New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-27

lies in England. Major Walter also tells US that MT
sharples was possessed Of private property and was In
deuendent of his profession on artist, thongh hlS
charges were high. Dunlap gives these charges, ~
we have seem and they do not appear to nave
been high compared with what other arsuS az the 'nc
were receiving Thus Mr.. Tuckerman gives receipted
hill OF Copey's in which we end John Hancock paying
eleven pounds four slings for portrait OF himself "a
fun length probably for another portrait OF himself
pounds sixteen shinnga, and the same sum lor
portrsf Of n Mr Hencinan while for portrait OF Dr.
Sowall he paws FIVE pounds twelve shitngs Compared
with these prices Mr. Sharpcss charges of fteen collars
for a profile and twenty dollars for full-face seem
moderate
DUNLAP SAYS that he himself sat TO Mr.. Sharpes for
his portrait and he appears have known him well
II worthy note that he says not word about his
having painted three such important portraits as these
Of Washington and his wife. Not that this throws any
doubt on the fact Of his having painted them; II
would merely indicate that they made no par
ticular impression on Dunlap IL he saw them,
and he may never have them. on the
other hand. We know that Mr.. sharples made NUMBER
of copies in orayon paselle of his profile of washing
ton-forty Major Walter, believe, has heard of-and
these has been loaned for this exhibition and IS
view, placed beneath the original picture III Is
a careful and accurate copy.
As additional confirmation Of the identity OF Dun
laD's James Sharpless" with the "sharpleS VI
Major Walters pamphlet it may be mentioned that Dun
lap speaks OF him as " n man CT science ana n'cmr
clan as well as painter" while the pamphlet rays thar
at the invitation Of Mr. Van Rensselaer,. The Patroon'
and Mr.. Morris sharples accompanied the
Commissioners appointed by the Legislature Of the stare
Of New-York for exploring the country from Lake O-
tario the navgabe waters communicating WIFI Tue
Mohawk River in order to report on the expeuehcS anu
practicabily of uniting these waters by canal Mr.
sharples cond hardly have been invited to accompany
such commission Rad he not shown some scicnnnee
capacity at all events some decided leaning toward
one Of the sharplcs portraits Of Washington the full
face believe brought 10 this country at the ear
loaned Tor exhibition othe New-York Historical Society
Mr. Irving DESTROYS Of having it engraved for the
humor. complete and publish that work which me
loksc lcrs have often announce without nv a i
ity, and before the plan Of has been turned III nv
rnr,rajt Of WASHINGTON bv sharples There is
lnuch more Of fe and animation than in that by stuart
but the latter has more calm dignity Stout h tb ~
war; when WASHINGTON was leading lie OF persona
activity and mental excitement The late Mr Br!a
aslnuc az represents Washington in the Vigor OF man
hood some ya before SGarss rosointon.
sensibity and high degree OF physica, ehor5y. ,
These extracts show ths pom W.T. 70 ann on
earlier date than the published facts seem seem
warrant &ai@r Na c6Gprv S 49g and paned
these pictures in 1896 The late Mr. Tuckerma an eN
m al that he DESTROYED il the second
the picture LORD an,dowuc to that gnte-
,r bcl ~ he Boston Atheneum" OF these
originals he made twenty-siX copies. The finishing
touches were put TO TINS one ttle LinsGoWno porrp IN
seteber I-95 and 70 the other Pniadephia. in the
spring Of 1876" This would bring the sharpies ana
tie STUART pictures nearly together. 80
As everything conneccd with the carly history OF the
arts in this country interest to our people, we have
thought hest to give these details, which are of the
more importance b'canse thSy relate to pictures Wch
historically. must he rcckoncd of nestimable value As
paintings too the& have been enthasNcay Fec9vSt
man Johnson owing to the latter Gentlemans ear
nest efforts that these portraits haye nen placed on e1-
hhitiOn II the Union League CIGb 10 our own appre
hension it would seem that me dhefe d6G
he in the los on MIscu!n Of Fine Arts difference
plain every and 80 great as to ave msled, ap
The time when they were pnted-is owing merely to
the difference in the character Of the artists. The
Sharplss portraits painted Ov man in whom the
mechanical the technical part OF his arr had AWAY me
upper nam rGy are opot ~ l"rr cb t men
first right to nc heard we should say that the
manner Of tho proflcs is very different from
the Of the fun face. Dunlaps opinion that NE
prodles is not TO our mind borne out nv he present
pictures. The profile OF Mrs. Washington Is certainly
glad 10 have it that hardly wish to ourselves
that 1t is wanting in life. II has exactly the immobity
Umbrsn ana Florentine schools. All objections apart,
Ms4 %H% ob S This calm S sensible p9esen face in
which kndliness and trlnncss are equally c0nJ0ned,
Msnsoh tnah 'e nTS bn cpnrd the enHai Of thai
line picture When, however, turn 10 the profile of
Washington himself, how little power Sharples
had to get beneath the surface Of his subject Ihl pro-
file il rs well painted the OF Mrs. Washington but
except gives the prOhle-sO rare III portraits OF
the hero valuable 10 artistswe hud 1t greatly III
feriOr 1t might be the head of anybody: there is not
single great quality expressed III II, II Is the
heavily translated likeness of commonplace man.
This Of character noticed in looking over
the Gently published Washington Portraits in which
volume found hChOtypc OF one of Sharpes's crayOn
copies this profile. II seemed to lis one o. the very
poorest i'll the collection and, likeness difficult 20 re
Cunciic It's companions No doubt Washington Dad
dull h0urs but do lot care 10 know now he looked
III them.
The fullfaca portrait, however, makes amends for
at is laCbg IN the profile. II Is an alert character
istic mead, and gives entirely different SIDE OF
Washington from the one represented Ill
to us Ia De iainted a different too from what
we lind in the profile. We better press
own Judgment of the picture portrait than by re-
peatiiig wcl-cbOscn words of Bryant: The coun-
ienauce thought, resolution, scnslhhty, and
"a high degree OF pbysc, energy" Nevertheless, IA a
picture, must believe that Stuarts portrait tie one
now ~ the keeping o. the Boston Museum OF the Fine
Arts, viii always be the head most agreeable 10 the
American people TO contemplate with this picture,
masterpiece OF painting In It's ana with HOudOns
noble bust, a fortunate IN possessing mead OF
Oul greatest representing him at te summit OF his
fame and the fu posse sion OF his powers. All other
portraits merely the commentary upon these fiEc
Woras il H. mich ii allow u Shapos an honorable
p..s. among those who have aided 10 the poetry OF
S,Dast aud Houdon explanatory notes OF Their own
written in prose