The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-07-15
ONE PAINTERS HOME.
THE LEADER OF THE IMPRESS
SlONlSTS IN HIS STUDIO.
A Museum of Art Treasures and Queer
Bric-a-Brac-A Western Artist Who
Has Made Fortune-How an Opulent
Bohemian Lives.
rspecIal Core snondencs. l

NEW YORK, July 5.-Artis $ 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
glsmour of the ideal, the charm of the I'M
conventional Very often however, they
who write about them know them only in
imagination. This accounts for their splen-
doris, 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 ofteper bleak than gor-
geous. l have seen them so bare of every
thing save the artist ard his works that
visitor felt sense of isolation from life and
comfort A cheap perhaps broken. chair
and an old easel constitute the furniture
oftener than not. a TT and art only is lying
around in plentifI quantities in these
"haunts of genius" or "dens Of despair" as
they sometimes prove to be. Queer people,
often, are these al fists. Men and women,
rich and poor, hoping and despairing toll
ing and winning, striving and losing, they
climb tall stairs, paint in bleak rooms in the
winter, and in the summer steal off to lonely
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 say. Yes; for if you
make yourself the fashion as an artist, you
can splash a canvas with paint in half an
hour, call it something fine and sell it for
thousands.
First among the studios that would grace
novel by reason of their elegance, is that
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
eminent 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 materi alized. 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 bell. In response to its
reverberations tall Abyssinan in full dress
gravely admits you, on Thursday afternoon
only, unless by special appointment As
the door opens delicate music 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 establishment which this fairy like
greeting produces, you discover 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