History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 137

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 137

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1844, Col. Dousman married the widow of Joseph Rolette, who died in 1842. This lady was born in 1804, at Prairie du Chien, where she resided, with some trifling temporary absences, until her death, which occurred Jan. 13, 1882. She survived her three children by her first marriage, and on April 3, 1848, her only surviving child, Hercules L. Dousman, was born. Throughout all her long residence in her Northern home Mrs. Dousman led a life of piety and charity, which endeared her to the people among whom her lot was cast, and caused her deccase to be mourned with a genuineness and spontaneity of feel- ing such as made it secm that every family felt the loss as that of one of its individual members.

Col. Dousman died Sept. 12, 1868, when his son was less than twenty-one years of age. During his business career he had acquired vast possessions, in- cluding property lying at various points along the banks of the Mississippi, from Carondelet, where he owned thirty acres of city property, to Prairie du Chien, where his lands faced for three miles along the river bluffs, and stretched far inland. But for the civil war, during which he raised and equipped at his own cost large bodies of troops, these estates would have been much more valuable; but, notwithstanding, at the time of their owner's death they were valucd at several millions of dollars. All these estates are now the property of his son.

Hercules L. Dousman married in November, 1873, the eldest daughter of Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, an officer who distinguished himself on several occa- sions in important operations during the war, and who as colonel of the Seventh Cavalry won an en-

1 This sketch was contributed by F. H. Burgess.

1620

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

viable record as one of the best Indian-fighters the United States army has produced. He is at this. writing governor of the Soldiers' Home at Wash- ington. Shortly after his marriage, and early in 1874, Mr. Dousman accompanied his wife to St. Louis on a visit to her father, who was then com- mandant at Jefferson Barracks. This visit led to his permanent settlement in St. Louis, the decision being reached in the fall of that year. In 1877 he pur- chased a handsome mansion, which he remodeled, add- ing to it a gallery for a collection of paintings. Mr. Dousman had long been a consistent and liberal patron of the arts, purchasing pictures and statuary whenever opportunity served, and gradually educating his judg- ment up from plane to plane, each step being taken with characteristic caution and forethought, but all tending towards the one general purpose of making a collection which should comprise specimens of the best efforts of modern genius. Long before his gallery was completed the principal dwelling-rooms of his resi- dence were crowded with the paintings he had accu- mulated. Subsequently, from time to time, additions have been made, and always with a close regard to the principle on which the collection was begun, until now, although there are more extensive, there are few choicer collections in the country.

As soon as his collection had approached its present degree of excellence, Mr. Dousman notified all in- terested in art, whether resident in the city or visitors, that the treasures he had gathered were at their service for either enjoyment or study. Artists were especially invited to make use of the opportunity thus afforded, and the Dousman residence came to be daily thronged with visitors whose only introduction was a taste for works of art. In time this was found to be too great a tax to be permitted without restric- tion, and a regulation was made which proved bene- ficial to all. One day in the week was set apart as a general visitors' day, admission being by card, obtain- able by any one of respectability on application, the gallery being reserved on the other days for the use of the family and intimate friends.

Probably one of the most remarkable of the works in Mr. Dousman's gallery is the famous " Temptation of St. Anthony," by Louis Leloir.

Gabriel Max is represented by two superb works, " Maternal Happiness" and "The Reverie," both of them perfect specimens of the best style of this great figure-painter.

" L'Ange Gardien," where a young mother is breath- ing a soft prayer over her sleeping infant.

Victor Bachereau has a fine historical work, show- ing the last hours of Francis of Lorraine, Duke of Guise, the dying liero pardoning his assassin, who has been captured and brought to his tent for condemna- tion.

" The Roll-Call of the Reign of Terror," by Charles Louis Müller, the original of the great canvas which stretches over one of the walls of the Palace of the Luxembourg, shows with awful skill all the horror of a morning in the conciergerie when the officer of the revolutionary tribunal is calling out the daily list of the victims of the guillotine.

Pierre Jean Clays is represented by a scene in the harbor of Ostend, painted in the best style of that great marine artist.

