MR. PUNCHINELLO: The knights of the pencil and easel, having returned
from their usual visits to their summer haunts, and having exchanged the
blue skies and grassy vales of Nature for the smoky ceilings and dirty
floors of Art, (I believe that is the proper way to commence this kind
of an article,) your correspondent has visited a number of them, and has
obtained authentic accounts of their present occupations, and has also
been permitted to make slight sketches of some of their principal works.
BIERSTADT, as usual, is painting Yos. Having entirely exhausted the Yo
Semite, he is now at work on a grand picture of a Southdown Ewe, and
will soon commence a view of his studio,--at sunrise. He well deserves
his title of the Yeoman of Art.
JAMES HAMILTON, of Philadelphia, is painting a sunset. It may not be
generally known, but it is a fact, that he paints the sun every time it
sets. The following sketch will give a good idea of his next great
picture. The nails are inserted in the sun to keep it from going down
any further, and spoiling the scene.
[Illustration]
WILLIAM T. RICHARDS, of the same city, is hard at work on a picture
which is intended to represent, to the life, water in motion; a
specialty which he has lately adopted. It is entitled "A Scene on the
Barbary Coast; Water in Motion, Steamer in the Distance." The subjoined
sketch represents the general plan of the picture.
[Illustration]
Still another Philadelphia artist, Mr. ROTHERMEL, is very busy at a
great work. He is putting the finishing-touches to his vast painting of
the Battle of Gettysburg. On this enormous canvas may be seen correct
likenesses of all the principal generals, colonels, captains, majors,
first and second lieutenants, sergeant-majors, sergeants, corporals and
high privates who were engaged in that battle; and by the consummate
skill of the artist, each one of them, to the great gratification of
himself and his family, is placed prominently in the foreground. Such
distinguished success should meet appropriate reward, and it is now
rumored that the artist will soon be commissioned by Congress to paint
for the Rotunda of the Capitol a grand picture of our late civil war,
with all the incidents of that struggle, upon one canvas.
Of the artists who affect the "shaded wood," we learn that Mr. HENNESSY,
now absent in Europe, is drawing another "Booth." Whether this is
intended particularly for "Every Saturday," I cannot say, but I suppose
it will answer for any other week-day. At any rate, here is his last
"Booth."
[Illustration]
NAST is at work on a series of sarcastic pictures illustrating the
miseries of France. Most of them show how LOUIS NAPOLEON ought to finish
up his career and dynasty. In fact, should this gifted artist ever
travel among Bonapartists, he will certainly be hunted down in an
astounding manner, and the populace, adopting American customs, will
probably congregate to see him astride a rail. Two of his smaller
studies are very interesting. One of them, called "An Astray," is simply
a ray of black light; and another, intended for the contemplation of
persons who desire light and airy pictures, is simply a portrait of
himself, entitled "A Nasturtium."
The well-known Miss EDMONIA LEWIS has been exhibiting her statue of
"HAGAR," in Chicago. As HAGAR was the first woman who suffered anything
like divorce, Chicago is a capital place for her statue, and Miss LEWIS
evidently knows what she is about. Her name reminds me that our great
landscapist, LEWIS, is at work on a picture which he calls "A Scene in
France after a Reign." This little sketch will give an idea of the
painting.
[Illustration]
Most of our other artists are also worthily engaged, but time, (I
believe that is the regular way to end an article of this kind) will not
permit present mention of them.