[Illustration: Last Picture of Liszt, 1886, Aged Seventy-five Years]
Many artists have immortalised "that profile of ivory." They are, Ingres
who was a friend of Liszt, and of whom he always had a tender
recollection; in his best days it was Kaulbach and Lenbach. William
Kaulbach's portrait is celebrated for the grand look; the chivalrous and
fine-gentleman character of the artist is expressed in it in a masterly
way. Not less remarkable is a marble bust by the famous Bartolini,
souvenir of the master's visit to Florence in 1838. The painter Leyraud
shows us Liszt at the time when he took orders. He depicts him as a
thin, thoughtful man, leaning against a piano, his arms crossed, and
looking at the world from the height of his wisdom. David d'Angers has
made a very fine medallion of him. "We have several portraits by
Kriehuber, one, among others--Liszt in a travelling cloak--drawn
hurriedly while Liszt, surrounded by friends seeing him off, was shaking
hands all round. Tilgner sculptured a bust of him two years ago at
Vienna; and Baron Joukovsky painted his portrait. Our great Munkacsy,
who beautified the last moments of the master's life, painted him seated
at the piano. Boehm, the celebrated Hungarian sculptor, has just made
his bust in London. Then we have at Budapest, at the entrance to the
opera house, a splendid statue, chiselled by our young artist Strobl. It
wants finish, but on the other hand admirably renders Liszt's features
and expression. And lastly, we have one by Wolkof, on the stove of a
friend of Liszt's," adds Janka Wohl. There are so many more that they
defy classification. The Munkacsy is not attractive, but the sketch made
by Ingres at Rome in 1839 is a very happy interpretation of the still
youthful virtuoso. The Kriehuber lithograph is a famous study of
perennial interest. Then there are the portraits by the American Healey
and the Italian Stella, excellent though not master-works. In the
Lenbach portrait the eyes look like incandescent grapes.