Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-01
A NOTABLE CAREERl
How Edward Moran Became q Successful
Marine Artist.
He Was in Turn a Weaver, a Cabinet
Maker and a Negro Minstrel
His Ambition Realized.

AAiC Stoiy Va Ills early STRUGGLES dIlQ
final success as told by Edward Moran,
the veteran marine painter, is rehearsal
Of experiences of the utmost interest; of
obstacles met and overcome, and priva-
tons and discouragements enough to break
the spirit of the hero in a melodrama. Ed
ward Moran was one of a family of weav-
ers who came to this country in the early
part of the century now closing and settled
In Cecil county, Nd. He was one OF
thirteen children and was possessed with
an early ambition to become a painter OF
the ocean. Although he had been reared
in an inland town and knew not the sea
by personal experience; he was filed with
an uncomfortable desire to study and paint
Its mysteries. The httlet settlement Of
Mil Creek. Md, offered no advantages for
marine study. and young Moran one fine
morning resolved to make his way to Phil
adelphfa. Accordingly he set forth on foot
and arrived in the Quaker city with cash
capital of % cents. butt with a reserve fund
of moral courage and native determination
sufficient to meet the heavy demands made
upon it and keep the balance always on
the right side
As n Barn Painter.
His first experience with the brush was
as an apprentice to a painter whose art
found expression in the decoration in broad
masses of the sides of barns and suburban
houses, with now and then an impression
istic effect in whitewash on chicken coops
and corn cribs.
Owing to its encouragement Of originality
the young painter forsook this branch or
art and entered bronze foundry, but the
work was not to his fancy. Then he turned
his hand to cabinetmaking, with Indifferent
success.
As a Negro Minstrel.
In the meantime Moran had cast his lot
win mig (which
he essayed the role of end man. The COM
pany was composed of young Irishmen.
Gilligan was the interlocutor and Murphy
and Moran were the bones and tambo.
Elated at their local success. the company
decided to go on the road. They got as far
as Allentown, Pa, where they succumbed
to that dramatic ai.ment known as the
bust"
With the prospect Of walking back to
Philadelphia, Moran approached the ticket
agent and coolly offered literal song and
dance in exchange for transportation, and
was successful.
A Fire Company Artist.
The first real decorative work that fell
to the lot of the struggling artist was the
painting of the hose reel and the emblazon-
ing OF shamrocks on the fire capes Of the
Hibernan Hose Company, of which he was
member. Next he was given the Job Of
drawing the plans ana SupeTlDteHQlHS tne
erection of new hose house for the same
organization. receiving SO for his services.
His First Pictures.
The first pictures that young Moran
painted were executed under the most adj
verse circumstances. He was without funds
and occupied apartments in a loft over a
little cigar shop His furniture consisted
of a homemade easel, a wooden chair
tcrippled) and a pile of newspapers, which
served for a bed. The pictures We're scenes
on the Delaware river Then came the
question of how to dispose of his work.
Cold and hungry, he started out into the
chill and snow, clad in a red flannel shirt
a pair of trousers and shoes which exposed
his feet to the pitiless cold. Aimessly he
wandered down Chestnut street. until he
found the shop of small picture dealer,
who would not buy his wares, but offered
him a frame in exchange. Thinking that
he might sell the frame for enough to buy
a breakfast, the artist contaminated the
trade. But he was unsuccessful and re-
turned to the dealer later in the day to de-
mand his pictures back. The dealer was
sorry, but they had been sold in the mean
time for goodly sum. The young man
was hungry and desperate, and demanded
to know the name of the, purchaser After
much argument the dealer told him. He
proved to be Mr.. HARRISON Earle, a wealthy
Quaker and a lover Of art.
Success at Last.
The young painter timmediately sought
out his future patron, and, after being
comfortably fed was given. commission
by Mr.. Earle for S5oet 1t was the change
in Moran's fortunei He Immediately
brought his entire family to Philadelphia
and took his brothers John. Thomas and
Peter and his sister Mary under his tute-
lage and made from arfamily of weavers a
group of painters wlltJse names are among
the most familiar in the present art era
of America.
He Painted Them Red.
After Mr.. Moran was elected a member
of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
occurred one of the most interesting and
characteristic incidents of his career 1t
was In the days when the Dusseldorf school
of painting was in vogue. and the Amer-
can artists had been set aside at the an
nual exhibition to give place to the favor
ties Mr.. Moran protested. but to no avail
He was determined, however, to make
known his attitude, vanishing day
he made a glaze or wash of dry red paint
mixed with porter or beer to make IT stick
and applied the mixture to all of his eight
pictures-literaiiy painted them red. One
canvas that was hung where he could not
varnsh it conveniently he cut out of the
frame and removed. The authorities were
at their wits ends, and filled the bare frame
with square of green CLOTH On this Mr.
Moran printed with white chalk 1.-The map
of Ireland, and it remained, together with
his red pictures, wonder to all until the
close of the exhibition.