Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-04-22
TWO PORTRAITS.


maid was dressing her hair encountered her
own image in the glass.
Framed in the gilded frame of the mirror,
her image concentrated, as it were, assumed
peculiar and artistic appearance. Mime. de
Varigny was suddenly struck by two thoughts;
one was that she was really beautiful at which
she sighed; the other that she had never
had her portrait taken, and that one day prob
ably she would regret that there was no rec
ord left of her beauty. Nine. la marquise de
Yarigny a real high-born grande dame,
much admired, much looked up to, who, in
spite of all temptations, namely, nothing to
do absence of care, marriage without love,
and the hattery OF the world, had never
swerved from her duty, never gwen to scan
dial excuse for trifing with her
She was in ner thirty third year, and
perhaps sigh was inspired by the thought
that endowed with the greatest gift woman
can possess-beauty-she had been through
life nnappreciated. Monsieur la marquis de
Yarigny was a great admirer of beauty not
Withstanding; but then he preferred still life
to actual living and breathing beauty, and
spent his time in collecting and contemplating
old pictures and antique coins. His wife
and his daughter, a child of six years old,
had SO thoroughly become a portion of him.
self that he forgot they needed any special
attention.
Ii was, therefore, not to the marquis that
Nine. de Varigny communicated the Utmost
feelings of her soul. She had friend many
years her senior, one who had known her all
her life, and who loved her with fathers love
The old cOmte de ServOn was every day at the
hOuse-onee, il not twice. It was not inn
probable that friendship and constant COM
paniOnship of this true friend and most agree
able companion had been safeguard to the
maTquise, uneOnseiOusly tc herself, through all
the peFils of society and adulatiOn
To this friend, to whom she spoke her
thoughts aloud, Nine. de Varigny confided her
desire to have her portrait taken, and in
quired of him who would be the artist chosen
for so great an undertaking
WHITEWATER is the fashionable painter
my dear Eliane, you know, but you would have
so long to wait, his time is much occu-
pied" 81
"And do not want a portrait OF my best
gown, my guipures, and my best Jewels.
want portrait of myself; a portraiat that
will convey in years TO come, to my child for
instance, some idea of the mind and saul
which give exPrcssiOn 10 the features God
has given me-"
81 know the artist, the only one perhaps
in Paris, who could paint true portrait of
ALI then let us go to him; go todayi'
49, "Fo-day :"
4 ayes. The within is in my head, and the
carriage is the door, As
g But my artist has vowed never to paint
another portrait
He is then very rich?" -
e- "No, but very devoted to art and very OBJ
stinate He says he is disguised with the
meagreness, insipidity and tameness of all
modern subjects"
My dear comte, you excite my curiosity
as well as my vanity; let not delay mo-
ment"
An hour after this conversation, Nine de
Varigny's equippage stopped before the pom
derous gates of one of the old forsaken man
sons on the Boulevard st. Jacques and af-
ter the count had had few minutes CONVEX
satiOn with the concierge, he handed Nine
de Narigny from her carriage, crossed the
courtyard, and, pushing open a heavy green
baize door to the left Of the vestibule, en-
tered large and magnificent studio At the
further end, surrounded by pictures, armor,
statutes and heavy brocade draparies thrown
here and there, stood before his easel the ar
tiste Nine. de Varigny had come TO seek
Philip Fleury was not handsome; he had
none of the characteristics of elegance and
dandyism to which Nine. de Varigny was ac-
customed, but he was in appearance one of
the most striking men that could be seen
An earnest, serious face, with large dark
eyes that at each word he spoke flashed with
= enthusiasm; hair that fell in masses of dark
-a waves around his head, longer, perhaps. than
good taste allowed, but especially suited to
the loose velvet blouse he now WORE to his
- surroundings and to the long, silky black
D beard that fell over his chest.
$50 As he looked up ann caught sight of the flow
ing robes of a lady, look of WEAKNESS pass |
ed over his features, but recognizing the !
count his face frightened, and he advanced |
towards his visitors
care we welcome ?" said the count.
- R- " How can you ask such thingy"
"Mme. la marquise de Varigny %
Il have heard you frequently speak of the
marquise, and feel honored by her visit"
May look at qour portraits ?" i
3. All they are ut worthy of being looked
at as works of art | have given up portrait
painting"
The marquise turusI towards the pictures
examining them with great interest and NAM
ing them as she went along from one to the
other, the count and the artist eonversine
meantime together.
When she reached tie last picture she
turned to Philip
"Why do you paint more portraits ~
said she &c admire these exeeednSIv snd
recognize them all'' 90 N-N
They are too easy to paint-features
which never change expression mere IMAGES
Madame La marquise, paint no more pictures
because l am Disguised with the poverty and ,
meanness of all modern subiectsD
A.-+ 6" Alas, alas p said the maruuise "then Won
viii not paint my portrait?"
"YOur portrait I" exclaimed the artist sstbat
Is quite different thing; you are not mod !
ern SUBJECT with your glowing hair your bril- !
nancy OF cOloring, the richness of contour |
and more wonderful eyes, you belong to the !
sf great venetian school. Yes, Titan should
have painted you, and the portrait should not ,
be exiled amid the fripperies Of modern
drawingrOom, but should grace the walls of
some wondrOus palace in Venice or Florence /
Take on that hideous invention Of mod | /
ern times called bonnet, and 90 do not
q touch the hair that has fallen over YOUR dark
velvet cloak; by heavens, count, / have never I
dreamed of so beautiful modei.n
The marquise was a little abashed at this \
direct tiattery, but the artist seemed so utter
ly sincere and so enthusiastic that his words I
made deep impression on her
Madame" said he, eff make of YOU such 8
portrait as the Venetian artists would have | /
- made of you, shall feel that I, too, am a
painter, and shall have TO thank You for q
rzising me from that apathy into which vas