The Portland daily press., 1891-11-09
AMONG THE STUDIOS.
An Interesting ait OF Gossip ABOUT
Simmons tho sculptor.
what u. q. Brown and Miss Alice
could Have on Exhibition.

a number Of beautiful marines. pllmpses of
rocky headland. mist and fog. the prevail-
Ing characteristics of the rocky coast of
Maine. Mr.. Brown has made picture sales
this year to many we'll known citizens of
the Dominion, New York, and the West
A short time ago he happened to be at the
mountains and had with him several of his
pictures, which he exhibited in his imnro.
vised studio. Two of the Grand Trunk
Railway magnates were present at the
hotel and called at Mr.. Browns studio.
They were delighted with the pictures. A
charming stretch of beach, with the surf
rolling In, and fishing boats In the ofing
especially attracted one of them. SCAN 7
have that?" said he. II regret to saw that
1t Is sold," said the artist. "And this
one," said the gentleman pointing to a
little gem that stood close by. "That is
Tor SALE" replied the artist. ''Then take
It," said the gentleman without hesitation.
before he had inquired the price. The two
bought three pictures before they left the
room. "Ah! Mr.. Brown" said a lady
visiting the Ottawa House last Summer, as
she drew a check for picture she had Just
purchased. "you ought to go to New York
and establish a studio" but Mr.. Brown is
a Portland boy. he has hosts of friends
here. it was here he first brought his name
into notice as an artist of marked ability,
and he will probably pass his days here.
His studio is a charming resort of all
artists of note who visit Portland and 1t is
rarely visitor fails to find some person Of
note from out of town present.
One of the orders Mr.. Brow received
this Summer he holds In special remem-
brance since 1t came from the we'll known
composer Dudley Buck, and under the
most agreeable circumstances. Mr.. Buck
wrote him: "What your beautiful and
artistic work did suggest to my minds
picture the composer fell in love with at
the Cushing Island studio-"was the pic
ture made visible by certain verses. These
now enclose and beg you to write to them
as have done musically. I wish were
rich man that might make this order on
the scale of your grand Whitehead can
vass. Meantime cannot but think that
your artistic sense will be stimulated
rather than hampered by the peculiarity
Of my reuqest" These are the verses:
'sDash high, roaring surf,
On the rockbound coast Of the Northlandi
po.sn Shout Sn IN in tn thy glee, t3aming ami wave,
Thunder in echolng tones,
Through the caves of The guardian sea-cliffs!
Yielding to dictate supernal,
Thou wagest the contest eternal
OF war 'twixt the land and the MAN,"
Speaking of artists recalls our friend
franklin Simmons, the sculptor, who has
been passing few months In Portland
awaiting the dedication of the Soldiers
Monument, the last of his many successes.
1t is reported that Mr.. Simmons, who has
been proof against the wiles of Cupid for
so long. has at last been hit in vulnerable
spot by one of the little archer's shafts,
and will soon become a married man.
There is something of romance attached to
the affair. A few years ago Mr.. Simmons
was on his way from America to England
on an Atlantic liner. Among the passen-
gers was very charming woman, the Baron
ess Van Yensen. The lady was the widow
of German baron, but was, herself, Chi
cago girl. highly educated, Of fine appear
ance, refined and winning in manner. 1t
was not strange that the lady and the
talented sculptor should become acquaIn-
tances and friends. The baroness had
been to this country to see about mines In
Colorado in which her late husband had
been interested. 1t turned out that the
baron and Mr.. Holt-son-ln-law of the late
a. j. Libby Of this city-were interested
In the same mines. The steamer acquaint-
ance though formal continued. The lady
spent some time in Rome and while there
made many valuable suggestions to the
sculptor for she was well posted in art.
Happening to be in this country when the
Soldiers Monument was abont-to be dedi-
Gated she came to the city and attended
the dedication exercises. She has the
highest opinion of the sculptor's abilities
and expects even greater things Of him In
the future. Aud yet Mr.. Simmons has
been very fortupate. When the Provi-
dence Foundry Company during the war
Sherman, Farragut. and the other heroes
Of the war the sculptor did his work SO
we'll that those celebrities were very much
pleased, and never forgot him. Whenever
he was 10 New York General Sherman
never failed to call. His statue of Roger
Williams Is considered the finest work of
art In Providence, and his Naval Group at
Washington Is always pointed out with
pride Ito strangers. When once started
Mr.. Simmons is mine of information In
regard to Continental artistic life, and es-
pecially that of Rome where he has passed
so many years. Probably If it had not
been for the unfortunate Italian cpl
sode that sent Baron Fava back to his own
country, King Umberto would have
decorated Mr.. Simmons for his last
work, the crowning figure Of our monu-
ment, but 1t would mot have done, for
Americans at that time were not In the
best of favor at Rome among the people.
Miss Alice 3ould has opened her studio
and exhibits many works that show the
taste and ability of this pleasing artist at
their best. Miss Gould also works and
teaches in pastel, but owing to her success
full season at Sorrento her collection is
small at the present time. The water
colors in gilt frames are to be sent to the
New York exhibition. IL not sold this
week.