New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-07
BASI'IEN LEPAGE.
HIS PORTRAIT OF TIE PRINCE OF WALES
AND OTHER WORKS.

HIS PORTRAIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES
AND OTHER WORKS.
(FRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIbuNE.I
PARIS, March %.
The executors of the late NJ. Bastien Lepage Will
probably sue the Prince of Walse for S4,000-the
prco which that gifted artist expected to receive
from II. r. II. but did not get. His brother told me
the other day that he was not so much as thanked
for the painting to do which he went to London
where the Prince sat to him. l think there must
have been some blunder, the Prince being one OF
the most courteous men in Europe. lie esteems
great artists and is able to appreciate their work
Bastcn Lepage bad already won high reputation
whom at Sarah Berniardts request he received the
commission to do H. x. HIS portrait. lie asked
friend before he achieved it what he should demand.
Other artists and some great amateurs had advised
him to send in bill for $4,000. AS he had lived
eix years on credit. all the money his new-hodged
reputation brought him was swallowed up in paying
debts, and he was very anxious to bo handsomely
paid At the time the friend mentioned thought
this sum excessive and told him so, saying to HIM:
aShould the Prince think likewise, he might
demand an experts Judgment, and if from a desire
to toady to HIN. or TO run you down. the expert
greatly andcrrated your picture. it would lnJure
you in the English market What you ought to do
is to send the portrait to the Prince, and let him
decide what he should pay. AS no has sat to you
and rs you are cassed here as a leaing-indeej the
leading-artist in your genre he must act hand
oomely. though he may not give you nearly so inuch
rs you hope for. Set oil against what you may
deem underpayuent tho advertising advantage
involved in the portrait. 1t might be well for you
to intimate to H. r. HIS secretary that You left
the money question to be settled by the Prince
Bastien Lepage told me he would do this. But he
did not show me the letter or state in what terms 1t
was couchod. saw when he was i'll that he hal
copy of the Princes portrait which is now exhibited
ut tho Hotel Chmay. turned toward the wall and
did not like to talk about it. When his brother the
other day complained of the manner in which
Basten had been neglected, saying, lie was not
oven thanked" remembered the circumstance just
related.
II is possible that Bastlcn Lrpags said nothing
about his pecuniary expectations, and that the
Prince not being able to guess what they might be-
resolved to defer payment until the bill was sent
in and as that was never done forgot all about the
matter 1t is picturc-dealcr who has advised
suit lie would gladly pay $4,000 for the portrait
if it was thought too lear at Marlborough House
and sent tack. The Prince VIGOROUSLY has more
calls on his purse than he has means to meet, and
would not have given the order if he thought it
would cost him $4,000 He must be tired of seeing
his own image. However,, as Basticn Lepag@s
small portraits are worthy to figure along with the
best Of Holbeiu and Albert Durer, and the quantity
OF them in existence is small the one at Marlho-
rough House deserves 10 be csstd as an heir loom IN
the ROYAL family. 1t 8 small firmly painted, finely
modelled and reveals the inner in showing the
outer man. as indeed every plrtrait by the same
artist Ices. The profile is given. The PRINCE Is
dressed in q costume in which at a fancy ball he
psrsOnated Charles ", aod is standing on old
London Bridge. In the distance there rs Shipping,
may add that tho State has bought figure
picture and sniall portra THAT OF the Young
COMMUNICATE. in "a white muslin dress and yeil-ior
the Louvre. This is little masterpiece. The girl
represented was u cousin of the painter. One s, es
that he looked on her with eye Leaning with
honest affection. She is plain but fresh, healthy,
genuine and good as she can be. Her white
garments have q Sunday air. Every one IS EN-
ChanteI with her. The portrait of Madame
Droulet il the autithesis of the Young CoInmnni-
cant. Ii reveals intensity of moral force. OF
sweetness and of suffering. The old lady is sanct
fed by ler nobly horne physical fortunes. and
under the WORKOUT boly one perceives a soul that
Is on the eve of being glorihed. Anything more
inexpressay beautiful never saw. Nor did ] ever
SEQ anything that speaks more strongly III favor OF
the Immortality of the human spirit.