The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-15
JOHN GREENLEAF cLoUDMAN.
Death of Well Known Portland Artist.

The news of the death of Mr.. John
Greenleaf Cloudman, Portland artist
OF far more than local reputation, is an
nounced. Mr.. Cloudman received
severe shock of paralysis about two
years ago and since that time has gradu-
ally faded away until his death which
occurred yesterday.
John Greenleaf Cloudman was born in
Newburyport, Mass, Is years ago. His
father was ship. joiner by trade and
when John was boy the family moved
to Portland. Here the boy worked for
time at his fathers trade, but it had no
attraction for him. In those days the
silhouette was one of the most fashion
able forms of picture taking and young
Cloudman became quite expert at the
art. But the lads great desire was to
become an artist He sighed for the
galleries of Europe of which he had
heard. He obtained chance to enter
the studio of Charles Goldman and there
he devoted himself to the mastery of the
technicalities Of his profession. AS soon
as he accumulated sufficient funds he
sailed for Europe and the Revolution OF
1S4S found him pupil of Paul Della
roche. Among his fellow pupils were
Millais, now the celebrated English
painter, Hicks, Ames and Champney.
1t was in Paris, Cloudman attained
reputation as acopyist of the old masters.
He reproduced most faithfully not only
the solidity of eoloring but the spirit of
the works that had made them famous,
and it was this same knowledge and
skill that came into play so well when he
opened his studio as portrait painter
after his return home.
When he came back to this country he
first established himself in Bangor, and
some of the best portraits of members
of the old families of the Queen City
were painted by Cloudman and can be
found on the walls of their descendants
mansions. He remained in Bangor sew
eral years and then came to Portland.
His studio here, at first, was located on
Chestnut street. Among the portraits
he painted in this city were a life size of
Hon. F. O.: j. Smith-now in the posses
sion of the Sadler family-and one of Mr..
Justice Clifford, whose picture adorns
the wall of the United States Court
room. 1t was in Portland Mr.. Cloud
man made ambitious attempts at figure
and historical painting that were not so
successful. His Romeo and Juliet
and "Hamlet and Ophelia'' will readily
be recalled by those who had the OPP
portunity of seeing them. For time
he went to Boston and occupied studio
adjoining his old comrade Ames. Then
he returned to Portland and opened a
studio on Exchange street where Charles
Paine, the printer, has his printing Office.
After his health declined he moved to
Bethel to pass the remainder of his days.
Mr.. Cloudman was twice married. By
his second wife he left no children. His
first wife was Miss Jane Dodge of Bridg-
ton, and by her he had four children:
Charles G., of Providence, r. l.; Mary of
Leominster, Mass; Annie G., wife of
Mr.. George F. Kimball, the well known
landscape artist Of this city, and John,
who was killed in the late war.
Mr.. Cloudman was of a most i'm
petuous temperament which was SO
similar to that of the late John Neal that
the two never could get along together.
But despite his quick temper Mr.. Cloud
man was kind and generous to a fault.
His life was one of devotion to his art
and he has passed away at a green old
aUe