The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-08

and the world lost "a disagreeabie
man." when. q few days ago. In this
city, Charles Henry Hart died.
Disraeli makes Lothair say that an
agreeable man 10 one who agrees with
every one. Charles Henry Hart. sharp
OF eye and agile of wit, never gave up
an opinion once formed on full inves-
tigation, and he was beloved and hated
according to the way his views
CHANGED to square or clash with those
with whom he came in contact. AZ
one who knew him, am venturing to
write these lines about him because
nobody misunderstood him, and there
fore, taken all in all, he was q most
unpopular man. There Is danger. ow-
ing to his decided personality, and also
because in these days art has given
way to dazzle and camoufiage. that the
great service which this man did for
American art will be forgotten for a
time. Likewise, nifty years from now
there is no likelihood Of posterity neg
lecting to give every jot Of credit he
deserved to Charles Henry Hart.
AS writer on American history
and on the historical portraits of this
country he was splendidly accurate.
II his works were collected and his
unpublished manuscripts prepared for
the press they would represent an
enormous monument to his knowledge
and his industry. Had he been a man
of independent wealth and free to fol-
low the life of connoisseur or diet
tante he might have had hosts Of
friends instead of only few. After he
had practised law for some years he
was painfully injured in a railroad ac-
cident. and during his convalescence
, he turned to his studies Of early Amer
lean art, and eventually made cri.i-
cism and the expert examination OF por-
traits of the period Of about 1900 his
vocation. At first he had distributed
his opinions gratis, but later, putting
| into practice his experience as Phil
adelphia lawyer, he charged fees and
obtained commissions when he sold
pictures for clients OF the new order.
In such circumstances 1t woult
have paid him to have been far
more agreeable man than he was, but
he was ever running counter to human
vanity and traditions. His acute legal
mind led him always to weigh the
evidence for or against the anthem
ITCHY of a painting, and his love for
masters of their craft, such as Gilbert
Stuart, was SO great that 1t amounted
to a creed.
His entrance into the gallery OF the
private or family collection was usu-
elly joyous; his exit problematical
Most persons regard all that is said
about their family portraits as gospel
truth, Are there not neat. gilt tablets
on the frames? Did not Uncle Amin
adab tell how his father. who had 1t
from his grandfather, had told him
that the great artist was at the old
| home in Massachusetts and that he
was a very fine and courtly gentle
man indeed, and that he had stayed
three days to paint this wonderful
work on a pearwood panel? OF course
this venerable portrait is absolutely
genuine.
Suppose, then. there comes Charles
Henry Hart to look over the family
portrait. He smiles inscrutably and
takes a good long view. Usually he
carried several magnifying glasses witt
him, and after he had used them all
he put his own good right eye to the
canvas. When Chief Croker was al
the head of the Fire Department
everybody knew that the blaze was Out
when he took off his helmet and put
on his derby When Charles Henry
Hart gave the final test OF his un'
aided vision it was the signal thai
everything was over
ITS very creditable to preserve tn,
portraits of ancestors with such care,
he remarks. "Smibert. to- whom 20,
attribute this portrait. developed his
talent early in life, but he was mo-
the prodigy here indicated. He coulC
have been only four years old wheI
this most interesting work wa
painted"
1T is a valuable work OF art?" wa!
the usual inquiry.
II regret to say, sir" was often thu
! calm reply, that it is nbsolutel!
worthless"
Suppose that you had in your pos
session a portrait purporting to be b,
John Singleton Copley. and that
had been so long in your family tina
you felt justified in calling in an eX
pert to tell you how good it was, n
matter IL his fee was somewhat high
provided that the work was all righ'
| 1t happened that the fees of Charlie