The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-14
ONAV OA IOT III.
His Faith in the Makart
Not Shattered.
THINKS ARTISTS JEALOUS.
And Will Want Proofs for Their
Assertions
THAT HE WAS BADLY CAUGHT.
One Artist Suggests a Feasible Plan
of Identifying the $1,000 Paint
ing, and Makes Reply.

Between the artists who adversely criti-
Grant, who bought ii for $1,000 at the
johnson auction, there is very wide diff
ference of opinion about the picture.
Mr.. Grant declares his faith in the genu-
ineness of the picture is not at all weak
ened by the assertion of two or more San
Francisco artists that Makart never painted
it. More than that, he argues that their
objections have little or no merit. as
Maaart. like every other painter, left vari-
GUS kinds of pictures representing differ
ent periods in his life. 1t was claimed that
the great German artist die not produce
small pictures like the one in Mrs. john
sons collection. This Mr.. Grant simply
pooh-poohs, as it is highly probable at one
time or another in his life Makart worked
on SIN aller subjects; and then this par
ticular painting may be sketch for the
magnificent fresco of the inner room of the
New Pinacothek, in Munich. Be that as
it may, its present owner feels aggrieved
over the suspicion cast upon his property.
st Injuries my property" he complained,
''but want these men to prove 1t is not
genuine Makart. Mrs. johnson had il for
years in her collection, and used to show
it to her guests with great pride. Indeed
il was the best in her gallery. 1t is well to
look into the history Of picture before
passing judgment This Makart was
bought by Humphrey Moore and brought
to San Francisco in the HaZeltine collec-
ton. When Mrs. johnson bought it with
other works of celebrated artists she was
given q guarantee by Hazeltine that it was
a genuine Makart. aud if she could prove
to the contrary the money would be re-
turned. Nobody ever doubted the anthem
ITCHY of the picture before, and it will
take more than the opinions OF local
artists to convince me it is not genuine.
But this comes from the Jealousy OF
artists. You know what jealous lot of
fellows they are. They see Makart's pic
lures and get mixed up on them. If l
have time l shall trace the picture back to
Europe and prove it is genuine Makart.
The auetioneers told me this morning they
would search for the guarantee that Mrs.
johnson held, and otherwise do all in
their power to give me all the satisfaction
possible.
"Ia any case, whether it is genuine or
not. I'm satisfied, and l will let the bar
gain remain, as the money goes to chart
table purpose. That is how l feel about it. !"
Henry Rasehen, the artist, who with
others have cast cloud of suspicion on
the $500 painting, for which James D.
Phelan and Joe Grant were the most en-
| tbusiastic bidders. was more positive than
ever yesterday when told that his judy
ment was doubted.
why" said he with emphasis, 81
spent good part of my time in Munich,
and studied Makart most of all, because l
liked him BEST When l criticized the
Johnson picture / knew we'll what / was
about. I've copied Makart for study, and
have reproductions of his principal pictures
In a Makart album. Now this picture that
vas sold in the johnson auction is not his
in handling or feeling. but it certainly
shows the hand of a copyist in its careful
and fine brushwork.
after examining it / did not look at
the signature. Maybe the name has M
before it, for 'nach'-'after.' Or the NJ
could pc easily washed out with a little
turnentine."
st is suggested you may have con-
| founded this picture with another"
''Pve done nothing of the kind, for l
know it too we'll to be mistaken. When
you en- ter the new PinacOthek in Munich
you pass through a room and then into
| another. In this second room is the origi-
| nal of Mr.. Grants picture on the right
wall, while its companion, another large
fresco in oils, is on the left. 1t has re-
cliuing figure of a woman. children's fig
ures and the same old goat l could al
most draw it from memory.
"It is the easiest matter In the world to
provs whether the picture is mere copy,
and an Indifferent one at that mr. trna
Makart Simply box it up and send it to
MIR. Hauser, the superintendent of the
new Pinacolhek, Munich. Twenty-Five
dollars will pay the freight, back and
forward. and Mr.. Hsuser and numerous
friends of Makart would decide the Ques-
ton gladly without expense. l am willing
to wager $1,000 to S1O0 that their verdict
will be in accordance with my views"