Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-04-09
A Great Maine Artist.

he had been a resident Of New York
Cjtv for nearly half century il was
| hero n his native State Of Maine that
hc entered upon the profession in
| which success crowned his efforts and
here i'm our own city Of Augusta that
he first OPENED a studio. All through
his life he had a warm spot in his
heart for Maine, frequently visiting ii
and finding here the subjects of many
| o. his most famous paintings. He was
| born in Lowell, up in oxford county,
| in 1924, the son of Philip {. Johnson
| vho was Names secretary Of State
nom lS4l tu lS4J When he was a
| mere boy his artistic tendencies were
| much in evidence H.ld when he was
| ~ out y he TOOK TO drawing and paint
| ing as a life work. I'm this connection
Mr.. Johnson has often told an interest
| ing story. His father gave him $500
| nut and invest the money as a pru-
don't boy ought to- Young Johnson
couldn't find The kind Of AN investment
| that his father referred 10. His money
hwindled SLOWLY. .until finally he hadn't
81 penny of the $500 left He was
| ashamed to go home and took Ia
pointing portraits for a living. From
one town To another he travelled
painting the groceryman here and the
minister there. Gradually his efforts
began 10 yield him an income and
finally he had saved $500. Then ne
went home for the first time aud hand :
cd he entire amount over to his faith
|,r
| Mr.. Johnson settled first in Augusta,
where his parents then lived, working
almost wholly On portraits in black and
| white and in pastel He remained
here but a year or Two. In 1915 he
moved with his parents to Washington
| u. g.. where he drew portraits of
many distinguished men, incIu!nG
| Daniel Webster ANA John quincy Ad-
ans While in Boston in 1S46-49 he
made portraits Of Longfrllow and his
| family. Emerson. Hawthorne AMI sum
nor. IL" went to Dusseldorf in 1919
studying one year at IN" Royal Acad-
cmy. He spent year with LeutzC
and -four At The Hague, painting there
his first important pictures in oil, "'rhc
| Savuyard" and The Card Players
He established himself in Paris. but
lreturned to the United States in 1886
Ir the two years following he was il
Washington and on the northern
shores Of Lake Superior among tn.
Iudaim tribes. In 1888 he painted
The Old Kentucky Home" That paint
ling practically established his rcputa
ton as IN artist. III that year ht
opened a studio in New York City
Where he had lived ever since. He was
elected an acadcmician i'm 1860 ano
since that time has contributed tC
each of the annual exhibitions of th'
National Academy. Although John
son cXCrlled as 4 portrait painter. h
made his reputation as 4 delincator o
American domestic ana negro charac-
It.r
Among his pictures. besides "Th,
Old Kentucky Home" ar" SUNDAY
Morning" "PriSnncrs Of State" "Tht
Barrfoot Roy." dropping off" "F'id.
Milton Debating Ia His Daughters.
The old Stage Coach" "Husking al
Nantucket" Peep" Barn Swal-
lows" w haI the Shells Say" an,
I"pld WhalrrS "f Nantucket" His pur.
traits. besides those mentioned above
include ikcnesses Of Presidents Ar.
thur, Cleveland and Harrison. W. II
Vanderbilt. Secretary Folg"r. William
Il. Astor. John -. Rockefeller, W. u
Sloane. Mrs. Alexander Hamilton, Mrs
Dolly Madison. from life: Mrs. Angus
Belmont. Mrs. Hamilton Fish. Mr. an,
Mrs. j. 4. Burden. President McCosi
of Princeton, President Noah Porte
of Yale and President Andrew ID
White Of Cornell. Wheeler II. Peck
ham. Bishop Potter and Morris X
Jcsup. Mr.. Johnson received medals
for exhibitions at Paris London tn,
Philadelphia Centennial. the World
Columbian Exposition and at the Buf
. falo and Charleston expositions H.
, was a member Of many art and socia
, organizations. He will always b.
ranked as one Of the greatest of Amer
lean artists and as one of Names mos
, talented sons.
1t is noticed that great many news
papers are calling attention to the Ma