Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-07-22
ONE PAINTERS HOME.
THE LEADER OF THE IMPRESS
SlONISTS IN HIS STUDIO.
A Museum of Art Treasures and Queer
Bric-a-Brac-A Western Artist Who
Has Made a Fortune-HOw an OpuIent
Bohemian Lives.
Special Core spondence. !


NEW YORK, July 5.-Artiss studios have
figured frequently in the romances of all
countries. They are supposed to be the
headquarters for Cupid the MUSES. and the
talented. They are invested with the
glamour of the ideal, the charm of the un-
conventional. Very often, however, they
who write about them know them only in
Imagination. This accounts for their splen-
dors, in measure. Imagination knows no
limitations, financial or otherwise. 1t has
the universe to draw from; why, then, need
it build economically
Artists studios are oftener bleak than gor-
geous | have seen them SO bare of every
thing save the artist and his works that a
visitor felt sense of isolation from life and
comfort. A cheap, perhaps broken, chair
and an old easel constitute the furniture
oftener than not. Art and art only is lying
around in plentiful quantities in these
| "hauns of genius" or "dens of despair" as
they sometimes prove to be. Queer people,
often, are these artists Men and women,
rich and poor, hoping ami despai:ing, toll
ing and winning. striving and losing. they
climb tall stairs, paint in bleak rooms in the
hooks in search of rural subjects They
know how to sit in wealth of poverty and
say, Bohemia, thy grapes are sweet"
Some are rich. did l say! Yes; for if you
make yourself the fashion as an artist. you
can splash canvas with paint in half an
hour, call it something fine and sell it for
thousands.
First among the studios that would grace
| q hu, Of <ho; oil Il, hat
Of William NJ. Chase Other artists will
tell you that he is the leader of the impress
sionists. He will tell you that he is no such
thing. He is the founder of his own school,
and follows nobody, though he adores the
Dminent impressionists. His pictures
bring fabulous prices His studio is dream
of beauty-a perfect museum of art treas
ures and artistic Oddities 1t is a chapter
from one of Ouidas' novels mater ialized 1t
is located in the big building called "The
Studio" ON West Tenth street near Sixth
avenue. Contrary to all tradition which
deals with artists workrooms it is on the
ground floor, and is one of the sights of New
York-one of the things you will never
forget. Two immense rooms, whose ceilings
are SO high it hurts your neck to look at
them, are divided, by many a rare Device
into odd little compartments by tents
portieres, draperies. galleries and screens
The door has a knocker of old time
brand, instead of a bell. In response to its
reverberations tall Abyssinian in full dress
Eravely admits you, on Thursday afternoon
Only, unless by special appointment As
the or opens delicate smusic pervades the
air. 1t seems to come from some invisible
place. 1t is dulcet vibration of delicate
wires. After you recover from the little
dash of astonishment which this fairy like
greeting produces, you discover a quaint and
curious either hanging on the door, and
played upon by three little hammers which
the slightest motion of the door operates.
This prepares one for the unusual, and the
unusual in large quantities is in plain sight