The morning times., 1896-02-23

price set upon his time and upon his work
for which he could afford TO do IL. So
when they came to him and said, We give
you seven or eight thousand dollars for
such a piece he answered:
Very well; / will perform it for
that
Then They made him agree that lie
would not interfere. no matter what he
saw Them getting from Congress for the
decoration. He was TO have his price,
and they would get ali out of Congress
they could more than that. So il hap
pened that Brumdi got very small part
of the sums that were paid for his marvel
ouSly fine decorations.
But the saddest thing about IL ALL"
continued the artist, is known TO very few
OF us. At the last, when Brumdi had an
accident so that he could no longer work, he
called to his son. He was, when hurt,
just coming near the finish of the frieze
at the base of the dome. The break that
stands there Today is mute witness of the
masters superiority. He said To the boy:
My son, ] am rCor, ] can leave you
neither lands nor money. only an honorable
name. and yet we need some money. Take
MY design there To the committee and show.
them how ] intended TO finish the frieZe.
Beause il is mine they will buy it
| And so the boy took the roll. IT was
ON long scroll about a yard wide willie
the frieze is four yards. He took IL 10 the
committee room. There he found only one
member. He told this man what he want
ed and was told TO set the scroll down and
the committee would consider ii. Unsus-
pecting he complied.
NNII THE rnAfsIJTFrI.E nm
Then when it had been there two OF
three days Brumidi said 10 him. go and
see the committee if they will buy the
work. and bring il home so when the
boy had come gain they said 10 him, Wen
Sec But, OF ooursc, nothing came of il.
Then the old man died. lacking what The
little money for the design would have
procured him.
And one day The boy was walking in
the Capitol. He locked up at his fathers
work iii the dome and lie saw someone was
employed 10 complete the fricze. The
glance also told him another story. He
ran home 10 his mother and cried out:
They are finishing the fricZe at the Capi
tol. and they are using Papa's design,
though they never paid him for IT,
His mother smiled and said the child
was mistaken; it would have been imEos-
sible for anyone 10 copy the lines in the
short time IT remained with the committee
But ii was SO. They had used the new
invention-thc photograph. But the burg
Ter employed 10 complete BrumidIs work
was soon found out, even by slow-thinking
Congressman. The accomplishment was so
duh and the figures 50 wooden that the ar
list was ordered to discontinue, and SO the
fricze remains incomplete"
The ways of The Congressman in his treat
ment of The artist Is shown by the expert
cncc OF Emil Meyer, a young BaItimorean,
who has recently come here after fifteen
years study in Europe. 1t was winter be
fore last that Meyer got Representative
Isadur Rayner 10 go with him 10 Speaker
Crisp and secure permission to paint the
Speakers portrait. Meyer was delighted
with The prospect 10 get a piece OF his
work in The gallery in the members lobby
at the House. He had already received
comfortable sums for one or two pictures
buthe thought here was a chance tha would
help him along. He set to work energetic
ally, got him photograph of the Speaker
and studied, laid the lines for his painting,
and called on the Speaker to learn when
he would sit a time could not be fixed
Just then, but Mr.. Crisp would let him
know in a day or two. Ashe returned home
friend whom hc met casually asked: Say,
/ thought you were painting the Speakers
picture, but / was up AT Hinckley's- the
other day and / saw he had Mr.. Crisp
sitting for him. How is it?'
THE CORPS OF ARTISTS AVENGED.
Mr. Meyer was a good deal embarrassed
by the question, but his chagrin was made
complete when he learned upon inquiry
that his friend was right and the work
had been given TO Hinckley.
Artists, most OF whom have suffered at
one time or another, some snubed AT the
hands OF Official curtness, big or little,
like 10 iella story OF Hemick of Georgetown
at the time Of the painting of pictures of
officials for the Worlds Fair at Chicago
There was need OF a good deal of work
done within a comparatively short time.
Almost any artist who had influence got
something 10 do and many OF the better
known among Washington men received
applications 10 take ORDERS A committee,
headed by Mr.. Logan Carlisle, called at
Mr.. Helmick's studio. They found the Old
gentleman in the midst Of a rcvcTic over one
| OF his favorlte subjects.
The committee stated its purpose a little
grandiloquently perhaps and closed by
saying they had been recommended to Mr.
Helmick. Before they gave the order,
however, II would be essential that they
should examine some of the things he
had done. He looked them over sharply,
and then asked briefly
Are any of you artists?''
When he had been answered negatively,
he opened the door abruptly and said
The catalogue o ( paintings al the Capitol
! with the prices is as follows:
LIST OF CAPITOL PICTURES.
In the rotunda-"Tbc Landing OF Co
lumbus," by John FanderIyn, $4,000.
The Discovery of tie Mississippi River
by De Soto" w. H. Powell, $21 1000.
THE Baptism of Pocahontas,' j. G.
! Chapman, $4,000.
The Embarkation of the Pilgrims at
Delft Haven, Holland,'' Robert w. Weir,
| $4,000.
signing the Declarationof neutrality-suspicious.,
July 4, 1776," John Trumbull, $4,000.
TIE Surrender Of Burgoync at Sara
toga," John Trunibull, $4,000.
The Surrender of Cornwallis," John
Trumbull, $4,000.
Gen. Washington Resigning His Com
mission" John Trumbull, $4,000.
The canopy and other decorations of the
drCh vi Ile Ioudnua, bruinlul, S0O,UuO-
On the eastern stairway, Senate side:
'Perry's Victory on Lake Erie" w. H.
Powell, $4,000.
On the western stairway, Senate side
''Storming of Chapultepcc,'' Walker, So
600.
On eastern stairway. House sidc-"Sign-
! ing OF the Emancipation Proclamation"
Carpenter, presented to tie United States
by Mary E. Thompson.
On western stairway HOuSp
Westward, Ho,' Leutzc, $4,000.
Beside these, there are number Of other
paintings of very considerable merit. Some