New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-27
GERMANY's MOLTKE OF ART.
LUDWIG PAU AT THE AGE OF THREE
SCORE AND TEN.
Stuttgart, August 81.

who crossed few days ago the threshold of old
age. Unfortunately. like Hieronymus Lorm,
he has suffered physically for years and
today is almost blind. Yet his mind is
as fresh as it five decades ago,
when he first delighted the readers of France and
Germany with the products Of his brilliant pen.
Few traits of the Germans are more COM
mendable than their generation Of age. Gray
hairs always inspire their respect The tr1als OF
their great men have been easier to bear on ac-
count of the boundless expressions of popular
gratitude and good will. II is rare, indeed, that
they allow poet, scholar, statesman to pass
years threescore and ten without the proof
that they appreciate his work and are grateful
for the lessons of his career
They made no exception with poor Pau Tele-
grams, addresses, visitors. presents came in
profusion on his natal day. A substantial
fund sufficient to enable him to pass
his remaining days in peace and comfort,
was also placed to his credit by his German,
French and Austrian friends. The tribute was
deserved one and it accepted in the spirit
which characterized it's presentation.
Ludwig Pfau is a child Of the people; a self
made man. Born the son OF gardener IN the lltte
town of IIeilbronn- the scene Of the famous
Kaetchen" he was destined 70 follow the
Maternal calling But he rebelled: books were
dearer to him than plants and flowers. Like the
traditional poor boy with the stamp of future
success upon his brow, he devoted his leisure time
to gathering information, and was seldom seen
without book at his side.
His Republican spirit developed too as rapidly
as his brilliant mind. Among the visitors TO the
garden where he was serving his apprenticeship
was Count Ncpperg, member OF the powerful
noble family and florist of local repute. He
versed with him. Struck with his knowledge and
lack of sympathy with his environments, the noble
man invited him to visit his castle But the boy
dill not come
PAU asked the Count one day, why have
you not accepted my invitation"
Because" came the unexpected answer, I'VE
are expected TO address you as HighneSs' and that
word stuck in my throat"
Speak to me as you WISH" replied his patron,
only come l shall place my whole library at
your disposal"
The boy took advantage Of the offer, and the
book shelves of Count Niepperg laid the foundation
Of his subsequent cruditon.
In the cventful year of 1S4S he published his
first volume Of poems. 1t a trying time 10
make a first appeal to q reading public; but Pau
was successful and his ballads, sornets and love
songs found purchasers. praise and friends.
Sprung from the people, his sympathies were with
them The bitterness of their wrongs touched
him, and many of his poems were written 10 give
expression to their struggles and tribulation.
when he wrote:
40 fuerchte NIGHT wenn dir das alter,
Yom lianpte Blueth' nm Bluethe 6rieht.
DasS damn Elm bllck, Gin trueber, kalter
Fal auf den blcches Angesicht
VOL blaesser wird der aeuss're Schimmcr,
DOch heller wirl der inn're Schein;
Drum licber nur und tiefcr INNER,
Schau' ich ms Auge dir hlnein.
"Da sch ich all die Lebesfuclc,
Die recher wrd Won Jahr zu Jahr
rs dringet durch des Alters Huels
Der Seele SchOenhet hell ind klar.'
Bat Pau will be remembered longer as an art
critic and historian, perhaps, than as writer Of
rcrse. As such he has few equals in any land.
His political sympathies made his departure from
his fatherland imperative, and he began his
Wanderjahre" in the days of the revolution. He
studied the art treasures of Belgium, Holland and
France and described and criticized them in French
and German. Both languages were at his COM
mand Few articles in the Independence Beige
Temps" and the Revue DIES DeuX MOndes' at
tractcd more attention than those signed by Lnd-
wig Pau In 1868 they were collected and pub
shed under the title Free Studies" The work is
not q text book but its author is a master of theory
and technique. lie showed not only thorough
knowledge Of architecture, plastic, painting and
mechanics, but he understood their relation to
other professions and phases of life and thought.
AIT" he once wrote, ." is not plaything In
vented for tie qualification Of collectors. 1t Is
an Intellectual, social and moral institution which,
aided by the IDEAL does its part in the development
and formation of human thought"
With his quick eye. Pau was the first to under
stand and appreciate the real merit Of the An
gelus7 Far back in 1861 when it exhibited
in the Paris Salon With other works of Millet, il
attracted LITTLE attention, ana was finally sold for
few thousand francs. But this old not deter
Pau in ais report OF the Salon, from placing
Mlct at the trout of tie modern school Of art ana
calling him toe Rembrandt of the nineteenth
century" " Ills plain figures lie declared IL
writing of the Angeius, Will one day be worth
their weight in gold. a social revolution Is de-
picted on that canvas. Neither gods nor kings
will he able to stand before those peasants That
is tine privilege of art ii immortalizes what 1t
will Inc sale of the great painting a rev
months ago for $4,000 francs proven the correct
ness Of PIaus artistic vision.
Free Studies created a sensation IN the art and
literary world and the original editions were soon
exhausted The book was republiShed in 1855
with additions as =" Art and Criticism; Aesthetic
writings Of Luuwig PAU. III SIX volumes. Tue
first volume is devoted to Painter and Paintings,
the second TO Sculpture and Architecture, the
third to Aesthetics of Mechanical Art. the fourth
to ne Rotations Of Arr to Philanthropy, history,
Morality Economies and Politics. the NTH 10
Photographic studies. and the sixth to literary
and historical sketches of Emil Zola. ErcIimann-
Cbatrlan, Claude 1inier, Proudhon and others.
IL is an invaluable addition to the Libraries of
artists. collectors and scholars. Pau has also
enriched German literature with many transit
tions from other tongues. lie has worked hard and
we'll. and deserves the reputation he has won.
Ludwig Pau" writes Otto Hoerth Ill an ad-
mrabe review Of the poet, IS one Of the greatest
prose writers Of Germany. lie belongs TO that old
school worthy of the name literary. because It's
pupils can write. He has richness OF thought
and figure logic and natural development, power
and beauty of form. Pau is a deep thinker
ready defender. He is Just in the highest degree
his Judgment is free from passion. His efforts TO
90 70 the root of all things soon made him ac-
9Gainted with philosophy. He carries a fully de-
vcloped philosophical system in his head it is
u pity that he never placed it on PAPER;
As politician Pau had considerable influence
in earlier DAYS. lie belongs TO the bitterest
enemies of Prussia, and was leader Of the anti
Pruesian movement in the sixties lie suffered
Imprisonment even for attacking Prussian methods
of administration He is still unreconstructed