Benjamin Constant's work appears on two can- vases,-" Cæsar's Daughter," haughtily treading the steps of the Roman amphitheatre, and " The Sultan's Favorite," a strong piece of Eastern light, color, and grace.

Corot's " Morning," one of the best works of the great landscape-painter, is another feature of the collection.

Among the other artists represented are E. J. Aubert, Czachorski, De Haas and Van 'Marcke, who appcar at their best in two magnificent cattle picces ; William Kray, of Vienna, who is represented by the famous " Lorelei," and by "The Swimming Lesson" and " The Fisherman ;" Jacquet, whose work appears in exquisitely painted portraits of Mr. Dousman's two eldest daughters; A. Vèly (Salon picture of 1880), " Le Cœur S'Eveille," a life-size, full-length work, show- ing a young maiden listening to her grandame's reading of some story of heroic deeds ; Lecompte du Nouy, represented by his famous Salon picture, " Christian Pilgrims at the Tomb of the Virgin;" Casanova, Madrazo, Mesgrigny, Meissonier, Adrien Moreau, Pierre Outin, Palmaroli, Perrault, Pinchart, Richter, Rico, Rossi, Schenck, Schreyer, Alvarez, Amberg, Chelmonski, Clilebowski, Carolus Duran, Jules Dupré, Diaz, De Neuville, Coomans, Heilbuth, Alfred Guès, Hagborg, Indoni, Ziem, Villegas, Simoni, Sjamaar, Terrassa, and a score of otliers.

The citizens of St. Louis fully appreciate the value of such an acquisition to their city as the Dousman family. Its head is always ready to promote public enterprises with both pursc and influence, and his 1

Bouguereau's work is seen in a magnificent full- | home, under the culturcd management of Mrs. Dous- length, life-size painting, " Les Jeunes Bohemicnnes," man, is the centre of the most graceful and refined society the city can boast. sometimes called " Les Sœurs." and in a cabinet picture of extreme delicacy of sentiment, entitled

In addition to the works of art belonging to the St.

A.L. Douswan

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY DE ILINOIS

1621

ART AND ARTISTS.

Louis School of Fine Arts, the St. Louis University, the Mercantile Library, and the Public School Li- brary, the city contains a score or more collections of paintings worthy of mention in this connection, five well advanced collections of engravings, three of etch- ings, and one of photo-gravures and autotypes.

Co-ordinate with the influences already mentioned tending to improvement in the art interests of the city have been the organizations and institutions devoted exclusively to the fostering of this special class of interests.

The earliest of these appears to have been the Western Academy of Art. This was established in 1860, with great promise of permanence and useful- ness. Hon. Henry T. Blow was its first president and the leading spirit throughout. It had purchased an extensive collection of casts of statuary, and had made arrangements for the cstablishment of a School of Design. With the opening of the war, however, the existence of the academy speedily came to an end. The military authorities took possession of the build- ing, and what the organization had collected was quickly scattered abroad. The casts from the antique works now in the reading-room of the Public School Library are all that remain of its possessions.

· The Art Society was established in 1872, for the express purpose of cultivating a taste for art, and one means adopted for the attainment of this end was the formation of a collection of works of art that should be open to the public. The first president of the Art Society was Thomas Richeson, after whom, for several terms of office, came J. R. Meeher, H. H. Morgan, and Thomas Davidson. Dr. W. T. Harris also took an active interest in the organization and contributed much to its success. During the first four or five years of its existence, with such men as its supporters, the society exhibited great vigor and exerted a marked influence upon the community. Dr. Harris, Dr. C. L. Bernays, D. J. Snider, and others infused a strong element of philosophical criticism, directing attention specifically to the thought element in works of art.

It was this influence especially that led to the pur- chase of a large collection of autotype reproductions of celebrated works of art, and the placing these on permanent exhibition in the reading-room of the Public School Library. The result has been to famil- iarize the whole community in greater or less degrec with the typical productions of the great epochs of art activity in the history of the world. The collec- tion is especially rich in works of the renaissance period, the selections being made evidently with reference to the culmination of the expression of the fundamental conceptions of Christianity, and therefore

the fundamental conceptions of the modern world in art-forms.

