The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05
MRs. CLEvrLANp,s PIcruRE.
She Sits to an Artist for observation-disclosures
Views ON the Subject.

She Sits TO an Artist for q Portrait-G Growers
Views the Subject.
New York Special.
Mrs. Grover Cleveland has been privately
giving sittings to Joseph Keppler the artist for
portrait TO be duplicated in colors by lithogra-
phy, and there is going to be great deal Of
surmlse and speculation az to why, with the
residents avowed antipathy to celebrity the
iady consented to do any such thing. Mr. Kepp-
Ter said to-day:
'The sittings took place in Washington,
where went for the special purpose of secur-
ing them. There was little difficulty about IL.
Mr.. Cleveland seems to me plain honest man.
who sincerely dislikes the excessive notorietv
that comes with his position. But he recognizes
that 1t is unavoidable, and is DESTROYS that only
the truth should go out about him and his wife.
So he had to trust in this matter somewhat to
the skill of the artist and in doing so was only
anxious that the matter should be kept private
as long as reasonably possible. I told
him that did not propose to make a caricature,
but portrait. and that IL should be executed
faithfully. did not attempt to conceal or dis.
guise the business significance OF the proiecx,
and he said that he should be glad to do what he
could to accommodate me. But he said, MIR,
Keppier, why are you in such hurry about 1t
If the picture is not to be published until Christ
MAST So had to explain that it took much
time to execute the work. and that when pub
Usher gets an idea he is DESTROYS Of being the
first in the field. So he appointed a time for a
sitting"
Il ought to say that my original design was to
make picture from a photograph, fearing that
the President would not consent TO o deliberate
sketch. and went to Washington for the pur-
pose of seeing Mrs. Cleveland that might get
some points about complexion and the like that
photographs do not give But when saw her
was convinced at once that the project was hope
less without private sittings for the photographs
are far from presenting worthy likeness Of the
lady. There were so many characteristic
touches In her features that the photographs
mi ant fho nhO<o rhon
his judgment in erasing lines that he might think
would mar the beauty of the photo, and as q
matter of fact they frequently use such bad
Judgment In doing this that the character of the
likeness Is destroyed. You get the features, the
outlines, perhaps, bat the life is not there.
was anxious to produce a picture that should
be whatit purported to be, and 80 dropped the
photograph idea at once Well, we came to
the first sitting. You may very sure IL was
the first time Mrs. Cleveland ever went through
the experience; ii was plain from the
way she acted she did not know what was
expected OF her or what was going to be done
with her: She thought. however, that it was
the simplest thing in the world TO sit for
picture, but I told her she would fall asleep
from fatigue within half an hour. And so she
would had insisted that she sit so long. am
no hand, as some artists are, to entertain q sub
ject with pleasant talk during the work. The
duration of the first sitting was only ten min
utes, and l confined myself to making rapid
sketches. This was early in September went
to Washington twice after that for sittings, and
the time occupied was about twenty minutes or
half an hour each time.
Mr.. Cleveland said in reference to the general
subject of pictures Of himself and wife: I have
a great many requests for photographs both Of
myself and Mrs Cleveland, and have constantly
to recorder copies from the artists. When lit
tie girl calls here and asks for picture of me or
Mrs. Cleveland with autograph cannot re-
fuse it And people frequently write to me,
several day on the average, inclosing g.
photograph Of me with request that I put
my AUTOGRAPH on it. And. Mr.. Keppler, the
photographs they send are sometimes frightful.
l don't like to have such Misrepresentation Of
myself abroad and so / usually return one Of
my own with the autograph instead of the one
sent me- Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland are ovefA
whemed with requests from artists Of every sort
for sittings That was favored with one was
probably owing as much as anything to the de-
sire Of the President to do me personal kidd
ness"