The Opelousas courier., 1893-04-08
THE GREAT DISCOV ERER
HOW CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
LOOKED IN LIFE

poraries and Later Historians.
T N the opinion of Mr.. Henry Harrisse,
who has made Columbus the study
of his life, aud who is universally
& regarded as the foremost of all Co.
lumbar scholars, there is not a single
authentic likeness among the countless
engraved, sculptured aud painted por-
traits that pretend to reproduce the
features of Americas d~iscoverer. Since
they are, without exception, more or less
fanciful, there is hardly any better way
of bringing Columbus before the minds
eye just as the man really stood and
walked upon this earth than to read
what has been written about him by
those who knew him personally and by
historians of later date.
IN an authorized translation into
italian of Peter Martyrs first "Decade,"
made in 1901, and published at Venice
in 1904, is ~interpolated the most ancient
pen portrait of the great navigator. This
book is so excessively rare that only one
copy of it is known to exist, and that is
in a Venetian library. 1t is supposed to
be the work of Angelo Trivigiano, who
had become personally intimate with Co.
lumbus at Granada, in Spain. He says
that the discoverer was a robust man,
tall, red haired, and with a long face.
Another contemporary portrait of Co.
lumbus is embodied in the biography
usually ascrlbed to his son, Ferdinand,
although a few later critics are disposed
to believe it the work of some other pen.
There it is affirmed that: "The Admiral
was a @an of good shape and more than
middling stature, with a long face, and
with cheeks a little full, though neither
fat nor lean. He had al aquiline nose
and light eyes, a white complexion set
off with a bright color. In his youth he
had fair hair, but, when he was thirty
years old, it all turned white. In eating
and drinking, and also in the adornment
of his person, he was very sparins and
modest"
Oviedo, the his~toriographer of the In
dies, was a boy of fifteen and a page at
court when Columbus was received by
Ferdinand and Isabella On his return
from his first memorable voyage, and he
mad other opportunities Of seeing the IA
nous Genoese, although he is not known
10 have been on intimate terms with him.
In his great history the d%iscoverer Is
portrayed as a man of fine stature and
appearance, rather taller than the aver
age, and robust in build, with bright
ewes. and his other features well pro-
portioned, his hair being very red, and
bis face somewhat high-oolored and
freckled.
The Apostle of the Indies, Las Casas,
did not probably begin to write his ia
nous history until at least twenty years
after the death of Columbus but he had
been personally acquainted with him and
knew many of his friends and fellow
voyagers, so that the portrait he draws
may be considered especially trust.
He says that inS looks Column
bus was tall, over middling height, and
had a long and commanding face, an
nose, blue eyes, a white COM
tending to fiery red, and beard
and hair red in his youth, but early
gray from trouble. He was of
IN amiable and cheerful disposition, a
good talker, affable to strangers, kind
and pleasant to his domestics, of mod
crate gravity and discreet conversation,
20 that he could easily awaken the love
Of people coming in contact with him.
In his person and venerable appearance
le seemed a man of great state and au'
and worthy of all reverence.
Las Cacas further remarks that the great
navigator was very plain in his dress,
sometimes wearing gray clothes, and
hat he had seen him after his return
rom his second voyage attired almost
ike q Franciscan monk. Bernaldez,
he village priest aud historian
If the reign of Ferdinand and
had the honor of entertaining
columbus in his own house, and he, too,
noticed that the discovcrer was fond of
lressing in the color worn by the monks
If St. Francis with a Franciscan cord
bout his waist. Diego Gallon, also, in
lis last will and testament, says that his
ather was always devoted to the order
e st. Francis. and died In its habit.
These details CONCERNING his dress prove
little reliance is to be placed on the
portraits showing Columbus with a curl.
ng mustache, an immense ruff around
lis neck and q rich doublet.
Nearly half a century after the earthly
rials of Columbus were over, a fellow
OF his, Girolamo Benzoni by
lame, spent fourteen years in adven-
urous wanderings over America, meet
ng, no doubt, many survivors of Colum.
ian days; and on returning home he
'ublished in Italian a "History of the
few World" at Venice, in 1855. It
bus describes the Genoese Admiral:
HE was a man of a good reasonable
tature, with strong, sound limbs; of
God judgment, high talent, and gentle
lanlike aspect. His eyes were bright,
is hair red, his nose aquiline, his mouth
omewhat large; but, above all, he was
friend to justice. though rather pas.
when angry"
The historians of later date have to
ace their descriptions of Columbus's
ersonal appearance upon the Spanish
nd Italian writers already enumerated,
nd occasionally they add something
'om their W imagination. Washing.
Irving says that the contemporaries !
t Columbus speak Of 'shis commanding
erson, bis elevating demeanor, his air ]
6 L.