The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-01
COUNTERFEIT PREsENTMENTs
There Are Four of Them Given in
Different Styles.
THE TRUEST ONE OF THE LOT
To Be Seen at the '98 Exhibition
Opened in Dublin.

In the long dead roll of Irish political
heroes and martyrs, it may be fairly
questioned if any other name is So dear
to the true Irish heart as that of Robert
Emmet, says Henry O'Shea, of Limerick,
in the Dublin Freeman. Nor is the rea-
son of this far to seek or difficult to un-
derstand, with people so poetic, gener-
Gus and warm-hearted as the Irish. His
high-souled daring and devoted patriot
ism, his romantic and passionate love
story, his tragic and early death, all
form, so to say, an imperishable halo
around his name and fame that gives
him position in the love and reverence
of the Irish people wonderfully touching
and unique The songs that tell of his
love and death are known and sung in
every house and cabin in the land, and
among the pictures with which the poor
est of our people love to adorn their
homes, next to those of our Divine Re-
deemer and His Blessed Mother, that of
Robert Emmet is most frequently met
with. Yet it is strange with all this, that
1t is almost impossible to meet with
correct likeness of the man as he was in
life.
The popular pictures of Emmet are
generally of two sorts-one in green,
gold-laced uniform, in what would call
Bridge of Lodi attitude, waving or
,.iourishing plumed cooked hat. In this
picture there is not even pretense of
likeness to Emmet's face-or at the best
scarce more than pretense. The origi-
nal Of this picture, I remember, first ap-
peared in the fifties, and was the work,
believe of young Kilkenny artist,
who had very probably little or no au-
thority for the face but whose idea would
seem to be to have made an apotheosis
Of the hero rather than portrait of the
man.
The other picture most often seen is
that of Emmett at his trial, in pair of
white inexpressibles that would have
made the reputation Of a melo-dramatic
actor Of the last generation, and rather
truculent-looking scowl upon his face.
For this picture there is, indeed most
interesting authority; but, alas how sad
ly it has been spoiled in the too frequent
and unskillful elaboration of cheap copy
ists 1t is really based upon slight but
vividly realistic sketch made during the
ho let fot1 of
lands greatest archaeologist Here in
the hasty lines the artist has caught the
very spirit of the thrilling moment when,
baited by the fierce judge, young Emmet
stood the embodiment of calm scorn and
defiance. The drawn brows, the con-
tracted eyelids, the curling lip, the fold
ed arms, bring the awful scene before the
eye with startling reality. Many draw
tngs have been made from this original,
but none have preserved it's spirit
third picture, but not at all so we'll
known as the two above mentioned, is
from a sketch by Comerford-a WE'LL
known Dublin portratist of that time
made originally upon piece Of brown
paper, during the trial, and afterwards
tinted. 1t was from this sketch that a
miniature was afterwards painted by
Emmet's request for presentation to his
only surviving brother. A copy of that
miniature-enlarged by photography
was sent by the Hon. Judge Emmet (the
son of that brother), to the loan portrait
committee of the Dublin exhibition of
1872. It represents Emmett in profile-a
and stern mouth, and careworn and
hollow face generally.
!. 5. There is still, l believe, in the posses
sion Of DR.. J. Z. Kenny, of Dublin, cast
said to have been taken of Emmet's face
after death. It is altogether too horrid
to look at a second time. And, indeed,
one is inclined, on looking at it, to form
very grave doubts of it's genuineness; but
this painful and, no doubt, erroneous i'm
preston may be easily enough disposed
of and accounted for by the following
paragraph from an old work, entitled
"The Picture of Dublin, 1911, page 175"-
Some of the keepers have been ac-
cused of OBTAINING in their possession the
heads and bodies of such as were exc:
cuted foc high treason till they were
putrid, In order to enhance the sums first
demanded from their relatives for them
1t was rumored in the prison that En-
NETS head sold for te45 1Os.'
The present writer has very clear
recollection of a conversation he once
had with William OBrien upon the SUBJ
jcct of the very scanty materials exist
ing for good picture of Robert Emmet,
Mr.. OBrien saying that it was great
pity that nothing worthy OF Emmet, or
that seemed to tally with his character