The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-18
ABOUT ART AND ARTISTS.
Peculiarities and characteristics Of the
Men Who Live by the Brush.
An Inside View of the Life of Artists-H0w
American Buyers Rate the Value Of
Pictures-"Little Africa"

there are many artists Of renown and others less
known whose surroundings and modes OF living
are full of interest and picturesqueness. These
men have constituted little world of their
own in the midst of the metropolis. and its
characteristics and charms are seldom even re-
8notely understood by the average pictured buyer
Who in fact, never passes it boundaries ana
never finds out what the artistic world Is In
its way it is as exclusive any other circle OF
society which sets up rules and regulations. 1t
contains men of genius, plodders, snobs-just
like the other circles. 1t has its own contrasts
of wealth and poverty on smaller scale than
&.at of general society. Once within the
pale you find much informality as to
conventional customs and a prevailing
good fellowship. There is. kind Of
Freemasonry without rules, which unites all art
lists. And yet you find in their world also dis
tinctions as sharp, groups as conflicting as those
ia the outer world. Artists divide the race into
two classes, viz: artists and 'other people" The
''other people" include those who represent COM
merce, money, fashion. Even the literary man
is regarded by artists with slight suspicion,
and is accepted cautiously, with some reserve
especially if he is inclined to have any opinions
about art.
But the chief adherence, the bugaboo of art
ists-or the ''black brute" as the French would
call it if they spoke English-is the purely COM
mercial man, on whom they often depend for the
sale of picture. The reason why they don't
like him is that he adopts scale of values en-
tirely unlike their own. The commercial man is
Inclined TO estimate pictures as manufacturer
estimates ''pece-work," or to figure up the cost of
pictorial chef d'euvre by the square yard A
wealthy American connoisseur bought painting
by an eminent French artist, which was meas
nred by inches. and occupied butlittle space. He
paid 500, 900 for it. Some hard headed business
men came to see it. One of them had heard a
great deal about its Importance, and expected to
see something which would cover half the wall
of large gallery But, after gazing at it for
while, without uttering work concerning it's
subject or its merits as work of art, he turned
10 his companion and said: II don't see no 800,
600 in that"
Why should he expect to see dollars there?
Picture which are works of art are not like bales
OF WOODEN goods, that show their value by their
quantity; nor they like stock certificates,
that show their value in hard figures on their
face. Even stock certificates may be deceptive
in spite of the refund figures printed on them
In similar way pictures may be deceptive,
though in contrary direction They do not
have dollar marks and numerical figures
printed on their face. but they may be
worth great deal all the same. CONNER
cial amateurs do not always understand
this; but even when they do the bargaining in
stinct is too strong with them. and they cannot
resist the temptation to beat down" the artists
price. They know he il not capitalist, and they
ind certain pleasure in making the best of
their advantage over him. / have heard of sew
eral instances in which millionaires haggled with
artists for reduction of 800 or 5000 on ST 600
picture. They would not have been pinched by
paying the 500 or 5000, but they felt that it
would be ereditable to them to buy the work of
art at as low n sum as they could get it, few
of the rich picture buyers. but only a few, have
taken the trouble to make acquaintance with
artists. and go around among their studios in
order to buy directly from them. Doubtless
they get pictures cheaper in this way; but it
is way that the artists themselves prefer. The
'middle man" in art makes enormous profits and
exercises crushing tyranny the artist
Consequently, the artist would rather have the
picture collector come straight to his studio and
purchase there. But the collectors who do this
some times carry along with them too much of
their trading instinct remember the case of a
very wealthy buyer here in New York, who is
now dead. He used to make little trips through
the studios. and secure pictures before they had
been exhibited One day he went I'D several
Nights OF stairs to the rooms of a painter. from
whom he had bought several works The paint
Or WAS busy upon picture, and the patron
Fambled about the huge attic room, examining
various paintings One of these struck his
fancy. and he asked the price The artist gave
BIN the price and went on working. The mill
1onaire began to complain about the amount,
and to inquire whether it could not be reduced.
The artist. silently plying his brush, became ir-
rtated, and without stirring he said: Don't
you see that I'm busys didn't ask you to call.
You found your own way in, so you know where
the door Is, and now you may find your way out
again" The patron silently retreated. The
artist really wanted to sell the picture. and was
In need of meney, but he was rather tired OF that
style of dealing.
While buyers treat American painters in this
way, curiousy enough they choose the opposite
plan in purchasing the works of foreign artists
an the case OF these latter they to feel that
the more they pay the better. And the larger
rate they pay per square inch the prouder do they
feel Such state Of things naturally leads some
American artists to wish they were Eropean
artists Herein we discover one cause of the en-
igration of American painters to France and
England. Over there they not only find patrons
who are willing TO pay proper prices without
question. but they also enjoy much better oppor-
tunities for study. American artists are con-
tinually expatriating themselves because they
are driven 20 believe il is more profitable for
this necessity long ago is James MacNeil Whist
Ter, Of whom we have heard a great deal in
these latter days | first met him in London
twenty years ago. when he had made
q decided impression there, although still I'M
known in this country, which was the country of
his birth. He has remained in England ever
Rinee, gradually gaining reputation which has
caused him to be known even in his native land.
Isn't this remarkable-that an American artist
should have reputation in the United States2
Mr. whistler. i hear. is COMING hack In hia
Treciatiye native land for visit and will arrive
in four five weeks. His native land having
shown its appreciation by leaving him to work
out his own salvation and to attain considerable
fame abroad, he is now going to give toja CRATE
full republic the lecture on art which he de-
9iyered in London recently. The lecture will
take place here. as it did in London. at 10 o'clock
in the evening; that being MIR. WhisSlers notion
of the hour when people are ready to listen to a
lecture after a late dinner Whistler is a man