The Washington herald., 1916-04-23
An Artist Called Back y

An Artist "Called Back"
| No more tragic story can be found in the
annals OF American art than the one now being
revealed about Ralph Blakelock says the Lit
erary Digest While his paintings are bring,
ing in auction-sales prices hardly matched by
the work of ally other American artist
| he is himself confined in the insane retreat
at Middletown and his family are living on
the verge of want. But even these facts do
not match in tragedy with those other details OF
neglect and cupidity the part of dealers and
collectors that show the of the artists
mental misfortunes. In years back the Blake
| lock family were always in dire straits and chill
dren multiplying while the artist parted
with his canvases for anything, apparently, that
would meet the immediate needs of the hour
When the ninth child was born matters reached
| crisis. The New York Times prints the story
of the dealings that sent the artist to the mad
house: E....
Matters were so desperate week be-
fore the end that Mrs Blakelock sent word to
collector who had bought several of her hus-
bands pictures and begged him to come to the
house. He did so, and was told that they must
have money be forced into the street The
collector looked over the artists unframed pic
lures (Blakelock could never buy frames) and
said there was nothing there he cared for Then
he pointed to small picture and remarked that
that might do if it were larger. He finally agreed
to pay $500 for the same subject repanted on
larger canvas, and Blakelock joyfully accepted
the commission.
"This is what that collector said when Blake
lock arrived with the painting: We'll, l see
you didn't hit it off this time. That certainly is
not the picture l offered to pay $500 for l
wouldn't have it in my house Then he relented
and offered much less. Blakelock went home
with the picture; the insult had been too much
even for him. That is, it was too much for
him when it offered. But it could not com
pete with the practical starvation at home. He
went back to the collector, who now offered a
still low figure, and counted out the money in
bills. 1t was not such a large sum but what
lover of the arts might carry in his pocket for
ncidentals
"Blakelock took the cash and went home. He
showed the money to his wife, counted it care
fully, slowly. and then threw it In the kitchen
fire. That the end of BlakeIock as a great
American artist. He became violent that night.
They took him away the next day and in the
evening the one over the octave came, boy"
In the same number OF the Times Mr.. Leon
Dabo the painter, who has been a friend OF
Blakelock, stands responsible for this story:
81 know of two pictures that Blakelock was
forced into selling for $3s-not $35 apiece, but
that sum for both Within the last two years
oneT of those two pictures has sold for $1,000.
And the who got them for $3.50
apiece has given away 100000 worth of pictures
to the American public.
THESE fellows may be lovers of art, but how
they love a bargain! They arc the scoundres
who sent Ralph Bakelock to the madhouse And
they boast of it, they gloat it l met a
man in Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, the
other day. I've got a Blakeock, he told me,
and l paid only $I2 for it. l want you to look
at it and tell me what it is really worth
These collectors, these benefactors, enrich
ing themselves and their estates with the life
work of a man whose life was destroyed by the
starvation which they are responsible for, and
all this in the name of the love of the things
that are beautiful. And the Academy, the Ma
tonal Academy! What did it do to poor Blake
lock! Fourteen years after he had been taken
away to a lunatic asylum because his pictures
had no commercial value to him the Academy
elects him associate because his pictures have
acquired commercial value. They elected Blake
lock crazy when picture by Blakelock sane
sold for $4,000, and not before. Now, say,
they should elect him president because OF
his pictures has sold for $4,000"
The fact that the Toledo Museum of Fine
Arts paid $4,000 for a fine Blakelock or some
other like reason, has moved benevolent friends
to try to the artist from his present plight.
Alienists declare his condition such that improved
surroundings might make his powers as an
artist flower again; and loan exhibition of his
work was held at the Eeinhardt Galleries in
New York to raise fund for his benefit.