The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-28

'lne career OF TINS artist Is or especial
interest to Americans: for not only are
some OF his most celebrated works owned
here, but 1t was the money OF an Ameri-
can which first introduced him TO fame
When, after many struggles Muilkacsy had
made money enough by his pictures to set
up an easel IN Dusseldorf he conceived
tho Idea of painting a large picture repre-
senting the last days OF a condemned man
His master, knaus, tried TO dissuado him
but he insisted upon undertaking the
work, and, for economy's sake tor he was
SAN pdorl, the story is that he used tho
back OF an old pew instead Of canvas To
paint on.
Before the picture was finished MIR. and
Mrs. Willstack of philadelphia visited Due
seldorf An American painter. John Tait,
whom they met there. told them OF Mum
kaczy. who. by his holiness of color and
treatment. WIS beginning 10 be much
talked about among the artists and stu
dents OF that German art center. They
went to soc the unfinished picture ana Were
50 much Impressed that they agreed 10 buy
L; and in order that Munhacgy might be
able to complete II without stopping to
paint pot boilers part OF the price agreed
uron was advanced to HIN.
When the picture was done Mr., Wuls,ack
Insisted that 1t be sent to the Paris salon.
1t WAS the salon of 1870 Munknczy re-
luctantly consented. Ho was filed With
innny forohodings as 10 the fate Of his
picture at the hands OF the Paris cri,les
end was sad and detected for weeks after
he had shipped this picture Finally the
salon opened. the picture created n furore
ne artist, like Byron. woke UP to End
himself famous" and Milhaly Schroc der
was well launched on his way to the rich
aud celebrated Mlhnly de Munkeczy, Chey-
aliA- Of the Legion of Honor and Knight OF
the Austrian order of the Iron Cross.
Mles Catherine Wolfe bought the picture
for $4,000. MIR. Willstack waving his claims
and she brought Il to New York. Amunr
other paintings by MunkRogy owned IN this
country are KITTENS" "The Village Wires.
ter Milton Dctating." Paradise Iogt''
and Christ Before Pilato"
The last is his most celebrated picture.
and the following story Is told Of how Cen
eral Alger did not become its posscssor
General Alger had bought Munlnczys pic
ture Kittens" for $4,000 He had seen the
Christ Before plate" in Paris. and an
mired 1t, When the picture arrived In New
York the general offered the artists agent
$4,000 for 1t, which was refused. After
ward the agent, MIR. Sedemeyer, met Cen
| erai Alger in Detroit ana agreed to let him
| have the picture for $50 000
This offer the general accepted and gave
the agent $4,000 Ito bind the bargain" Then
the general started on trip to California
On the way he received Il telegram from
| Sedelmeyer. saying that the picture had
been sold without his (Sodelmeyer'sl
knowledge to John Wauamaker for SloC-
GEO. and Offering the general $4,000 10 give
up his claim to it. Naturally. the general
having bought tho picture and paid part of
the purchase money, looked upon II rs HIS
property, and was exceedingly wruth
Finally the agent agreed to give the gen
eral $4,000. the price he had paid for Kit
tens" and the general yielded.
Muukaczy is supposed 10 be a millionaire
He has received enormous prices for his
pictures in recent years and HIS wife, the
| Baroness de Marches. brought him riches
He met her first while skctchng on the
Rhine and fell in love 'at frst sight." The
lady's husband, then old, died about year
aftorward, and in 1874 the painter married
the widow.
Munkaczy ia greatly fond OF luxurious
and artistic surroundings, Ills house In
Paris was flied with works Of art and
brio a brac and it is a veritable museum Of
beautiful things. In the studio. at the top
OF the house there was litter of rare
| tapestries brilliant carpets, elaborate cary
| ings, embroideries and statutes OF great
| artistic value. The house, besides being
magniicently furnished, was deliberately
| kept up with a large retinuo OF servants
| and his kitchen and wine collar OF which
| all Paris knows the abundance.
| MunLac2y used to insist upon luxurious
| and artistic surroundings. When he deliv-
| cred a lecture to art students he would not
| visit the place of the lecture until IL had
been made beautiful with hangings. works
of art and bric-a brac.
When MunkaCgy wgs a boy In his little
Hungarian village his ambition In life was
to become a tailor. He used to decorate
with gaudy pictures the wooden chests
which the carpenter TO whom lie was ap-
pronticed made FOR the peasant folk 20 keep
their best clothes In. IT was the notice