Butte record., 1855-10-06


locked my door and went home to my
attic.
1 thought my pictures might have sold, ,
if the subjects had been Of more general
interest. mo one wants portraits x
cept relations, and the relations Of these
cannot afford to purchase such luNuries, :"
I said. If paint composition, it
will find a ready sale. what shall it be -
Ny imagination was filed with the re-
membrance Of Jephthah and his daugh.
ter; but I did not care to attempt the
warrior, anu the daughter alone would
hardly suffice so I determined to paint
Iphigenia as priestess at Aulis
/ drared mJ lay figure with a sheet,
and commenced, The treatment was
purely classical The garment fell in
dignifed folds to the feet, broken only
by an invisible girole at the waist; it
was fastened on each shoulder By burn
ing gem painted them from two brass
brooches, set with crimson glass, which
| bought for the occasion. One hand
rested lightly upon an altar, represented
by my table and the bordered shawl
the other was pressed upon her breast.
The arms were very white, and one Of
them quite round. The face was raised =,
and the expression Of piOus resignation
was very well given. The hair was
beautifully dishevelled. The blae Medi>
terranean in the distance led the eye to
the horizon, and the mind to revery.
The figure was half-size, and I was a
whole week painting it. l worked quite
steadily, fearing visitors might come if
l went out. Occasionally, exhausted by
the inspiration Of my subject, | took Il
short walk but always pinned up q
paper to say that should return immc-
diately, and placed chair outside my
door, thinking ladies would be out Of
breath coming up 50 many stairs, and
would wait longer if they found a rest
ing-place. When l returned, always
felt quite sure that some one had called
during my absence, and I regretted that
I had been out.
When my painting was finished, I
doubted whether had better ak Mr..
Ochre 10 come and look at it, or not I
knew there was great jealousy among
artists, and feared he might not be pleased
TO find bis pupil had become his rival !;
but told him in an off-hand way, one
day, that l had picture on my easel he
might ike to step in and look at some
time when he was passing and he came.
l saw a smile quiyering upon his lips
as he stood before it. He walked about
my studio, looked at the torso, praised
my Venus, asked me where l bought my
paints, approached the priestess, and
burst into a loud laugh. ''I can't stand
it, Gunlbo," he exclaimed: at is too
good -
I knew it was good myself, but its
merits had a very different effect upon
me. l was astonished at his laughing
l had intended that the painting should
produce exalted einot ons, mingled with
sorrow. Glow did you N ke the folds
of that drapery so straight :" he said,
''you must have ruled them, and th re
are no limbs under them. The arms
are ike chop-sticks they are not half
50 good as those of little Patrick Ma
hone, you painted six months ago The
head is stuck on , ilh skewer, is If
not /; Nothing else could keep it up so.
And the figure does not stand-a breath
of air would puff it all away. No, no !;
this viii never do. You must keep to
real life; your fancy pictures are abso-
lutely good for nothing" And he turned
to me with what we intended for
good natured smile, l suppose but l
saw that jealous look in the corner OF
his eye.
''The public shall judge between US"
l said, quite grandly.
He looked at me a. if he would laugh
again /; but laying his hand on my shoul-
der, said-"Come, my boy. l see how it
is. You think you have done something
very good, and that am envious of you.
1 assure you BY all know Of art that
the whole thing is ridiculous. Place it
in the exhibition, and you will see that
it is so considered but send it anony-
mously, l beg of you. | should not like
to have your name laughed at"
Yes" thought I ''he wishes to have