The morning call., 1894-10-21

sian war. Year by year his work has
grown into the hearts of the people, and
they really feel that he depicted the hor-
rOrs of that awful struggle as no other
artist has done.
The reason The honor was not conferred
sooner is no doubt due to the fact that
MelssOnier claimed il, and to place the
work OF the young artist higher than that
of tie veteran aroused strong opposition
In certain quarters Meissonier's COM
paratvely recent death. however. has re-
moved any possibility of causing him pain,
and while his memory will he honnred as
it deserves De Neuville will be given the
distinction he coveted.
Alfonso de Neuyille's career in the art
world was short and brilliant. He was
born about forty years ago. of poor parents,
who managed 10 give him a little educa-
| tion and encouraged him in his art at
which he worked in an uncertain manner
until the breaking out of the Franco
Prussian war. He was little more than a
boy at tile time, but was one of the first in
the field. The division OF the armv that
De Neuville was with did the hardest part
of the lighting, and wherever the gallant
soldier went MS sketchbook was with him.
so that when the war was over he was in
possession OF thousands of pictures show
ing every phase OF army life, the trials and
DdIuouipS do NoiI aS tub St6IA-Idy
of the barracks.
The next salon exhibition contained
picture by De Neuvlle that astonished The
critics and aroused the patriotism of the
people. 1t was not painted To glorify the
achievements of some general, but showed
the defeat of the French army as COM
mon woe. de had been there and knew
how it was. He knew that as much bravery
could be found in the ranks as among the
officers.
De Neuville's pictures are perhaps more
popular in America than other French
raintPrS and thousands of reproductions
have been made of them. His most Dopu-
lar picture in this country is undoubtedly
the one entitled The Last Cartridge" 1t
is painted in a masterfui manner and is
said to be an actual incident of the war,
in which the artist was an actor the
picture represents the interior oil one of the
rooms in a grand palace on the outskirts
| of Paris, TO which number of French
| soldiers have been driven by the enemy.
| They defend their position like men, sew
eral being killed and all the others wounded
| But the increasing fire from the outside
proves too much. Shot and shell pour in
| from all sides and destroy the beautiful
! furniture, decorations and works of art
and fill the room with wreathes of powder
smoke. The moment depicted is when the
| men tan defend themselves no longer be-
cause all their ammunition except one
cartridge is gone. The man who has got
| that de term:ned to make the best use of 1t
! and theL wait to be shot or taken prisoner.
| 1t Is an awful moment and the air seems
| filled with the rattle of musketry and the
thunder OF bursting shells. No one can
look at the picture without shudder at
| the fate which seems to await the handful
OF brave men.
The painting in this picture is strong
and bold. Ali the details of the magnif-
| cent furniture are shown in a most exact
manner and the places that have been
damaged by masket balls or pieces OF
shells or covered with the dust of the
broken plaster are most faithfully repro
| duce6. 1t was this picture that lifted De
Neuville to the top of the ladder of fame
ana brought MIN words of praise from
] German al lists and military men.
Photogravures of his defense OF the
Gate of Malmaison" are seen everywhere
| Among his most popular pictures might be
mentioned Intercepted Dispatches, The
Prisoners Battle in Cemetery" "rhe
Snow" Missing" Frontier Telegraph
etc. They mount up into the hundreds.
De Neuvile died of consumption, brought
on by exposure during the war, when he
was 33 years old, and left many unfinished
pictures, one OF which promised to be hi:
| masterpiece.