Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-20
SOUTHERN ART.
m history AND CARER or A RICE
MoNp SCULPTOR.
usw He Had His First Inspirations
HIS Great Zee Figure
Later works.

4 f'ne reputation as = writer upon sri
suhiects, contributes . lengthy and In
terestipg article to the New York Star,
Nr. Weeks, after some general remarks
about southern artists, says;
do not think that IL Is merely
friendly consideration that leads me "a
regard Mr.. Edward V. Valentine, tn,
distinguished sculptor OF Richmond,
Va, as preeminent among them. HIS
pleasant studio is the pride OF his
townspeople, and has been visited
probably by every distinguished person
who has been in that city during the
last twenty years. The sculptor there
fore enjoys the acquaintance and friend
ship Of some Of the most eminent poo
ple Of two continents, and among them
be has abundant recognition.
Valentine comes Of good old Virginian
stock. His ancestors came over IN the
seventeenth century, and were soon
numbered among the wealthy landed
propr;etors Of the colony. They were
Huguenots, I think, and tho personal
appearance Of the sculptor confssses to
his French extraction.
lie was born in Richmond 10 1888,
and is therefore short Of fifty years OF
age. His artistic feeling early mani
tested itself, and was encouraged by
his family. At the same time he was
given a sound education, and when a
mere boy he mastered anatomy at the
Medical College in Richmond. The
bent Of his mind, while toward
art in general, was toward scolp-
ture In particular, and about 1851,
when DO was but thirteen years
of sge, he received q vital impression
which indelibly marked out his career
for him. 1t was then be went, slim,
sweetf,csd southern yputb, to the
Worlds Exhibition in New York. lie
already felt the fires Of genius burning
within him, although as yet bis aspira-
tons were bu. dreams snd his knovl-
edge OF himself and his latent powers
but half formed still he had even then
IN undefnablc longing for art and the
frst budding Of Q hope which he
scarcely ds,e3 TO put into words.
II must be confessed that the New
York exhibition offered little in The
way Of art to stimulate The imagie.'
ton. There was Leutze'S Washing
ton Crossing the Delaware" now in the
national Capitol; the Hagar and lsh-
mael," by q German artist, and few
other notable works. But 10 this dreary
desert he found the famous group,
"Tbe Amazon Attacked by a Tiger"
by Kiss, the celebrated Berlin sculptor,
and for the time being there was no.
thing beside in the whole wide world
for him. lie was moved by this work
rs though touched by live coal from
off the altar. Child though he was,
then and there his future loomed up
clearly before him. The supreme mo-
ment which waits somewhere for every
man had como TO him early. The
"Amazon was q revelation and an
inspiration, and from that moment his
career was irrevocably fixed.
In 1859 Valentine went abroad. He
studied for time in the studio OF Cou-
touIe, and then went successfully to
Milan, Verona, Florence, Rome, and
Naples, studying the great works of
sculpture in tho galleries. In Florence
be was a pupil Of Bonanti. who was
himself pupil Of Thorwaldsen and a
friend of Csnovs. From Florence he
journeyed to Dresden with the inten-
tion of becoming pupil of Reitschel,
who, however, he found upon his arrl'
val there, had just died. lie then
turned his footsteps toward Berlin,
which was then n great art centre.
Here Rouch, SchadOu, Woolf, Kiss, aud
other noted sculptors of the present
century, were living either in person or
in influence. Toward Kiss Valentine
was particularly attracted. He had
never forgotten the great work which
had given him his first inspiration years
before, and he sought the master and
became his pupil.
This constitutes one Of the most In
teresting episodes in the life Of .Valen-
tine. Kiss was old, and had about
given up receiving pupils into his studio
especially as he had just had an un
pleasant experience with one. Bu
Valentines enthusiasm moved hin
somewhat, and he took the request un
der consideration. Pending decision
the young American was in an anxious
state of mind. He felt that this wa
tho turning point in his life, and thai
much Of his future depended upon {
favorable response from Kiss. Ac
quaintances told him that he could mo-
expect to find entrance to this almost
inaccessible studio, and in his discour.
agement he exclaimed one day: "If
do not 90 in with Kiss, / cannot stay
in Berlin" This was repeated TO Kiss
and-as Valentine afterwards learned
had no little weigh. in determining hiu
to receive the new applicant.
1t was happy day for the younl
man when the favorable summons came
lie entered the studio Of Kiss, and be
gan an association which ended onl!
with the death Of the great master.
The great sculptor was always gen
tie, kind, and generous, and never foan'
fault. One day he came into the stu
do where his pupil was at work, and
looking around, said: "Where is you
sponge?" II was not quite at hand
and the old man said reproyingly
""What sort ofsn arrangement is that?'
and then quickly put his hand on tn
young mans shoulder, And looked c
him smilingly, as though apologizinI
for his unwonted severity. lie woul
take no money for his advice aud in
struction, and when enc day his pupil
against the advice Of friend who kne'
the master offered payment, be stu
ply answered, "That Is not the way i
this place." and quietly turned away.
Then Kiss was friend indeed, an
showed In many practical ways no
= much he loved his latest and, as
proved, his last pupil. II was in lSt
that Kiss died. He had o severe COLI
but no sppIehensions were felt by hin
self or his friends. One evening Valel
tine spent several hours by his bedsid
and BIO was in cheerful frame OF MINI
lie talked about q friend who hs