Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-19
THE crock OF AGES
ORIGIN OF REV. JOHANNES A. DER
Tells FAMOUS PICTURE.
First n Nero Sketch Made In a Girls Al
bum-Aferward Copied Ia oil by the
Painter mt the Request Of Friends.


in a recent issue Of the st. Louis Republic.
Although familiar with his later works
few Washingtonians know the history Of
this his most popular painting ana 'he
story will perhaps bear reprinuhs' as
follows:
SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN.
An old pupil Of Rev. Mr.. Oertel was
found and furnished the following inter-
osting Information:
Johannes 4. Ocrtel was born November
3. 1879. at Furth. in the Kingdom OF "a
voria when only - years or age NJ
was placed under the care OF an eminent
divine at NurC mburg TO he cduca''u IL
a missionary. but discovering his passion
for art. this clergyman persuaded MN 10
abandon the scheme and follow III inc
direction indicated by' his natural gli's'
Some Of his childish productions were ac-
Cordirgly submitted TO the Inspection OF d
master. who recognizing their pheno"e
mai merit received him as a pupil ana
gave him instructions in steel engraving
together with some guidance in painting.
II was 10 this master. whom he alter
ward followed TO Munich. then the AuthS
OF Germany. that he owed his direction
toward Christian art. As a means OF sup
port. MIR. Ocrtcl was for ten years on
gagged as a steel cngraver in Ge'nnhH'
ana aftcINatl pulou'H AH' '"''''N
I'm this country.
In 1SiS he came to America. settling N
Newark. y. j.. where he taught IN TWO
institutions. During this period his ART
connection was principally with New
York. most Of his productions belhs
bought by the Art Union.
HIS FAMOUS PICTURE.
The picture OF the Rock of Ages was
first produced as small sketch in the
album of a young girl living in western,
r. T. This aroused the attention OF va
who saw IT, and induced MI oer'Il u
make a paintinC Of that subject IN OIL
This second representation. measurlnS
pcrhaps II inches in height Mr.. o"'te!
,xhihited in the National Academy OF
Design I'm New York, and, realizing us
commercial value Mr.. William Snans'
broadway art dealer suggested that
stiu larger painting should be MADE o,
the design. His suggestion WAS "O'01
upon. the artist first fashiohlhs S'''"lI
clay model and suspend,ng lamp over
II. that il might receive the rays OF hEht
yrom above In this manner Color
study. which is now in Mr. oerteIS pos
session. was made and from IL IN t,'th
the finished painting, measuring four ieet
g. height.
rafnro this picture was exhibited. how
,v,r. "A number Of photographs OF u Were
struck of and put upon the market ana
ono Of these. falling into the hands OF
SIR James. n pictur-icaler IL IroFle'H'''
T. l. III. made an offer 10 Mr.. Oertcl 10
become the sole publisher or all suhse-
o..nt copiaS which offer was accepted
IN l.r q written contract.
", picture Of modern times has taken
stronger hold mp popular favor or iul-
tu.l id higher mission than that whose
history IS here recorded 1t has been re-
J., Ivrol in cv,v form. has made It's
wy into the homes Of the inhabitants Of
all parts Of tho civilized globe, ana has
adorned alike the walls Of palaces and
novels.
The PAINTING is q symbolic representa-
ton q the Christian faith. In the midst
go an ocean Of sin tho cross. founded
deep upon the eternal Godhcad, and offer
in, the only safety. erccts itself To it a
Ieu io figure clincs. She is the repre-
s,r tativ, OF weakness. Of helpless depend !
,nce. Of afieCti0nate trust Her garment
is vet with the spray Of daily temptation
ami innrmity. hut her gaze is upward
from whence streams the light Of forgive
ness. of love, of hope. of assured Divine
favor.
I'm rainfuI contrast To this figure is thc
masculine hard in the foreground OF me
Iicture the symbol Of eef-dcpcndence !
which reaching ont Of the waters. en-
beavers II lay hold Of piece c. floating |
wreck. II cludes tho grasp bat even II
possessed would offer no support. Thus the |
things Of earth. mere fragments, tossed /
or a sea Of change can never uphold q |
struggling. sinking soul which must cling |
FOR succor 70 the Rock Of Ages"
THE GREAT DEMAND.
The painting was placed at the gallery |
of William Shane, but was only on eXhi- |
bi'ion a few days when II was bought by
q Brooklyn merchant. Augustus Storrs. |
for the sum OF $1,000. The photographs
gotten out by Mr.. James, measuring ten
inches in height. brought CWithout frames
the quite phenomenal price Of s. apiece
and so great was the demand for them
that the operator found himself unable
t. meet it, Indeed, the run upon these
pictures was unprecedented in the history
Of photography and complaints were con-
stantlv made by the dealers that they
were losing sales in consequence of an
insufficient supply Of copies.
IL then occurred to Mr.. James that
a ACKNOWLEDGMENT might be gotten out
with advantage, the work to be done in
Paris and an application for this purpose
was made to the owner for the loan OF
the original. Mr. Storrs, however was
unwilling that his picture should be car
ried TO such a distance, and Mr.. Oertel,
who had never parted WIFI tht tppS ii-Ht'
SCI about making a new painting. This
work was done at IrvingtOn-on- the Hud-
son. the home of the celebrated landscape
nainter. Albert Bierstadt. who. during a
temporary absence in England, had given
Mr. Oertel the use Of his studio II was
completed in three weeks, and the paint
ing carried by Mr.. James 10 Paris. where
chromos were made. Passing through
London on his way home, that gentleman,
ll..l sl1
Queens bookseller. Mr.. Graves. in Pail
Mall. and with difficulty prevailed upon
him TO invest in three of these chromos at
three guineas apiece.
Scarcely had he reached Liverpool. how |
ever. the point at which he was to take |
the ship for America, ere "A telegram was |
received from Mr.. Graves ordering thirty |
additional copies, and upon his arrival in |
New York a second telegram was handed |
him containing an application for the |
whole edition. Indeed. unprecedented as
was the sale Of this remarkable creation |
in America, II was even greater abroad, |
an English nobleman haZarding the state .
ment that not a palace or howell could be |
found throughout all England which did |
not contain a copy of ii in one or the /
other of its varied forms. and traveller |
who had made Il tour of the world ex-
claimed:
1.-THE picture haunts me. 1t follows me |
wherever | so. l have seen IL in Chile. i |
have seen 1t also in the Pyrenees."
a few years after the appearance Of the |
first photographs Mr.. James had realized |
as his share of the proceeds $1,000.
In 1851 the artist married Miss Adelaide
Torrey. OF New Jersey. and later produced
Father Time and His Family" which ne
sold TO Marshall O. Roberts. of New York.
The Final Harvest" a religious work on
Il larger scale. appeared soon after.
In 1867 for the purpose OF making
studies OF life, he followed the Union
army, the result being number Of
compositions several of which were sold
in England.
In is57 he was ordained deacon in the
Protestant Episcopal Church. his theologi-
cal studies having been pursued without
assistance and in 1863 took charge OF
parish impoverished by the war at LenOr.
y. c.. where he entered the priesthood.
For the church al this place Mr.. Oertel
built an organ, doing the work with his
own hands and unaided. He also carved
for 1t an elaborate altar and ceredos.
In 1863 an unauthorized copy OF the ,
Rock OF Ages was gotten ont nv New |