Unfortunately, however, in the year 1878 the man- agement was changed, and the real purpose of the organization quite lost out of sight, the natural result being the speedy dissolution of the organization itself. But this fact could not invalidate the work actually accomplished by the society that has a permanent value, and to its promoters is due the gratitude of all genuine lovers of art in the community.

The St. Louis Sketch Club originated with J. R. Meeher in 1877. Its aim was primarily a profes- sional one, viz., the cultivation of the inventive and creative powers of its members, who were, of course, artists, either professional or amateur. A further pur- pose was to promote a professional spirit among the artists of the city. It began with but three members, and met in turn at their respective studios. For a time the jovial artists found the meetings occasions of genuine relaxation and mirthful enjoyment, no less than of free mutual criticism. With increase of numbers, however, there has been a manifest tendency towards reserve and " decorum," until, with an active membership of twenty-five, and an associate mem- bership of seventy-five, its gatherings have become somewhat stated social occasions. The rooms of the club are well appointed, and its monthly receptions are occasions of special interest. At these receptions are exhibited sketches by the active members, illus- trating some appointed theme. The influence of the club upon its members has been very great and al- together valuable, as it promises to be for the future.

The School of Design was established by Mrs. John B. Henderson in 1878. The aim of this organiza- tion was mainly to give opportunity for learning the methods and fundamental forms of decorative art, though afterwards instruction was also given in paint- ing, both figure and landscape. For a time the school was popular, and seemed to meet a real demand. At length, however, the public-spirited lady who estab- lished it, and who from the first had supported it almost unaided, gave it over to other management. Support failed, and the school shortly came to an end.

There remains to be noticed the School of Fine Arts connected with the Washington University. In a prospectus of the school for 1881-82 it is stated that " the establishment of an art school upon a broad and permanent basis has always been part of the plan of Washington University." It is also intimated that art instruction had been embodied in the course of study for nearly twenty-five years. It would seem, however, that it was not until 1875 that anything very definite was done to put in force this part of the

103

1622

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

general plan. In that year " students were admitted to the drawing department," and class and public lectures were given in art history. During the same year, too, an evening school was opened.

This initiatory step, properly speaking, in the real- ization of what had so long been included in the ideal of the university was taken by Halsey C. Ives, who, in the face of much discouragement and opposition, organized a free evening class in a room of the uni- versity and became its sole teacher. The class num- bered eighteen the first evening, and increased to forty-three within two months. During the second year the numbers were such as to require an assistant, and the year following three assistants became neces- sary. At the same time a course of lectures was given on Architecture, Sculpture, Art History, and Music. These lectures were open to the public, as well as to students, and were largely attended.

It soon became evident that there was demand for day classes as well, and accordingly provision for such was made. Many at once availed themselves of the opportunity thus offered, and the numbers have steadily increased to the present time. During the past year two hundred and eighty-eight persons have received instruction in the school, exclusive of stu- dents from other departments of the university. About one-third of the students thus far have been ladies.

During the first years of the work the instruction given was for the most part unpaid. It was an ex- periment, and largely the experiment of the one man, who looked steadfastly through all discouragement to the success which he saw as well as felt to be certainly awaiting his efforts.

The success that followed his conviction was fol- lowed by the conviction of others, so that " on May 22, 1879, the directors of the university adopted an ordinance establishing a Department of Art in Wash- ington University," to be known as " The St. Louis School of Fine Arts." The objects of the depart- ment were appropriately defined, and work was begun at length upon a thoroughly secure basis.

Of course the man who had proven the practica- bility and made certain the success of the school was now formally appointed its director. Nor could a more fortunate selection have been made. Professor Ives has already brought the school to a degree of maturity that gives it rank among the foremost of such institutions in the country. Altogether clear in his convictions, unswerving in his purpose, familiar with the art and art schools of both Europe and America, and enthusiastic in his devotion to art, his management promises to give to the very liberal pro-

vision now made for the school the utmost degree of efficiency in the promotion of the art interests of St. Louis and the West.

