same year. 1915 he went 10
Dusseldorf and entered the studio OF Professor sohn as
| private pupil He remained In Dusseldorf until the
Spring OF 1851, and beside the instruction which he re-
ccycd from sohr he was also greatly benefited by the
advice OF essing who thought highly OF his talent, and
who stll Las one OF his early pictures While In Dus-e
! dorf he painted and sent home several pictures
! some ~ which have been engraved and have proved
popular In Is7 he sent TO the ~ Y Art Union an In
terror with figures" also tho card Players now IN pos
session of W. j. Ioppn, esd, and well known by the All
Union engraving. In iss he scnt To Tho same Society,"
"Thc Cavaliers return" owned by Col Andrew Warner
and n the year he painted Mexican News at pres
ent IN the gallery ~ Marshall o Roberts esq This was
also engraved by the Art Union. II in 1873 that he
! executed that fine picture "a Man Holding Book
| which was 50 conspicuous In the Art Union Gallery Of
that year. aud which by its strength Of realization and
mastery execution mado h, NJ once famous among
~ II was portrait IN costume Of Capt Steele. IN
English half pay officer who lived Dusseldorf at that
! a.. 81. e.. {, If
Two other pictures he also painted In this year, Old &c
aud Young a." which the Art Union engraved, and the
| head Of the Waterloo Drummer. az Nr Ayerys In
1870 he produced noticeable work The Came Of Chess
which, after having been admired and wondered at by
TIC public during tho exhibition was finally purchased az
the sale Of the Art Union pictures FOR the Hon John Van
Buren, In the possession Of whose family il still remains
5ir Buren, had studied the picture carefully while
the exhibition lasted and had frequently expressed his adj
mirntion Of Ono Of his friends Who under ob!ea-
tons 10 hm Tor some legal services FOR which lac would
take no pay determined to return his Kindness by pre-
scuiug him with the picture he had often heard him
/ admire. Accordingly. he attended The auction, and
seeing Mr. Van Burtu there, who had come merely from
curiosity, aud with no intention of bidding hc took
seat AZ some distance from him. and when the picture
put up, he bought It. The auctOuccr asked the pur
chaser's name. and the gentleman announced "Mr Van
BUREN, Mr. Van Buicn. surprised AZ hearing his name
called and not knowing but what telltnc look OF
Interest unconscious gesture might have miscd the
aucouccr at attempted TO urdoceIvc him, and 10
dscllm the coveted purchase but his friend came 20 the
rescue, and convinced him that the picture his al
though lie had not boushtit It is years since
IT, but remember distinctly the mprcssionit made
| upon mind, ~ the time Of its exhibition In the Art
Union Gallery by the dccacy Of the finish carried into
every part and by the skllshe artist had shown in por
traying character. 1.-THE Politicians" autographed by
Goupil Coz also painted in 1850 This Is now owned
| by j. H. Latrobc esq, Of Baltimore.
| This year, 1850, his last In Dusseldorf. In the
Spring Of 1851 he went to Paris, and after staying there
| few weeks he home Ia July for brief visit. He
went back TO Paris in September aud for the next Is
months remained in that city painting, among other pic
lures the waiting for the Stage" which Is OF the
three exhibition a Mr.. Aycry's rooms From 1853
ne lived in Londou-mh,ug short visit 10 the
United statcs-and while there he painted "The Sailors
Wedding" the last Of the finished works, with the exccp
tion Of variation Of the subject made for Gsuph Co.
THIS owned by W. T. Walters, esq, Of Baltimore
woodvc died suddenly In London. sept 49, 1850, leaving
his easel unfinished work. "1ho Burial at Sea-" He
| was buried at Ilighgate Cemetery
We have recorded these few facts in the life Of Wood
willie for the purpose OF securing their preservation. They
are all which It is permitted Us TO publish and ALL per
haps which 1t the public 10 know IIs life
short one for he died nj the age Of 80 but he worked
with great industry and though tho number Of his fin
ishcd pictures is small II must be remembered thai he
worked with great mnutcncss year devoted TO such
| finish is in "Thc Sailors Wedding" would have
seemed not unreasonable. and yet such finish was ap
preached in several OF his pictures.
gentleman who is good Judge Of pictures said lately,
after looking long at "1he Sailors Wedding" Wood
| vile was born before his time"
He certainly q remarkable phenomenon, and II he
living and working today would have, no doubt,
wider reputation than he enjoyed in his lifetime. But
defects his character and the lack OF any high purpose
forbade that his art should have reached much
higher mark than did in this remarkable picture. No
|