Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-06-12
@isffllaneoM s
The Trade in Pictures.


IT 10 we'll known that Boston is the mOderl
Athens. Whatever outside barbarians-
especially the egotistical heather Of me
yawk" --may say. Boston is a city set on I
bill Tor, to be more exact, on several hills)
that cannot he hid: one whose light ilIumin.
, tes the thick Cimmerian darkness Of Grim
Night elsewhere. We have the best libraries,
public and private the best galleries,
and the best people generally in the West
ern World.-not to speak of the pagans OF
Europe, Asia, or the cOntraband continent
Of the wool clad craniums.
Even New York importers admit that there
are more engravings and chromos sent to
Boston,in proportion to it's populations than
to any other American community; that
there are more works Of art sold here than
elsewhere; and that we produce more and
better chromos than all the rest of America
put together.
Mr.. L A. Elliot. 800 washinst ton street,
has larger and more varied stock Of en-
cravings, foreign chromos, oil prints. and
Autographs, than any other dealer OH the
continent; and there are several houses in
Boston, every one Of which makes larger
sales to day than the combined sales of all
onr art stores that existed tenyears ago. The
popular demand for engravings and other
works Of art is constantly increasing: and
Mr.. Elliot states that the pc pulal taste i'm
proves evel faster than the increase of the
trade. A dozen years ago, there was not
. single large stock Of engrHvings in Boston
Most OF the foreign engravings that found
their way here came from the New York
houses. ChrOm0s were unknown. To-
day We have the largest chrome photographic
establishment in the world: and within thu.
last two months, Mr.. Elliot has imported
ten thousand foreign "prints," including
in this term the finest line engravings. the
best English chromOs,and LIE Bonds fam
Gus .'Oil prints" Of which he has the ex.
elusive agency for America. He has in hi /
portfolios at least Eve thon sand diffrren,
subjects, from costly L nd eer or Ra,
hazel to genre pictures for the lniiion.
During the last five OF six years chromof
have been steady gaining on engravings
which once almost II OnOpoized our impor
cations. The revival Of the love for cnipr
elsewhere and in 50 many torms exhibited
lie especially shown in the fact that ther,
are as many foreign chrOmos as foreign en-
cravings sold by Mr.. Elliot to-day. 1t ma,
interest many of our readers to know til,
opinion Of large dealer on European chro
mos, and we reprint from our notes Of ,
conversation with Mr.. Elliot.
English chromos are seldom printed to pro
duce an oil effect. They are intended t,
represent water-color paintings; and the,
are generally superior to their European
rivals. There is delicacy IN their finisl
and tone that neither the Germans no
Italians attain. They have succeeded il
reproducing with marvellous accuracy bot
the drawing and coloring of such master
as Turner. Rowbotham, Richardson, Hard
ing, Pyne, Stanfeli. NasDyth, and tn
Penleys. The largest sale Of Al Euglis
chrome in the Boston market is that Of
Windsor Castle. latter J. b Pyne, in
hazy day. which is remarkable for its Al
mospheric effect and delicate c0loring.
Hundreds Of copies are sod yearly. s.1ak
Naggiore." aud 1.-The Wetterh0rn,'' afte
t. N. Richardson. have also had larg
sale, and are both mastery specimens .
the new art. Mr.. Elliot showed US som
fifteen or twenty of Turner's masterpieces
witch have been reproduced in chromo.-
among them that marvellous mass of spler
did coloring. The old Iemerare. .:and his
Bacchus and Ariadne, .'and"Ulyss derid
iEg POlyphemus' Turner has also bee
reproduced in engraving; but in neithe
form are his pictures SO popular in onr ma
ket % are those Of RichardiOn and the Per
leys. The ''L0ch Vennachar. latter Per
ley. is q wonderful study for the skilfr
blendiugs Of its colors, We saw also to
American landscapes. after Cropsey. repre-
eenting different varieties Of scenery.
These are from the famous house of .lonr,
Mcqueen, & Company. the largest Englis
chrome publishers. This set rank next i
public favor to Windsor Castle;'. and I'll
plate entitled Autumn on the Delaware
Is the most popular of the series.
German chIOmos more nearly resemble o
paintings than the English publications
aud. although they do not succeed in gettin
the fbres of the canvas. as Prang does. the
have the general effect of oil. AS clas
they are inferior to the English: they al
heavier in tone AMI more mechanical; y
the popular taste rather runs in their fay
and against the English chromos. whic
the artists invariably prefer. The hes
German chrome is the +" Watzmaun..'
magnificent mountain scene; although
Mt. Pilatus,' tn, 'Kochel Sse.' and TIL
Drachenfels, are almost equally good
There is very little sale either for Frenc
or Italian chromos or c"lored prints,as thei
style and subjects do not suit the America
taste.
It would take more space than we have t
spare TO speak of the English engravings
Here are c0pies of all the great artists. don
in the thorough aud mastery manner q
tho English engravers. ne,espccially. !
deserving Of honorable mention. 18th
Midsummer Nights Dream. which is re
garded by connoisseurs as the finest meg
zotint ever made. Landseer is the mos
popular English artist in our market. Hun
dreds If his .Challengs and Sanctuary
are sold every year. Herring comes next
His English Farmyard" AMI ''Englisi
Homestead have steady sale still. al
slough they have had large sale in year
past. Tdrner ranks next to Thomas Brooks
IA fact due mainly to the greater popular
i.y Of the subjects Of the lesser painter.
III. Elliot imports annually about $i5.O0'
worth [ cost price of English engraving
and chrOmOs for this market.
The French excel rs line engrayers and
snd in photography In this respect they
are ct least equal to the English ; hnt the
sale of their art publications is not large
ia New England. This is owing chiefly to
he character Of the subjects which, as u
.encral thing. are either classical. or for
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