The Republican journal., 1871-11-30
Letter From Boston,
Correspondence of the Journal.
Boston, Nov. p.
CHRONIC LITHOGRAPHY.

Correspondence OF the journal,
BosToN, Nov. 81, 1871.
CHRONIC TYPOGRAPHY.
"Undoubtedly," says distant relative
of Mrs. Partington's, ''undoubtedly Mr..
Chrome has done more for art than any
other man in this country" And we con-
lecture that the old lady didn't stop far
short of sound, othodox truth, for since
the invention of chromos the work of
months has been reduced to days, and
instead Of a single picture upon which the
artist has spent weeks of patient, careful
labor, hundreds now smile upon us from
attractive walls and through plate glass
windows, SO exactly identical with the
original in size, depth, tone, color, shad-
ing and finish as to require the close in
spection of practiced eye to detect the
difference. This art of reproducing
faithful copy of oil paintings originated
in Europe. and was first introduced into
this country, some ten years since by
Louis Prang, whose name is now as tamil
lar rs the chromos themselves The first
chrome published by Mr. Prang was "The
Chickens" after an oil painting by the cele-
brated Tate, followed shortly afterwards by
a companion piece ''The Ducklings" copied
from the same artist, both Of which had the
most extensive sales, and at once estab-
lished the success of the enterprise. From
this beginning has sprung a large and
ilourishing business, and visit to the
lofty well-kept, busy manufactury in
Roxbury, where the chromos are printed,
well repays one for time and trouble.
Hundreds of visitors avail themselves
every month. of Mr.. Prang's kindness,
and the privilege of looking through the
vast building and witnessing all the
wonderful manipulations of the art. In
this way your correspondent happened,
on late, cold morning, to be standing at
the entrance-door ringing the porter's bell
for Abundance. An entrance having been
duly affected, up two flights of broad,
tttSf Slttilo We "SilI w Wv ~, lO'lllN
office, where many scribes We're industri-
ously and deity making up the accounts
Of the firm, and after having made known
| the subject of our visit to the gentlemanly
''head-man" of the establishm ent was
| shown, at once, by him into
THE CUT ROOM,
cozy little affair, we'll lighted from over
head, artistically draped in curtains Of
| dull maroon, and hung around with origi-
nal paintings and copied chromos.
"Look on this picture and then on that, :"
commander the poet, and truly. one
couldn't do differently, as arrayed side by
side, they caught the reflected rays Of a
most gorgeous sunset, fresh from the
hands of its faithful Interpreter, and its
no less brilliant, exact and perfect like
ness (Which is which," we exclaimed,
standing in the centre Of the room, and
for answer was invited Il little nearer to
inspect faint gloss and canvass. grain
lacking in the one and possessed by the
! other. This is Bierstadts celebrated 'sSun-
set on the coast of California" for which
Mr.. Prang paid $1,000 i'll gold The
chromos are sold for $40. Above, around
and about this hang wonderful represen-
tations of fruit, flowers and animals, all
after celebrated artists, and glowing land
scapes by Hill, Brown, Moran, De Haas
and others. The original and copy con-
trasted side by side in most instances, and
almost defying detection. Among the
/ best, however, because of their large sale
| is 'Farra9ut dashed to the Shrouds, -
''Thc Boyhooa OF Abraham Lincoln, =
The Birthplace of Whittier" his celebrated
''Barefoot Boy" The Wayside Inn," i'm
mortalized by Longfellow, and 4 copy of
Murrillo's Madonna. This latter chrome
is the latest as well Us the most difficult of
Mr. Prang's undertakings, and the Won
of the rapt beautiful face shows with what
fidelity the work has been executed Ii
will shortly be ready for the market and
will be sold for the low price of $50. Out
from the depths of capaeious drawers,
Mr.. Thompson also pulled huge piles Of
tasteful notices and wise scriptural texts
with attractive chromos in water colors,
and packages Of pretty steroscopie views
in all Of which they do q large business.
From here to the