The mountain Democrat., 1863-05-16

spectator, 1t is yours for twopence.' An
other mNN,MOt approSing Of the scarlet tint
OF his trousers, suggests that they cep-.SN
be painted pink another, that his coat
should be changed from dark olive to q
bright emerald green, or from Prussian
blue to ultra-marine. In all cases the art
ist is most amiable; and il he gets but his
twenty sous, offers his customers q choice
of all the colors Of the rainbow. Actu-
ally, then, these pictures, If they do not
| give the physical proportions Of each sub
ject, generally represent some idiosyncru-
sy which marks the original. GroSjean,
desiring to be handsomely painted, rugged
biRsr)f eye IN s4-,s)s d'eSS t~isted his
moustache into wiry 'crocs, and weadel
his way through Versailles to an artists
studio. II, as he assembled the grand stair
case Of polished oak, he had any doubts
whether a painter living in such man.
sion would do him a portrait for franc,
the fact Of my having given him the ad-
dress would havewut tiiced to reassure him;
for, to good French soldier, his captain
is infallible. The captain of a troop serves
TO his soldiers in lieu of father, mother,
banker, friend, and often spiritual advi-
ser. If the captain says thing is so and
SO, that settles it.
-GroSjean pulled the bell.rope on the first
landing and. with a patrOnizing air, asked
a gentleman who opened the door for NJ.
Horace Vernet.
Yes, my friend. it is here rs he at
hOme? Yes, I am he oh! do you
make picturs ? Sometimes, my friend.
How much do you ask for port ait -
"A portrait? What do you want with a
portrait, my friend?' That's my affair
I'll pay for it, oh! who recommended
you to me?' why. | have heard of your
talents, and-I thought you might as well
do it as anybody else Thank yOu.-
Come in mon ami. DO you know my
charges-or thcreaboutsy Yes sup.
pose fifteen or twenty sous-that is, with
lots Of gold ornament, twenty sous, eh =
Hum
Vernet, with a good natured smile on
his face, showed the dragoon into his
studio. where was his grand picture of
the Taking of the Smahla Of Abd-el-
Kader," finished on an easel.
Twenty sOusi that's very little, my
friend!' The usual price, l believe.
Not with lots Of gold ornament! p 'Oh
yes, I've seen some you've done for
other fellows Have you now = Yes
now, monsieur, don't like bargaining ;
/ see by this picture that you paint we'll
Will you do it for tw enty sous, gold and
ally Make it twenty-five No,
twenty.' How do you want it done !?
Full dress. as am with the helmet
on ? OF course Then it's impossi
ble! Not under twenty-five Why ?
Why? just think, mon ami, that red
horse hair tail on your helmet would
take at least five sous worth of vermil
, lion-and veruiion has risen in price
Well, | don't care 50 much about the
helmet; hat you'll do the spurs ii
gold!' Yes; the spurs And a golc
LiIt to the sword = Also Very
wei, monsieur, consider it as an order
! shall pay you anything in advance ?
on, by no means. See whether you like
your picture first, and if you don't III dc
you another oh, very well but for.
got to tell you-don't put me in the same
position as all other fellows. Draw me
something like this: as if | were leading
on to an attack But that will cost
more 'Why?' Because there is more
work, and it will take more paint. You
see. when your sword is in its scabbard
it is only one thing to paint-only the
hilt and the sheath; but when you draw
your sword, | must paint the hit, the
scabbard, and the blade well, there
something in that; but look here, never
mind that. III give you twenty two sous.
Ihere!' It's q bargain, then, said Yer
net; come the day after tomorrow. -
why not do me nOw?' '0h for TWEEN.
ty sous l want to do you somewhat sty-
liSh, and must get some ne~ colors. -
Very well don't do it like that chasseur
d'AfriGue in the big picture here the
cclorS are so dull. There's no brilliancY
in them-there is something wanting
Yes, yes, no doubt; That's n cheap pic
ture I've done for the Museum here
Horace Vernet, relating this part of the
adventure, says he never enjoyed an or.
der so much in his life, not even his first
| one; the little patrOnizing air Of the troop
er, and his would.be connoSSeur.liker re-
marks about the big picture, amused him
immensely. He had a careful look at the
particular chaSseur d Antique whom Gros-
jean had pointed ont; and indeed he was
going to add little hriliancy, when he
suddenly reflected that the man repre-
sented was III cloud of smoke and dust,
calculated to diminish the effect Of the
colors, and so lett his work as it was.
At drill, GrOsjean answered my inquiry
as to his portrait with a knowing wink,
which conveyed his belief that he had
proved too much for the artist He
asked me twenty-five sous, captain, and
he's going to do it for twenty. two, gold
and ALL he said to me. congratulated
him upon his success, and had to restrain
him during the rest Of sword exercise, for
he would fancy at odd timeG that he was
sitting for his portrait; and throwing him
self into all kinds Of heroic, iorlorn- hope
attitudes. which if they were picturesque,
were at all events not according to regu
lation.
Horace Vernet would have been inval
liable as a detective draughtSman; if he
once had a good look at man, he could
from memory produce striking likeness
It was q happy knaek be had, and some
times an unfortunate knack, for, HnCOn'
sciously, he would associate certain peo
pies features with particular acts. If he
represented in one battle. piece a soldier
flying with fear and terror expressed on
his countenance, his. crayon would. in
spite of himself, trace the familiar features
Of some well-known parsonage who had
distinguished himself by lack of pluck
and in one of his grand pictures, wishing
to represent rapacious, grasping Israel
ite, he drew the features Of cotemporary,
whom many would recognize at the first
glance. have said that this was some