The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-02-28

ks~ came resident OF Chicago,
and really quite ITO the
manner born in spite OF his
birth and his subsequent residence abroad for pc
( many years, created more than q ripple in the
art world and showed again what strong and
\ representative man of his era he was. II 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 was Of the first era.
Aside from the strong merits Of the portraits
seen at the Art Institute, their exhibition recalls
\ to the writer story told him many years ago by
q boyish boon companion of Mr. Healy. the late
George Loring Brown SO famous for his studies
OF atmosphere and poetical distance in landscape
and still marines as seen under the skies OF
sunny italy. Mr.. Healy, at the time Of which
speak was about twenty years of age, and Mr..
Brown a year younger. Mr.. Healy had been
studying art in somewhat desultory manner
about the only way in which art could be stud
led In the New England city at that early day,
and was making preparations to go abroad to
enter upon his studies in an earnest way. He
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 letter Of introduction when she asked
the shy boy what she could do for him. and his
reply was .oh, sit for me- Madamel SO want
to paint beautiful woman!" She did so, and
the portrait made quite local reputation for the
boy upon which he made arrangements to go
abroad
Mr.. Brown, the constant companion OF Mr..
Healy, was born in Boston, February 2, 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 a scrape. If he drew the caricatures,
as he told me once, he had trouble with the peo-
pie thus travestied, and. IL he did not. his father
made 1t very uncomfortable for him, sending him
out on the Back Bay in winter to cut holes in the
Ice and fish for cells and other Inhabitants Of
mud and water, among other things. But the boy
survived 1T all and finally went to the Franklin
school, where he won the silver medal, and at
twelve years of age was apprenticed to the fa-
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 engraver who illustrated so many
Of the school books OF a century ago, the boy
experimental with colors, and when not at work
at his engraving was experimenting constantly
with colors with the result that he attracted the
attention Of Isaac Rich, wealthy merchant Of
that day, who one day asked him banteringly
how much he wanted to go to Europe
Zone hundred dollars!" he replied enthusiasts
ticaIly displaying wonderful ignorance Of the
world
But Mr. Rich advanced him the hundred dol
lars, and the boy began making preparations to
20
II was ahout ais lime that tha two bovs began
~ sac tba world onenino its doors n them ana
\ ~ hnnar ~ tb,s event vonns Tarown ;rvaafed &
snlIar y tvvn A. haar and somathine aatabIa con
fhe a,da,,-tha hear norfton 81 tha mann beinc
,nna,derad aa somethinr almost criminal n Bos-
ton a those dava-and the bovs made ! night Of
4 q Il, horor ~ tba,r aarav danart,ra for Eh,rona
and the taking nm a. their life work IN earnest
srh hss~ h.a good ds.1 ~ ..,aaa, On n ana
4 Us GOOD dssl e Of head to the poys With