Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-10
HE SEES THINGS FROM ABOVE
Edward ]. Austen, the BirdS-Eye Painter,
and His Work.
MAN WHO MAKES PICTURES THAT ARE REAL
engaged on Preparing view of Omaha
for the Jubilee Number of The
Bee TO he Issued on New
Years Day.

Edward J. Austen, the admitted premier
OF panorama and bird's-eye view painters,
IL working on a great bird's-eye view Of
Omaha, which is to be presented by The
Bee to its subscribers in connection with
the Jubilee number of the paper, to be
issued on New Years day. Mr. Austen
is making rapid progress with the work,
on which he has been engaged for several
weeks, and now has It nearly completed
Those who have viewed II pronounce 1t a
wonderfully accurate production. II Will,
when finished, show every street and every
building in Omaha, all the typographical
features of the city, and will be so ac-
curate that each structure may be located
by a knowledge Of its place on the street,
and without the aid of any index or guide.
1T is a mathematical proposition" said
Mr.. Austen. Every store building and
every house Is bound to come on the right
place. We have given place to start
from, and like sailor, we take our bear
ings and know exactly where we are"
Mr. Austen is one of the few men who
have attained distinction in this line of
work and he did not secure his firm foot
hold upon the ladder of fame without
having many experiences-some adverse
all Of which he has put to good account.
w lllt ne u ItCOBiiNeh III Nlio Guilty hO"
as standing at the head of his profess
sion It has not been many years ago that
he was unheard Of
Made n HIT in Africa.
lie started in England where he was
born, and his first assignment Of par
ticuar note was given him by the London
Graphic That assignment was to find
Henry NJ Stanley in Africa and incidentally
of that country
Mr.. Austen was an artist. He failed to
find Stanley, but he secured the pictures.
And so broad was the field and SO great
was the opportunity that Mr. Austen re-
NAMED in Africa eight years, after which
he made a couple of trips to England
and then headed for America He arrived
in this country, to which his name had pre-
ceded him, in 1884, since when he has de-
voted most of his time to painting pano-
ramas and bird's-eye views of expositions
IL was while at work on the Omaha ex.
position that Austen became acquainted
with Edward Rosewater, who at once con.
celved the idea of having a bird's-eye view
of Omaha painted. 1t was only with great
reluctance that Mr.. Austen undertook this
work.
Il really had not the time nor the in.
clination TO begin this work" said Mr.
Austen for have other things on hand
which give me little opportunity to pain
picture Of Omaha"
Actual Experience in Battle.
Among his pictures are some of the fines
of the kind in the United States Battl,
scenes and expositions are his specialtie
and to secure the experience necessary Il
depict battle scene the artist has engaged
in actual battle, having served through
the first Boer war and having been pres
cnt at many engagements. Among hi
works at the ST. Louis fair which attracte'
much attention were his cycloramas, Bat
lie Abbey; his scenograph, Galveston
Flood; and his kinetorama, From Ney
York to the North Pole"
The view OF the Omaha exposition wa
y painted before any of the buildings wer
erected and the artist merely had the plan
of the structures from which to make hi
I picture. He was kept informed of an
changes that We're made in the plans an
his work was pronounced excellent by wei
informed critics.
The painting of a bird s-eye view Of
city involves a wonderful amount OF wor
and requires artistic ability as well as
mathematical mind The first thing tn
artist does after reaching a city is I
familiarize himself with its streets an
buildings. and then comes a map If tn
topography OF the town. Then the arts
constructs himself map in perspective. II