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Sixty Year's Memories of Art and Artists
WHEN I was sixteen an opportunity occurred for me to enter a store in Boston. Henry L. Dagett, a well-known shoe dealer, wanted a boy, and I left home for a fifty-mile ride in the stage coach for the great city. This was an event of great importance to me. This was in 1834, and Boston was then only a large and beautiful town with isolated houses and fine gardens about them, such as the Gardner Greene estate, which stood about opposite where the Athenaeum is now. Summer street was lined on either side with many beautiful residences, with well-kept grounds, shaded with noble elms and horse chestnuts. It was a picturesque and lovely old town with enough of the city tone about it to satisfy a country boy. It is more stately now, but has nothing of its old-time quaintness. Carrying home bundles for customers was one of my duties, and in this occupation I acquired a knowledge of the city from the farthest North End to the limits of Roxbury, as well as from its eastern to its western boundaries. The North End streets were then occupied by old and honorable families, and so were Franklin, Federal, Atkinson and High streets and Fort Hill. On Cambridge, Chambers, Allen, and Poplar streets were the residences of well-to-do citizens, and none of foreign birth. Tremont Row was not built, nor was there a Pemberton Square, but in its place there rose a high hill crowned with a summer house. I think the place belonged to the Gardner Greene estate. I saw the whole hill carted away, and carried down Summer street, to fill in the flats where now stands the Boston & Albany R. R. station. I saw the harbor frozen solidly over during more than one winter, when we could skate for miles to Fort Independence, and hundreds were frolicking there on pleasant days. It happened that the back windows of the shop-204 Washington street-where I was employed, looked upon a little courtyard, and the place was occupied by the New England Bank Note Co., and by the Pendleton Lithographic Co. I longed to see something of the mysteries of the arts of engraving and printing, but I could find no excuse for trying to do so. One day I plucked up courage and entered the room where the copper-plate printers were at work, but an old Englishman-the head printer, named Campbell-repulsed me contemptuously. I afterwards knew him well, and found him a jolly, good-natured fellow. I saw the artists going to and fro, and envied them their happy lot. It came about that two of these envied mortals came to my boardinghouse, and I soon became firm friends with them. Robert Cooke, the chief draughtsman, was my room-mate, and we were ever after especial friends. He encouraged me to draw, and gave me good instruction and advice. All of my spare time was given to practice. After a time I left the shoe store, and, through the influence of my friend Cooke, was admitted as an apprentice to Moore, successor to Pendleton, in the lithographic business. Here I was speedily worked in as a draughtsman for ordinary commercial work, the fine work, such as designs of figures and heads from life being done by Cooke. F. H. Lane, afterwards well-known as a marine painter, did most of the views, hotels, etc. He was very accurate in his drawing, understood perspective and naval architecture perfectly, as well as the handling of vessels, and was a good, all-round draughtsman. I was ambitious, however, and after a time got to be useful in a general
way. Among others who came to try their hands at lithography was William Rimmer, who later
became widely known as Dr. Rimmer, the sculptor and painter, one of the most original and
daring of American artists, as some of his work preserved at the Art Museum After my apprenticeship was over, I continued to work for the firm for another year, and then commenced on my own account, having taken a studio with my friend Cooke. There he began portrait painting, and from the first was successful. He had been drawing heads for several years, and seemed to have a strong, intuitive perception of character and feeling for the coloring of flesh. We worked on together for a year, hoarding the little we made, that we might go to Europe for study. In my leisure moments I practiced a little in colors, experimenting ill landscapes, drawing from casts, etc. At this time there were few artists in Boston. Alvan Fisher and Thomas Doughty were painting landscapes; Salmon, marines; and Geo. L. Brown was exhibiting landscapes and marines painted in his early manner. Gerry & Burt had a place where they painted banners and signs on Cornhill at the foot of Washington street. They had a sign showing a Highlander with a slain deer in front. Both these artists were painting landscapes when possible. Harding was the principal portrait painter. Albert Hoit came to the city about this time, as did also Henry Willard. Joseph Ames was just beginning his work, as were also Thomas Ball, and George Fuller a little later. They were all struggling young men, experimenting as they could in colors, and looking up to Washington Allston as the great master, as indeed he was. Allston lived in Cambridge and seemed to be trying to get courage for a final effort to finish his "Belshazzar's Feast." I met him sometimes at the old Athenaeum Gallery in Pearl street. He was a venerable looking old gentleman, with silvery hair hanging upon his shoulders; a prominent, observing eye, and a kindly, benevolent expression. I followed him about the gallery to hear what he said to his companion about pictures, and I found his criticism always intelligent, but tempered with constant kindness. One could not but have respect and almost reverence for such a man. My admiration for his genius had been stimulated by studying a collection of his works exhibited at Harding's Gallery in School street in 1837 or 1838. Everything he had painted, that it was possible to get, had been grouped together here. And it was a wonderful display,-nothing flippant, but every work rich in color and low in tone. "The Dead Man, restored to life by touching the bones of Elisha, " the famous "Jeremiah, with Scribe," "Saul and the Witch of Endor, The Sisters, "Miriam," and many classic landscapes, all were there, and to me a green youth it was a revelation, and helped me to appreciate the great masters of Italy at a later day. To my mind no modern artist has shown more feeling for harmonious color than Allston. They may say what they will about the source from whence he drew his inspiration, but why do not others find and appreciate this source as well as he? What a pity he did not live to complete his " Belshazzar's Feast! " but even in its unfinished state some parts of it are almost equal to Titian in beauty of color. The portrait of Benjamin West, hanging in the Art Museum, shows how lovingly Allston treated a subject. The fine old head of the President of the Royal Academy is full of delicate expression, of benevolence and kindness of heart, and the color of the flesh is rich and soft without exaggeration. The subtle genius of the man shines through all his works, and one feels a reserved power in them all. It is the fashion to run after new things, new fads, and in the meantime Allston is almost forgotten. When my friend Cooke and myself had got together a few hundred dollars we determined to start for Paris. I had made an essay of a little landscape which some of my friends praised, and I determined to submit it to Allston, and get his advice as to what to do. Therefore I took it with some other little things, and, with my friend Robert, set out for Cambridge. We were received in the kindest manner by the venerable artist. He was very gracious and encouraging in his criticism. He advised us by all means to go to Paris, thinking it the best place for study. We left him, well pleased with our visit, and carrying away with us a delightful impression of the man. |
attests. He was a green young man of eighteen or twenty when I first
knew him, but one could see that he had great mental capacity. His drawing was always full
of energy, but not suited for commercial purposes. I think he did not stay more than a
year with us, but he left an impression that he would one day make his mark in the world.
He loved the Old Masters, and could then, as he did more perfectly later, indicate with a
few strokes of his pencil the human figure in action. He could even then paint a head in a
rough way, counterfeiting the Old Masters' tone and color. He always aimed at the
grandiose in art. He must have studied engraving from Michael Angelo and Greek sta-tues to
have done what he did. Perhaps he secretly studied the casts from antique work he found in
Boston then, for the Athenaeum possessed some, and the plaster cast workers on School
street had specimens too. Cicci & Gary was the name of the firm, I believe. At any
rate he seemed to assimilate the grand qualities of this master, and use them to
illustrate his own ideas. It was not, however, until some years after that he developed
his great abilities. always had the greatest respect for his fine, moral character, and
wonderful attainments. Today his great genius is fully recognized, and he stands in the front rank of artists who have distinguished themselves in our
country.