Evening journal., 1912-06-17
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Self Taught Painter and
His Patron
BY Holland

was tudilllk WIN u ~. lWdlHl-
man, the American landscape painter
whose genius VAS not recognized until
after his death in 1908. about the sale
in the year 1900 OF landscape painted
by Alexander n wyant for nearly
seven thousand dollars | said to Mr..
Twaohtman that | presumed Wyant
never received in his lifetime as much
money as that for any one of his
paintings
Il am certain said Mr. Twacht-
man that Wyant, who died in 1892,
never had al any one time as much as
seven thousand dollars His life for
the most part was one Of struggle. In
his early days he knew what real
poverty was. But Wyant was like all
painters who have real genius--he
was never discouraged by poverty, by
bad luck or anything.
When a boy, Wyant was apprent-
iced to a harness maker in the town
Of Defiance, Ohio All the while he
was trying to learn how to sew har-
nesses together he was constantly us
ing the paint brush and pencil He wSs
absolutely self-teught until after he
was twenty-one years OF age. He once
! told me that he never saw a good
painting until he was twenty-one. All
that he had ever seen were signboards
and the crude pictures pasted on
fences or barns by travelling circus
companies
still he kept at It, until one day he
happened 70 hear Of George lnness,
who, you know, Is now esteemed the
greatest Of American landscape paint
ers. DO you know that Wyant, who
was then living near Cincinnati, and
earning just about enough 10 pay his
board. practically worked his way
from Cincinnati 10 New Jersey for the
purpose Of visiting George Inness?
when he called upon Inness, in
fear and trembling, and yet with a
courage born Of his own sense of his
ability, he stood watching Inness
while that great painter was looking
at some OF his sketches At last Inness
turned to him and said: You can do It.
These sketches are crude; you have a
good deal to learn, but stick to II and
! will help you all I can
"He did help young Wyant, giving
him some lessons and a great deal OF
good advice. He suggested that he 90
back to Ohio and paint some Of the
scenery whi,h he would find along the
valley OF the Ohio river; and then he
said TO him.
"'Don't be discouraged Keep at 1t.
Some day you will find that a man
who has plenty OF money and who has
an eve for art will discover what you
can do and begin to buy your pic
lures
We'll, Wyant was immensely en-
couraged by the help George Inness
had given him and by Inness's assur-
ance that Wyant could become great
painter. He went back to Cincinnati.
He went up and down the valley of the
Ohio and began painting landscapes.
He opened a little studio in Cincinnati
Nobody bought his pictures. and he
had TO support himself by any means
that came to hand.
Finally. one day there strolled int
his studio a man whom Wyant did no
know. This man looked at several o.
the landscapes and then, turning tC
Wyant said:
" I like those two pictures, arr
they for sale?
of course. Wyant was only too gla'
to say they we're for sale.
" What is the priceT the mai
asked
Somewhat hesitatingly Wyant said
"A hundred dollars
" I will take them; and now I wan
you to tell me something about your
self. Wyant was encouraged by tn
friendliness Of this man and perceive
that he had a keen and accurate ey
for painting He told the man his his
tory-that he was a son of carpente
in a little Ohio town, that he ha
taught himself to paint and dra'
when he was a child and that he ha
never had money enough to enahl
him TO support himself while studyin
/ with some Of the great painters.
, You want to go to Europe, l sur
pose, the man said.
Yes. I should like to spend yea
or two in Europe.
Well, Mr.. Wyant. 7 will buy som
more of your pictures. and I will len
J you some money think 1t would
a good investment
Still Wyant did not know who hi
benefactor was. and he ventured
ask him.
My name is Longworth-Nichola
Longworth.' was the reply. And the
. Wyant knew that he had secured for
patron one of the weslthiest men {
Cincinnati. and a man, too. distir
n guished for his philantrdopies TIL
patronage made Il possible for Wyar
to study in Europe and afterward
set up in New York But 7 don't SUI
pose he ever dreamed in his wildel
moments that a picture of his woul
sell for seven thousand dollars"
Copyright, 1912. by F. J. Edward
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
.t The Strange Coincidence in the q