The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-11-04
PICIUItiI-BUYING,
Row Artists Succr"d in Putting People
Out of the IIumnr.

How Artists Succeed in Putting Pcople
Out Of the IIumnr.
LET me tell you," said a salesman
in the picture business tho other day,
"that artists rs class arc the most
trying aud short-sightcd people i'm tho
world. For instance, they will actually
try to spoil each others sales. They
can not be made to SEQ that whatcvcr
helps one helps the market"
"How can they spoil each others
salesp"
"ln many ways. I'll give you an in
stance, and will take a case that han
pcncd good many years ago, so that
no ono's feelings shall be hurt. l had
for customer wealthy gcntlcmap,
and had just about persuaded him TO
buy really good landscape by lead
ing artist; price, 500. In fact, the
gentleman had virtually bought tho
picture. He was just beginning to
speak about making a payment whc 4
an artist, mutual acquaintance,
strolled into tho room. Now the gen
tleman wanted confirmation of his
Judgment, rs people often do, and SO
appealed to tho artist coming in, and
asked his opinion of the purchase. The
artist felt twingo of jealousy. He
balanced himself first on his heels and
then on his toes, made opera glasses
out of his hands, and squintcd, at the
picture from every possible point of
= view. Finally he spoke. 1T is fine
picture. 1t is well conceived, drawing
first rate, admirable color like the
trees, tho sky, the water. In fact, it's
an excellent work of art. Still, if YOU
really want my opinion, I'll tell you
something. You sec that small figure
in tho distancc-thc figure of man
ishingP Well, if you will take the
trouble to find the scale of measure
ment, you will discover that the mans
tshing-polo is certainly over fifteen
feet longn
when l heard that | knew in a
minute that my bargain was of. Tho
gentleman buying the picture did not
rely enough upon his own Judgment,
and besides had had experience. Tho
artist crticising the picture appeared
TO be fair and square. lIc had really
given tho work its due praise. to begin
with. But ho had got his deadly work
in after all. That splendid work of
art was spoiled for that purchaser by q
little brush stroke intended to repre-
sent lishing-polc. The gentleman
never looked ut it again that 1t did not
seem to him to be all tishing-polc, and
he finally told me the fishing pole had
made the picture odious TO him, and
he would not buy il"
And you say that artists often do
that sort of thing?"
Yes, they've spoiled good many
sales for each other, in my cxpcricncc.
But, mind you, don't say that they
have any malicious intention or always
realize what they arc doing. 1t is tho
easiest thing in the world 10 discover
some little, lriiing, good for nothing
defect that will turn Il person against a
picture"
but suppose a purchaser is put out
OF conccit with Smiths picture, doesn't
that mako him all the more likely to
turn around and try one of Browns? p"
'No, it does not. And that is why
say artists arc short-Sighted. In my
experience, if man buys picture
and is happy and satisfied over his
purchase hc is more than likely to turn
around and buy more pictures. The
appetite grows on him. But if he is
checked and made to iccl dissatisfied
with his own taste aud his own iudc-
mcnt just rs he is about TO buy u pict-
urc hc is thrown back on himself,
grows disgustcd, and turns his back on
the whole business"
"iow do you think the tasto for
picture-buying may bc promoted?"
There's no telling anything about
it. Picturc-buying hero in San Fran
cisco comes on ut irregular intervals
like an epidemic. Sometimes | think
it comes in waves, like hot weather, or
like anything else we don't under
stand.
"Is it not possible the trade should
ever become cqualizcd, and Il steady,
regular demand for pictures be estab-
lishcd?"
We'll, ifyou ask mo that question,
/ shall have to tel YOU that hero again
the artists arc at fault. In dull times
the artists go along slowly and care
fully. They growl good deal, but do
pretty good work. Lot the market i'm
provo ever so little and they get per-
,fectly wild and turn out pictures by the
dozen. They reason that if they can
sell possible threo out Of four pictures
why not fifteen out of twcntyP The
consequence is they kill tho goose that
lays, tho golden egg. They glut the
market with poor pictures, exhaust
purchasers at the earliest possible mo-
ment, and natten out boom which
began favorably and might have been
coaxed to last long time"
when do you think the artists will
learn to manage their business affairs
with discretionp"
"Not before thcmillcnnium. San