River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-04-19
THE FIRST PANORAMA.
Story of John Banvard and His Lon
Lie on the MissIsslnpL

LhCtO was Vi
fatherless youth-to whom there came
a very extraordinary idea as he was
floating for the first time down the Mis-
sissippi river He had read in some for
eign journal that America could boast
the most picturesque and magnificent
scenery in the world. but that she had
not produced an artist capable of de-
hnesting it
On this thought he pondered and
pondered till his brain began to whirl,
as it were; and as he glided down past
the shores of the noble river, gazing
around him with wonder and delight,
the boy resolved within himself that he
would take the reproach from his
country-that he would paint the beau
ties and suolimities of his native land.
Some years passed away. and still
John Barnard flor that was his name)
dreamed of being painter What he
was in his waking, working moments
do not know-probably a mechanic
But at all events, he found time to
turn over and over again the great
thought that haunted him, till at
length, before he had yet attained his
21st year. it assumed a district and tam
gible shape in his mind, and he devoted
himself to its realization.
There mingled no idea of profit with
his ambition, so have been informed;
and, indeed, strange to say. nothing is
known of any inspirations he may have
felt after artistical excellence His
grand object, as he himself informs us,
was to falsify the assertion that Amer
lea had no artists commensurate with
the grandeur and extent of her scenery"
and to accomplish this by producing
the largest painting in the worldl
John Barnard was born in New York
and raised in Kentucky" but he had
10 patrons either among the rich mer-
chants of the one or the wild enthusi-
asts of the other He was self-taught
and self-dependent and when he de-
terrnined to paint a picture of the
shores of the Mississippi, which should
be as superior to all others ia point of
size as that prodigious river is superior
to the streamlets of Europe, he was
obliged to betake himself for some time
TO trading and boating upon the mighty
stream in order to raise funds for tho
purchase of materials But this was
at length accomplished, and the work
begun. His first task was TO make the
necessary drawings and in executing
this he spent 400 days in the manner
WI ich he thus relates:
For this purpose he had to travel
thousands of miles alone in an open
skiff, frequently crossing the rapid
stream, in many places over two miles
in width, to select proper points Of obser-
walton from which to take his sketch.
He would be for weeks at time
without speaking to a human being,
having no other company than his rifle,
which furnished him with his meat
from the game of the woods or the
fowls of the river.
When the sun began to sink behind
the lofty bluffs and evening TO APP
proach he would select some secluded
sandy cove, overshadowed by the lofty
cottonwood trees, draw out his skin
from the water and repair to the woods
to hunt for his supper.
Having killed his game, he would re-
turn, dress, cook. and from some fallen
log would eat it with his biscuit, with
no other beverage than the water of
the river that glided by him
Having finished his lonely meal, he
would roll himself in his blanket, creep
under his boat which he turned over to
shield him from the night dews, and
with his portfolio of drawings for his
pillow and the sand of the bar for his
bed. would sleep soundly till the morn
ing, when he would arise, eat his
breakfast before the rays of the rising
sun had dispersed the mist from the
surface of the river, and then start
fresh to his task again.
When the preparatory drawings or
sketches were completed he erected q
building at Louisville, Ky, where he
atlength commenced his picture, which
was to be a panorama of the Mississip-
pi, painted on canvas three miles long,
and it was noted, with a justifiable
tide, that this proved to be a home
production throughout. The cotton be-
ing grown in one of the southern states.
and the fabric being spun and woven
by the Yankee factory girls of Lowell,
for in those days the female operatives
of our factories were all Yankee girls.
the daughters of our New England
farmers
What the picture was. as work OF
art many thousands had an opportun-
ity of ascertaining by viewing it. Wo
all saw it, of course; and we can all re-
member that it received the warmest
eulogiums from the most distinguished
people in the country, and abundant
testimony in support Of its correctness
was given by the principal captains
and pilots of the Mississippi
Soon after Banvard's panorama APP
peared its popularity brought scores of
rival panoramas before the public, un-
til the panorama busin y was prac-
tically overdone- Then succeeded the
cycloramas, and other things of n
kindred nature-I have seen most of
them. While many, as works of art.
were perhaps superior TO Banvard's Mis-
sissippi, must say / never enjoyed any
of them as well as / did that original
one--Boston Herald.