Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-04
GREAT PAINTING DESTROYED

GREAT PAINTING DESTROYED
Dore's "siespips Besay" spoiled By usns-
rant Hands.
The Philadelphia Times says that it
has Just been discovered that the beau
tiful Dore curtain which attracted so
much attention in this city during the
centennial year has been totally de-
stroyed. Gustave Dore was paid 25,-
600 francs for the painting, and duties
and other expenses made it cost about
$1,000. John Sleeper Clark, the actsr,
owned the work of art when it was de-
stroyed, and he valued it so highly that
when George X. Goodwin, manager Of
the Walnut-Strect Theatre, offered him
$4,000 for il, the comedian refused it,
saying: mo, George. it's worth more
than that to hold for y rise." About
the time the Kirslfy Brothers opened
the Alhambra, now known as Haverly's
Theatre. Mire, the oldest partner, went
to Paris in bearch of novelties, and
after good deal of negotiation induced
Gustaye DOre to paint drop-curtain
representing The Sleeping Beauty"
The curtain was hung in the Alhambra
and attracted great deal Of attention.
In order to prevent the curtain from be-
coming worn it was not placed on the
curtain-drum, but was pulled up and
folded in the middle. In time the fold
ing made crease in the canvas, and
in the spring of 1873 it was
taken down to be retouched.
Over forty of the most promi-
nent scene painters of the country
were at one time or another invited TO
name their price to retouch the Dore
curtain. Painter after painter came to
Philadelphia, inspected the picture, and
went away, declining to assume the re-
sponsibility of reproducing the peculiar
atmospheric effect surrounding The
Sleeping Beauty" Carefully draped in
muslin the curtain was swung at the
back of the stage. and there it was
when John Sleeper Clarke bought the
theatre. A few months later Boz
lossy Kiralfy suddenly appeared before
Mr.. Clark and offered him 1880
for the curtain. Mr.. Clarke declined
the offer. Bolossy begged and gesticu-
lated. and by s500-bids raised his offer
to $4,000. Then Mr.. Clark told him
the picture was not for sale. A year
or 30 later, when Mr.. Clark became
convinced that he could not find scene
painter in this country willing to re-
touch The Sleeping Beauty" he de-
cided to send it to Paris and employ
DOre TO do the work. With sheet of
white muslin over its face the curtain
was rolled up and locked in the stars
dressiDg-room on the stage. Mr.. Clark
went to Europe. Two or three seasons
went by and still the big picture re-
NAMED in the Theatre.
When in 1883 Joseph ID. Murphy,
now dead. leased the Theatre. the Dore
curtain was still there. and a clause in
the lease read that "The Sleeping
Beauty" was to be carefully preserved
and that the lessee was to be RESPONSE
bic for its safe keeping. Whether Mr..
Murphy appreciated the value of the
painting is not known. but he evidently
forgot the clause in the lease. Early
in the season he decided to produce the
cantata Of THE Haymakers. Seye-
raj new sets of scenery we're wanted
for the production, and the manager
went back to the stage to look over the
stock stuff and see what could be
worked over into - fats - for the can
tata. But little available canvas could
be found.
" What's that bundle!" said the
pointing to an immense roll of
remarkably clean canvas swinging in
the corner.
That is the Sleeping Beauty an
swered the scene-panter.
"Wcll, cut her up and make pair
of flats"
But that's the Dore curtain" said
the artist.
We'll, what Of it," 1t certainly
isn't doing much good where it is."
The painter argued, expostulated.
and finally went off in a bad humor,
declaring that he would not be party
to such vandalism. That afternoon
the stage-carpenters. under instructions
from the practical manager, sliced up
the curtain. fitted it to a pair of fiat
frames, and hoisted it to the pant-room
on the tly-gallery. The master scene
painter recovered his good humor late
the following day, and on returning
to the theatre found that during his
absence his assistant had. with white
paint. obliterated every sign Of
Dore's handiwork. When the paint
ers stopped work that night a
field Of luxuriant timothy-hay covered
the canvas that had few hours before
been adorned by The Sleeping Beau
iy." Since then the same canvas has
been covered with SO many interior and
exterior scenes for comic opera that it
S covered with paint quarter Of an
nch deep. The corner of the curtain
hat bears the signature of the great
French artist hangs neglected on a peg
n the property-room, and it was
through this relic that the destruction
IF The Sleeping Beauty" was dis
,Overed. Charles X. Burns, Mr.. Clark's
American agent, is worried over the
destruction Of the curtain. The owner
S still ignorant of his loss.
Salye for the Generate Atl,nsot.
A burlington sneciaI saws. peter