Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-23
MiLLkr AND .srHE Ax0ELUs.-
The Painter's Life-Gambetta's Views
Of Art.

Prom the Lcnd,n Globe
N. Cation Calmette has been making some
Interesting inquiries into the early life Of Fran
co.'s Millet, the great painter-the fresh
triumphs won by the 'Angelus" having caused
the revival Of the strange legends current
about him at one time, how he lived in dire
poverty and died in great misery, IL not from
| actual starvation. What N. Calmette did was
to apply to the family Of Millet for particu-
lars, and he has succeeded in obtaining some
interesting facts without any doubt. they say,
Miilet was held in light esteem for many years,
and the first phase of his life and genius was
painful In the extreme; his youth was prey to
hard necessity, and many Of his early canvases
were sold at ridiculous price. But from 1873,
when be exhibited the vanneur-the first pic
ture In which, abandoning NEUROLOGICAL love
affairs. batbers and swans, he selected the line
IN which he vas ultimately to succeed-all that
was changed A little circle of rich admirers
was formed round him, and his pictures we're
SOLO AZ soon as they were finished Certainly
.ee sums paid were not very high, ranging as
tney aia between 2,0Oo ana 400 francs; but
as Miilet worked very hard, he was able
20 make enough 10 live without privation.
and TO bring up his nine children well. Then Tor
tune began 70 smile at last and $1,000 francs
we're PAID him for decorating the Hotel
Thomas, and similar sum for the panels OF the
-Four Seasons done for q rich Alsatian. Still
ms most sanguine dreams coula not have an
tcipated q time when his "Angelus" would
De sold for bSS 600 francs. Millet did not look
like a man in distress. He In described as in
defatigable. big and corpulent, with wooden
shoes, hair brushed back from frank brow,
and clear blue eyes, the neck and shoulders of
bull. and strong hands like those of a peasant
II any doubt remained as to Millets financial
comfort at the time Of his death il would al
most be disposed Of by the condition of his
family. His widow passes the summer at Bar
bizon and the winter at Paris, with her young
est daughter, the only one unmarried. The
sale organized after the decease Of her husband
brought her in over 400,000 francs. All the
family are doing we'll, SO that n. Calmette is
probably not far wrong when he thinks he has
utterly demolished the famous legend of the
misery which envelopsd and at the same time
strangled the great painter and his family.
The Angelus" is now on view at NJ. George
Petit's gallery in Paris. A subscription has
also been opened. some of the proceeds Of
which will go to the painters widow. Persons
who give donations OF four pounds will be pre-
sented with an etching Of The Angelus".
Here are some extracts from letters written in
the old DAYS by the painter of the ~, l20 pounds
'.Angelus." 1t will be observed that they mod
ny to some extent the couleur de rose picture
Miliet's life, which We published yesterday Is
given by Nj. Castor Calmette:
Try, my dear Sensier. to coin some money
with my pictures; sell them a. any price; but
send me 100 francs. SO francs, or even 80
francs" Sensier went all over Paris trying to
sell Millet's pictures BE offered them both to
dealers and amateurs, when some grinned or
sent him of as a madman. others, more rarely,
bought. but at Imaginable prices" 1T Was a
time, adds this good Sensier, "of trials, strug-
giles and humiliating picturesque inventions to
get out OF difficulties. see it all through a
mist. which changes sometimes into splendid
ralnbows; for was as convinced as of a mathe-
NAUTICAL fact that Millet was a great painter"
Again, Millet writes: '.Ahi the end OF the
month-where shall find the money for it?
For the children must eat"
my heart is all black"
If you knew how dark the future, even the
near future, looks! At least let me work to the
end"
Headaches, big and little, have besieged
me-"
Il am going down hill"
1t would not have done Millet much good
even If he had known that The Angelus' in q
Few years would sell for 20, 100 pounds
A special to the Chicago Times from Rock
ford. ILL.,, says: Mr.. and Mrs Geo. J. Sussmitch.
each over seventy-fve years, FRIDAY night rode
to the end Of the street-car line, walked 10 the
river. tied their arms together, jumped in, and
were drowned.