The sun., 1916-09-24
Who Came
Back to Find
Counterfeits of
His Work Every
where Was Meet
ing One Of the
Newer Phases of a
VeryO Old Industry
ALrH ALBERT BLAKELOCE
emerged from the mists which
= bol ,ICudod bis 0oo,,,s o.

age OF his golden brush had been coun-
,cr.eitcd. that the precious Jewels of
his Imagination had been simulated by
,he starvciings and the wastrels of
art.
Tie committee consisting Of Mrs.
Van Rensselaer, Adams, Elicit Dain-
ce-iiclj and Harry W. watrous have
indeed taken upon themselves a diff
cil, task in their efforts to hunt down
all the fakes committed In the name
or Blakclock. In their efforts to help
The master of tho mystic tones surely
heir charity VIII uncover n multitude
" sins. They are coming face TO face
with the lcgions If the Ancient and
p~shonorablc Guild Of Art l'akcrs. with
tho order Of the buckeye, with the I'M
worthy s,tdics who batten on tho ne
c~cssit.es Of artists.
The creating Of spurious pictures Is
70 infant industry. 1t cut its teeth
some cons agonc Ting. to whom
sich a liberal critical notice Is given
by kipling. was no n. a., and vet
doubtless there were other stone
ratchet masters who copied his
pictures on the walls of the cave and
n tho succeeding bronze age probably
hundreds Of limitations were sold as
authentic Cngs with the artists chiscl
mark in the
There were takers in the DAYS of
M.chclangelo. Rembrandt was en-
rompasscd by a school OF imitators.
nd sbn n1nsfnrs ne sho Aarf,, I~.-t....
school OF portraiture were beset even
in their lifetimcs by hordes Of unscru-
pulous copyists.
In the worlds great picture mart.
'hristie's. in London. one Velasquez
may he sold for many thousands Of
%slineas, and another canvas bearing
the name Of the great Spanish painter
viii 60 under the hammer for q single
pound.
How many Corots there are in the
world nobody exactly knows-possibly
a thousand or SO. for certainly n pro-
life painter was this master. and how
many hundred thousands OF near
Corots there lie none can ever tell. One
New York maker If labels for pictures
has made fully 5000 tablets to be af-
liked 10 the true works of the French
artist. Coiot labels wear. ont easily.
The Corot census Of the United States
must he something amazing. j.. Hop
lins"n Smith oncc estimated that fully
'e""o with the popular sig
nature had been stretched for the
AMERICAN market alone.
l.urop" has for centuries carried on
' u''N.n"'s ut making spurious works
s' ART Tho .fs- I., ..
'"'np,ci the clever craftsman to imi-
alton. AS long rs there are blundcr-
'i'.cs and birdshot there will certain
v h. w"rmca,cn furniture and panels.
venus of Jersey City buried for a time
n the Wedding loan will rise again as
ron the sea to auorn the grotto OF the
tonno!sseur.
The porcelains OF the great dynas-
les Of China have their colorado imi-
'at!ons. The makers Of them are not
always as honest as was u certain fab
'cator who inscribed on his work
Made at the Green. Small Antique
Shop in 1890" 1t Is true that the in
script!on was in Chinese and was
taken by the undlscerning as a mark
y great 6 n authenticity. but all
ne same his intentions were honor
able. Many q rare rat eaten rug may
be from the looms Of Perth Amboy,
and the dimness Of centuries may be
INVOKED to mellow crashing hues by
me use OF acids from modern car
boys.
IL Is said that there Is some dark
Stratagem afoot on the part Of un-
'crupulous dealers to keep Mr.. Blake
,ocH in an asylum for the insane so
ne may not tell Of their evil deeds. It
is Tor the District Attorney to unearth
pots, but certain 1t is that II any con-
PIRACY in this direction were organ.
.Zed there would DO no lack of con-
splrators, arch and otherwise.
The counterfeiting OF the works OF
S.lcccssful American painters Is one
~ the newer phases Of an ancient in
dnstry. 1t is almost within the MEM
Org OF the majority Of us when Amer
''an art was considered OF little &C.
count.
The wealthy were buying all their
i''lures from foreign sources. The
country houses OF England were still
n'iIs ransacked for family portraits.
me galleries OF the dealers OF Paris, Of
I'oine ana Florence were doing a rush
'hS business. 1t was considered al
most vulgar at n time to buy pic
'4f'S of a native.
mere camo into the art world Of the
h.''d states public spirited men who
'''"uragod the American painter. and
..'' ~ the reason why in these latter
FAY" GA" sees artists living in $1,000
''pl'N studio apartments, painting
''y when tho inspiration selzes them
''! Often putting aside for
months before they send them out as
'A'Ir finished works.
IN n" days when Mr.. Blakelock was
~''r"I",13g for his bread. even artists
VINO were gaining Il living, as he did
mo- most Of tho time. had hard work to
make both ends meet. George Inncss
once counted it rare good fortune to
nave sold "A painting for $50: there are
wants in existence which were dis
l"'''i OF by the painter himself for $40;
hiuc" Cranes We're found In those good
Oh days for $40 or sl5.
consider, then. the fluctuations of
'aIrh Albert Blake!ock. who was sup
porting IA family consisting OF his wife
ana nine children when the blow to
'I' reason came and who was not ac-
COUNTED in his earlier days az an art
't at AL. lie did not belong to the
'""ny of the elect. Ills was not the
raining Of Paris.
y genius, he worked along in
poverty and obs"urity, half con-
'flnllS DllN ar Lia wnnIrnIs Uifts