George P. A. Healy: Longfellow and Liszt

"Longfellow and Daughter" by George Healy

"When I stayed in Rome for some time, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, with his daughters, spent some months in the Eternal City. He was then a splendid-looking man, with perfectly white hair and beard. His eyes were bright and expressive. I painted a group of himself with one of his daughters, a very young girl with golden hair. The contrast was a very telling one.

In my studio the picture he looked at most often was a large portrait of Franz Liszt seatered at his piano. I had recently painted it, and I told the poet how, during the sittings, Liszt had played for hours at a time. I showed him casts I had taken of the musician's hands. These greatly interested him, for they were extraordinary - thin, nervous and well shaped; revealing much of the man's passionate, unquiet, earnest nature.

List had his lodging in an old convent close to the Forum. Longfellow expressed a desire to see the great musician, and as I had remained on good terms with my sitter, I asked permission to present the American poet to him.

One day toward sundown, we drove together to ring at Liszt's private entrance. It was already quite dark in the vestibule, the door of which was opened by means of an interior cord. Liszt himself came forward to greet us, holding a Roman lamp high up, so as to see his way. The characteristic head, with the long iron-gray hair, the sharp-cut features and piercing dark eyes, the tall, lank body draped in his garb, formed to striking a picture that Mr. Longfellow exclaimed, 'My. Healy, you must paint that for me!'

Our visit was most agreeable, for no man was more fascinating than Liszt. He played for us on his fine American piano, with which he was delighted. Taking advantage of this amiable time, I told him how much we had both been struck by his appearance as he came toward us, light in hand. He willingly consented to sit, and I made a small picture, as exact a reproduction as possible of what we had seen, and which gave great pleasure to Longfellow."

To be continue

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