The Washington critic., 1889-01-24

The Great French Artist Talks OF His
Life and Works.

Paris, says NJ Cabanel Of himself, "and
] entered there the studio of the painter
Picot, then esteemed as one of the first
professors of painting of the day. l
also became n pupil of the Ecole des
Beaux Arts, and, after four years of hard
study and constant work, sent in my
first contribution to the Salon. This was
in the year 1s43 and was not quite Is.
"This picture was Christ on the
Mount of Olives. 1t was bought by the
authorities of my native city for the
Church of st. Roch. In 1916 | won the
Prize of Rome to my great delight.
1t had always been one of the dreams of
my life to- go to study in the Eternal City
and to visit its marvels of art and of
architecture.
81 shall always look back with pleasure
to the epoch Of my Roman sojourn-the
and in visiting the marvellous ruins, tho
famous galleries, the vast edifces, each
one of which held for me lesson or
counsel. There, too, was formed one of
the closest friendships of my life, the
intimacy with Victor Masse, the COM
poser Of Paul and Virginia, tic
which continued unbroken TO the last
hour of his life. | first made the ac-
quaintance of Masse at the bedside of
our fellow.countrymen, Herbert We
were both very young, he being 90 and |
q year his junior. The year that We
spent together in Rome was one of tho
brightest of my life. We were just at
the outside of our respective careers, the
future was opening fair before us, and
we were both full of confidence in our
own missions, and in the bright gifts the
coming years had in store for us; and we
were of singularly congenial tastes, for
Masse was as enthusiastic lover Of
painting as was of music.
ADELAIDE KEMBLE.
'In his companisnship my early fond
ness for music was revived, and il was
still further fostered by an acquaintance
formed by me with Mr.. Sartoris, an
English gentleman then residing in Rome
with his wife and family.
"Mrs. Sartoris was originally Miss
Adelaide Kemble, the famous prima
donna, and she employed her magniti-
cent voice and talent, then lost to the
world at large, for the delight of her
husband and her guests. She afterward
became the mother-in.law of the daughter
of General Grant, but at the time l knew
her she had but two children, a son
named Grevillee and daughter. Her
younger son, Algernon, was not born till
some years later.
81 often met too, at her house her illus
trious sister, Mrs Fanny Kemble, and a
few years ago l had the pleasure Of re-
ceiving a call from Mrs. Kemble's eldest
daughter, Mrs. Wistar of Philadelphia,
who came to revive the very pleasant
memories of my acquaintance with her
mother. | shall not soon forget the de-
lightful musical evenings we enjoyed at
the Villa Mondragone, the villa then
inhabited by the Sartoris family at Rome,
| nor the hours made brilliant by the
talents Of the two gifted sisters. 1t was
an exceptional experience in life for any
young man who was interested in the
higher forms of literature and art
LIFE IN ROME.
'I remained in Rome for five years
During that time painted a number Of
pictures and several portraits. Among
these last was a likeness of my deal
friend Victor Masse, and also one of Mrs
Adelaide Kemble Sartoris. One Of the
most important of my historical painting
of this epoch, the Death Of Moses, is now
l believe, in a gallery in Washington
My Salon picture Of 1852, the Madness o
Valleda, which began in Rome and fin
ished in Paris, was bought by Mr. ALFRED
Bruyas, and was by him presented to th
Art,Museum Of Montpelier. Almost i'm
mediately after my return to Paris | wa
called upon by the architect of the Hotel
de Vile to paint twelve panels in th
Salles des Cariatides in that cditice, ther
in process of restoration.
with what delight / accepted thi
commission, so flattering for so younl
an artist, can we'll be imagined. l chos
as the subject. Of my work the twelv
months of the year. No vestige now re
mains of those paintings, which perishe
in the flames kindled by the commune
except series of engravings executes
by Nj. Achille Jacquet by order of m
good friend, M. Armand.
"It was for the hotel of NJ. Pereie, O
the Rue du Faubourg st. Honore, that
executed one of the most important G
my decorative works. The ceilin
represents the five senses, and the pane
lyric poetry, comic poetry, eloquence an
the dance. Some years later j con
pleted the decoration with six NOR
panels representing the hours. | ais
painted the ceiling and the dessus dc
portes of the hotel ON the Place VendomC
now occupied by the Viscountess
Tredern.
PERIsHED IN THE FLAMES.
"My ceiling representing the" Trump
of Flora" which l executed for the Pa
vilion of Flora in the Tuileries, perishe
in the flames that consumed the palace
Another of my decorative works, con
prising scenes from the life of St. Louis
which painted for the Pantheon, forme
my chief contribution to the Universe
Exhibitor at Paris in 1878. But 70
years past have accepted no commits
sion of that nature, preferring to devot
myself to portraits and to historica
painting.
II like always to have on hand POI
trait or group of portraits, as well as a
imaginative work. find repose in goin
from one to another, changing my styl
of work to rest my eyes and my brain,
am very proud Of the fact that a numbe
of the rising and successful artists of tn
day claim me as their teacher. Amonl
the most prominent of these are Cormoi
and Morot, both winners of the medal o
honor; Benjamin Constant, Comerre, tn
lamented Bastien Lepage, GerveX, Fran
co.'s Flameng and many others.
"And have always remained the frien,
of my pupils, even after ceasing to b.
their professor. l have had man,
American pupils, and several of them o
great talent But they have all one de
fect--they win not consent to study Ion!
enough. They try TO leap at once to tn,