Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-03-10
ARTISTS MODELS N NEW YORK.
" ny Models would Rather Pose for
Men Than Women.

1t was not SO long ago that artists in
Boston had a hard time to find models
as they sometimes have to find gold.
Nude models, | mean. There used to
be but two female models-one great
woman, another very thin. For a long
time the academy OF design fought
against a life class, but finally Lad to
give in. The Cooper institute schools
of art still hold out against the limo
vGtion. | think that to propose a nude
model to Peter Cooper would be
enough of a shock to cause his death.
The art students league has life
models, and the artist find no trouble
in getting them for their studies.
Another hard struggle was for lady
artists to get models. Women who
would pose for men would not pose
for women. | know of an instance of
a model who always wore a veil over
her face when she sat for ladies', but
took it off when she sat for men. Her
reason for this was that women would
point her out on the street, if they
c HANGED to meet her, as "our model
while the men would not think Of her
at all.
Models are not necessarily depraved
women. Some of the best in our city
are quiet, modest girls, who have been
brought up in the profession, as were
their mothers before them and they
look upon it merely in a business
light. They are mostly Germans and
Italians. American models, as a gen.
eral thing, come from a lower order of
society.
1t is no easy thing to be a model.
Try to stand in any one position for a
half or three quarters of an hour, and
see ifyou can do it. You would
break downin less than a quarter of
that time. Models are allowed a rest
of twenty minutes between their sit
ting, and during this time they gen.
orally wrap a shawl around them and
retire to another room. One model |
know Of is an exception to this rule.
She poses for a class Of ladies, and
when her rest time comes she steps
down from the platform in all the
simplicity Of Mother Eve, and rakes
the fire and puts on coal. Then she
sits cross-legged on the edge Of the
platform and reads a story paper. A
friend of mine wanted to get some
private sittings from her, so she said,
Il wish you would come to me after
you are dressed. | want to speak to
you" 1T isn't worth while waiting
for that replied the amiable model.
III come to you now and with that
she tripped jauntily across the floor,
treading her way in and out among
the artists without an article Of cloth
ing on. Il want to have you sit for
me at my studio; what are your terms
for private sittings?" inquired my
friend, a little nonplussed. "0h, we
won't quarrel about terms" said the
model, with a jaunty air. But l
wish to know beforehand" insisted
my friend. well, then" said the
model, with an i~ndescribable toss of
her head, fifty cents an hour to
ladies, and a dollar an hour to gentle
men," The bargain was at once sealed,
and she skipped lightly back to the
platform, humming a tune.
Not long ago a well known and
fayorite model made her debut upon
the theatrical stage, playing a leading
role with a great deal Of promise. 1t
is not such an uncommon thing as one
might suppose for an artist to marry
his model. / know of several instances
where this has occurred, and they
have ma e.model wives.