Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-12-02
PICTURES OF THE POPE.
Leo XIII Photographed In the
Vatican by an American.
THE STORY OF HIS EXPERIENCES

His Holmes. Bie..es the Photoxra-
pher and His Picture. Arranges
| His Walks to Meet the Artists Con-
venience-The Holy Fathers Lively
Interest In the Details of the Work.
The difficulties of securing for the
! mutoscope and biograph the living and
moving portraiture of Leo XIII and his
court may be only family appreciated
T by those unacquainted with the delicate
diplomacy that the unique relations of
Italian church and state impose. They
are too complicated TO be detailed in the
limits of this sketch.
It is only after four months of con-
slant siege Of the Vatican and repeated
interviews with Count Sodorini, Count
Pecci, the pope's nephew, and his ex-
cellency Mgr. della Volpe. the pontifical
major domo, that l succeeded not only
in eyading the diplomatic obstacles, but
in reassuring his holiness as to the
ease and naturalness of the mutoscope
methods They dispense with the pos
ing and the strain that have made Leo
XIII averse TO portraiture of any kind.
i was sustained in my efforts, how
ever, by the assurances of one of the
papal magnates, who told me that al
though his holiness was difficult of APP
proach in this matter his word once
gained would be irrevocable and his
CO operation gracious and kindly. So it
proved. He granted TO me no fewer
than five separate sittings, embracing
IL, 900 negatives. Before beginning the
work / sent word to his holiness that
the taking machine made a roaring
noise. Never mind, he replied laugh
ing, provided they are not canDons."
(Pourvu que ce ne SOFT pas des canonsl.
Plus TX, his predecessor. was familiar
with that music. Two scenes were taken
in the upper loggia of the Vatican on
the occasion of the solemn pontifical
mass in the Sistine chapel and recep-
ton of pilgrims. In the first picture his
holiness is being carried through the
loggia and past the camera in an open
chair.
The figure of the po..siff, surrounded
by his stately and picturesque court, is
one of the most impressive speotacles
imaginable the Swiss, Palatine and No
BILE guard, the geDdarmes and firemen
combining with splendid effect. This
picture would never have been taken ex-
who patiently waited half an ht r |
while the bulky apparatus was being
brought from the other side of the Vati-
can, the change of place being necessi
tated at the last moment by a change of
plans. On his return through the loggia |
the supreme pontiff again permitted a |
series of photographs to be taken, and |
also accorded his permission to have the |
windows of the sedan chair lowered, |
stopping also before the camera and
blessing the apparatus repeatedly. l re-
ceived the papal benediction dutifully
on the top of small platform.
A carefully planned picture of his
holiness driving through the gardens
of the Vatican was the next achieve
ment The close carriage, long dis
used state landau, was opened for this
special purpose at the request of the
pope's all powerful nephew, Count
Pecci. and in spite of the terrific heat
AAis holiness sfao,oussy npsuaincss h,s.A.
raising "a parasoi, and again stopped be-