The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-08-05
Painting Daniel webster,s Portrait.

Palntlng Daniel WebSter'S PORTRAIT.
Webster, said Mr.. Healy, the cele-
brated American portrait painter, was
an excessively bad sitter. | had been
commissioned to paint his portrait for.
King Louis Philippe, and for Lord Ash
burton, as well as to prepare a portrait
which is now in the State Department at
Washington. On the first evening after
my arrival at his house in Marshtield,
the subject of the painting was ap-
preached only IN the conversation after
dinner. The great man inquired how
{. many sittings L should want and how
much time he must give. was much
impressed by his ponderous voice and
rather modestly, - Six sittings of two
hours each.'' "I can't give en-, said
Mr.. Webster, in his deepest voice.
reflected moment and then answered
= 1t is very well to know that, for shall
now. be able to return to Boston in the
forenoon of tomorrow. q How is
that ~ he said L stated that my in
variable rule was 70 have six sittings,
that as had three portraits to finish, l
could not undertake to do the work un-
less he would be kind enough to comply
with my conditions. 81 could not, /
said, "agree to give faithful resem-
blance of yourself to Lord Ashburton
and to the King without six sittings.
He seemed amazed at my presumption,
but finally he said VERY well / will
do the best | can" A lady who was
present subsequently remarked to me
that she had never heard any one speak
in that way to Mr. Webster before. "I
am proud of You" she said. He proved
a kindly, though difficult sitter. After
!, I from, nf tho cfff Il,
placed his hand on my shoulder and ac-
companied me to the door. Mr..
Healy," said he, and his voice seemed to
shake the threshold of the door,
"do you see the brow of yonder
hill Go there with the telescope
which you see hanging In the hall, put
it to your little eye, and when you come
back tell me if in Europe there is such
an enchanting spectacle. mo! splen-
did subject, bad sitter-impatient
such was Mr. Webster T. "At little
later period" he added, "I was In
Washington making a study of Mr.
Webster's head for a picture of him as
he appeared when replying to Hayne in
1880. Mr. Webster, who was often
weighed down with public duties, man
aged to give us an occasional morning.
A French artist friend of mine, a dimin-
utive but very agreeable person named
Du Bourjal, was admitted at the same
time with myself to make studies for an
dqltGreIIe. One morning after L had
finished my details of the face and was
TO paint the garments and some small
matters connected with the statesman's
general appearance, Mr.. Webster ar
rived IN very bad humor. 1 made the
mistake of trying to talk him out of it,
but the little Frenchman, who had a
wholesome fear Of the great man, eyed
me with terror. l soon found that Mr..
Webster was not inclined;to respond to
cheerful talk, and presently he, said, IN
a voice like rumbling thunder
''' What are you painting this morn
ing, Mr.. Healy?'
90 am painting the dress, sir
sz5e sai9l.s sSsz5S 7yfassf.s-t- z 1z
reproof and meekly attended TO NJ dCI-
ties. the little Frenchman doing his
work in silence, and, after we had fin
ished, Mr. Webster arose, went over to
De Bourjal, took him by the hand and
said: Come and see us tonight and
take dish of tea He then glared at
me for a moment, as if hesitating
whether or not to invite me-'and
bring your friend Mr.. Healy with YOU,
he added. He then stalked out maies-
tically, and the little Frenchman said
Z" DO you know what thought when he
turned to you just now? l thought he
was going to take me by the legs and
beat your brains out with me ! "