Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-02-01


AHA N'p"N ONnANHl' ough education.
The offer was a tempting one. and. above
oil. tlattering one for a boy of 10.
But, wishing 20 consecrate my early
years 20 the study of painting, and feel
ing that il was for me to continue 10
take lessons in art and not TO give them,
/ returned refusal. From that time,
and till grew 10 manhood, | gave my
life 70 the study Of painting. | was
passiOnately fond OF music and PLAYED
at one time passabiy on the violin, but
| relinquished my music lessons SO that
nothing should interfere with my art.
Life is not long enough to divide be-
tween two such rivals as painting and
music"
After paying generous tribute TO the
famous artist, Deveria, who was his
first instructor, he continues;
1T was due probably to his eounsels
and instruction that | carried off the
prize offered by the city Of Montpelier
Of pension for young art student to
enable the winner to 60 to study in Paris.
was 10 years old when | was named
the successful competitor. l started
few months later for Paris, accompanied
! by my elder brother, and entered there
the studio Of the painter Picot, then
esteemed as one Of the first professors of
| painting OF the day. | also became
pupil Of the Ecole DIES Beaux-Arts, and
after four years Of hard study and con-
slant work, sent in my first contribu-
ton to the Salon. This was in the year
ls43, and / was not quite IS. This
] picture. the subject Of which was chosen
with the usual audacity Of a very young
man who fears nothing and has no
doubts about anything represented, was
Christ on the Mount Of Olives. II was
bought by the authorities Of my native
city for the church of St. Roch. In
these later years | have often tried to
purchase 1t as an interesting landmark
for myself of my career, but always In
vain. In 1916 won the Prize Of Rome, ''
to my great delight II had always
been one of the dreams of my life to 60
TO study in the Eternal City and to visit
its marvels of art and architecture"
Cabanel considers the time he spent at
Rome the happiest Of his whole life. He
there formed the friendship Of Victor
Masse, the composer Of paul and Vir-
ginia, tie which continued unbroken
until Masses death. He also met in
Rome the great actress, Fannie Kemble,
and her talented sister, Mrs. Adelaide
Kemble Sartoris, the celebrated prima
DONNA
Il remained in Rome for Eve years
During that time painted a number Of
pictures and several portraits. Among
these was a likeness Of my dear friend
Victor Masse. and also one of Mrs. AIDE
laide Kemble Sartoris One Of the most
important Of my rhetorical paintings of
this epoch, The Death Of Moses, is now
believe. in a gallery in Washington &"
Ut is in the Corcoran art gallery, and is
one Of the finest paintings in that insti
tution.l
When he returned to Paris he received
many tiattering commissions, and rapidly
rose 10 the first rank IN his profession
Il was not long after this that he was
chosen rs one of the instructors az the
Beaux Arts in Paris, and he writes enter
tainingly Of several of his pupils who
have since become famous In writing
Of the talent exhibited by his pupils Of
various nationalities, he says:
II have had many American pupils,
and several Of them of great talent. But
they have all one defect-they will not
consent to study long enough. They try
to leap at once TO the top Of the ladder Of
fame; they will not patiently climb il
step by step"
There is no trace of egotism in his con-
Guiding sentence;
MY art life has been long and a very
busy one. have been an indefatigable
worker, and a complete list of my pro
auctions would ill, l think. nearly as
much space as have consecrated to these
random recollections. II has always been
my theory that an artist should never
suffer a year to pass without making
progress in his art. He should remain a
student 20 the last, always aiming al the
highest ideal-at absolute perfection. 1t
is point TO which he can never attain,
but it is none the less his duty to try to
reach it. AS a professor my sole theories
: are comprised in the incubation Of the
! serious and solid principles of art and in
the counseling Of sincere and conscien-
} tious endeavor."