National Republican., 1883-03-26
interesting Letter from the Land Of PICTURES
Poetry, and Statuary.
Some Of the Distinguished American
Artists Now in Rome-Ther Work,
Studios Of Rogers, Ives Simmons, Coleman, Benton
Benson, Ricci, Bispham, and Others.
A Noted Animal Painter and Funny
Story Relative to n Bull.
snscini LeNer.

when he was seized with something ike
paralytic stroke; still, with the fruits of his
earnest labor carefully stored away, he can
we'll afford to rest on his oars There must be
n good deal of bon hommie about the man, for
most of the artists are devoted to him. Ger
tainly he has never been airy over his sue
cesscs, and has ever been ready to lend II help
ing hand TO the unknown and struggling. of
course there arc many who dcprcciate his
works, and say almost rs severe things about
his lack of originality as they do OF story,
whom thoy arc not backward in saying mis-
took his calling and should have devoted him
self purely to literature. Certain 1t is that
every one who has read Storys "Roba di
Roma" must forever after be indebted to him.
Besides picturing things that alas are pass
ing away, IL displays an artistic enthusiasm
for everything before the era of seeking popu-
larity began, and is delightfully."- oblivious OF
tho opinion of my Lord and my Lady G.. or
MIR. Senator So-and-so. Let return thanks,
remembering this and forgetting the great,
lonely studio which he deserted all this long
winter through to be dined and wined across
the ocean.
Chauncey b. Ives, perhaps the longest res
ident here of all the sculptors, still retains
the quaint humor so characteristic OF the old
time Vermonters, delighting in straightfor
ward and blunt assertions, sometimes shock
ing even his best friends. He is sturdy and
honest despising claptrap, and shows the
same fidelity in his work never STOPPING to
conquer, he has most worshipful interest in
his great art For nearly forty years he has
worked steadily; coming poor and unknown,
he has arrived at an eminence that any other
man would be satisfied with but, as 1t is, he
is his own worst critic, and much prefers to
talk of Roman "reminiscences, and his supply
is inexhaustible. Three popes he has known
we'll. He stood by when Pope Gregory called
s..N.v Il f1N.Inp
men and performed the humiliating task OF
washing their feet. He tells this with
mischievous twinkle in his eye, and adds,
quite in Yankee vernacular, the pope looked
awful glad when he came to the last foot, and
the beggars seemed rejOiccd to think there
would never be an excuse for washing again.
In these times there were no sidewalks,
neither were there any street lights, and dis
Greet people carried lantern, keeping bee
line in the center of the roadway, and feeling
remarkably suspicious every time a
window opened, as, to express 1t
mildly, the sewerage was above
ground, and Roman servants couldn't see the
necessity of descending long flights OF steps
when the street was just under the window
3 ed altro. Long ago. too, Lewis Cass was the
American minister, and every one OF his
. countrymen who came to Rome felt that he
was the special guest, the most distinguished
man that had put his foot on the Italian soil.
Not that Cass spent 50 much money entertain
ing, for he didn't; on the contrary, he lived
plainly at common hotel; but he was a
clever diplomatic, and q still more astute poll
tician; he well knew the value of good
word, and his home-returning countrymen
sowed these broadcast for him. What fine
crop of honor and distinction he raised from
them, to be sure. To the lovely and chaste
ideals, polished, and cleaning in marble or
Just coming to perfection in the plastic clay,
that stand like angels in the Ives studio, one
is 10th to say good by, and with still deeper
regret, of the strong, and frank face of the
sculptor, a last look brings a sigh, to think
that honest men are so rare.
Simmons, another great American sculptor,
still prefers biblical and NEUROLOGICAL sub
jeets, working away as steadfastly as he did
Ten years ago. though everything he does now
is eagerly seized by connosseurs, and he does
not stand waiting for commissions, for he has
fulfilled the promise of his youth He is
eccentric, seems indifferent, has face almost
as pale as MARBLE and has hands which look
rs though they belong to some beautiful model,
instead of to a man who works. He scrutl-
nizes people closely, qui2zes them in conver-
saton, makes queer propositions, and seems
surprised that anything is out ofthe common in
what he has said Heis something of an en-
igna-perhaps as much to himself as to any
body else. Thinks all good things possible to
himself, kind of opinion that is Il real capital
in itself. His success has come, and he is wisely
satisfied. It's n sort of rest to meet n man
who really is. Its the fashion now for travel
ing Americans TO patronize their own coun-
trymen, and orders are in advance of the
finished work.
CHARLES Caryl Coleman belongs to the happy
and favored 1t is quite the first studio one
makes for, and good deal of climbing ii
takes to get there; for he lives up in the
clouds, but then you find great, luminous
pictures of Venice, long vistas OF streets,
charming souvenirs of summers in Capri, and
flowers nodding from canvas, where they
blossom all the year. Every one here was
surprised that his careful and elaborate de-
sign for Christmas card did not receive the
first prize in America; each figure had been
closely studied in detail, any one of which
would have made superb picture.
Colonel George B. Butler is the portrait
painter par excellence, and commands a
higher price than any one else He is at
work now on afull-sized portrait of the lovely
little daughter of Senator Mcpherson, of
New Jersey, but his pictures Of Capri women
have created u great sensation in the art
world. There has been no attempt at ideali-
Z1tion; he has drawn them at their usual
and daily ccupatiOn-venders of fruit, knit
ting, resting beside their full water jars, after
the toilsOme walk up the steep hill, The
Capri atmosphere is there, too 1t is always
some figure you have encountered in your
wanderings in that enchanted island and
there lies the naturalncss of il all. Butler is
not ut all a society man, being even indiiler-
eut to women; but they forgive this lack of
homage when they look at the empty sleeve,
and it's silent cOquence tells of u brave right
arm lost in defense of his country on the
bloody field of Gettysburg. He is the best
swOrdsman here, rs sundry young and im-
pertinent Romans have found TO their cost.
Another artist Dwight Benton, has II special
gcJWc, and paints rare bits of Italian scenery,
with close fidelity to nature, depending
solely upon his studies out of doors
for atmospheric effect, and not to
the confused musings of q studio
long and tiresOme tramps he takes
out on the campagna and works away with all
an artists enthusiasm, unmindful of lack of
dinner or cold or rain; of course pictures
painted that way would have value of their
own whether the subject was pleasing or not
but he has of late been so happy in his selec-
tions as TO choice spots of historical or poetic
interest, and being literary man himself of
distinction, as he is a constant and able con-
tributor to many periodicals, his researches
have led him into paths only frequented by
cultivated people. There are old converts
that has made semi-religious setting to u
dark episode in the history of old families
there are tOmbs that tell of buried greatness
and now he commences the old tower room
whore unhappy. Tasso died, with the distant
stretch of country seemingly looking the same
as when the poets sad eyes turned last upon
an unjust world, as he bitterly said.
OF Mr.. Benton's studies of the bTediterra-
mean coast he has many choice bits, besides
the bathing scenes which he paints so we'll
Dne the rude littIa cross aud tho Iou,I,,