The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13
AT THE PARIS SALON.
An American CoIored Artist Wins the
Medal of Honor.

Letter in New York Post
At the opening of the Salon of the Champs
Elysees-the only salon comforting ofhclal
honors-a painting by new American ar
fist was faVorably noticed Afterwards 1t
was numbered among the annual acquisi-
tons of the French state. Finally, 1t has
carried off a third medal, distinction
which it shares this year with the work
of only one other American painter. And
now it has become known 10 all, except to
the editors of the American papers in Paris,
that the promising artist is young colored
man from the United States
The effect of this discovery is unimportant
among the French to whom color has never
been more than an accident of race, Shad-
ing indifferently down through Italians,
Portuguese, Algerians and South Ameri-
cans to the millionaires of Haytl. TO Amer
leans. whose theoreticaA love OF human
tice the case is different. When the
younger Dumas died, year ago, 1t was re-
marked that few American EDITORS were
willing to believe that the admiXture or
negro blood in the family came from ie-
gitimate marriage. AT least, nearly all the
Biographical notices published were made to
say that the first Alexandra Dumas, Ma
poleons mulatto general, was only nat
ural son of his noble father and had taken
consequence: In reality, the Marquis ne
La Pailleterie, emigratng under Louis Nv
to Hayti, married there, legally and rell-
giously, the free woman, Colette Dumas,
whose lands helped to retrieve his dildpldat-
ed fortune and the absence of whose COM
forting management so afflicted him that
he returned to France after her death with
the son she had left him. This young Her
cules in mahogany was recognized without
question al court as the Comte De La Pail
leterie. When courtier thought to re-
venge himself on this rival in love by pro-
Tossing one evening to take him, IN the
half light of a theater box, for lackey,
he was properly pitched over into the pit
for his insolence. In the duel which re-
suited the veteran Marechal De Richelieu
spontaneously came forward as second of
the son of an old friend and companion at
arms. The young count gave up the use
of his title and adopted his mothers name
for the simple reason that he enlisted in
the army against his fathers will After
the revolution he naturally kept the name
under which he had won military rank and
fame. But both himself and his son, the
novelist who was also legitimate chld,
have always been rcckoned in the january
of French nobility as the righful owners
of the La Pailleterie titles. 1t was only
the third Alexandra Dumas who was a
natural SON." by Parisenne, such as he
has touchingly portrayed in his play of that
name.
The colored artist who, thanks to French
equality, has thus vindicated the theory
and overcome the practice of his country
men, is noted in the salon catalogue as
Henry O. Tanner born in the United
States, and a pupil of Tony Robert-Fleury
and Bouguereau. The subject of his paint
ing is The Resurrection of Lazarus" 1t
is a small canvas, with Christ standing at
the head of the open tomb from which
Lazarus is lifted up. Behind are the Jews
in attitudes of wonder The light on all
these figures is from the reddish blaze of
lanterns. In the background is a bit of
blue sky, seen through the entrance to
the Sepulchre. 1t is not great painting
nor even faultless in drawing and color. But
it is a meritorious work--a good picture
land precisely for those qualities of per-
manent value. which all masters have
aimed at, but which are ignored by many
of the younger artists. It's composition is
original without upsetting what may be
called the Gospel ideas of the scene, and
it's color scheme is not one which might be
admissible in an impressionist landscape.