Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-01-26
HIS MASTERPIECE.
Why Grimes Never Finished His
Picture of Christ.

a name such as that,-Portralts. Bui
in reality he painted religious sub
jects, such as Moses Shifting the Rock,
Noah Contemplating the Ark, Lazarus
in the Tomb-things black with lumber
and bitumen and dreadful in drawing,
1t was a curious and pathetic figure
that presented itself every morning
and mounted the stairs to the upper
floor, where were the studios in that
portion of the Old University building
which had previously served as the
chapel. \ figure in n long, well-worn
gray coat, with u pail of water in one
hand and a parcel wrapped in yellow
groeer's paps in the other. a figure
s%urmounted by a patriarchal head,
covered with a silk hat Of ancient
model that had evidently been recent
ly wiped with a wet cloth-so disrep-
utably shiny vas its luster.
Beneath its faded brim shone kindly
youthful eyes His manners were those
of the old school. unfailingly polite
and considerate even to the ill-man-
nered j%anitor, who never lost the OPP
portunity of bullying him, From laugh
ing at him struggling up the steep stairs
with his pail of water, We finally got
to helping him by turns, and so gained
his confidence and friendship.
You young fellows" he would say,
as some one OF us assumed his burden
at the bottom Of the stairs-'you
young fellows are away ahead Of me.
| can't understand your rainbow col
ors. | can't do it. ! am trying to
catch up to you-but it's like chasing
the will-o'-the-wisp. My things are 50
dark. Yours are SO light and fresh
light with sunlight and fresh as air.
But all the same l don't like them;
they are too dazzling, can't see old
Mother Nature in that light-but IAN
ut something now that will astonish
Won. | think. No, won't show it I'M
I'll l carry put my idea, then perhaps
the world-but wait-IN show you my
Lazarus, if YOU like. Come in and see
it, like it. I've got something in i.
that is fine"
Then the pathetic figure, with its
one shoulder higher than the other.
would lead us into the studio, thick
with dust, Uttered with his cooking
utensils, brushes, pans, bottles and
immense canvases- would bid us be
seated with old-iashioned courtesy.
apologizing for the state Of his apart
ment and excusing its disorder by dig
nifed ~imprecations upon a certain
mythical person who had not arrived
that morning to put his place in order.
1t was both ludicrous and pathetic
to see him take up his palette and
brushes, and strike an attitude before
his wretched studies. which were both
out of drawing and Of atroc;ous color.
what do you think OF that bit OF
color, gentlemen? Don't you think
that pretty good. ell? That cheek,
now; ! find something indescribably
beautiful in that-its freshness, Il ron
like-and in the CULVER Of Marys lip,
that's Nary-no, no, not that one
here, that others the Nagdale1.
Now, I think that bit OF color.
eh? QuiverS, don't il, eh? &
master stroke. Now where would
Won send it, Ell? To the : \. l.
or the y. A b.? You know TIA; !
have not sent anything ! I 50 long TIA,
perhaps they have forgotten ne. -
he would stand. wagg.ng MS head
from side 70 side making al the in4
Z smackinE noise with his lips, .. Il 1e
tasted the tauc.ed delicious qualities
Of the co.ors he had laid On
"Bu, M figure q CHRIST. IL. -.
None Of you young fellows have seer
that There i stands behind t1a.
drapery. No, no one shall Sc j. mil
have completed il AL ! want s Tie
iacc-the facial else : 51sheL
want q model :or The face G-l5 s-5
beautiful Il = Bat ! wa-t ;a= .z@
When that is finished I'll s13w i.
twill be GummGg=s Eas,=-c=z
Twill be Is :suy--w--- zeTsr -.
you young fellows 1znaotG11erzls-
enthusiasm a. ! c-le-sts1l j. Tg-
are content; sIL uiz6 ygz t=s. =.
wig; y0u arr ~c9i1g-Tg- lg1i-e2i
and br.gat1esA ana z-zs IL. ~.
also that vy1 wan -zfys-=zs ..
thought s. well ~ .zz-e- ECz-.
do your effects. yoz- IL -.
I'll admire them z-f sl 70 ~ g1-
methods Nov, Inst 5-z ~ =
Peter for your exa .;55z s. rsizL-z
win yOu all and Got b2=ss EgE
The lzs: dzy ~ ;5s e9.1sai0- r.
pictures !o- TIE s1Aib.t5o- -o1E a..
rive and sld Old Crimes . ! I =.
teTerish -exeIte.e1t wzEzy :, -.
6own the hall He wDsH sesy-m-y
the poriers down 80 aDzy s2rs ma1.
one hand OF the t-zEe II his art-l
daub u q picture. brasai1y srsT IN
ingly, low and ta=1. sgz1s tz5s.
particle ot Dust, Ed zgasz gs
the men around some sazro Tar. 0.
the stairs for fear that tie t-zz.
would BE- injured, an anzllT tol.cr
ing its eo1rse with egzer ere
as i, "a placed IN the ysa ~s.l
others bound for the aeademv.
Poor Old Grimes. His pictures al
ways came back TO him. refused b.
the jury. Great Scott. Boys, los.
here-another Grimes. would h
heard at the academy as the hug,
black canvas was brought up Ii,
steps. And it would be prompt,
stopped then and there, and sent be
low with . mark on it's back, in re,
chalk.
And SO it was, year by year. Jurie
came and went. but Old Grimes car
ried in his pail of water wiDter an
summer, and painted on.
We never referred to the pictur
after it was placed in the van. i
came back to him in due season, but
passed by closed studio d~oors-close
out of respect for the feelings Of Oh
Grimes, who for a period thereafte
would be silent and melancholy. Blu
he would speedily recover, and Degi
again upon some new and particular
%atrocious scheme of color and draw
ing, which was promptly painted owe
the late unsuccessful Moses or Aaror
or some such attempt.
But 1t was over the figure Of Chris
that his enthusiasm never faltered. ]