The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-05-23
And parting-what deceit is this?
Each wiped away the others kiss"
A LIGHTNING ARTIST.
A Man who Paints a Big Picture I'M
prOmptu I'm an Hour.

A Man who Paints Big Picture I'm
promptu in an Hour.
Berlin Correspondence of London Times
In the artistic world here of late, no
slight f1utter has been caused by the ap-
pearance of Signor Carlo, described as a
concert-painter, though the name at first
sight will doubtlest puzzle your readers.
Concertpainteri What can that mean :
An artist who executes picture in con-
cert with another, after the manner of
Beaumont and Fletcher, of Erckmann
and Chatrian? MOI One who paints
Arcadian scenery to enhance the effect
of pastoral songs? Wide of the mark.
A gentleman of the brush, distinguished
from his brothers by the labOrious care
with which he devlses, or concerts, his
pictures beforehand? The very opposite.
1t is an artist, in fact, who, without a
moments previous thought or warning,
standing on the stage of concert-hall,
and having his subject suddenly pre-
scribed to him by one of the audience,
will dash off his work in almost less
time than it would take to photograph
it-a lightning thinner, painter fmpro-
DiSGtOTe. Signor Carlo was born in the
year 1913, at Milan, the son of very poor
parents, who, in 1850, removed to Hun
gary. A strong artistic inclination be
gan to show itself in the boy, and he
was placed under the care of painter,
who mainly employed his pupil in the
preparation of cOlors. Later on he went
to Vienna, where poverty and repeated
failures could not damp his ardOr, and
where he continued cultivating his art
with perseverance which has, at the
age of 81, brought him to such pitch
of perfection IN his particular line as to
HOY 10 III Il
happy thought of managerial enter
prise to secure the services of this sim
gular man. Every evening, at popular
place of amusement here, he mounts the
stage, and to the sound of slow music
charms the audience by a rapid and
simultaneous display of the sister
art. His performances are after
wards given away by lot. His sub
ject being suggested to him, the little
dark-hued man, of true artistic type, with
general aspect of careless desolation,
Immediately seiZes his brush without a
moments apparent reflection, and with
intense interest the spectators watch the
swift and gradual process which trans
forms a blank extent of canvass into a
gorgeous wreck strewn sea or golden
within the hour. Not long ago, being
the guest of the grand Duke of Mecken-
burg of Ludwigslust, Signor
Carlo was desired to paint in oil a
Hungarian landscape, (Pussta, with gyp-
sy camp and this he did in the space of 80
minues, with such truth to nature and such
artistic skill as to excite the hearty admir-
alton of all the court. Before society of
artists lately, too, this wonderful man,
within the short period of 43 minutes,
called into glowing life an italian even
ing landscape with perspective of classic
ruins, glancing rivulets, and breathing
groves. To cartoon the same subject
occupied him slightly over a quarter of
an hour. Precise critics need not ap-
proach the work of Signor Carlo in the
hope of finding perfection of form, fault
less distribution, and blending of colOrs
withmathematical proportion in perspec-
tive; they are scarcely such as, on their
own merits, might entitle them TO the APP
proyal of Mr.. Ruskin or admission into
the Academy; but IN view of the condit-
ions under which they are produced, they
are certainly wonderful examples of
artistic skill, and must rank the author
with those peculiar prodigies of mental
and physical achievement wherein the
nineteenth century is so rife.