George P. A. Healy: To France!

"William C. Preston" by George Healy

"I was quite aware that, in spite of great natural facility, I had still everything to learn. I had had no master. What I knew I had acquired by dint of hard work, with the occasional advice of some older artist, but with no serious training. My one object was to become a student in a regular art school. But this could only be accomplished after I had scraped together not only money enough to take me to Europe and to help toward my support there, but to leave a sufficient sum with my mother to support her for a year or two, until I should be able to earn something on the other side of the big ocean. At last I was able to do this.

In the month of April, 1834, I secured my passage in a sailing vessel called the 'Sully.' In those days one had to await a favorable wind before venturing out to sea. While I was thus waiting in New York, I called on Professor Morse, to whom I had a letter of introduction. This was just about the time when he was beginning to work out his discovery, the electric telegraph. Mr. Morse had been a painter. Doubtless he did not remember that career with pleasure, for he said to me somewhat bitterly, 'So you want to be an artist? You won't make your salt, you won't make your salt!' 'Then, sir,' answered I, 'I must take my food without salt.' This was the same prediction as my grandmother's. But I preferred to think of the encouragement I had received from Mr. Sully and others, and on the whole they were in the right. 

A violent storm drove our vessel very rapidly toward France, and we were within two hundred miles of Havre in eight days after our sailing, but it required twelve more to accomplish the rest of the voyage. I knew no one in France. I was utterly ignorant of the language. I did not know what I should do when once there. I was not yet one-and-twenty, and I had a great stock of courage, of inexperience - which is sometimes a great help - and a strong desire to do my very best."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "Reminiscences of a Portrait Painter" by G. P. A. Healy.)