The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-01
OBIT U A r Y.
BARON JEAN FREDERIC DE wALDEcK, FRENCH
ARTIST AND TRAVELLER, cENTEyARIAS.

BARON JEAN FREDERIC DE wArDEcE, FRENCH
ARTIST AND TRAVELLER, A cENTEyARIAS
PARIS. April so, 1875
The death is announced OF the famous traveller
and artist, Baron Jean Frederic de waldeck, AZ
the extraordinary age OF 100 years.
He WAS born March 10. l7ce.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
The eminent arlist, distinguished traveller ana
venerable patriarch, Baron Jean Frederic de Wal
decG, whose DEATH III the ll0ta year OF his age,
we record oy cable telegram, was born In Rome,
Italy lie was the 6escenoant OF ap ancient iamiy
or the Italian nobility. HIS father attracting
the enmlty OF his government the family
were panshed aud took refuge in France.
Here De WaldeeK devoted himself TO painting and
music, ana without attracting cosmopolitan fame
~ his name as an arust, earned very comfort
able livelihood. DURING the Hlst years OF Marie
Antoinette's sojonrn lii France ne was Ger teacher
upon tie harp and she also studied ltslial under
his tutelage. AT the ifst outbreak OF the French
Revolution of 1872 he he'd from France anu travel
led Tor Time 10 Germany, out becoming dislon-
Iolped toe ranks oil the french army, nshtIng
under Napoleon at Austerlltz ana IN sew
times married the iather oil
numerous progeny, his last son being porn
he had attained his eiGnty-hta year. Oh late
years he has given much unle TO The study OF mod
ern languages, FOR winch ne always possessed
all tue tongues OF the leading nations OF Europe
1uentiy, and 10 have hao pass2ole knowledge oI
taenU-one European aud Aslatic LANGUAGES.
Even in years just past he manifested no lndica-
cations oil his very advanced age, Gel both phys
lcaiiy ana mentally IA possession OF al MS iacul-
TIES walking erect without u cane aud conversing
with great Intelligence upon botn past aud present
political ana social events. Aiogeiner ne was
considered the most remarkable centenarlan or
the age, and WAS always welcome guest ana
great 1avorite In artistic, musical and dramatic
circles la the French CAPITAL
187A-iuSE
ago--a press correspondent enjoyed The privilege
of an interview with Baron de Waldeck, jus. after
he had completed the lOolh year OF his age. He
recorded the event In the following Words
Only certain number oil artists aud very old
men know this excellent and venerable man, who
has seen the entire population OF France twice
newed around him since loo. such men are very
rare, and at The advice oil several prominent per-
sons, TOOK the pious resolution TO make pill.
grinage TO the patriarch, and 10 narrate his life
TO toe Parisians, who, Ike all mankind, are 1ond
! Of .'Dlologlcai curlostles.n
At the upper end OF the Rue des Martyrs, be-
| yond the outer boulevard, the pupil OF Wen and
| Prudnon occupies small suite OF rooms, where
/ he lives with his wife IN the most simple and
\ the door 10 Inc and received me with the utmost
ataoihty. / entered small studio filled with
nedallions, easels, paintings and WAFER color
/ sketches. II. de WaidecS seated himself IN large
| easy chair. His body was wrapped closely In
chestnut eoiored dressing gown, aud his mead
\ was coveIed with a cap OF the same color
4 vito large vizsr. Underneath this neces-
sary SHADE l beneid two small, twinklinC
beard ana lev tuts Of slvery hair, pale face
| very ew wrinkles In the forehead and Inc head
4 slightly inclined. thought h@d before me one
oil the alchemlsts OF ADrecht Durer or the original
! of one OIL Hoibeiu's paintings.
! AS soon rs had told MIN frankly why had
\ come 10 visit him said TO me:-
! .Am not really biological! curiosity Z Never.
I theless lie " people come TO see me; but work
! great deal aud 10 NOT like 10 be disturbed. But
! what you have told me p!eases me greatly. Tue
| Parisians hardly know that they have IN their
midst a man as aged as am, you sayY man
who Aas seen passing away before mis- eyes LOUIS
XVI ana the Revolution OF 1859, BOnaparte ana The
First Empire, Louis Avn. ana the Ju-y monarchy,
/ the February Revolution and the second Empire,
the Fourth OF september, the Commune aud N.
