The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-13
Fran1pton's Godsend
BY Gerald Brennan

"Oh, Knoophuysen! he said. eyes, OF
course know ali about the old fellow-ine
painter, very fine. His work in many respects
equals that of Claude Lorraine. He is par
ticularly good in the treatment of golden
sunshine. and his cattle approach Paul Pot
ter's."
1t was hard to keep straight face con-
sdering that each and all of us knew that
there had never been such person as
Knoophuysen.
"Knoophuysen has been shamefully neglec-
| ted" said Chuffey earnestly. "You ought
| to write a screed about him for your column,
Jack"
III mr. observed Framptor, his brow cloud
| ing again. Il haven't much time to look him
up. Suppose you write me brief biography,
| and I'll run over it and use it for next
| Sundays paper
This is precisely what Churey wanted.
After some mental gymnastics he produced
concise account of the mythical artist.
| Il think Knoophuysen's masterpiece is
The Cow and Calf in a High Wind" vent
ured Stephenson a. this juncture.
| ''Nonsense.' snapped Frampton. '''Ths
| Cattle Fair on the Canal is infinitely SUPER
| ior. Lord st. Mungo bought it III so for
$4,000
| Down went ''The Cattle Fair" and 'Ths
I Cow and Calf on Jim Chuffey's memoir Of
| Knoophuysen. Next Sunday The Dissemina-
| tor gave to the world an appreciative account
| or THIS master, Will d SloWiiiS SuloSy VI LIS
| work, the whole signed John Sedley Tramp
| ton"
| Not long after that a notable publishing
| house of the metropolis commenced the COM
| pilaton of the Universal, Royal and Impe-
rial Art Dictionary. 1t was destined to eclipse
! all other works of the kind in scope and
thoroughness. Frampton took it as matter
| of course when he was chosen editor Of the
publication.
In course Of time the great dictionary "p-
peared, and there, to his intense dehght,
! Chuffey found the foregoing biography OF
| Johannes Knoophuysen van Dordrecnt.
This was the ingenious Chuffey's opportu-
| nifty. He seized pen and ink and straight
way indted stirring letter to The Easel,
| a famous organ of international art. The let
| ter called attention to the name of knoop-
| huysen in the new dictionary and roundly de-
clared that no such person had ever existed.
| Frampton could not let that pass. Next
| week he appeared in print with a defense
| of Knoophuysens identity. By curious
| coincidence he had actually lighted upon the
| name among list of obscure Dutch painters
| in the seventeenth century, and this fimsy
fact his vigorous imagination expanded into
& case which really sounded plausible enough
Chuffey replied under several different
aliases sometimes supporting, sometimes
combating the Knoophuysen theory. Sew
eral wel-known art critics took part in the
controversy, which spread to England and
even to the continent. Matters looked bad
for Framptons side Of the question at first.
Then a London dealer produced two genu-
inc Knoophuysens. When Paris collector
| displayed the original Cow and Calf OF
knoophuysen van Dordrecht and sold the
| same to Chicago millionaire, the tide be-
gan to turn.
At length Frampton's Monograph on the
Life of Johannes Knoophuysen' appeared and
convinced many doubters, though the dispute
o1,-
huysensts and anti Knoophuysenists, and
5 the enthusiast founded the Knoophuysen Art
school.
Jim Chuffey was baked after ALL Tramp
ton has come out with flying colors. He is
e now the prosperous editor of an art journal
, devoted to the Dutch school and to Knoop-
S huysen in particular.
1 And that how johannes Knoopenhuysen.
= commonly called Van Dordrecht," dawned
upon the world of art.