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Randolph Rogers

Randolph Rogers image
Parent Issue
Day
13
Month
July
Year
1883
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Michigan people are alwaysglad to liear of the triumphs of Rundolph Rogéis, their artist in Rome. Ann Albor people, especially, take pridein his fortune?, for man}' still live who remember him when he worked here during the nineteen yearsof liis early life untll, in 1848, he went to New York. While in Italy, in 1878, we had the rare good fortune of visiting his studio and w re sliown the realization of the gifted artist's latest ideal, " Tlie Lost Pleiad." Mr. Rogers had not then coinpleted it and was remaining in Rome during the summer tuat he might work upon it. As he intended the piece of sculpture should be, it was a masterpiece, and now we hear from it in a letter from Rome to the American Register, dated June 16, 1883. We gladly give space for the portion of the letter concernins " The Lost Pleiad." It is as follows : "American art is being appreciated all over the world - that is a fact!" That is what I mentally exclaimed on receivmg a copy of the Madrid Imparcial, the other day, from a friend anxious to let me see that as grand fêtes could begjven in Madrid as in Rome. To teil the' truth, I had never doubted this,- on the contrary,- but I thank ray friend all the same, for inadvertently perhaps, he .ive me a greater pleasure tlian he even anticipated, for amid the descriptions of the festivities given in honor ot' the visit of the King and Queen of Portugal to Madrid, there is au enthusiastic description of a statue, the work of an American sculptor, and that sculptor our genial friend and countryinan, Randolph Rogers, who, by-the-by, i picking up his old looks most wonderfully considering the illness he has passed through. I had betterbe impartial, however, and impartially translate the Imparcial's article. To read Spanish is easy to any one who knows Italian. Says the Imparcial, then : "The entertainment given to their Majestles of Portugai by the de la Puente de Sotomayor surpassed all expectation. The weather was divinely beautiful, and thelovely gardens looked lovelier than ever this charming night. The guests also seemed under the iifluence of ts spell, for the ladies shone brighter even than their wont uuder that gorgeous canopy, and as' for their hosts, their proverbial courteousness reached every corner, however concealed in the vast grounds and palace, wliich might be compared to Armida's Garden's or a Fairy Palace. But who does not know, at least by fume, the Castle.like dwelling of the Lords of Orma? Without attempting any description of this wondrous residence, sufflce it to say that the billiard room is lit by lamps supported by rampant lions and is decorated with the rarest j)ictures and old china. The dancing took place in the celebrated poreelain room. But the most beautiful of all were the conservatory. which resembled an enchantpdgrotto, and a gallery of art treasures, which gallery had the previous day only been enriched by a new work of a'rt, which as you may imagine, was the object of universal curiosity. Not one of the numerous guests who did not pause before that beauteous work recently airived from Rome, and whose exquisitely pure lincs were even enhanced in beauty- ïf that were possible - by the green trees at the back. It was an excellent ideato place it in this conservatory. The name of the statue is " The Lost Pleiad," and bears this inscription in gold letters : Merope Mortali nuptit. The pose of " The Lost Pleiad " is a marvel of conception, and a marvel also is tlie xecutionof thellgure. By thtistyle of the above you raay teil tliat I have given you only a rough translation of the ImparciaTa woids. In Spanish the description is much more sonorous and grand. All I aimed at was to show how American art is approciated now, even In Spain, for tie is one of the grandees of Spain, wlio not only acquires the wolk of an Anierican artist, but places it in the post of honor in his winter garden (for thus we must read the word conservatory). Nor is it the artist who is congratulated at kaving this honor conferred on one ol hls works, but it is the Marquis de la Puente de Sotoniayor, who is eougratulated at having acqulred the work. Nevertheless it must also be balm to the sculptor's heart to see his work thus ajpreciated, and I am sure tliat every American, whei-ever he may be, will be pleased to hear of this new triuinpli of American art and of an American artist. Those also who may liave seen the statute when it wasinKandolph Rogers's studio, will remember how beautifu) it was, iiow regretful, and yet how sweet was the expression of the face, how pure and graceful the figure, concealed and yet displayed by the long flowing draperies that covered it. Yes, the Marquis de la Puenta de Sotomayoris fortúnate in being the possessorof this work, and Randolph Hogers cannot be too warmly congratulated for having been the author of the work, and for having the proud consciousness of it appreciation in Spain, where works of art are neither few nor mean. But I must leave "The Lost Pleiad," lost indeed to us, to begin my usual gossip.