The Portland daily press., 1884-03-22
Some Caricaturist's Careers.
[Philadelphia Press

philadelphia Press1
The story that Mast has a life contract for
$4,000 year with the Harpers is anthem
tic. 1t is not so true that the artist is break
ing down under the mental grief caused by
not seeing his designs appear. The story to
that effect which went the rounds of the
press not long ago was not true. He is rich,
comfortable and happy. He has beautiful
BONE; his house is described at length in
the March "Lippincott's Magazine" and
his home life is delightful. His position is
perfectly assured. He has accomplished a
greater work than any other caricaturist who
ever lived. His reputation is fixed high 1t
can make no difference to him if circum-
stances have made his relations to his paper
anomalous. If he chose, he could break his
contract and use his pencil elsewhere. IF
he chooses to draw a princely salary for do
ing little or nothing it is no ones affair but
his own.
What career Mast has had compared
with other caricaturists! Thomas Golroy.
after getting all Eugland by the ears, died
of delirium tremens. Hogarth's death was
undoubtedly brought about by his contro-
versy with Charles Churchill, the poet, and
because he could not convince people that
he was greater as historical painter than
as caricaturist George Cruikshank's life
was also embittered by similar notion. He
thought his etchings were mere trifies, but
that bis oil paintings were great. So they
were, in size, but the famous etcher had lit
tie idea OF color or composition. Robert
Seymour committed suicide. He was the
man to whose great vogue Dickens was at
first indebted for the success of 'sPickwick.' -
the novelist having been employed 10
write up to- the artists etchings. Sey-
monr had controversy with Gilbert Abbott
a. Beckett--the author of the comic history
of England, which John Leech illustrated
and he also had dispute with Dickens
over Pickwick, and, being nervous and SEN
sitive, he went out and killed himself.
Richard Doyle looked forward to a
great career on Punch, but the
position that journal took toward Pope
Pio Mono made him withdraw and lose
the opportunity for wide fame and popularity
which ae had sought. John Leech lived
and died poor-as Cruikshank did. Matt
Morgan's untimely picture of the prince of
wales as Hamlet, following the ghost of the
roue George W., and the even more often
eivo DIoWH Otuuy, Win the Dare-iegged
gllly leaning on the throne, drove him from
lame and fortune in England to precari-
Gus and Bohemian existence in America.
though he is now settled down and doing
well as the head of pottery in Cincinnati,
and as designer of photographic work In
France Cham died an unhappy death two
years ago. Poor Gavarni, the truest artist,
except Leech, among the caricaturists, was
in prison for debt more than once His lat
ter days were embittered by the death of his
only son Jean, whom he adored; and to cap
all, the house in which he hoped TO die was
taken from him and "Hausmannized'' from
the face IT the earth. Even In Germany
caricaturists have had hard lot, the most
noted instance being the father of Max and
Maurice" On the whole the 10, of carica-
turists has been no more joyous than that
OF the famous clown who was told to go and
see himself as cure for his melancholy.