Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-02
MISCELLANY.
PARTISAN ARTISTS MODELS.

Lucy II. Hooper writes from Paris
Does any lover of art, in an ecstasy be-
fore some fine painting representing Eve,
Venus, or some undraped nymph, ever
question himself or herself respecting the
probable fate of the model from whose
living beauty the artist has won the charm
Of his picture Chance has recently
made me acquainted with the history of
one Of those radiant originals whose
graccs have been immortalized by art.
When visiting the studio of the ce: ebra.
ted artist Lefebre recently, I paused in
admiration before the original sketch Of
that exquisit image Of pure and girlish
lovllness, the ''Chloe" that was one of
the gems Of the last salon, and that in
Photographic reproduction has proved so
immensely popular.
1.-THE model who sat to me for that
picture" said NJ. Lefebre, twas but seven.
teen years Of age; and so exquisite was
her form in outline and proportion, that
l was scarcely obliged to alter or idealize
q single line. She sat to me during the
entire winter, and in the spring Quilted
Paris to travel in Holland and Belgium.
On my return found that the Door
young creature was dead. She was q
girl of more refinement and elevation of
sentiment than is usually to be found
among persons of her position, and being
in the hands Of = gang Of low confeder.
ates, they had attempted to force her in.
to way of life from which her soul re.
volted. Thus driven to despair, the poor
child poisoned herself by washing phos.
phorus from friction matches, and then
swallowing the decoction. She was taken
to the hospital, where she died in few
hours; and as her unnatural relatives re.
fused to claim the body, it was handed
over to the doctors of the establishment
for dissection. Had I been in Paris"
added the artist, in tone of deer feel.
ing, II could have saved her from that
indign;ty, 1t least
Such was the final destination of that
fair andsexquisite form which, reproduced
with that chaste idealization which has
made Lefebre the purest of all painters
of the nude, remains one Of the most re-
fined and delicate of oil representations
Of the female ''form divine"
The trade Of model in Paris is =
aourishing and lucrative one. Many Of
the women engaged in it being perfectly
virtious, being always accompanied by .
mother or sister when they 90 to sit, and
being treated with the utmost respect by
tho artists who employ them. Most OF
the celebrated painters will engage . fine
model for months, or even for years so
dihcult is it to discover one which at all
approaches the ideal of the painter.
they receive from five to twenty francs
. day. according to their beauty and celeb.
rity, those who are capable OF posing for
the entire figure receiving, of course, the
highest pay. A romantic but painful
story connected with one Of these models
was recently related to me BY an Ameri.
can artist Of distinction.
A few months ago here appeared in
the art circles of Paris, in that capacity
. young English girl not yet fifteen, 50
perfectly and radiently beautiful that her
services were eagerly engaged for months
ahead At the rate Of fifteen francs . day
She was under the charge Of an old
Italian woman. and was thoroughly
naive and childliks little creature, de.
lighted to pose for the English and Amer.
lean artists, because they spoke her Ian.
guage, and far more interested in the cake
and sugar. plums that were literally be.
slowed upon her than tho money she was
making or in the degradation Of her pc.
sition. One Of her own countrymen by
dint of questioning her, drew from hel
the story Of her entrance into her ques'
tionable and ,perilous, career. She was
the daughter OF small shop keeper in
London. Her parents were very poor
and the italian woman had offered t