The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-07-08
MODELS FOR ARTISTS.
Peculiarities Of The People who Pose for Painters
1 Curious Occupation.

MODELS FOR ARTISTS.
Pecularities of the People who Pose for Painters
Curious Occupation.
A slight figure fitted in at the door Of the
Academy of Design the other day, remarks a
New York journal, and disappeared into an
inner room. She had 4 rosy face and bright
eyes.
THAT is one Of our models" said the pro-
fessor, rolling his eyes at the door "A great
change has taken place in public opinion
concerning the use of living models" contin-
ued the professor, willing TO talk. Ten
years ago there was an Outcry against it.
People said ii was scandalous. Posing being
q new thing, it was hard to get model Of
either sex. Now you can get hundreds, and
engagements are made weeks in advance
"What pay do they get?"
"Whcn the life class was first established
we had to pay $3.50 an hour; now the regu-
lar price is so cents an hour. Models pose
from twelve to twenty hours week. They
are changed every two weeks, so as to give
the students change of subject. Men are
better models than women as they are less
easily fatigued.'
"How long does the model stand without
resting?"
"An inexperienced one only twenty min
utes at first. Stand in one position five min
utes without moving a muscle, and you will
get some idea of how tiresOme it is"
DO they show much embarrassment?"
$50 much that the muscles are as rigid as
iron, and they become drenched with perspi-
ration But after posing two or three times
the embarrassment wears of. 1t becomes
merely routine business"
"DO many make it prOfession?"
"There are several men who do no
else. They pose here at the Academy;
Art Students League, and in private SIT .as.
Most of our female models are young W n
who work in workshops and factories.
receive small wages, and think it a
piece of fortune if they can earn so aE.
extra by posing. They invariably give
tiOus names.
Some curious bits of romance have
under my observation" the professo.
sumed after pause. "A pretty little n
nette came in one day and asked for 90.
gagement. She was in straitened Gil l.a.
stances, but did not disclose her hi E-
She was so sweet-tempered that she be .n
q great fav0rite | have never seen an lu.
so ambitious to earn money. She 'uis
pose eight hours a day. 1t made her EoF
pale with fatigue, but she wouldn't give up.
Well, it turned out that she was married
woman. She belonged to a good family in
New Jersey, and was a mere girl when she
married japanese, the son of an eX-minister
from Japan. The husband spent all his
money, was thriftless and earned nothing.
She had to keep him. She frequently posed
for artists in their studios. A richly-dressed
woman came in one morning and inquired
for her. The model she said was her niece,
and she intended to make her the heiress to
her property if she could be found. After
two-days' search the model was traced to a
private studio, where she was posing for an
artist and his wife. This was the last L
heard Of the pet model.
at is always the whip of necessity that
drives people into posing. One day woman
vi hi'thC iDilC 10
handsomely dressed, wearing sealskin
sacque and a silk dress. Her face was pale
and carcw0rn, and she said she had not had
enough to eat. Her story was that she had
married well, her husband having an income
| of $4,000 a year. When he died the fortune
they possessed took wings. She said she had
tried copying and other methods of earning
q living but she had not met with success.
Her figure had always been admired for
grace of outline. Why should she not pos
"Do you have any boys for m0dels?"
cone Of the best subjects we have ever
was a young boy. He had a form like Apo
His father was a downtown banker, v.
was ruined by the panic of 1873. .a
model, whom | met in the street ycstert
has now a responsible position as a b
clerk. One of our students posed last viii -r.
He was from Maine, and had TO depend r-
tircly upon his earnings. This young
is one OF the most promising students il .
academy. All kinds of people drift in
pie you would never dream Of One u.T
handsomcst models is an itinerant Met
ist preacher. lie has the form OF a
atOr.o