The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-10-24

Mr. Cusachs is one Of the celebrated news
paper artists of New York He is a native
OF New Orleans, where he was born Of Span
ish parentage, July 81, 1s4l. and received a
mercantile and art education at Leipsig,
Germany He had natural taste and
talent for drawing, which manifested itself
almost as soon as he could write
After leaving Germany he went to Spain
and frcquented the best studios, devoting him
self to sketching and sculpture In 1870 he
came back to New Orleans and opened a
studio in his fathers store Among other
things no executed a recumbent figure of
Christ, which was exhibited at the Centen-
nial exhibition, and in a measure opened the
way to his subsequent success. In the spring
Of 1874 he was employed by The Graphic
company to do general work, and has been
on the art staff of that journal ever since.
He was the special artist of the Beecher trial,
and his sketches of the famous personages
who figured in that famous affair were talked
OF everywhere. Some OF his Graphic car
toons have had worldwide celebrity. One
on DE Lesseps piercing the isthmus of Pana-
ma was exhibited at a banquet in Paris, and
created so much favorable comment that an
account of the way it was received was ca
bled back to the newspapers here. His series
Of cartoons on the silver question gave him
considerable fame, as did those on Mormon
ism, and some of his burlesques of municipal
politics. His Triumph Of Beaconsfield" was
another piece Of work that helped to establish
him in the favor of the public
Mr.. Cusachs Is a serio- artist. On
The Graphic he has done every branch of
newspaper art work, portraits, news illustra-
tions, commercial and burlesaue work, every-
thing in fact that Is needed in the way of
newspaper illustration. His speciality is out
line sketches, which have all the spirit and
strength of more carefully wrought pictures
and none of the faults The rapidity with
which he works is something marvellous He
has frequently finished full page cartoon in
two hours, and thought nothing Of making
two large cartoons in day. Other artists
sometimes do only one a week His Co
workers in art tell the story of how he once
drew a complete and masterful figure of a
soldier in sixty seconds. He doesn't always
supply the ideas he illustrates. He is the skill
full draughtsman, not the inventor. As one
Of his friends said, "Cusachs doesn't bother
himself about ideas; If he did he would be a
thinner man." Ut may be mentioned that
he is Of very substantial body) One of his
artistic gifts, which has been trained to a re-
markable degree is mis- Photographic memory.
He can go down to all street or into a
crowded court room and take a look at the
celebrities he Is to reproduce 60 back to his
desk and make a life picture of them. lie
has a wonderful eye for detail After glanc-
ing around q public hal or room five minutes
he can carry away q perfect photograph of
1t on his mind, which he will readily transfer
10 paper, and not even an ornament on a
chandelier will be lacking
Mr.. Cusachs is a social gentleman. He is q
member and one Of the founders Of the Art
league, belongs to several sketch clubs-his
outline sketches at exhibitions being always
one OF the features of the display. His taste
for art has been cultivated by travel and
study Of the best European museums He
speaks and writes six languages. and this and
his other requirements have largely enhanced
his newspaper usefulness He is fitted for
any order of newspaper art.
Although he became a citizen of Spain
after the war he resides in New York, and
devotes himself to general art work He has
a studio in Park place, and has stacks OF
orders at hand all th, time, though he finishes
work with great rapility.
Mr.. Cusachs is a fine looking man, his COM
plexion indicating his Spanish blood, IN
manner he is pleasant and self-possessed, and
In conversation interesting