The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-17


and you'll get it all right, am sure Such
face as that ON shepherdess Why IL
would Tighten all the lambs away"
And, truth to say, Mrs. Blowsley was not
far wrong. As for the original, except
when il put on "haPpy expressions" II
would take even pretty brave sheep to
stand in its presence undsmayed
"Not the expression ~ returned the pain
ter, in disappointed voice. 81 am sure it
is. You must permit me to Judge of this "
"Don't tell me think ! ought to
know
The painter stood thoughtful for some mo-
ments.
"suppose paint out the head and try it
over again. VIII you sit I"
certainly. Anything to get it fright -
l'll sit for week, rather than disappont my
friends with such hard face as you have
given me-"
every well. Come tomorrow, at this
time, for new sitting"
Mrs, Bowsley acqu esced On the next
day she came, according to appointment
After she had taken her seat, the painter
took the beautiful portrait, the expression of
which she had so much admired, and placed
it a little behind, and at the side of her, so
that he could paint from that as well as from
the living sitter; and so blend the two coun-
tenances as to retain something Of the fea-
lures of the one, while he gave the lovely
expression Of the other. No two faces could
have been more unlike. One was purely
Grecian in its outline, with Just enough full
ness to make it almost perfect; while the
other was coarseness and vugarity ITSELF
The painter had hard task before him.
But its very difficulty and novelty excited
him TO effort After blending, as far as pos
sble, the two styles of face so opposite, in
outline, he commenced filling in feature after
feature, and uniting beauty with positive ug-
illness in way to retain as little Of the lattsr
as possible, yet not entirely destroy it. The
broad, fat face was narrowed, the prominent
chin thrown down, the inward sweep of the
nose gently elevated, and the lips more neat
" curved. As he worked on, he became in
terested in his task, and curious to see how
successful, in an artistic point Of view, his
experiment would prove.
Through three sittings OF two hours in
length, the painter worked with all diligence;
and for an equal space Of time, in the alb
sence Of the living original he was trying to
copy. Mrs. Blowsley begged hard to see
the picture during this time; but the pain
ter would not permit her to get sight Of it
until the final touch had been taken.
"l'm little afraid of this" he said to
himself, as he examined his finished work.
"It's too handsome She'll never believe il
likeness in the world"
But the painter had not yet gone to the
bottom of Mrs. Blowsley's vanity and self
esteem. The very doubt under which he
was laboring showed this.
At last the lovely shepherdess was ready
TO be seen, and the expectant lady admitted
to an examination of its merits. She stood
looking at it for, some moments without
speaking, while the painter, in doubt, stood
by her side. He had carefully removed the
true original Of the picture, lest a sight Of
it should make manifest the novel expert
ment he had been trying.
Chow will that do 20 he a. last venlnr-
ed TO inquire. lie did not speak in very
confident tone Of voice.
"Pcrfect !" murmured the lady.
"You think ! have succeeded in the ex
preston ~
"To charm. Il'sa wonderful like
mes y
"lwas afraid had made the face too
narrow
Not in the least. les as perfect as can
be. knew you could do better than you
did at the first trial That was shocking
caricature."
The painter had seen good deal Of hu-
man weakness in his day-as what painter
has not 3--but this rather exceeded any pre-
yious exhibition of the kind il had been
his i'll or good frotune to meet. He had
modified cast in the eye; had put a
little bit Of Grecan in most nyeterate pug;
had raised the forehead from quarter to an
inch higher than in nature had thrown a
| smile over features that forever froWned !;
in fact, had made, at the suggestion Of sit
tiers, all manner Of changes but never be-
fore had he taken face Of the most exqui-
site beauty, and so blended it with one de-
formed by its very sensuality so as almost to
obliterate the grossness Of the original
And, alter all, to have the likeness called
perfect!
The painter retained his gravity as best
he could, while Mrs. Blowsley extolled the
skill which had been SO fortunate as to catch
her very "happest expression" 1t seem
ed as if the lady could never get done look
ing and admirng. Then friend after friend
was brought in, and all joined in pronouncing
it one of the most beautiful likenesses that
had ever been seen.
1t is hardly matter of surprise that such
a skiful artist soon had his hands so full Of
work, that it was impossible to execute all
his orders. Every fat, old, and ugly ac-
quaintanca Of Mrs. Blowsley, whose too
natural picture graced, or disgraced the walls
of the family mansion, must needs have the
services Of painter who knew so well how
to get the. true expression And as speci-
mems Of his "happy"ar were more and more
widely circulated, his fame spread, and his
business increased. He raised his price
again and again, to meet aud check the in
fux of orders; but pictures like his were
above all price. He could flatter to the full