The Dickinson press., 1884-08-30
THE LIVING SCHOOL
jheap Hude Models for Artises-Ths IN
romantic Way In which 1ymphs and
Maiads Grow Upon the Canvass.

From the New York World.
@This talk about the romance n
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 a stubby pipe to
the ceiling of his studio. II have had
as much experience with models of all
k~inds--good and bad, pretty and home
ly-as falls to the lot of most artists,
and 1 have yet to find any romance in
the ordinary persons that sit for our
studios. OF course the business fol-
lowed as a business is q peculiar one,
but as for any special glamour-bah!"
and the old cynic crossed his legs more
comfortably and smiled a 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 a 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 well-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.
Unpopular idea seems to be that Fifth
avenue pours its choicest flowers into
our rooms and that we have only to
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
10y men perhaps now unborn; but all
this does not keep them from demand
ing their $1.75 per hour. Bless you,
no! It is a regular trade with them,
like dress-making. They do not come
here and stand for two or three hours
in uncomfortable positions because their
figures L 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 o
man or class of men for a picture. It's
their business, don'tyou 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. If I were pretty poor I
would do the same" and the old cynic
nodded his head two or three times very
emphatically and went offinto a reverie.
II am tired of hearing artists pirate
Of their goody-good models" he con-
chaste as that perennial icicle thathangs
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 q 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 a higher social plane,
and in the studio does not meet his sub
ject on a footing of equality. She
comes to him, the price is arranged,
she goes into a side room and
disrobes, comes out again with moth.
ing on and quietly takes the posi-
ton indicated. When tird she drops
into 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 is up and
then she goes back to her room to
dress. Coming out she says, will
come again tomorrow at IL the painter
enters it on his book as q dentist does
his appointments, and the vision glides
demurely down stairs. There is all
there is to it,"
1Then you believe the physicalstand-
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 mean
women whose forms are as symmetric-
ally develoved in one direction us in
others. In one the limbs are marvels
of tapering grace, in another the bust
is such as painters delight to portray, in
a third 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 q third. The face of course is
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 and
bringing out little memorandum book
pointed to several entries. They read;
"Miss Carrie Warsingers, arms; Miss
Hattie G.. Johrey. bust: Mrs. F.. M