But any notice, however brief, of the St. Louis School of Fine Arts would be incomplete without some mention of the splendid gift of its most recent and most liberal patron. On the 10th of May, 1881, as elsewhere more fully stated, Mr. Wayman Crow formally delivered by gift to the authorities of Wash- ington University the title of a large, substantial, and handsomely-furnished structure, under the name of " The St. Louis Museum of Fine Arts." This con- sists of five large galleries, besides a number of class- rooms, three large studios, and a beautiful auditorium capable of seating nearly a thousand people. With its galleries once properly filled, we have here the predes- tined focus of all the genuine art interests of the city.

Here again, indeed, the energy of Professor Ives has not been wanting. Two of the galleries were immediately filled with a fine collection of casts, which he had already secured, representing the great typical works in sculpture, from the colossal Egyptian statues to the marvelous Gates of Ghiberti. A num- ber of paintings of a high order of merit are already on the walls, together with engravings, etchings, and autotype reproductions of many great works of art. Of these, indeed, he has already secured a rare collec- tion for the school, so that students have constantly before them both excellent original works and also faithful reproductions of many of the finest creations in the entire range of art.

There can be no question that the establishment of the St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts marks one of the most important epochs in the art history of St. Louis.

Finally, it ought not to entirely escape notice that some very intelligent and effective work in the direc- tion of cultivating a taste for and developing a ra- tional judgment of art and art history has for a number of years been going forward in the Central High School, at first under the direction of Miss Mary E. Beedy, and more recently in the hands of Miss Sue V. Beeson.

Two publications specifically devoted to art have been published in St. Louis. One of them, under the title of Art and Music, was begun in 1881. It gave illustrations of the work of local artists, and repro- duced a number of works in local collections. It failed to reach a very high standard of work, met with very unsatisfactory support, and after about eight months of precarious existence its office of publication was moved to Chicago, where it is now issued as a weekly.

1623

ART AND ARTISTS.

A smaller one is published by the students of the School of Fine Arts, under the name Palette Scrap- ings. It has been in progress but little more than a year, and is, of course, to be judged of from its own stand-point. As students' work it is very creditable.

Two other publications, the Journal of Speculative Philosophy, under the editorship of Dr. William T. Harris, and The Western, under the editorial man- agement of H. H. Morgan, have devoted much space to the philosophical discussion of art, both in its general compass, and also in the special interpre- tation of individual works of art, both ancient and modern. These interpretations have been the out- growth of attempts to discover and to formulate in reflective language for the reason the thought element involved in given works of art which, as such, of course appeal directly to the imagination.

We come, finally, to give some brief indication of the actual productive work accomplished in the field of art in St. Louis, and of those by whose hands this work has in the main been done. And it is worth remarking that the very fact of so large a number of artists finding support here is itself the best evidence of the rapid growth in the appreciation of art in the community.

Of architecture there is little to be said from the point of view of art. Of church architecture there are comparatively few specimens of really fine design. One of these is the Episcopal (Christ) Church at Thirteentli and Locust Streets. Though still unfin- ished, the structure is altogether imposing. The plan, as a whole, is marked by a pleasing degree of harmony, which is greatly heightened by the sense of repose given by the appearance of massive solidity. It is a good example of the early English Gothic style.

The Presbyterian Church, Fourteenth and Lucas Place, bears a specially fine spire, illustrating the best phase of the true pointed style.

SS. Peter and Paul's (Catholic) Church, Soutlı St. Louis, is a fine large edifice in stonc of the Gothic style, the external appearance of which, however, is seriously marred by the unfinished state of the spires. The Church of St. Alphonsus, on Grand Avenue, is also a fine structure externally, though the interior is not sufficiently high to prevent a certain sense of oppression.

