Evening star., 1931-05-31
Painting Forgotten 40 Years,
Including 27 Generals,
Bought at Auction.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

at auction when the storage company
went out of business.
Has Pass Lincoln Signed.
A framed "key" appeared under the
picture, beneath the glass OF which are
autographed testimonials from Gems.
Grant, Meade and Custer, whose por-
traits are among those in the painting.
An autographed pass signed by Abra-
ham Lincoln. permitting the artist.
Hansen Balling. to pass behind the
Union lines to Gen. Grants headquar-
tiers, is also under the glass. In addi-
ton, extracts from letter written IN
Mexico City in 1885 by the artist, re-
lating interesting anecdotes connected
with the sketching Of his figures in the
painting, furnish new glimpses into the
lives of many of the leaders who figured
so prominently in the Northern Army
during the last troubled days OF the
Civil War.
In fact, the extracts from Mr.. Ball
/ ing's letter. rank almost equally In in
terest with the portrait, though OF
small value compared with the paint
| ing.
Horses From Life.
Critics declare that Mr.. Boiling
achieved a success with his work rarely
| found in other paintings of similar
subjects. The difficulties OF collect
| ing a great number of life-size por-
! traits upon one canvas have been en-
| countered without success by historical
painters for centuries.
The figures in the rediscovered pic
! ture are all on horseback.
! In his letter. extracts OF which were
found with the portrait, Mr.. Balllng
said, "the following horses are from
| Gr0nf'e MA0dn'g
| Terry's. Schofield's, Sheridan's, Kill
patrick's. The rest had put In dif-
| ferent colors. in order to preserve the
artistic effect"
Grant Is Central Figure.
In the painting Gen. Grant, the
central figure, is depicted riding rapid
| ", attended by the famous characters
of the Union Army. The general is
seen doffing his hat, as though he
were passing a throng. and he seems
! to be slightly refining in his horse as
his generals ride up on all sides. Each
general is shown with the personal
peculiarities. such as manner OF wear
! ing his hat gloves, or other mattefs
| of dress, which were familiar 20 MS
comrades.
Gen. Grant was painted on his bright
bay mount, Egypt, on Whcn ne p,sH MaS
| OallV seen az NLIhSbAA o.
Sheridan is mounted on the famous
black steed which carried him on MS
| Immortal ride" The artist also mas
portrayed with great fidelity the uni
forms of that day.
Paintings History Unknown.
Little is known about the history OF
the painting after 1t left the hanos OF
! the artist A document included with
| the extracts from Mr.. Balling's letter
relates that the artist was commits
stoned by a patriotic New York mer-
| chant to make the picture. The mer-
chant appeared to be determined at all
costs to have a painting which would
preserve for posterity the images OF the
| Northern generals. Balling, then the
| foremost portrait painter OF MS Gay
was given the order to gather his ma
! terials. Neither the document WIFI
the painting nor Ballings letter reVea!
the name of the patron Of this work OF
art.
The artist says in his letter: The
protector of the painting Of Grant and
| his generals was to sustain me with al
necessary moneys and pay me $4,000
when the painting was done. besides
! handsome gratuity If he sold the pic
! ture."
| Work Took Two Years
Mr.. Ballings letter discloses the fact
| that it took him two years to COM
plete the painting. Apparently. 1t wa;
delivered to the merchant who ordered
it, but in 1885 the letter written by the
artist was addressed to the ''presen,
owner of the picture" so 1t Is moi
known whether the original patron kept
| the picture for any length Of time OF
not.
The documenut with the painting
shows, however. that at some time be-
fore the painting was stored in the
Washington warehouse it was hung II
the Museum of the Ordnance Depart
ment" in Washington, which War De-
partment records show went out OF ex'
istence in 1883.
| Mrs. Blue had no competitors at the
time of the auction, and at the present
time is endeavoring to trace the history
| Of the painting after 1t was finished
in 1868 by Balling.
Artist Left Record.
In the artists letter he refers to the
private mounts used during the war
He wrote: Gen. Grant directed ar
orderly to bring up his horses. THAT
little black pony said the general, lis
my pet and we call him JEFF Davis. as
he was brought to me from his estate
| in Mississippi. when we fought around
| Vicksburg-that one is Cincinnati, 9
very fine trotter. and that one. Egypt
a good saddle horse. Now which dc
you want?'
"'For my purpose the letter con.
tinued, I should like Egypt
The artist adds further in his letter
IT stayed for five weeks at Grant!
Headquarters. and it Is impossible foI
| - iho ha iv,ko Nth Ixybi0f
I observed all made several Sketche!
of the general, with and without hi
hat. To busy myself. sketched like
nesses of all the officers and theil
horses, and I was very anxious t.
crafty their hope Of seeing themselve!
in the painting with their beloved
great general"
Travelled With Army.
BaIling's letter reveals that he trav'
eled for several weeks Throughout
Grants army. sketching the diferen
generals painted later in his portrait.
Referring to Gen. Grant, he writes
He said. You will first go to Gen
Hancock's headquarters. He Is m!
handsomest general. and give my re-
spect to all I was furnished an order
ly and it took me but few days t.
sketch Gen. Hancock and few othel
corps commanders"
Toward the end of the letter refer.
ence is made to the news of President
Lincoln's assassination, which reached
the artist while he was visiting Gen
Sheridan. one of the last Of the gen
erals sketched.
| FARMER AND SON SLAIN