New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-06
Painters Genius Burns
Undimmed in World OF
Horrible Shadows.
"THEY SAID | WOULD
BE A MISSIONER
Artist. His Mind Gone Beyond
Recovery, Expresses His
Dreams Through Brush.

MiddlctOWn. y. ! o., ApIN AFTER
morning spent in the wards of the state
Hospital for the Insane al Middietown'
the meeting with Ralph Blakelock
which had been so eagerly anticipated
hy a Tribune reporter, mad become an
ordeal. Among the 1900 insane cases
sheltered at the asylum, the hundreds
OF blank, hideous faces, the wandering
and inane glances, the gibbering mouths
and idiotic laughter Of the hope!essly
mad inmates had lett an impression
that the snotless wards and the square
nile Of wooded hillside could not OBJ
lsera.e. Would Ralph Blakelock, who
i, already considered orc Of the great
es. artists that America has produced
resemble the pitiful men and women
among whom he has lived for sixteen
years?
When the staff physician opened the
door OF the little room on the ground
Aoor where the artist he's lived so
many yea-s, the first glimpse Of him
was q shock o. diferen; Kind than
he'd been expected \ l-tle brown
faced msn was reading q paper IN the
sunNt room. HIS iron-gray hair and
the bTigh. gray eyes that his spectaclcs
could not dim seemed to belle his sixty
nine years, ard when he threw down
his paper and jumped TO his feet to
welcome the visitor his hand clasp was
as firm as q young mans.
Bears No Trace o. Tragic Life.
Outwardly his appearance bears no
trace Of tho tragic life that has been
his fate, and the courtesy with which
he offered his guest the spare chair in
the room was a Characteristic that must
have been born in the man. No one
who spends few minutes with him can
question the statement Of the super
intendent that with proper attention
lie is fitted 10 live outside of the asy-
lum and to enjoy as we'll as sane
man the comfort and liberty that the
world owes him.
Ralph Blakelock's mind will never
be entirely restored TO sanity there
Is no question OF that although
change Of environment and the pres
onoe Of his family may go far 10 49,
move the illusions that cloud his brain.
nor is there any question that he can
still paint; the glowing landscapes
that he has created on shingles and
scraps OF paper within the last few
years show that as far as his art goes
his mind is still clear. as long as he
is able to concentrate it on his work.
Like any artist. he needs incentive and
respiration 20 create, and the fact that
he has been able 10 paint at all IN an
insane asylum is proof that the genius
that starvation and misery could not
kin still. burns within him.
To paint Like Meissonier."
"lf you we're given a canvas and
brushes. Mr.. Blackjack. and we're liv-
ing in some pleasant place outside Of
an asylum. do you feel that you could
create work that would satisfy you?"
At this question the artist looked up
intently.
cot course" he said eagerly. and then
he dropped his glance. But they told
nc" he went or with more than a
trace Of bitterness, that should paint
like MISSIONER"
"How would you like 20 see the great
exhibition Of your paintings in New
York >" he was asked, and his emphatic
reply left little doubt OF what he
thought about that.
But there IS something that ! would
like 70 do in New York before that
he went on. Il was difficult TO imagine
what this man, VINO had been deprived
Of the fame and honor that his paint
ings had achieved after he had APP
parentlv been lost 20 the world, could
desire beyond a sight OF them. He
wanted 20 pay a bill AZ an address on
Fifth Avenue that long ago disap-
pesred. .,
The desire for money and the illu-
sion at times that some wealthy man
has paid him fabulous amount Tor
some painting il one OF the ineradlca-
bic forms Of his mania Lack OF money
was at the root Of all his troubles, and
his mind cannot leave his old struggle.
10 obtain something more than beg
garly sums for the paintings whose
worth he must have realized.
The artist suddenly seized piece %
paper and folded il into square 10
illustrate an idea about his art that his
tongue could not express.
~ can divide this paper into equal
angles" he said. "and one Of them
will be inverted below the other Any
thing that my mind conceives appears,
when IL is executed. not az ] have
imagined II. but in an inverted and in
correct image Of the idea with which
started
He stared at the two angles he had
formed in q puzzled way.
81 tried 70 make Il come out night,
but il can't be done. Life IS like that.
Anything that | do affects my life IN
a strange way that / had not intended.
But here his train Of thought wan
dered. and his brain returned 10 the
immense amount Of money that had
been given him and which would make
everything straight
Has No Common Deelusions.
Blakelock has none OF the dclusions
that inhict many patients Of being de
tanned unjustly by some enemy. In
spite % his hard life he has not the
least bitterness against any one in
the world, while he remembers the few
friends who have stuck by him through
the years and mentions them by their
first names. lie often spoke OF his
wife. curiously enough always by her
maiden name. but in spite Of ali that
his visitor could DO. he refused 20 con
template the possibility OF life outside
The asylum. lie has made 30 many
fricnds among the physicians and has
% little cause 20 remember the outside
world with pleasure. that his mind
cannot conceive Of anything beyond the
Visit 20 the city "a nav