The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
A PORTRAIT BY STUART.
sT0RT OF 4 PAINTING THAT WAS
RESCUED FROM A G.IRREE
II IL n Likeness or n West Indian. , Co,,e,.
ton or the Enpress Io$cphInc's, who Was
Once n Bcau In BoSton. and In n the
Artist sought to secure n Quaint rPets,kog.

'b'AN W huOPNlbn. tOT sOtlG time lN
made his home with his sister in Boston, She
was the wife Of Thomas VALLEY, whose sister
was the mother III Wendell Phillips. Tho Mic
turc for many years lay among the lumber in
Mrs. Valleys attic. 1t was rescued nv IN,
mother of its present owner, who carried II In
her Southern home.
While valued rs a work OF art. It was never
hung upon the walls or framed because OF trndi-
lions as to the scapegrace character OF the origi-
nal. 1t is, moreover, not in itself q pleasing
picture. Although the face of n man said to be-
most fascinating, 1t is as Gilbert Stuart has
painted it, dark, unsmiling, and sinister, and
conveys no idea OF beauty. II ia the face OF u
cool, polished. and graceful Mcphistopheles.
1t hangs now in the library OF DIR. James Robbie
Wood, in Seventy.fourth street, this city.
The man whose face after the lapse OF nearly
three-quarters OF a century again sees the light
was Montrop de Lalung de Ferrol. He was
born in the island OF Martinique, of which his
family was ono OF the wealthy landholders.
Near the estate Of the Lalungs was that of their
relative, Nine. de Rcnaudin, with whom her
niece, the young Mile. Taschcr do la Pagerio.
aftcrward the Empress Josephine, made her
home. One OF Montrop de Lalung's brothers
was one of Sapoleon's officers, and through tho
interest of Josephine married the daughter oc
the Duke de Ia ROchefoucauld. In the early
part of the century there was a great deal OF
intercourse between the West Indies and Bos-
ton. Boston bought many raw products from
the West India planters. The planters, mosu
OF them elnigrants, younger sons from tho noble
houses OF Europe. dMell IN scignorLl style ON
their large estates. Their sons WEI, educated
abroad. their daughters in the convent, or
schools OF France and America; Early in the
lungs were sent to Bos ton Tor education. ono
OF them remained IN The United states as the
and one OF the selcctmcn of Boston. With this
iister Aiontrop de La.ahy l,atcr made his home.
In Boston he:could lead thai lie OF cicgano
His, sister and hes husband were ho,pitabi,
souls, AMI by dint OF borrowing and going into
The, people Of America we're "R not % far re-
moved from tier struggle Tor liberty as to for
the French. even were the ladic, inclined to for
get, the traditions OF an Old World arlstocracy
and resist the attractions of rank when repre-
scented by a connection Of AN EmIrcss. even u
deposed one. The men OF Boston were as n rule
100 absorbed in business pursuits 10 have time
TO acquire thu cOlrtiincs> and polish. IA mart uf
European education and polite lie. There.
fore, t;;e young frcnchman's vanity. never Of
the mi'd5., 'hrovc npacc in a atmosphere Of
ainlatiol., -'tontrop 90 L;a.Gns dc ferroi was
eon;iGe:ed . very, handsome man; Llaluns
STATE street Of Il pleasant afternoon or across
BuS,o" tornn.on, he was the cn"y of the dam
clothing always rrpr, cnici the latest Eurn-
rcan, mode. for when he aid not 10 abroad hlIll- .
It was n sos thai GiPpbe T;'': stuart t"tIt' came IA
Boston. H. had returned from Europe in l7g:S
Washington. whom he considered the Esea teen;
man OF the aye, In London Stuart had been
the pro.egt and friend of BENJAMIN West
When nc came TO America lie was. as "a matter
OF course, !ovcrrun with orders rom wealth and
did not care to paint some fucc-. This he said
was because 80 many Sountenances were char
which did not pleas him.
No woman said Gilbert Stuart 10 a friend. q
has any, character or any real beauty in her
race untlI -hp is over ~ wears pf age In
not like 10 pant young girls"
subtle influence over the minds OF his sitters.
embedded the ruling passion OF the Subjects
him, Stuart talked TO him OF his gold, and On =.
and greed: to the beauty he talked OF her con-
guests aid her proud position, and she grew
beneath his brush the embodiment of the CO.
quctte; to the patriot he spoke Of his country,
and on the canvas shonc patriotism. This
quiet little artist was a jusSler with the souls
depths Of CONSCIOUSNESS the secrets that per-
haps unknown 70 their owners were the main
Immortality on his canvas. Some persons said
hr was an uncertain artist. and that his work.
II paint what I see" Stuart was wont to [
T rbly laconiSal ~, 1t was true; he did nains >
opher in his work.
trop de LaIung de Fcrrnl. the Boston
Beau, Rrummel. He had met him at stately
IAlung was at his best among a throng o fair
aamse!s or threadihg win stately grace tho
that the shrew l-faccd little artist, whom ab
tunes ne calSlt, ercins MN intcntiy. did not
face, stuart never did and at last LaiunE'
hnding It was the desirable thing to do, APP
preached pro- c the Ga man: He was SURPRISED to b
mmdeFtaSe the commission. Put the dandy
p Sat afte paintef o. st iBa 5o was s1 the r most f@ T.
fore pocEe,ci his pride. Just before Lalunc was
about to take a trip to tni!and, stuart wa. 40
money. "a he was more taan usually hard up.
In Two day. thn plcturs W Completed and
Much e!atcd. Lnlun- carried IT To The drawing
room, whrTc hi, ter and The "'icr I~,mrnbers .
~raEpi9S wa, ihr';yn a,t GS'"'i and the !" group tS1S
stood face to face WITHIN A!po!!oi An An p
from the dismal canrr, was II Il Of u cold, eyed.
" %nfp n{ ,Ss .S MSPat'; 5p aY = n Ita = 9iG, ina, in and
blood red the only lint ~ warmth about il, foe
the face vas tint of . man who had been rett
BY some strange freak Of fate of the power to
love. 10 suffer, TO fear, or to hate: it was the
artists EXPIRE ion Of atrophy OF the heart, and
| is MOI. like Inc. not like me. A gross
libel, "NcIIaimed in anger The original of tho
self entitled TO can HI, own, ,,
who looked Gceper than lines and co'oring.
n:>ot a; ~; not at r.. pr. e.ted The, indis-
were The same fault!'ss feature. the same inc
eyes; but mo IN face he artist hal iufu Cd
was II some touch of his own da-h mood or q
Gimp" into the inner LIE of his sitter
stuart hal never been known to change at
the request % unsatisticd patrons So much ~
"A line Of his work. The fc, % 800 ~, IN his
pocket, and he had spent it dOubtlc-- chUcklInp
over his quaint revenge over the vain and e-o.
tistical West ln-iaI. bcau.
N disgust lalung de pitched IA servant to The
rtt!G WI the ]pietuis: Thea i lay among Z,
nother OF the present owner. With MAJ.
othc: thing. il was tran trrrol 10 her hon! H.
Georgia. and years after that rodi-,nvcre ="
her son to whom she IOld IL history.
hrouEh; II to his home in Sew York When III
teor-.a home was h'uhcn ~ through war ard
death, and II now hau;-, II u dark and sinister,
over the mantel She I OF his library.
IaInrus and DiNr~-souihrrn Revision.
From he .ithIEtG Constitution.
, 4 colored cNhortcr. e]nlarginG on the irnposs,.
billy o, rl'il mon getting into heaven, lid: