Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-31
RISE Aao ,sl. or Il. .of.

RISE -kNO Fall. or ~. -. .sof.
4Going Mt $500 frnncs-gcing. No
body bids. Going going rone,'
And the ivory Ilaliet came down.
he object purchased at this enormou
pr ce was u painting by Delacroix- tn,
iuctioneer himself had made the first bi,
of 5000 fra .cs. Then two picture deal
ers--A braham and Dupont de Rneil, bic
,gainst each other Abraham increase,
ais bid each time by lG,UO0 francs, Du
pont, who was more prudent, only raise
his bid by the least advance possible. Tht
struggle had lasted ior q whole half-hour
in the midst of great silence. FINALLY
the painting was knock down to Abra
ham
Immediately the victorious bidder ant
his rival went of together, chatting il
the fri ndliest way.
Nv, , is il forsr asked Dupont du Rueil
"For Trener, of tie Banque Generate
des PAYS Latins," replied Abraham.
another sale under promise OF repur
chase" observed gentleman who hao
heard Trcner's name pronounced. "Thai
Abraham he continued. will end by
plays too bsidly. One of these days, wei
see smash ..ss=a Ia
Abraham. the picture-dealer, was an ex
actor, who had abandoned the stage fol
the bric-a- brac business. At the age Of p
he had begun to bargain and desa IN pict
ures, objects Of vertu, tapestries. etc His
business venture pro:pered from the com
mencement. He had a marvellous head
for business, and r.markable accurac!
Of Judgment At tbs time that Daubigny
Millet, and Roussea were ignored, he com
pretended their merit While the public
and even the amateurs disdained those
great painters, he used to buy their pict
ures or sell them on commission. His
profits were, at first, exceedingly small
But later on, when these artists came into
fashion, these commissions Of his also
swelled to the dimensions Of Large hnan
cial operations. Abraham became very
rich.
His perspicacity in divining the merits
Of Rousseau, Millet and Daubigny had
given him an excessive confidence in him
self-a confidence shared, however, by his
friends and by many amatuers.
He imagined that he had made" those
artists because he had discovered them.
He had drought out" more than one chef
d'euvre, wherefore he imagined himself
to have been the author, the father Of the
masterpiece itself He thought he could
begin over again what he styled his art OF
creation But the first process Of creation
had been q very slow one. He had had to
wait long time for the public to render
Justice to the masters he had adopted.
Was there not, therefore, some means
by which he could ~set fashion" In art,
by which he could force a public taste, SO
a. to take immediate advantage Of It'll
Abraham was q man ofpowerful fmagfna-
ton, of quick conception, Of bold speculs-
ton. He soon found what he was looking
for.
One day he perceived In the shop Of q
fellow picture-dealer. a canvas bearing
the already popular signature Of Croix-
vet.
Croixvet was . Young man Of q, who
painted Renaissance interiors with an in
richness Of coloring Abra-
ham went at once to see him. He found
the painter standing before his easel, I'm
ishing q halberdier'-superbly posed.
Abraham introduced himself. He looked
q long time at the picture, had several
others shown him, and then went back to
examine the Ahalberdier."
Il would like very much to buy this pict-
ure from you,' he said.
Il regret to say it is already sold"
@For how much,"
Fifteen hundred francs'
1T Is worth more than that. r you
v
work any more for nybody except me. I'll
pay you 1900 francs for every picture Of
this size, aud from 5000 to 1900 francs for
larger canvases, or compositions including
several figures"
Croixvet accepted. The proposal was as
welcome as it was unlocked for. Although
he could already dispose Of his work more
or less advantn ge0usly, he had never even
dreamed of such good luck.
Before leaving, Abraham asked for the
address Of the man who had bought the
@halberdier."
A few days later he paid visit to the
amateur. Abraham solicited and OBJ
tanned permission to look at his gallery.
There were pictures by Meissonnier,
Diaz, Corot, Courbet. The merchant ad-
mired all But he went into wild ecst-c cy
over the haIberdier Of Croixvet.
4That is q beautiful picture" he cried.
<where did you buy it, Did you pay
much for iti"
.wm
.G @ :. ,sw
.h..h.M - ;n.;stsd @ m. .w.tau- .ft.r
,,nr -a.;.t.nrs - Hnsl,v .a;S. =
aTsm rnon . conT;tion nj .r.h.no.
III, 10, ~, have II At the coSt nr;ceS
: noo tr.n.sn
.r, -;s
liee sr",. .no .sH ~ noo r-.nes @ ~. .h.,
s;".u., ~ o'~'
p sVas. .h..,. vh., maid ,o, n mv..,f N
Wrh., ia mot snopyb. TIl give Won ( f,oO
.,d n.r The money down right now
~ T.s .ms,anr w.. .omnle,sIv hsw,,