The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-09-05
THE LIVING SCHOOL.
,heap Mude Models for Artists-The IN
romantic Way in Which Nymphs and
Naiads Grow Upon the Canvass.

"Th;s talk about the romance con-
nected with the life of artists models is
all nonsense-sheer nonsense" said an
old artist yesterday, as he blew little
rings Of smoke from q stubby pipe to
the ceiling of his studio. II have had
as much experience with models of all
kinds-good and bad, pretty and home
ly-as falls to the lot of most artists,
and I have yet to find any romance in
the ordinary persons that sit for u
studios. OF course the business fol-
lowed as a business is q peculiar one,
but as for any special glamour-bah!"
and tho old cynic crossed his legs more
comfortably and smiled q sardonic grin
from the depths Of his crimson plush
armchair.
"But with nude models-the ladies
who pose before you with nothing on
how is it with"
"Those who come here robed only in
spotless purity" INTERRUPTED the
lounging painter with q little laugh.
II thought you would ask about them,
all laymen do. They have an idea that
studios of successful artists are beseiged
by throngs of beautifully formed ladies,
rich, talented and we'll born, each one
ready to go down on her snowy knees
to the artist for the privilege of having
her rounded form transferred to canvas.
The popular idea seems to be hat Fifth
avenue pours its choicest flowers into
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signify our willingness to paint her to
have the first lady in the land come
here as a model. The air of mystery
that surrounds nude models serve to
keep up the illusion. This is of course
purest nonsense. The great majority
of women who disrobe for
US are professional models. They
pose here hour after hour
for a momentary consideration. They
may be vain, and it undoubtedly gives
them pleasure to know that their forms
will be admired by hundreds, and the
delicate shades and symmetrical curves
which they SO admire will be praised
by nsen perhaps now unborn; but all
this Zoe not keep them from demand
ing their $1.75 per hour. Bless you,
no! 1t is a regular trade with them,
like dress-making. They do not come
in uncomfortable positions because their
figures are q succession of beautiful
curves, but because they make a COM
paratively easy living by posing. It
pays better than ~clerking, better than
ballet-dancing, and if the model is at
all discreet is quite as respectable as
either. But professional models
do not perceive that there is any
thing out of the way in disrobing for a
man or class of men for q picture, It's
their business, don't you see? Nature
has endowed them with forms far above
the average, with firm, rigid flesh, very
different from that which clothes the
bones of most women, and the models
sell these charms to the public through
the artist. II I were pretty poor /
would do the same, and the old cynic
nodded his head two or three times very
emphatically and went offinto areverie.
II am tired Of hearing artists pirate
of their goody-good models" he con-
tinued. Some of the models are
chaste as that perennial icicle that hangs
from Diana's temple, but most of them
are not. We can't go about like Do
gense with a lantern inquiring INTO the
honesty of our sitters. It is enough
for us to know that the length of her
limb from the thigh to the knee is in
proportion to the leagth from the knee
to the ankle, and that the member is
otherwise symmetrical. It is difficult
enough'to find a perfect figure without
bringing up questions Of morality. But
this lean say, that the relations between
artist and model are usually of the
purest nature. Take the city directory
and you Will find half a score of women
registered as professional models,
Nearly all figure painters in New York
know them, have painted them, and
yet the subject does not presume to
bow to the artist as they pass on the
street. Their relations are simply those
of employer and employee. The artist
usually belongs to ahigher social plane,
and in the studio does not meet his sub
ject on q footing of equality. She
comes to him, the price is arranged,
she goes into a side room and
disrobes, m out again with moth
ing on and quietly takes the posi-.
ton indicated. When tird she drops
intoa chair to rest, and probably chats
quietly while the artist fills in the de-
tails Of his picture. Then she poses
again and so on until the time isup and
then she goes back to her room tc
dress. Coming out she says, Will
come again tomorrow at IL the painter
enters it on his book as a dentist does
his appointments, and the vision glides
demurely down stairs. There is all
there is to IT,"
"Then you believe the physical stand.
ard is growing better?"
II didn't say exactly that, though
good models are more easily Sc.
cured now than twenty years ago. Still
there are few, one might almost say
no, perfect all-round models. I near
whose forms are as symmetric
ally deyeloved in one direction us in
others. In one the limbs are marye1s
of tapering grace, in another the bus,
is such as painters delight to portray, ir
athird the arms are soft and rounded
But few can claim to be wholly perfect.
So we draw our arms from this model,
the neck from another, and the legs
from a third. The face of course il
never the nude models. I will show
how we are compelled to search round
to make a perfect picture" and the
artist pulled himself out Of the depth
of his chair, unlocked IN escritoire an6
bringing out a little memorandum book
pointed to several entries. They read
miss Carrie Warsingers, arms; Mis-:
Hattie G. Jobrey, bust; Mrs. F. NJ
Craysert, limbs and SO on down hal
apage.
"Now," he explained, II make a com,
bination of three or four Of these person.
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