Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-03-20
A AMarvelous Picture.

The materialists who acknowledge no
other agencies in the universe than force
and matter, and have no conception Of
the subtle influences, the finer agents
that operate upon humanity will fnd it
tlifficult to account for the fact that the
avtist NJ. Nicsise de Keyser, director Of
the academy OF arts at Antwerp, painted
D picture of the celebrated composer,
Won Weber las he was found lying back
dead among the cushions, with HE hands
upon the keys of the piano., which was
pronounced perfect likeness of the COM
poser even by his son, although the artist
had never beheld Won Weber, end never
seen any portrait Of him, and the face Of
the picture was, therefore, purely ideal
conception.
M. Keyser thus POLITICALLY describes
the way in which he came to paint the
picture: r3
1.-The idea haunted me the thought
Of the great poetbody found dead with
the light streaming over its face like a
new baptism, and the sweet swan song
dying away under its hands l wanted
to paint the scene as feltit But had
no portrait of Won Weber. / searched
everywhere but could not find none.
read the descriptions of his death, and
dreamed over his music, and brooded
upon the great rhythmical seul until |
worked it's elements into the face you see
there But ! knew not whether to be
satisfied or not
Sat last, enc day Moscheles, the d.
rector Of the conservatory of Leipsic,
came into my studio and saw the pic
ture. He stood before it a while in
silence, and then burst into tears. He
had seen Won Weber after death lying
among the cushions in the morning light
He could not stay He went home. But
the next day he came again and put into
my hand Les Derneirs Moments de
Weber, the memories that had rushed
over him while he stood looking at my
picture. 1t was allthere-the dark rest
lessness Of the night--the sudden thought
Of what was to come-the wild flashes
and bursts of melody that swept through
the great soul-faint far-off echoes oi
Der Frischutz and Robin dss Bois-
the old strength of genius leaping up in
despair--the fierce agony and horror
the clinging, desperate hold on the Seer
the wild dread and shudder before the
approaching Unseen : then the las
sweet, sad, dying thought, and the sou
and its Inference rise heavenward TO
gether,
'"The fame of the picture went abroad
through Moscheles, and just at that tint
a monument to Won Weber was in course
of erection in Dresden. The Princes
L. wrote 10 ask me if ceuld per
suade the owner TO allow my picture, theI
in other hands, to be exhibited in Dresden
to help on the subscription fund. 1t wen
thither, aud there it was seen by MAJ
| Won Weber, the composers son. II,
wrote me q very aatteriHg letter, ant
told me that theresemblance to hisfathe
was perfect, andin proof of that sent m,
the mask taken after the death of Vol
Webet saying that / had earned thl
right 10 belts possessor. Mon Dieu,
said, ifI'had only known Of the exist
ence OF that mask beforel 81
Does not this point strongly TO tn
electric chain wherewith we are derkl,
bound2' Charlotte Adams, who saw tn
: picture and the mask, and pronounce,
the likeness wonderfully perfect, aa,
from whose conversation with the arts
we have taken the above description
comments upon thestrange resemblance
} and says that it is not singular when W
remember that through all the curren
Of our lives run the electric harmonic
Of the universe, The divine likeness Q
all humanity shows as one through al
earthly forms.