Theirs. On tue loGh OF Marcn shall complete my
1Usth year. Well, am convinced that shall go u
great deal farther than that. have crossed tue
threshold OF the period wnen one dies. Don't you
see itf there Is now no longer any reason why
there should he end OF me. I am slowly
eternahzlng myself ana my archaeological studies
lead me 10 believe that am arriving al petrifac-
ton tnat viii last for centuries"
"Your archaeological studiesi Then you are still
.wnali have never worked so hard as In the
last ten years. Lock here ms 5 q manuscript
whica viii soon be published 10y Dsiot. l Was In
my lo2d year wnen l began writing II. II i an
encyclopedias en- western Archaeology and Will
embrace tITee Volumes"
You nave travelled great dealn
in M inat 'w wss
Of vessel after having been one OF Bona
parse,s stan officers cs,a IN Egypt For iqly
ana 10Y encyclopedia, which commenced IN INV
old age, wnen was upward OF loo years old, goes
IRON American cIvllization; In a word. that the
New World was me old and that that which we
"Ah, ahl But. lsrdon my indscretion, you
have entirely gwen up painting tnenp
mot at all. Look at these three or Jour sketches.
In winter rise every morning at seven and In
summer AT Jour, IN order TO draw and 10 perfect
all these paintings. which are the consolation OF
my od age. Look at this-thIs is .Eurydice,
which painted in Prudhon's studio That there
Is rhe FIRST painting l ala after leaving Davld's
studio Those times are very remote now. then
had ON annual income OF 10000 liyres"
tlonf You mus. know that grand epoch better
than ANYBODY else TO-DAY you are the only
viying eyewitness OF great many things"
''An, SIR, tue wind Is turning back toward the
Revolution. Last night dned down town, and
was shown the new novel q Victor HUGO.
pierre, CIootz, Marat and Camooo. But m dear
est friend at that time-ne was no Older than
at the P2lals Royal on tat 18th or July-you know
what mean-waen lie made taat splendid speech
from whoa arose the Revolution, because " gave
rise 10 the march upon tue Bastie next morning
aud to tue triumph OF the l4tn Of July. / knew
KopospIerIe quite intimately, tic was, At bottom,
q mean man, and his proceed mes 10 ward tue were
oltentllnes an thing Gus delicate. When Camille
Dssmoalins ana lett tue Cafe fog three years De-
lore That Dood tbirsty nttle fs.los seized 81
helm OF government we naa surely no idea or all
Tat was aosag 70 nappsn siterward Poor
"Anl what aid ron DO after me cvenss In Ther.
mid0rfi
81 became soldier. was stan oncsr OF
Kleber IN EgYpt a1d aGterwsr1 Of BoDaparss.
SSs zee a0r s'StsrS E'ts You s 90 s
nott Well, l kuow all aosut IL. IL Ven.
geae 10 nov ~ Plymouth - q Eulg, ana IL
Il used as naval hospital one OF ny risuds
wbo died an tds sevontysnth year, could nave told
fgu, mao myself ala about IL, FOR ne was prisoner
on the 1usk ~ 10 Ven ieur HhiGh Wds neyer sanS.n
"BnA iearped aad endowed vita q splendid
memory az 90 are, 700 NO "a he ne ouy tngn
ea1sois OF Writing good history Of tas Frsaoa
keYoufion.p
u nave spoken ct least ten times ofit TO N.
Theirs wnen / was Younger, Toward nv ninety.
second year TINS idea occurred 10 me. ana, as
had been d awning master 70 NINE. rniers anu Nile.
D0sne sister % Al. faersl went 10 the good
LITTLE man ~. Tniersl 70 orcr him 10 correct MA
WORK the Revolution, wnicn iuil OF errors But
we never got any Iurtner thaa thatr
'Aua you are ali the time ut your WORKING table
IN this nfta story room Does not that fatigue
you Z Are YOU not wearIed by your soItide ~
mot IN tue least. Like Buddha, contemplate
myself alone. Knowing that l am the only pbe-
nomenon Of my KIND, preserve myself by temper