The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919, 1913-02-28

birth and his subsequent residence abroad for 80
many years. created more than ripple In the
art world. and showed again what strong and
representative of his era he was. 1t may
be said truthfully OF him that he was most
conspicuous figure in the latter part OF the Sec
ond era Of the art of portraiture In America. as
Gilbert Stuart OF the first era.
Aside from the strong merits of the portraits
seen at the Art Institute. their exhibition recalls
the writer story told MIN MANY years ago by
a boyish boon companion of Mr.. Healy, the late
George Loring Brown. famous for his studies
of atmosphere and poetical distance In landscape
and still marines under the skies OF
sunny Italy. MIR. Healy at the time of which
speak about twenty years OF age and MT.
brown year younger. Mr.. Healy had been
studying art in a somewhat desaltory manner
about the only way in which art could be stud,
led In the New England city at that early day.
and making preparations to go abroad to
enter upon lis studies in an earnest way. lie
had attracted the attention of Mrs. Harrison
Gray Otis the year before. that lady then being
the queen OF society in Boston. He had gone to
her with a letter of introduction. when she asked
the shy boy what she could do for him. and his
reply was, "Oh. sit for me Madame! so want
TO paint beautiful woman! She did SO. and
tue portrait made quite local reputation for the
boy. upon which he made arrangements to go
abroad.
Mr. Brown the constant companion OF MIR.
Healy born in Boston February .. 1914 and
began to draw when eight years old His father
used to encourage the boy TO make caricatures
OF people whom he did not like. and got the boy
Into many scrape. II he drew the carcatures.
as he told me once he had trouble with the peo-
pie thus travested, and II he did not his father
made 1t very uncomfortable for him. sending him
out the Back Bay in winter to cut holes In the
ice. and fish for eels and other inhabitants OF
mud and water. among other things But the roy
survived 1t all. and finally went to the Franklin
school. where he won the silver medal and at
twelve years of age was apprentced to the 70.
nous engraver Peter Farley. where he learned
the art of drawing thoroughly. which stood him
in such stead in his later career.
While with Farley who it may be remembered.
was the wood cngraver who illustrated SO many
of the school books of a century ago. the boy
experimental with colors and when not at work
Mt his engraving was experimenting constantly
with colors with the result that he attracted the
attention of Isaac Rich, wealthy merchant OF
that day. who day asked him banteringly
how much he wanted to go to Europe
"One hundred dollars'" he replied enthusias-
tically displaying q wonderful ignorance of the
world
But Mr. Rich advanced him the hundred dol
lars. and the boy began making preparations to
go.
II was about this time that the two boys began
to see the world opening its doors to them. and
in honor of this event. young Brown invested a
dollar or two in beer and something eatable "on
the side'-the beer portion of the menu being
considered as something almost criminal In Bos-
ton in those days-and the Boys made night OF
1t in honor of their early departure for Europe.
and the taking up OF their life work in earnest
1T gave a good deal of head to the boys. with
the result that the two future great artists soon
began to imagine themselves great already. and
boosted of what they would do.
Il will paint pictures Of italian scenery" de-
clared Rrown land have my pictures in all the
castles OF Europe"
And l. said Eealy, will paint the kings and
other notabes OF Europe. and have them In the
castles side by side with yours.
| did not know Mr. Healy personally. but was
acquainted Intimately with Mr Brown for many
years and have heard him many times tell how
he finally got away to Europe. He went down to
the whnrves and inquired around until he found
vessel that was ready to sail for Europe. He
did not stop to ask what part OF Europe thinking
that once the other side OF the water he would
find everything easy. A married sister gave him
a mattress and he marched down State street to
Long Wharf with the mattress on his back. hav
ing taken steerage passage. He found. after the
boat get SAIL that her destination was Antwerp
almost as far from Italy Boston itself. When
he landed there he had twenty-five dollars left
But he had made friend of the captain OF the
vessel who lent him fifteen more, and with this
amount he managed to get to London, where he
was befriended by Mr.. Cheney the American
erlgraver. and he began at hts studies of
Italian landscape living almost the verge of
time he sent picture home to Mr.. Rich who
sent him more money. and he continued his
studies.
As an evidence of his conscientiousness In