The Portland daily press., 1882-03-25
MRS. MURRAY's STUrIO.
Some Account of Her and her Home in
Florence.
i / Iarxes in N. Y. Times

Some Account OF Her ana ner aouo III
Florence.
GJ j. Jarves in NJ Y. Times.]
FLORENCE, Jan. 20.-Among the many MS
torical streets of old Florence few are more
fruitful in medieval memories than the ancient
Via del Bardi which runs from the Ponte
Vecchio toward the Porta San Niccolo, on the
southern side of the Arno. A few years since
it retained ali its grim look OF the past, with
its beetling palaces of heavy Tuscan architec-
ture, more fortresses than house,, but little
changed in external aspect from the times
when the noble Bardi families and their re-
tanners were wont to barricade themselves
within its narrow limits and bid defiance to
their democratic enemies of the opposite side
of the river. Sackings and contiagrations OF
civil strife failed then to utterly destroy 1t,
and it has always remained stronghold OF
aristocratic families and associations, verlt-
able monument of the past, even to our day.
When the Syndic Peruzzi began to Hausema1-
nize Florence, he made wide gap IN It's up
per extremity, letting in air and light, mod
ernizing the rears of the old feudal palaces
toward the river, whose rude banks were
changed into beautiful stone quay, made
bright with trees and flowers Toward the
street, however, their architecture retains its
old massive style, cleaned up bit not to Of
fend too much modern patrician taste, but still
asserting its bellicose origin, while on the OPP
posite side it has frankly accepted the nine
tenth century more peaceful outlook. In
fine. these old Bardi mansions CALAMITY face
time and its changes both ways in full accord,
finding pleasure and comfort in modernized
style on one front, while cleaving with anti
quariau fondness to the past on the other.
One of the most interesting and elegant OF
these palaces of medieval origin is that now
known as the Carnigiana, its noble owner oc-
cupying the ground floor and renting to for
eign families the spacious apartments on the
upper floors. The mother of Petrarch is said
to have been born in this house, and the little
church adjoining, belonging to it, with its
lovely Luca della Robbia over its doorway, is
also said to have been frequented by Dante.
How much truth there is in these traditions 1t
would be hard to decide at this day, but they
flavor agreeably the historical atmosphere OF
the palace and link the past stlli more Pictur-
esquely to the present.
Entering its lofty, handsome portal, invite
NV readers to come with me up the broad,
renaissant stone stairway through It's cluster,
ing shrubs to the first floor whose door we snail
find welcomely open, Passing through mar
row anteroom we find ourselves in series OF
large, lofty rooms, eminently palatial archltec-
turally and opening directly one into the 9th
or. Throughout all there is rich, subdued
glow of color, the fragrance OF flowers, and the
sheen of rich stuffs, thrown with careless grace
over the furniture. The feet tread noiselessly
as they sink in the soft, warm textures of East
ern rugs ard carpets At first we seem to be
transported to Algiers and Morocco; to nave
come into luxurious Moorish household with
mipgling of the Spanish fashions of olden
time. The walls sparkle with brilliant pottery
and metallic work of Arabian Nights associa-
TONS tastefully arranged, more for aesthetic
effect than for antiquarian lore. Another step
onward and we find ourselves back again to
italy, Color becomes deepened, intensified.
Venetian glass coquets with Roman bronzes
against backgrounds of ancient lace, glowing
embrolderies, amid delicate bric-a-brac OF many
sorts, nesting here and there III tasteful &C
cord with inviting furniture OF modern comfort
and reposeful pattern. Beyond lie TWO spa,
cious salons, the further one lined with old
tapestries, looking down on carved furniture
of the severe antique styles OF Venice and
| Florence, with majolica and artistic gather
| ings to match these epochs, the whole IN Keep
| ing with the venerable palace itself The in
| teryening salon has its hangings OF siInllar
| character, armor and many interesting objects,
the fruits of much travel, but its interest CEN
| tres in its use, it being the studio OF the emil
| nent artist whose fair hands and cultivated
| tasts have made in this medieval structure
cozy artistic home which is the admiration
| and, fear, often the envy, OF its crowds OF
| visitors. Few Americans or English visit
| Florence without coming to the weekly recep-
| tions of Mrs Elizabeth Murray, the accom-
| plished hostess of this home, whose name now
| stands the foremost of the water-colorists OF
| her sex in both countries, and whose fame is
solidly based on distinctive merits honorably
| won by persistent study and love OF art. Ii
| needs nothing can say to make 1t more known
| in the art world itself, but the general public
| will be interested to know something individ-
| ually of the career of one of her sex who has
been SO successful, not from adVentitious cir
| cumstances but her own steady and sincere
1 pursuit of her chosen profession First, !
would observe that Mrs. Murray's principal
field of art is what we may classify as the dra-
| matte, the most difficult of all except the pure
ly creative. her figures have robust force
and strength, realistic truth OF expression,
depth of coloring, technical finish and diversi-
fed action rarely seem She is the most sue
cessful in the more difficult compositions. Her
architectural drawings, also, and compositions
have won the eulogiums OF the best judges OF
the English school. But my purpose is not to
repeat in criticism truths which her long ca
reer have made familiar to all the artistic
world Among the buyers of her pictures are
to be found the Kings of Bavaria, Denmark,
and Greece, the Duke of Oldenburg, Prince
| Demidoff, the Marquis of Northampton, the
MARQUIS of Landsdowne, the Duke of Cam
bridge, and long list OF the best English and
| American amateurs, who appreciate sincere,
honest work never sighted because OF her rep
utation, but ever conscientiously kept at its
best execution and strikingly truthful to the
chosen fact or scene. ,
Mrs. Murray comes both from historical and
artistic stock of no common order. On hel
mothers side she traces her lineage to Crom-
well, and her father was Mr.. Heaphy, Presl
dent of the Society of British Artists and
Painter Extraordinary to George w., water
colorist of much repute. He received for his
chief picture 'The Duke of Wellington Civ
ing His Orders Before Battle''-e4, 900. Il
was engraved by Colnaghi. At 6 years old his
daughter showed her passion for art and soor
after began drawing from casts, studying anat
omy, and endeavoring to prepare herself to be-
come painter. Her eldest brother, the late
Thomas Heaphy, won distinction as a portrait
painter SO that it is not surprising this, his sis
ter's ambition, stimulated by the examples o.
father and brother, should have taken this dl
rection. When mere child in Rome she at
tracted the notice of Horace Vernet, then Di
:, rector of the French Academy of that city
He both encouraged and aided her in many
WAYS predicting brilliant career for his little
"Anglaise.' Even before this event she hae
given practical attention to anatomy, dissectine
herself under the supervision of DIR. Hooper
physician to George ~, and making drawing
of the portions dissected. Her youthful stud
les of figure were earnest, incessant, and Sc
we're, laying solid foundation of that profici
ency which won for her subsequently so mucl
success as figure painter. By the time OF he
fathers death, in 1885, Miss Heaphy had &C
quired celebrity for her portraits, and was ex
tensively employed by the nobility. She ha'
already seen great deal OF foreign life, Away
with keen eye to her chosen career, ant
about this time Queen AIDE laide gave her som
~. \ 1nt+n~ 30,