The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-04-28

vows. In the faces there is much noble feel
ing, and the drapery is very brilliant; but
the subject is not attractive, and the day is
gone when such pictures will satisfy ou>con-
ceptions of truth, or can be auxiliary in
spiritual development. The authorities tell
you it is the only one of Rubens's pictures
which has not been retouched.
Rubens's style ought not to be called his
school, as if he were the originator, since
most of the painters of the preceding centu-
~ pursued similar method of coloring. 1t
is difficult sometimes to distinguish Ru-
bens from the works of his predecessor, and
especially from one of his pupils like Jor-
daens
MoRETUsE PLANTIN.
We could fill a small book with our expert
ences during our visit to the home of More
fuse Plantin. The first chapter would begin
in 1866, when Christopher Plantin, poor
man, in small way, in his own dwelling, be-
gan printing at Antwerp. In 1857 Jan More
fuse, lad of fourteen, entered his employ as
an apprentice. In 1916 he married Plantin' s
daughter, and was received into partnership
with the father, being succeeded in the bust
ness by his two sons, Jean and Balthasar
For nearly three hundred years, in spite Of
wars, pestilences and the rise and fall Of
many dynasties, the busy round of daily toll
had never ceased in that great house, until
one day in 1927 the last proof was read, the
presses stopped forever, and silence and
gloom have since filled the old place.
The plain, massive buildings stand around
a square court yard. Over the principal door
is a bust of Moretuse Plantin, who took the
name of his father-in-law, surmounted with
the family crest and motto, Lahore ct Constan-
tie, Iategritate, ct Prudentia duce dd Stella.
The rich harvest in earthly treasure reaped
from obedience to the spirit of this maxim Is
apparent to-day; farther than that the hui
man eye cannot discern. Nothing has i'm
pressed us more than looking about this sub
stantial old Flemish home, where SO many
generations of one family have entered and
retired from life's busy scenes. From its
contents one could deduce the domestic and
business life of a prosperous family for three
centuries The last heir, who died two years
since, occupied these silent halls until 1877,
when he sold the whole establishment to tho
Burgomaster of Antwerp for perpetual mu-
scum, with the strictest reservation that
nothing should be sold or scattered. Could
you see the rich treasures garnered during
the long history of this family you would say
twelve hundred thousand francs was cheap
price. For one cabinet alone, made of buhl,
inlaid woods and gold trimmings, with twen-
ty panels painted by Jordaens, an offer of
five hundred thousand francs was refused
from an English museum. Who could won
der the old man should choose to transfer the
heir looms of his race to guardians who
would faithfully keep his sacred trust, and
step quietly aside to his country home rather
than sit in the midsto of the speeches. groups
of his ancestors, waiting the approach of the
same grim monster, who had in times past
clutched them all one by one Christopher
Plantin was the first printer here in the time
of Rubens, Jordaens, Vandyck and their
contemporaries, and doubtless, if not the first,
he was an early engraver and etcher Of their
paintings. The walls of some of the rooms
are covered with gobelin tapestry, 9TH
ers with silk damasks, and some with en-
bossed leather, such as has been recently i'm
itated. The ceilings are solid oak, good for
five hundred years to come, the floors of diff
lOlOut lldlQ WOUuo, tuC ldllluSc anu uOOIS
carved, and each thing durable yet beautiful
in its simplicity. We stepped into Plantin's
private Office, where stand his desk, stool and
ink stand; files of letters and notes were
stuck on pegs, in.short everything looked as
if the clutter had been cleared up while the
owner took short vacation. In the work
room stood the original presses used by the
first Plantin, beside the others with all the
improvements of experience and invention.
The list of names of the proof readers, their
entry and exit from his employ was fastened
to the wall. Long show cases were filled with
the types of Illuminated books in all lam
guages, copper plates of noted pictures, med
ais, samples, scala and wood cuttings by the
thousand. showing the labor of many minds
and many hands for weary monotonous de-
cades. Up in the attic stood his furnaces,
crucibles and tools with which his types
were made
His library was rich in rare books of his
own printing, and many, the gifts Of crown
ed heads and revered sages, as in those days
there were few of his craft, and he must have
had intercourse with the whole cultured
world. We wandered about the dining room,
where the chairs stood around the table. and
the portraits of the different hosts and fair
danes seemed to follow us with reproachful
eyes. We could trace the irresistible work
of times fingers in the one face Of the child.
the maiden, the bride; and lastly when she
appeared wrinkled old matron. Happily
his power is limited to surface work-he can
never deface the individuality Of the soul,
which shines out as truly from dim orbs, fur
rowed cheeks and silver threads, as from
bright eyes, dimpled cheeks and fair locks.
We could picture many grand occasions,
when Rubens and other noted guests sat
around this festive board, and discussed the
progress of art and the signs of the political
times How easily too, we could seat the do
nestle circle around the supper table, and
hear the ceaseless chatter of the merry little
people, who are never abashed by the pres
ence of the grayest philosopher, and who
think always there is time enough bye and
er's room was a cozy bedroom with
closely curtained recess where the lit
tie ones were protected from the cold
drafts. There was s0mbre hue in
these rooms, and the strangers stepped soft
ly as if they were intruders into the hearth
stone circle. Strange to say the grape vine
covering one side of the square has outlived
them all, and still bears fruit. We
were told it was as old as the
house; whether that is true we know
not, but the immense main trunk, support
ing the outspreading branches, tells of many
generations of little ones, who have impa-
tiently watched the slow purpling of the
clusters, which hung above their curly pates
Reynard of old. 1t looked oddly to see
America represented by one solitary por-
trait, that of our historian Motley, among
the ancient worthless such as Vandyck, Ru-
bens and Rembrandt. M. C. P.B.