New-York tribune., 1919-08-11

came interested anew in the physical
welfare Of Blakelock and his family.
At that time the attention of art lovers
in New York was centred upon n Blake
lock exhibit. The paintings that were
to be shown were valued at S250.000
Just a Chance Left
Inquiry was made at the state hos
pital and the opinion of alienists was
sought. There was just chance,
Blakelock's friends were told, that the
artist might recover his mind; physi-
cally he was strong and his mental CON
dition had seemed to improve Of late.
Mrs. Adams went to see his family,
whose house was at the bottom of
ravine. several miles from Catskill.
They had the necessities of life, and
that was all. They were living on the
money the eldest boy had made during
the winter by cutting ice. Before Mrs.
Blakelock could go to Middletown to
see her husband Mrs. Adams had to buy
her pair OF shoes. 1t was the first
time in three years. Mrs BlakelOck
said, that she had seen her husband.
She had not had money to spend on a
railroad ticket.
An organization was incorporated to
manage for the benefit Of the artist
and his family the money that now was
L.
Permission was obtained to bring
Blakelocll TO New Yorl. 10 see his
paintings on exhibition.
He came and saw the paintings and
the city. The visit delighted him, but
it tired him also. Dealers and pros
pective customers constantly we're
bedevilling Blakelock to initial as
genuine this painting or that For in
the years that Blakelock had spent
IN an asylum his name had become
famous and the market was flooded
with paintings bearing his name that
were regarded with suspicion.
1t was reported that a clique was
formed to move spurious Blakelocks on
the market. making capital of the ex
hlblt and the revelation of the artists
misery.
After his trip to New York Blake
lock was taken 70 {, sanatorium in New
Jersey, where 4 studio had been fitted
up fer him. It was thought that with
brush in his hand and quiet coun-
tryside around him his genius might
fame again. But the Blakelock who
had painted IN Moonlight," "The Pipe
Dance" and the Entrance to the For
est was dead: His. genius was ashes.
Paint he did in a desultory way, and
his efforts We're better than the daubs
he had made at the state hospital His
delight, however, was no longer in the
picture. but in the painting, and no
more than that he took in his sur
roundings and in the piano that had
been installed for him. At first when
he played it his fingers skipped certain
keys. He explained that in the only
piano at the asylum those keys had
been missing.
Convinced at last that cure was
impossible, Blakclock's friends ac-
quiesced in the decision Of physicians
and sent him back to Middlctown. 1t
was not to the old hopeless existence,
however. From time to time gifts still
were received for Blakelock. They ell
abled him to have other outings. He
was taken for summer trip to Lake
George, and there he tried his hand at
some moonlight effects. The result was
better than he had achieved at the
sanatorium, but it was far from being
Blakelock.
Without hope ever of restoring him
to himself, Blakelo locks friends never
thelcss continued their kind Offices as
opportunity offered, and this summer
they rented the camp for him in the
Adirondacks, where he died