El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-18
CALIFORNIA;
GRAND OLD MAN
Tom Hill, the GreatestAme
can Landscape Painter
A VISITOR IN Ell PASO

Since HIS Last Visit In 1881
When He Painted the Magnifi
cent Picture, THE Devil!
River"
CALIFORNIA; grand old man, Thoma:
or "TOm' Hill, as he is more familiar
ly called, perhaps the greatest living
Americ landscape painter, arrived IL
FL Paso Saturday night on the South
ern Pacific and spsnt yeste rday here
He left this morning over the Mexican
Cen .ral for @ Jeruavaca, Mexico, where
he will spend the winter. He is &C
compsuied by his daughter-in-law,
Mrs. Willetta ). Hill, and her mother
Mrs. Smith.
The venerable painter, though in
feeble health and pressed down by the
burden of years, has still the mental
vigor and enthusiasm of youth. His
voice is soft and low, mellowed aad
sweetened by years. His words, when
he speaks of his art, and
his art i, bis soul, are the
words of the pet, the child of nature.
Though his step is som what fa1sering,
owing to stroke OF paralysis, his eye
still has the fire of genius, the flash OF
youth, the magnetism of energy.
Already pat the SEVENTEEN mile:
stone of life he b es just finiehed. aft or
three years of work, what he and the
critics consider to be his masterpiece.
He is going to Mexico to paict, as well
as to spend the winter in mild
climate. He Ia as enthusiastic about
his trip as if he were a young painter
and this his first visit to a land OF
beauty and color. He has paiotsd the
Yosemite valley as no other artist has
dared to att empt to paint it. He will.
perhaps, paint some of Mexico as it
has never been painted.
Mr.. Hills last visit to FL Paso was
in 1884. when he was on his way to the
New Orleans exposition. On that oc-
casion he tarried long enough In this
section to paint a magnificent picture
of the Devils River, which is now in
tue Press Club house, in San Frau
cisco.
Mr.. Hill was amazed a5 the growth
of Ell Paso since he last saw it.
''Why, this isu't FL Paso, is it?" he
said to his dauQhter-in-law. as he
aliRhted from the train. II shouldn't
have known it"
and marveled at the changes that
the afternoon he went to the bull fight
in Juarez, accompanied by several
frie ads. II have never seen one," he
said, land l want to see just one before
/ die.''
He made no com ment upon the fight,
but the picturesque street scenes, the
houses and the sky at sunset broug hit
forth words of admiration. He saw
ONLY the art the beauty. He may for
get the bull fght-the pictures never.
Dore, with his wonderful capacity for
work, did not turn out more pictures
than has Tom Hill. Born in 1929 at
Birmingha ham, England, he came to
Americs in 1910, settling in Taunton,
Mess. He began to paint early, and in
1854, when he bad settled in Philadel-
pbia, he gave intimstion of his coming
greatness. He was then a mem Der of
the old Graphic club and also of the
and studied in ths life class,
of which Rothermel was president. He
took his first medal at the Mary land.In-
stitute In 1853. Since then he has
taken medals at every great exposition
that has been held
In 1S49 be was seized with the gold !
fever and was on the verge of Joining
the rush to California.
"It was either go to California or get
married., he said to HERALD re-
porter yesterday, land got married.
NV wife and L celebrated our golden |
this year. We have nine |
children, all msrried-and some are
ead," he added, with a trace of sad
O ess.
In 1861 his health forced him to go |
20 California and he settled in the val |
ey which he has made famous and |
which has made him famous. He found |
1ere the true Inspiration of nature.
he loved the depths OF its solitude. He |
Jaw it as no other man. He painted it |
70 no other man has besn able to paint
A few years ago the great painter,
George Iuness, visited him at his
studio at Wawona. He said to Hill, 81
will paint you something, Tom, that
will be worth WHILE"
He made some sketches aud took
hem with him. A few months later
lie returned. "Where's the picture,
Ieorge?" asked Tom.
81 gave it up. 1t was too much for
ne" said the great landscape artist,
me of whose pictur % sold recently for
go, 900.
Mr.. Hills studio is Mecca to which
many people make pilgrimages. 1t
night be com pared with the studio of
camille Flammarion at Tuvissy, save
hat Flammarion studies the stars and
Hill studies the nature about him, that
lie can feel and love.
Before he went to California Mr..
Hill did some figure work, notably the
rial scene in "Shylock," which was
warded the prize in the Art Union of
Hill went to Paris and studied under {
be great Meyerheim. There he {
ainted q picture of the forest of Fon-