Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-19
A BLIND SCULPTOR.
Fingers Taking the Place of Eyes.


~
From the Continental Gazette.
Much might be written about the
difficulties with which the blind have
to contend. When they devote them
selves to music, pianoforte tuning, or
ordinary hand labor, it is easy to un-
derstand that they may attain TO a
certain amount of proficiency. But
when the question Of art is concerned
the want of sight would appear to be
an almost insurmountable obstacle to
success, rarely to be overcome except
by the inspirations of genius.
Nj. Louis Vidal, the blind sculptor
to whom We allude, was born at Ms
mes in 1881, and when a young man
came to Paris, where he commenced
his artistic studies under the direction
of NM. Barge and Rouillard. He
was then, and has ever since been, a
true lover of art in every sense but
at the very early age of twenty-One he
was quite suddenly attacked with
paralysis of the eyes, and became com
pletely blind. Having cultivated up
to that time the excellent notions he
had received from such men of talent
as Barge, Pradier and others, he did
not allow the great calamity which had
beeallen him to turn him from the
career he had chosen, and he deter
mined that his fingers should replace
his eyes is the execution of his artistic
conceptions. In the course of time
his sense of feeling acquired an in
crease Of power to such an extent as
almost to compensate for loss Of sight,
and it was by the careful manipulation
of living subjects aud of the works his
colleagues kindly placed at his disposal
that he charged his memory with the
forms and outlines which his 6neness
of touch enabled him to reproduce at
first in the plastic clay and afterBard
in the block of marble.
The writer OF this notice we'll re
members poor Vidal from 1855 to
1868. During hat time the blind
sculptor used frequently to walk in
the beautiful gardens Of the Luxem
bourg palace, not then dis6gured by
intersections and he walked with
such assurance that persons who did
not know him would never have sup
posed that he was blind. When his
promenade was finished, he was in the
habit of going to the Cafe du Theater
du Luxembourg, which he entered
with as much confidence as any other
person, to sit down quite calmly to
coffee and a game Of dominoes, that he
won more often than he lost. When
once he had felt the dots in the domi-
noes he knew how to play, and never
made a mistake. He has never quit
ted the neighborhood Of the Luxem-
bourg, where he still lives in the Rue
Denfert-R ochereau.
Unlike many Of his blind predeces-
sors, Vidal has produced several origi-
nal creations. He has exhibited for
more than twenty years in succession.
and received a medal in 1861. Lyons,
panthers, dying stays, goats, COWS,
horses, asses, tigers, bulls and dogs arc
his subjects of prediction. Many oil
his works, though produced slowly,
have been purchased by the State on
account of their real merit, and the
Empress Eugene made the aequisitiou
Of n of his productions during the
reign of the late Emperor Napoleon
III.
Vidal works at any hour of the day
or night, but prefers night time on &C.
count Of being able to work alone anC
in silence. He has been known to in
vito = friend to his humble studio af
, ter nightfall, and to forget that his in
! yite was not blind and could not SO,
in the dark. When reminded Of th,
fact, he would jocularly simulate grea
haste, go to the mantel- piece 70
matches, and light a wax candle with
out difficulty, as no would also a cigar
NJ. Vidal never says, II feel,'' or ~
l touch, but II see" and he il torribl,
ayerse TO being pitied for his calamity
OF which ne does not even like to b
reminded. He is an art critic, am
may be seen at all the exhibition
manipulating the pieces of sculptur
+ in the minutest name previous [
+ passing his opinion upon them, whicI
S he generally does most judiciously an
n without any prejudice. His own Low
Of art is so rooted in himself that h
is delighted when he encounters
d work OF merit which he can cordial
y praise. Although only forty.eigh
years Of age, he has already produce
enough TO insure his reputation as
n man Of genius, and to give birth to III
n regret on the part Of bis admirers thu
hn lost the inestimablo blessing {
&c sight, which might have enabled hi
{ to arrive at the very pinnacle Of soul
Ie tural art.
IF At the Paris salon of 1879 iu
J. closed, NJ. Vidal has two exhibit,
le No. 5409 in the official catalogue,
Is "Gazelle d'Algier, belonging TO Il
J, dowager Baroness dc Rothsehild, az
4 No. $40, a "Tigre de Java, which
IN a decorative piece Of sculpture admi
ably executed.
There was q terrible fight at Il
e. w cst Hill school r~aeentlv Two hot