The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-26
e S EARLY as 1874 a wealthy

4 s EARLY as 1874 wealthy
~ and distinguished English ply
4 - stefan called one morning in
Florence upon the sculptor Hiram
Powers. He was accompanied by, his
son. SSse por rff6fss boy Of H.
face and excited manner showed how
much depended upon the great man s
verdict that was to prove decisive in
the boys future career.
The sculptor slowly and carefully
examined the work placed before MIN,
drawings, sketchbooks, studies in color
and, more finished 1 n cartoons. Breath
eric Leighton watched the examiner 3
countenance as he silently studied the
work, and at last his father asked,
"Shall make him painterq' Powers
replied: "Sir, you cannot help your
self; nature, has made him one al
ready. Let him aim at the highest, he
will be certain to get there vas the
which settled the career Of this versa
tile artist, who received, among many
honors, the recognition of his contem.
porary workers in being elected the
president Of the Royal academy for the
last eighteen years Of his life. He
died in 1896. -. " y
How He Was Influenced
cess. His father gave him the most
thoro instruction. in astronomy, which
was the basis of his spirited sketches
in his early life, and most fortunate
drill in the s; fundamental n pIinciple Of
after years Of struggle, and then only
family to spend years on the continent,
in different foreign cities, particularly
favorable for art study under the best
instruction, in localities where the
scenery was inspiring and with the
most cultured society. In Switzerland
slopes of the mountains; while study
ing the classics in Rome he was sketch
ing the fascinating relics Of the past,
or later, in company with Robert
Browning, he drank in the poetic
charm Of the stately Coliseum Is ruins.
In the atmosphere of F1orentine art,
a" thS as"deS Sttd he FR adde
His Coats AS .Giotto became the
famous pupil Of Cimabue, who was
called the "Father Of Italian paint
ing" we can understand Leighton 3
inspiration in his early picture, which
was purchased by Queen Victoria,
called "The Madonna Of Cimabue Car
ried in Triumph Thru the Streets of
! \ 1OA 0uCO. LILO A1oG SAcdt p1CGuIS
forms an episode in his career. He
studied for year in the Staedel insti-
tute, Frankfort, under Steinle, who, al
tho somewhat stern, was exactly adapt
ed to restrain the eccentricities Of ge-
MUS and dangers Of overpraise.
| From Frankfort he made many ex.
cursions, sketching castle ruins. An
illustration of his lovable nature and
fondness for children is shown, when
on one Of these excursions he was
sketching g. quaint peasant woman,
and while she was resting as a model,
he held her baby, admiring its chubby
feet. He studied at Berlin, Dresden
and Brussels, familiarizing himself with
the works Of the great masters in the
galleries., and absorbing from. such
men as Overlook, Cornelius, Schnorr
and Pfohler their elevated thoughts and
lofty ideals. It is true Of all Leighton IS
work he never painted anything Of de-
graded or low suggestiveness. His lat
est studies were in the French studios
Of Decamps and Scheffer. s"s1.---.
- =. His Travels. 49,.
Speaking many languages f1uently
made his extensive travels especially
| valuable. Always working Industrious
~, he gained thoughts for classic sub
jects on the Nile, where he accompa-
MED the famous engineer, M. de Les
seps; he was charmed by Andalusian
scenes and Moorish architecture in
| Spain; he secured the theme for b;a