New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21


-DONNARUMMNs WORK FOR THE kiN"-D|Oi-''"
OF FREsCO-PAINTING
D,nuarum,n9 the fresco-painter, in an interest
ING conversation reported below, gives an account
of the ORIGIN rise and decline of painting IL
this city, He furnishes entertaining "reminiscences
of the principal artists who have decorated the
ceilings and walls of wel-known' public buildings
and costly private houses in New York. The caiser
of liImd the painter of the frescoes OF the Capi-
tol at Washington. sketched at some length
Dcnna1umma describes the work which was done for
the Twee,E~,ng and tells how he was made the I'M
conscious instrument of that band Of thieves.
FRESCO-PAINrING FOR THIRTY YEARS.
WHEN THE ART WAS MOST NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF IT'S Observation-Disclosures OF THE
LEADING PAINTERS.
In his bright little parlOr which he fIescoed
il years ago. whose colors time has hardly dimned
rlppo Dounarumrua, the fIescoer OF TIE Ne" Court
House. and of many other architectural witnesses to the
work mgs Of the Tweed Ring, received TRIBUNE re
porter last week Paintings by TOgetn, AHeGr"'
G.u,nchiui, and other Italian artists who have maze
New York their abiding place adorned the phhleu
walls Among them portrat Of the artist hms' II con
TASTED strongly lis black hair and beard OF - years
ago with the present appearance OF the ORIGINAL
MI Donnarummas a man past middle age Win a
portiy figure ard 40 artists face He wears mustaehe
AID Imperial which, ike his hair, have felt the gray
touch Of time. Speaking English with strong accent
and with true Italian appropriateness OF GESTURE uI
Dpunarumma SAID:
ORAL! the frcsco-palnteIs who have worked here,
avn THINK the only IL active eulplOyment-thati IL
when there is any employment for ireseoer; sInce
GaIibOldi went to Europe, probably to remain Fres-
caing has ia best days in this country nave
WATCHED almost from its birth here, through us glory
ard TO It's decline Now, every job do regard as my
las. MY last actual work the decoration Of the
Union square Theatre for this season, and wren iaI
my brushes by with the mental remark lueIeS
Unless have better luck tl0n / expect shaH h'l
have occasion dirty yon again very sooI' suppose
that after 80 years oft ought TO be ready 10 resi-
but the painter, like the actor needs his art pretty
much as other people need food and drink III Is at once
a stimulant and a support to him.
.sWhat is The cause of the decline in frescopantngP
The advance IN other decorative arts. There are
now In New York numerous frms OF furniture and can
met manufacturers who are famous fort artistic quar-
ity # the work they supply When builder gets MS
house ready thc woodwork he sends Tor one OF these
10 estimate it. The cabinemaker provides designs
for doors window casugs, wainscOttng panels ana thc
like and very naturally suggests that tie decoration OF
the walls shoud be IN keeping with the rest i maze
the latest designs from Paris, he says which are Just
what you require. You don't want fresco; wall paper
will be cheaper ana much more elegant and VIII ha'eA
The furniture better III sense lie is right Some
OF the wall paper nowadays certainly superb III us
way and its chCaIness is beyond question But 1t has
10 renewed every year. aud before the resconS OF
room Will ont the paper will have cost Gute
Us much or more Take this rO0m for Instance l1Tes
soed ii 1866. The cOOrs have not faded t. any per-
feltibe degree except just chandelier. where
the heat Of the gas has affected them With lew days
work all the old brightness might be restored"
FRFsCOEs NOW AND A GENERATION AGO.
"What work is there now for the frescopainersi'
"Prncipally churches, theatres and public buildings
row and then private house is ireseoed Ent even
what little is done now is more Of mechanical than
artistic operation Instead OF the old ireehand pant
ing. stencil work is extensively used. Stencil
plates IN every imaginable pattern are im-
portel r(m Europe and the labor OF using them is little
better than that day laborer What artistic WORK Is
required only the panels and medaiions ana III the
laying out OF the plan. this is the principal
thing Even commonplace Ornamentauon looks well
when il is disposed the proper balance Of color aud
effect and that is the chief point the superficial eye re-
qalres." ,, ... =, .,, . ,,
leading frescO-painter WAS he noti'
no, slr the leading fesc9,gaiIr VIZ e The wa" NAN bo
opcucd the eyes OF the American people tome Deduuea
G. Te,c0-pantlng they knew nothing about u DeiOlr;
Then after him came Alesrcl uHCll' - ,..u, ,'
others when thew first came here they Wri very hlcn
ircscoing was done in one lint with sni ana s.ad
as you would cal. 1t, gay II coiol Vas Su-gs'c
p-Olle sail! or, ny! no. DO you tiink want 10y
house 10 look Use a ,noatreP And if yOu introduced
cupid, even with a veil INTO your work, they would
hold up their hands horror stricken. and threat TO ke
a club and drive All Ou- OF the country NJ, EofAtu
with Brug di as pupil, then as Ioreman. IL le4V sot
Warren Bevau at The corner OF firtpaee ana Gun
brook of the finest residences Of tie city at that
ilue. Now said l. my chance nts come dettr-
mined 10 90 room IN color a. an experiment. You
wtl have to wash ii cut again. II you o., ~! - So.
did not mind that, as u wac an experiment worm Toe
Tie basement in the Raphael style. Wien Warren Bcyan
saw VI he Ikea very much ano so painted Tue Whoc
house in the style That was the fst iFoSceihS IN
color in this country.
next years had plenty of WORK, ana az GOOD pl-
cts too L. 1901 tniuk il was-I had letter nom
j;smridi VINO was then al Washington, asking If c)uld
dpX q
lie had a contract 10 iresco the Capitol"
BKUMDIs LIFE AND LABORs:
What do you know of Brumid -
lie vas a good artist and has left behind him some
very fair work About his life before he 10 tins
country nobody knows much He didn't come here
until he between forgive aud fifty years OF age
and he was pretty close about his private ahdrs-Inen
don't generally talk much about themselves at that
time OF life. HIS father was Greek artist and went
10 Rome when young 10 study. There he got
married 10 a Roman and remained Brumidi
WAS born there entered the Academy Of Fine Arts and
became "A painter. He gave up pictures AFTER lime
and took to work One Of the best things he did
IN Rome OF the last the palace OF Prince
Toronla which he frescoed in magnificent STYLE In
1913 he got mixed in politics, and was arrested lie
lawn prison for some months aud while there began
and entirely finished large portrait Of Plus TX. This
was sent to Ills Holiness. who pleased with 1t
that he ordered Brumids release At least the pop
shortly after that he camC TO this country
and lived over a snail barbershop 1T No
is or No. 90 Broadway, near the BJw.iug
green. He took az picture painting again, but worked
for fresco artists ~ order 10 get living He painted
fair pictures, but they dd NOT sell i0r any Pccs
WORM consideration. HIS altar pieces PAD hm better
Than OrAs pTOiane art There is one OF has altar pc
iurcs IA =, Stephens Church and two IN :he Roman
Catholic Cathedral at Pnedelphla. After this he dc,
voted himself almost entirely 10 frescO-l1intng, aud
c.t pi lures alone or dablcd with them only 10 I'll up
.ne o. FOR hS amusement. The Gct OF the matter
was he was a much better artist on plaster than o. ca-
His special line was ure painting Iou see frcsco-
f IN tkFF. "a
v mako specially OF figure, 9th r. o t)wprs, others
al Landscape, others of 0-ailuruts aud 30 Oh To- ma