Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-21

NC the lOTtuDc VI uoSch pehSs "S"'
There is sort Of loft in his studio
fairly piled with swift sketches, IN which
he has embodied the conception born
of some inspired moment, which may
or may not ever be worked out IN
finished pictures. The picture which
most powerfully attracted me in his
studio was founded on one Of the Ru-
bayat illustrations, and called 1.-The
Cup of Death" The "angel Of the
darker cup" his wings glorious with
unfading light, offers his draught to a
beautiful woman who is just bend
ing to drink. The shadow of death
is already stealing over her face,
but you feel that her lips are unre-
luctant. She will drink willingly the
cup that means rest from the pain Of
living, rest and long peace. A cartoon
was there Of that wonderful picture
called Identity" suggested by AL
drich'S poem with that title-and an
other of 1.-The Lost Pleiad " searching
yainly for the star which has fallen
from her brow. There was no picture
there, great or small, which would not
be known for "Vedder anywhere.
1t were as easy to mistake Brewning's
poetry or Wagner's music as Vedder's
pictures.
Another American in whose studio |
passed some pleasant hours was Eze-
kiel, the sculptor. Some Of those ami
able people who provide foreign books
for us have published translation Of
Carl Vosmaer's novel, THE Amazon"
Of which, under the name of "Aisma,"
Alma Tadema is the hero. The sculp-
tor, who figures in the novel as " AS
kol." is Mr.. Ezekiel, and Vosmaer gives
a description CT Ezekiel's studio as
faithful as it is captivating. Ii is on
the Piazza dele Terme, and it is a part
of the half-ruined Baths ofDiocletian."
You 90 up to it by an outer staircase,
bordered with climbing plants and roses
and bits Of antique sculpture. The
studio itself is a large yaulted apart
ment. On the walls the sculptor has
painted boughS of blossoms and fruits
in rich, deep colors, and here and there
are beautiful bits Of tapestry and
choice carvings. One corner is sort
of salon. 1t has grand piano, soft
sofas, and sleepy-hollow easy chairs,
and tables covered with curiosities.
In this cosy corner Ezekiel chats
| with his friends over afternoon
tea, and proves himself as charm
ing as companion as he is
able as an artist. Before | went
to his studio | had seen his head OF
Judith in this years "BeUe Ar!i "a
pearl of price, in a collection Of modern
art which. as a whole, makes one want
to tear his hair and gives one a cramp
in his mind. The judith" is glo-
rious. Her face is full of exalted pur-
poSe-strong and noble and beautiful
exceedingly. 1t was fitting subject
for a sculptor Of Jewish descent; but
what did surprise me when J went to
the studio was to find there the abSO-
lutely ideal head of Christ-the only
satisfactory one have ever seen in
sculpture. Christians have yainly
striyen to model for us the Divine
"Man of Sorrows" leaving it to this
jew Ia descendant Of SpinOza) to find
out the solemn secret, and reveal Him
to us as We can really believe that He
was.
We found in his studio also a beauti-
full statue of Eve, which had for some
Americans a sad and personal interest,
since its lovely hands and arms were
modelled from those of Sherwood Bon
ner, for two years now laid to rest in
her far-of Mississippi home, with the
magnoliaS blosSomlng above her bright
head. Another work Of great strength
and beauty in Mr.. Ezeklel's place is
the statue of blind Homer, with the
boy who used to lead him between
his knees. The head is studied from
the celebrated bust Of Homer in the
Naples Museum, but the figure with its
pose, combining great dignity with the
pathos of blindness, is wholly original.
1t is a group worthy Of the highest
praise. There was also in the studio
an admirable portrait bust of List,
which the great musician himself con-
sidered the best representation ever
made Of him. besides various other
| interesting works too numerous to men
ton.
Not far from Ezckic'> studio i that
Of Mr.. W. W. story. had heard yarl-
Gus opinions expressed concerning his
new Cleopatra, and | wanted to see il
for myself The Cleopatra Of long ago
was an old friend. had become ac-
quainted with it during my first visit
to Rome and had never been able to
see it quite with the eyes OF Hawthorne.
who pronounced it "a miraculous sue
cess-in a word. all Cleopatra-lierce,
yoluptuous, passionate, tender, wicked,
terrible, and full Of poisonous and rap
turOus enchantmcnt." | should like to
transfer this eloquent praise to the Cleo
patra of the present. The first Cleopatra
| might have been a dozen other proud,
passionate, implacable women as we'll
this one could be only Cleopatra. She
is reclining figure, beautiful but dan
gerOus. stealthy, and with all the tiger
passions in her. Under her couch was
sculptured the skin of great tiger, its
head instinct with cruel life and as Mr..
Story led US up tG his latest " Egypt, -
he said. " Here she is, andpointing to
the tiger head underneath. " there's the
tiger that she was" And then he told
us how, in the midst of other work, a
conviction came to him that the earlier
Cleopatra was not quite the true one !;
and he found himself compelled to
throw all else aside and mould her as
she rose before him from the dust that
had so long held her. And now,
a." here she is his legacy to the world,
the Cleopatra whom Antony loved, and
great Caesar. whom Shakespeare dis
covered in his time, and Story has at
! last turned into marble.
There were whole rooms full Of busts
and statues in Mr.. StOry's great stu
dio-busts Of Robert and Mrs. Brown
Ing, of Keats and Shelley, Of Shak-