New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20

cure to-day why ne IS one Of the most considerable
figures in contemporary French art. lie clngs 10
his sense of humor as to the dearest thing IN me-
but he cngs to life, to nature as to the most
precious thing i'm art His history is interesting
as the following account from admrer VIII
show He IS not only typical product OF his
country and his age-he is the actual outcome OF
Franco Russian alliance dating back 10 the days
OF Napoleon and the retreat from Moscow. Caran
d'Ache is the grandson Of one of Napoleon the
First's most gallant officers. who. having Followed
his chief through the disastrous Russian cam
naien was wounded. taken prisoner. and given
M for lost by his French friends. In time how
ever the French prisoners were released. but the
Russian fortress in which Carans forebear had been
confined had not looked out for romance Cap
itaine Pore had fallen in love with fair Musco-
vre who taking pity on his misfortuncs mar
rled him as soon as he set at liberty. The
couple settled down in Moscow. and stories OF the
old French fencing master still linger in the mess
rooms Of HOLY Russia.
Coran d'Ache even as child was devoted to
the army and to art in any and every shape He
spent all the time he could snatch from lessons
and home in the guardrooms OF the town. and 1t
was probably in one Of these that he saw book
Illustrated by Detaille. the military painter. The
work fired his Imagination. He made up his mind
70 return to the country which had been the birth
place of his grandfather And, with the avowed
nra,ext Of being anxious to fulfil the military ser
vice which is obligatory all young Frenchmcn.
whether AT home or abroad. he obtained the ear
of the French Consul. with whose assistance he
made his way to the French frontier.
He was at that time seventeen. and when he ar
rived in Paris he found himself without single
friend and what perhaps more serious with
only a few francs I'm his pocket With the courage
and desperation Of youth he called on NJ Detaille'
then In the zenith OF success and fame. The great
artist received him very kindly. and gave him some
valuable advice namely. study from life not only
,,,tpU nd ~ DO
Neuville saw genius in the lads few sketches
Young PORES next visit to the military author
,,es who quickly drafted him into the 73d Regiment
of the Line. At the end Of six months he was pro-
NOTED and as Corporal PORE. he found a certain
amount OF leisure FOR the pursuance Of his beloved
sketchng II would be difficult to estimate the value
OF that strange experience which according to the
artist himself really taught him all he now knows
Of the mysteries Of black-and- white art, for Caran
dAche has never taken lessons from any master and
ne has never cared to work from professional models
Thanks 10 the influence OF NJ. Deaile who had not
lost sight OF his young admirer NJ PORE on leaving
the army was offered post in the Ministry OF War
There his duties consisted In the drawing OF foreign
uniforms and accoutrcments and IL was at this time
and not as has been enormously stated. while sun
private IN the French army that Caran dAche pub
ushed his first caricaiures. signing them with the
name by which he Is now known. ana Which s'shlHes
I'm Russian lead pencil"
And 40 he gradually developed into celebrity
~ the Bouleyards and so might have remained
unknown outside OF Paris. but for the production
nj n popular Monmartre cafe OF n series OF shad-
ow-pictures. the invention and work OF young
urknown caricaturist calling himself caran
d'Ache All sorts OF stories were rife anent the
marvellous shadow performances at the CHAT Noir
II was asserted that the little figures had not been
drawn by one man. but wero produced In some
raordinary fashion and cut out of old engrav-
ngs or copied from the famous NapoIeonic paint
ers II seemed hard to believe that one man. and
| ha an artist OF whom the great world had never
! hoard. could have imagined the moving poem