_ALLSTON (WASHINGTON)._
Washington Allston was born at Charleston, in South Carolina, on the
5th November, 1779, of a family distinguished in the history of that
State. He entered Harvard College in 1796, and graduated in 1800. While
at college he developed in a marked manner a love of music, poetry, and
painting. On leaving college, he returned to South Carolina, having
determined to devote his life to the fine arts, and embarked for London
in 1801. On his arrival, he became a student of the Royal Academy,
and formed an intimacy with his countryman, Benjamin West, who was
its president. After three years in London, he paid visits to Paris
and Rome, and in 1809 returned to America. Two years afterwards, we
find him again in England, where his reputation as an artist was now
completely established. In 1818 he returned to America, making Boston
his home.
Mrs. Jameson, in her “Memoirs and Essays, illustrative of Art,” says:
“At Rome Allston first became distinguished as a mellow and harmonious
colourist, and acquired among the native German painters the name of
“the American Titian.”
When in London, Allston paid a professional visit to Fuseli, who asked
him what branch of art he intended to pursue. He replied, “History.”
“Then, sir,” answered the shrewd and intelligent professor of painting,
“you have come a long way to starve.”
Allston was the author of several poems, which, with his lectures on
art, are edited by R. H. Dana, jun., and published in New York. He died
on the 9th of July, 1843.
_HIS OPINION OF HIS OWN PAINTING._
Some years after Allston had acquired a considerable reputation as a
painter, a friend showed him a miniature, and begged he would give his
sincere opinion upon its merits, as the young man who drew it had some
thoughts of becoming a painter by profession. After much pressing,
Allston candidly told the gentleman he feared the lad would never do
anything as a painter, and advised his following some more congenial
pursuit. The friend thereupon convinced him that the miniature had been
done by Allston himself, for this very gentleman, when the painter was
very young.
[Illustration]
_BARTOLOZZI (FRANCESCO), R.A._
Francesco Bartolozzi was born in Florence, in the year 1728, where
his father kept a shop, and followed the business of a goldsmith, on
the Ponto Vecchio. Young Bartolozzi was taught drawing by Feretti, a
drawing-master in Florence, and instructed in engraving by one Corsi,
a very indifferent artist. His earliest attempts in engraving were
copying prints from Frey and Wagner, and engraving shop-cards, and
saints for friars. His first work, considered of any consequence,
was from a picture in the cloisters of Santa Maria Novella, in
Florence. When he was about eighteen, by the advice of Feretti, he
sent a specimen of his abilities to Wagner, at Venice, which was
satisfactorily received; and from that time he became his pupil and
assistant, and remained with him ten years. While he was with Wagner,
Bartolozzi married and went to Rome, where he remained a year and a
half. Among other works, he engraved, while at Rome, several heads of
painters for Bottari’s edition of Vasari.
In the year 1762, Mr. Dalton, the King’s agent for works of art, being
at Venice, introduced himself to the artist, and took him to Bologna
to make two drawings,--a Cupid, from Guido, and the Circumcision, from
Guercino, which he afterwards engraved for him.
At Mr. Dalton’s invitation, Bartolozzi started for London in the year
1764, and, on arriving in the metropolis, he found his fame had,
through the joint influence of his friend Cipriani and Mr. Dalton,
brought many noted personages to his lodgings, desirous to make the
artist’s personal acquaintance. For three years and a half he was
wholly employed by Mr. Dalton, at a guinea a day. He was one of the
twenty-seven artists who memorialized the King to establish a Royal
Academy, and was nominated a Royal Academician on its establishment
in 1768. After quitting Cipriani’s house, he lived in Broad Street,
and in Bentinck Street, Soho; and at last settled in a house at North
End, Fulham, where he took great delight in gardening, and where he
remained to live till November, 1802, when he went to Portugal; after a
residence in England of more than thirty-eight years.
Although Bartolozzi was greatly patronized by the public in this
country, and in the receipt of a large income, and his works held in
the highest estimation, yet, with a morbid sensibility, he always
felt himself to be a foreigner, and never quite at home in England.
At Lisbon he gave his attention to the superintendence of a school of
engraving recently established, from which he received the sum of £200
yearly for his services.
The week before he left England, Lord Pelham sent his private secretary
to inform him that he was authorized by His Majesty to make him an
offer of £400 a year to remain in England, and more, if that was not
sufficient; but this munificence Bartolozzi respectfully declined.
He died in the year 1815, in the eighty-fifth year of his age.
_INTERVIEW WITH GEORGE III._
“I was shaving myself in the morning,” says Bartolozzi, “when a
thundering rapping at the door announced the glad tidings, and I cut
myself in my hurry to go to Buckingham House, where I was told His
Majesty was waiting for me in the library. When I arrived, I found the
King on his hands and knees on the floor, cleaning a large picture with
a wet sponge, and Mr. Dalton, Mr. Barnard, the librarian, and another
person standing by. The subject of the picture was the ‘Murder of the
Innocents,’ said to be by Paul Veronese, and I was sent for to give my
opinion of its originality. Mr. Dalton named me to the King as a proper
judge, as I had so lately come from Venice; and I suppose he intended
to give me some previous instructions; but when delay was proposed,
the King said: ‘No; send for Mr. Bartolozzi now, and I will wait here
till he comes.’ On my entering the room, the King asked me whether
the picture was an undoubted original by Paul Veronese; to which I
gave a gentle shrug, without saying a single word. The King seemed to
understand the full force of the expression, and, without requiring
any further comment, asked me how I liked England, and if I found the
climate agree with me; and then walked out at the window which led into
the garden, and left Mr. Dalton to roll up his picture; and here ended
the consultation. The picture was an infamous copy, and offered to the
King for the _moderate_ price of one thousand guineas.”
[Illustration]
_BEECHEY (SIR WILLIAM), R.A._
William Beechey was born at Burford, in Oxfordshire, in the year 1753.
It is recorded of this painter that the circumstance of a portrait of a
nobleman which he had painted being returned by the hanging committee
of the Exhibition led to his rapid advancement in life. The picture
found its way to Buckingham House, was much admired by the royal
family; and so led to his receiving the patronage of His Majesty. In
1798 he was commissioned to paint George III. on horseback reviewing
the troops. Beechey excelled in portrait-painting. Though neat and
delicate in his colouring, his portraits want that dignity and grace so
well shown in those of the great master, Reynolds. He died in the year
1839.
_INTERVIEW WITH HOLCROFT._