The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-03
PAINTING HIS PORTRAIT.
An Artists Personal Recollections of
 Leo XIII.

I LdhC NllC lAlDol pL4AN- NdAAAAAdA
 rata, when Papal Nuncia to Paris eight
 or ten years ago, was twice painted bI
 me. The late Cardinal Ledoeschowski
 the head of the propaganda, was good
 friend of Archbishop Corrigan, who
 was also my friend. Princess Vians
 Altieri, whose daughter married tht
 nephew of Cardinal Rampolla, the sec
 retary of state of the Vatican, has al
 ways taken much interest in my are
 work. It was to these three important
 personages that owed my being giyer
 the opportunity to paint the portrait oi
 the Holy Father. ... j.. | I spent two winters in Rome in con-
 nection with this task. I had my first
 sitting in the autumn of 1897. It was in
 the Pope's general reception room that
 Leo XIII appeared before me in this
 new role. Why didn't your good hus-
 band come to Rome, too?" were the
 kindly words with which he greeted me on that morning, so memorable in my gI life as an artist. He sat and stood and conyersed. This first sitting was short,
 but it was long enough for me to get the necessary initial impressions, to de- eide what the general character of the | podtrait should be, and to receive the inspiration which is the soul of all wor- ! thy art. Leo XIII. had a way of straightening himself up-but only for a moment-eyery now and then to his full height, when he rose to six feet. At such an instant he was so majestic 1 and enobled that I was almost inclined i to paint him seven feet high. This hab- 1 it of assuming an erect position for a l few seconds, which was no ordinary ex- ertion for a man of his great age who was always bent, the Pope used with much effect on public occasions and it always produced a deep impression on those who witnessed it.
 1 Leo XIII. had most attractive per-, sonality I was drawn to him not sim ply because was a Catholic and he the grand head of the church. He bubbled oyer with hunor and genuine wit. He was wonderfully quick at repartee. When my portrait, which was exhibited at the Paris International Exhibition of 1900, finally reached Rome and was borne to the Vatican, by order of his holiness, by van and eight men, was, of course. sent for, and on that occasion enjoyed my most intimate audience of the Pope. was quite alone with him for three-quarters Of Gn hour, and then came out more strongly than ever the. personal characteristics which had ob- served before, but never So clearly, of this truly extraordinary being. Speak ing in French, which tongue he knew so we'll howt to use, the Pope welcomed me with these words that went right to my artists heart: How well done! Every
 body else has painted me as an old man. But you have put youth into my aged frame" We artists paint as we feel" answered American Protes- tants admire you. I said, among other things. and American Catholics adore you. Plating me on the cheeks, he an swered, My child, you always speak with esprit js s#i
 During this audience and all through the conversation, of which I give only a few detached portions, his holiness with one hand behind him, evidently holding something out of my view. Finally he said with a good natured, quizzical ex- pression in his noble face: "tiuesss what I have here for you Then he advanced the rand little, but quickly thrust. it back again behind him. For a minute or two he continued to tease me sas. if were child, evidently enjoying my perplexity. Then, suddenly opening ia kid-covered box, with the papel coat of-arms stamped uponit, he dozzled my eyes with a beautiful chaplet made of ry,I +taa cyar, 60 Y,J1r soYn cold and the metal so yellow and heavy. 1T selected this one for you from seve- raj brought to me, z hesremarked, quiet .ly, blessed it and handed It to me.
 < My impression of the late Pope, gained after several interviews with him, both public and private, might be summed up in these words. Leo XIII. possessed marked finesse and was a di- plomat down to his delicate finger tips. No ambassador-7and I have seen many
 was ever his equal in all that goes to make up a great diplomatist. Like all superior men, he had a strong charac- ter. Nobody I have known made such a deep impression on me. His intellect was evidently of the first order. A five minutes conversation with him put this beyond queustion. His eyes were won- derful. They were like the Roentgen rays. They were so piercing that they went right through you. In his pres- erice you felt that you could only tell him the truth. Tt is not difficult for your holiness to read my thoughts I once said to him. He was exceedingly frank, and it was easy, in turn, to open your heart to him.. There was point to, everything he said, and he could put more into a sentence than many people fail to get into paragraph. How like him those last words to one of his fa- vorite Cardinals, mentioned at the be- ginning of these random recollections: ."Oh, Ferrata. farewell; I leave for eter- nity." His elocution was refined and his delivery polished. When pro- nounced the words, Ave Maria" he threw more feeling into them than any other priest ever listened to. Pathos was power which he employed with a masters talent. ''.. .;t " 3
 He managed everything. Even Ram polla decided nothing without consult ing him. He was at home in letters and politics alike. He never asked for aid, but preferred standing alone, positively and figuratively. I well remember how on one occasion, when he was celebra- ting mass, a cardinal; who was aiding him came to his assistance when the aged pontiff seemed too weak to go on