St. Joseph's (Catholic) Church, Eleventh and O'Fallon Streets, is specially noticeable on account of its interior decoration, as is also the much smaller Church of the Annunciation, Seventh and Labadie Streets, which is nearly on the plan of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

The Church of the Messiah, recently erected on the

corner of Garrison Avenue and Locust Street, is a beautiful example of the early English style of archi- tecture. It has a number of memorial windows, which are considered the best specimens of stained- glass work in the city. The perfect adaptation of means to ends of use, without in any degree sacrificing any part of the artistic motive of the whole, is realized in this structure to a degree seldom attained.

On the other hand, examples are but too numerous of large sums of money expended only to render bad taste the more conspicuous. This is especially true of a number of churches but recently completed at great cost, the interior decorations of which are alto- gether unfortunate, both in design and in combination of colors.

The Public Buildings of the city present few ar- tistic features to detain us. Tlie old court-house, Fourth and Market Streets, has a really good dome. The Four Courts, Twelfth Street and Clark Avenue, is a huge pile, gaudy, French, and flimsy.

The new custom-house, again, occupying an entire square between Eighth and Ninth Streets and Olive and Locust, is a building of immense cost, and not altogether destitute of pleasing points. Viewed as a whole, however, it is impossible to deny that it lacks unity. On the contrary, it is cut up into details so as to lose fatally in mass and solidity.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Eighteenth and Lucas Place, mentioned elsewhere, may be classed among public buildings in the more general sense. The main portion is of stone, the auditorium in the rear being of brick. The effect of the whole is unique and pleasing, while the interior finish is rich and fault- lessly elegant.

One other building also may be included here, and also serve as transition to the class of commercial buildings. It is the new Chamber of Commerce, Third and Chestnut Streets. It is massive, sym- metrical, beautiful. Unfortunately, however, its lo- cation renders a good view of it well-nigh impossible.

The number of commercial buildings noticeable for their architectural design is rapidly increasing. One of the earlier and one of the finest of these is the Equitable building, Sixth and Locust Streets, with its admirable provision for light. Among others are the Gas building, Third and Pine, brick finish, and the Bridge building, Eighth and Washington Avenue, with its handsome front in stone, each representing a special style.

Among hotels, the Lindell, Sixth and Washington Avenue, is doubtless the finest from the artistic point of view, while of the theatres the new Olympic is regarded as by far the handsomest.

1624

HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

The number of really handsome residences is also rapidly increasing. Among many others may be mentioned that of J. L. D. Morrison, Twenty- eighth and Locust Streets, entirely of stone, large, finely proportioned, and in refined taste ; and those of John Whittaker, Garrison and Franklin Avenues, P. L. Foy, Grand and Lindell Avenues, and J. D. Perry and others on Vandeventer Place. It would indeed be impossible, as it would be undesirable, to catalogue all the residences whose owners have shown their appreciation of the value of the art element in a dwelling. Many, indeed, present little that is noticeable externally, but are specially elegant within, following the fashion of the ancient Greeks.

In short, there can be no doubt of the genuine and rapid increase of interest in architecture as an art in all its branches on the part of the citizens of St. Louis.

Among local architects, F. D. Lee, by whom, aided by Thomas B. Annan, the Chamber of Commerce was planned, and George I. Barnett, have done much thor- oughly artistic work.

Charles E. Illsley has also done good work in the line of domestic architecture.

In sculpture there is still less that calls for notice. In some sense Miss Harriet Hosmer may be claimed as belonging to the art history of St. Louis, seeing that in 1850 (at nineteen years of age) she became a student in a medical college of this city, where she acquired a knowledge of anatomy that has been of special service to her in her later artistic labors. Two beautiful specimens of her work, Œnone and Beatrice Cenci, are now in the city, onc owned by the Mercan- tile Library, and the other by the Art Museum.

Howard Kretschmar, a native of St. Louis, became conscious of his vocation as a sculptor through carv- ing a set of chessmen in wood. He afterwards modeled in clay a bust of Mayor Joseph Brown, which attracted attention, the result being that he went to Europe and remained there four years, first in the Academy of Munich, and afterwards as an inde- pendent student at Rome. Since his return he has been actively engaged in his profession. Among his recent works is a marble bust of Hon. Thomas Allen. He is at present a teacher in the School of Fine Arts, Washington University.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 137

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358