The New York herald., 1872-12-16
SUDDEN DEATH OF KENsETT, THE ARTIST.
His Early Years-Hs Career and His End-A
Great Landscape Painter Gone.

W tne announcement OF the death OF the great
sragedian EDWIN Forrest, when It is again startled
| by the sad news that the artist John Frederick
Kensett. whose works as landscape painter have
delighted the thousand lovers OF art. both In his
native country snd foreign lands, had ON Saturday
been Unexpectedly called to his account Mr.
Kensett had since November been suffer
ing from PneumOnfe, but for the past
few weeks he had gained so much in strength that
hrs friends fondfy hoped he had fully recovered.
His death has, therefore. come so Unexpectedly
chat his associates 20 whom he was endeared by
many Ties sre griefstricken at the uni00ked.for
bereavement On Saturday morning he was at
his studio. to an outward appearance In the enjoy
ment Of good health. So confident were his friends
that the dangerous symptoms OF his disease. had
passed that Mrs. Hicks, wife OF the porrrait
painter, who was the friend OF the dead artist and
who was unremltting In her attention to him dur
Ing his illness, felt 80 conldent. OF his convaIes-
cence that she icft tho city with her
husband to be absent over the Sunday.
He was In the habit OF partaking of slight lunch
every day at about halfpast one O'Clock, and
Saturday he sent the boy. according t0custom; to
bring in the meal The boy returned in a few min
setts table. The artist was sitting in his easy
chair looking deathly white, which 80 alarmed the
% w %s s
was being brought Kensctt arose from the
easy chair on which he was sitting and staggered
upon the lounge than n when the boy y'a and
the Ianitor's wife entered the apartment
aid was st once sent @ doctor arVed
in short time, and. after examining the artist pro-
nounced him dead OF heart disease. When the
news OF the sad event spread, the artists who
nad known the dead man ior years. hastened to the
]. Addison Richards, Wiam I'M Huntingdon, william william
Hart, the landscape painter, and few others col:
q hat ANS aipa n nf hn fria nd
who in life they had SO dearly loved. A messenger
p was sent with the intelligence 70 Mr.. Z. M Oily
he VIII Sc n sss. the 1o funerals ssrsnss ss''syss
man. In consequence of the day being Saturday
| the studios OF the artists were open to their
setts room expecting to find him at work, were
met with the news OF his death. The tender and
Loving nature n;I Of the man his rte gene
preciation Of the merits OF the artists OF his own
standing had so endeared him to his friends that
Jonn Frederick Kensett was born In Cheshire
was at his death nearly dity-lve years Of age.
~ s parents hsr were respectable people an uncle
at the time as an Of baSk Eoe
vignettes, AT an early age Kensett was appren-
ticed to his uncle. and for time worked steadily
painter. His leisure time was spent IN the study
this art that, at the age OF Twenty-Five, we find
him in England engaged in study painting, with
commenced in London. and while there he made
the acquaintance OF several young artists who af
forwards became famous, among them Durand and
ave years, during which he was unremt-
ting in the endeavor to acquire a per-
end OF the I'VE years his first work. view W OF
Windsor Castle, was exhibited at the rooms OF the
Society OF British Artists Suffolk street. This was
his arst genuine success in his beloved art was,
and stu is the custom in this association to an,
are two lucky numbers, the winners Of which
are allowed to choose q picture as prize.
his picture was chosen by the winner OF the
FIRST lucky prize The choice was universally
one Was hs most Sesu S
them an SO soft and tender was It in
m so usSsa 10 delicate IA its IN design '0mRSs0n ts
attracted universal admiration and brilliant
future was predicted for the young American by
| the critics. With the price received for the
picture Kensett left England in search of subjects
for his pencil, which England generous as 1t was
mind had long been set upon visit to Italy, the
land inseparably associated with az art q and poetry,
ssoos rn as S msrs fn @
genius took higher flight than it had hitherto
done. He sketched along the beautiful Italian an
PALACES palaces and nd posticai villas have furnished
Maggiore realized his most sangune expectations
and he left Italy with rich portfolio OF subjects,
| with his talents enlarged and quickened and his
| heart beating high with hope. He went from Italy
| to Switzerland and Germany, crossing over the
Alps on n. his way a and aSs s EN- n
Italy he had been touched with the softer beauty
OF nature but here she asserted herselfi all her
sublimity, and the artists soul was touched as 1t
| never had been before. At the conclusion OF hi 8
| tour he settled down in Rome and set himself In
| earnest to work. In 1S4s his landscape "view OF
| the Arnon and sketch entitled ''The Shrine' was
sent to the Academy OF Design. The sue; sue
cess Of the two works was a,s complete; l Urls
envy was disarmed, ana the artists recognized
Kensett as the future star Of the procession. By
| q unanimous vote he was elected Associate OF the
mician he returned to New York. His return
and the Eastern states-were speedily purchased
aes Aisn he has painted uDremtsnsy bis
| subjects, lake and river views, and in his own
R Fab Of 1858 he returned to New York with large
number Of sketches from Lake George and Lake
coast coast, and the Hong Island coast, near Darien,
| where he had Summer studio. large painting
Lake Nsar the nS t9s with oB BLACK aS
left, the sky little overcast and the sun drawing
water" broad view near Burlington, with Mont
Mansfield the distance, and an old-fashioned red
| farm house and BARNARD, standing out In all their
baroness Thsec with several other paintings, were
executed at this time, attracting universal atten-
| he was appointed member Of the National Art
| Commission organized to oversee the work OF
| beautfylng the national Capitol His time since,
when not interrupted by illness, has been
spent in earnest study. He was an en-
nest and faithful worker and loving
and constant friend. The shaft OF malice, recklessy
as it is sometimes aimed, and unsparing as 1t Is OF
| regulations, never assailed Kcnsett, as IL could
! find no opening for attack in nature 80 generous,
spotless and pure. His friend and partner since
| his return TO New York has been Mr.. r. M Oily.
phant but there are few collections OF value that
| do not contain specimens OF his works.
| The style OF Kensett was characteristic or the
| man. With the grand and the terrible spectacles
| OF nature his soul was not In unison The tempest
and the storm. the ocean rocking itself IN ts vild
| not. His spirit was eIninently pastoral,
| and at no time did he feel so happy
! as when sketcnn9 some quiet view or
| the sea coast OF his own beloved country. Views
or farm life the when at rest. the bnbbling Of