The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-10-22
LOUIS MALMSHA.
A Tribute to the Great Scenic
Artist.
Editors Herald:

Editors Herald:
"Malmshs. scenic artist Of McVicker's
Theatre, Chicsgo, reputed the best in his
profession, died last night"
The above appears in the Asso-
ciated Press reports in the morning
papers. AS an humble follower,
ardent admlrer, friend and confrere
of this dead artist / felt it my duty
to render my tribute of homage to
his transcendent genius. He was
1.-The best in his profession" Every
artist who has seen his work has
without qualification given him this
position as matter of simple fact.
I have seen samples from the hands
of the best scenic artists Of England,
France and Italy, and from what l
have seen and learned l am con-
WINGED that Mr.. Malmsha was the
greatest scenic painter in the world.
His ideality appeared to be I'M
bounded. Those most familiar with
his work could not guess how he
would paint next. Week after week
and year after year his productions
were a constant succession of sur
priseS. He was entirely an artist,
and used none but purely art means
to accomplish even mechanical
object. His compositions (the mo
tive OF which was ever noble and
eleyated) were entirely original, and
were produced with astonishing
rapidity. He united power and
| cfraD orfb Will, +l,a cuoafoCt +aDdar
est delicacy, dignity with grace,
sublimity with loneliness. l have
yet to see in American art any eX-
amples which manifest the wealth
of genius that this man proved that
he possessed. l am quite certain
had he turned his attention to the
painting Of pictures, that he would
have ranked as the greatest artist
that our country has ever produced,
for lis genius was certainly pre-
eminent. His position in. his
profession was an isolated
one. He had no peers. His place,
vacant now, there is none can fill.
We have great artists among our
scene painters, but no Malmsha :
just as there was but one Charlotte
Cushman among many great actors.
Mr.. Louis Malmsha commenced
his career as q scenic artist at Cros-
by's opera house, Chicago, in 1865.
He was then mere boy, and while
working in the auditorium under
the employ Of fresco painter, he
saw the scenic artist painting the
scenery for the stage. He became
so infatuated with this Ito him) new
art, that he could not be kept at his
work, spending all of his time from
his employers. From this time
forth fresco painting was distastefu
to him, and he accompanied the
artist to New York. He there i'm
proved his advantages to such {
degree that in a few years he was
the peer Of the best of his brother
artists.
I. He returned to Crosby's Opera
House about the year 1869, produc
ing "Hammersmith Bridge" and an
English boat race at Putney. Thi
scene astonished Chicago-no easy
matter) as it was the finest of tn,
kind that had ever been paintet
there. lie remained at Crosby
for several months, until engage
by Mr.. McVicker to paint the en-
tire stock Of his rebuilt theatre. q
was by the study of his beautiful
work at this time that l drew m
own first impressions of the pc!
sibilities of scenic art.l He II
q manned at Mr.. McVicker's until tn
v destruction of the theatre by tn
r great fire in 1871. The fOIlowin
fall and winter he was engaged
Woods theatre, Cincinnati, return
= ing the next summer to Chicago
4 paint the scenery for Aiken's The
ire and for Myers Opera House.
, His drop curtain at Aiken's the
tire was undoubtedly the finest an
most artistic of any in the countr
5, He then left Chicago for year {
Is more returning to McVicker's the
II tire where he renamed until til
ime Of his death.
Snch is the brief career Of tn
brilliant young man. He was
e. Judge about 81 years Of age, FC
the past ten or twelve years he hi
81 been afflicted with consumption,
ts that it was difficnlt for him 10 exc
Nv himself violently or to work mo
> than two or three hours day, bI
! as he was for the past few montl
u required to do none but purely a
work, other artists doing all Il
a. preliminary work possible to NAL
ne his labor easier, he was enabled,
a doubt up to recent period to 9
tonish and delight the audiences
McYicker's with the exhibition
phenomenal genius. He will be sad
= missed in Chicago, and now that
is dead the general public viii 10
the artists in approaching him as
deserved to have been appreciate
during his life.
HENRY c. TRYON.