The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-05-05
AN ARTISTS REVENGE


Etats Unis tells the following #" One of our mos,
celebrated painters had made. with the view of
exhibition at the Gallery, the portrait of LADY,.
whose fortune has enabled her to OCCUPY a yery
brilliant position, and who had been, for lono
time, regarded one of the most beautiful wo,
men OF Paris. Unfortunately, this reputation is
one OF such long standing, that it is already ON
the wane. The lady in question has already
reached an age to which no one is ever willing to
acknowledge. however much il may have been
extoled by the witty pen of Balzac.
The dusty files of the Civil Registry kept the
secret of her forty summers, which she concealed
as well as she could. with wonderful skill, and
by her great endeavors to be as attractive as in
times past. Paris is place Of great resources
ontmens for all wounds are to be found there. al
well as admirers of all ages. Our heroine main
tanned her Pretensons bravely: her vanity was
tolerated. and being DESTROYS of giving publicity
to her attractions by an exhibition at the Louvre.
she had her portrait painted She prepared her
best looks for the purpose, wearing her most be-
coming dress, assuming a position most favorable
to her charms, seated before her toilette table.
leaning negligently on the arm of her chair. and
smiling upon her reflection in the mirror.
which OF course, was to be most complimentary
TO her charms.
lhe painter sketehed most striking likeness :
IN doing so, he did just what he should not have
y, X
actness, would have been far more acceptable
The perfectness of the likesess made her less
willing tn recognize its merits The model
declared she could not any likeness in it. and
the painting was left on the hands of the unfortu
nate painter.
This was double wrong TO our artist. At
tackled both professionally and pecuniariy, the
painter had not sufficient resignation to enable
him to look on coolly and see portrait worth
and 1aG l.
revenged. or rather to do himself justice. present
ed itself TO his mind, and he set himself a. once
about putting it into execution
few days before the time for offering paint
ings for the exhibition at the Louvre, the LADY,
whe had refused to take her portrait was inform
ed, ny some friend, that the rejected por,rai, had
received sundry additions, of character far from
complimentary. She Immediately repaired to the
studio of our artist. The portrait was stT there
the likeness OF the face as perfect as ever; only
the painter had somewhat the brows dismantled
and the person so faithfully represented. was
holding in her hands two lunches of false curls.
Upon her toilette table were found several
phials. upon which were legbly written these
words: Z" ,Dhite lead - " vegetable rouge -
' cosmetic for the removal of wrinkIes - ,ra
ters for dyeing the hair" Then in the mids,
of all this artillery, could be distinctly seen three
billets sigaed by three different christian names
This is abomnable!" cried the lady =" it is
all tissue of caIumnies
"Of what doyou complaint" replied the paint
er, very coolly. Have you not insisted that
there was not the least likeness of Yourself here
You were perfectly right. This is no likeness of
yours, it is mere fancy sketch. and as such
mean to exhibit it,"
"Wbat. sir Do you mean to exhibit that
paintings"
Certainly, madame, mean to exhibit it az
the catalogue will show, in which You will find
1t set down under the title of coquette of
forty fue."
At this last blow the lady went into Mysteries.
AS soon as she had recovered herself, she hasten
ed to effect a compromise with the painter. The
painter effaced before her own eyes the offensive
additions, and the painting, restored 10 its original
condition, was purchased at the price originally
stipulated, three thousand francs.