Wichita eagle., 1888-05-13
ARTISTS AND MODELS.
A JOURNALISTS FIRST EXPERIENCES
IN A DIFFICULT POSE.

JOOhNAIioi'o FIRST EXPERIENCE
IN A DIFFICULT POSE.
Hard Work and Sometimes Pretty Good
/ Pay-Tryny to the Mu.cies-The Pro-
| fession in Paris-The Studios Of Nev
| York City.
/ Twas siu,uly a cheerful room, fun Of hrh<
I and unorn1iiented save by few CLEVER
I sketches and one painting of more than aver
t age merit Near the window was a tabls
holding a board 10 which g piece Of white
paper was tucked At the table WAS a Young
F.. man whose hair, ewes and skin showed
Latin origin-a dreamy enough fellow, when
/ idle, but as lively, energetic and practical
/ from a m until p. N. in the afternoon as
druggists clerk In one corner was a hide
Gus lay figure, in the centre Of the room
standing on a trunk, with legs apart, chin in
the air and one hand outstretched-rigid and
statuesque-the writer.
SIS posing hardt7 he'd asked unwarily.
Suppose you try it, said the artist; and
did l was supposed 70 Re grzSping the hand
/ OF tall friend. The artist had put me on
the trunk in order. he said. to set the hang
of my trousers. Now keep stin," said he.
1t seemed easy enough at first to stand up
there and do nothing.
How much do models get for thisF'
asked
at depends upon the model Some get So
day, some as much as that an hour
Pretty good business" | remarked.
could see his face in the mirror. and at this
he smiled quietly. Every now and then he
would shut his eyes and look at me APP
parently through the lashes ''What are you
squirting at me that way forf'
Process of elimination he said; ''cut-
ting off everything but your figure Then
he took up his pencil and took sight at me.
"Getting your proportions he explained
s'Havent You movedr' heAadied abruptly
Ny left foot was going TO sleep and had
shifted my weight to the other. lyon sec,r
went on the artist after had shifted back,
''you confuse shadows, outlines, everything
by changing your position"
go ahead | said, gritting my teeth.
well, don't move and III give you a rest
presently" | counted the figures on the
wall paper Us far as l could see them without
turning my head. | counted 1000 backward,
an imaginary flock of sheep. l tried the
mind cure, but / grew faint Something
moist began TO trlckle down my spinal
NJ arm WIS
''You needn't hold that arm out now re-
marked the artist at length II forgot to
tell YOU" Forgot TO tell mel Good Heavensl
He had settled to work now in earnest. he
was getting enthusiasts. His face grew
stern and business like, and he forgot that
was posing for pleasure.
''Chin up he called out sharply. What's
the matter with those knees! Look pleasant
rt. +I.f n. -.
your hfe.n Every time he squinted he looked
like a flend.
Steady, now" i steaded myself with ono
more effort, but it was no use. had the hip
disease, spinal meningitis and diphtheria,
and general paralysis had set in. | couldn't
stand it longer, and down l collapsed on the
trunk The artist fiousished bis pencil in
triumph ''Just in time" be criel. I've
got YOU Then he laughed
us posing hardf he asked pleasantly.
you've been up tAirty-three minutes in "a
bad position-pretty good for a first trial
Some models can pose for an hour in a dlfi-
cult position without moving . muscle, but
it takes training, and it's hard work.
at is hard for people IN understand be
continued, presently, that posing is So purely
O matter OF business with artist and model
In Paris posing is more OF "A profession thar
it is here; naturally, because the demani
there for models Is greater and has existed
longer Every Monday morning at the art
schools the models present themselves for
ernpIoyment A model must not only havea
good figure, but she ought TO be young and
unmarried.
"Yes, there are lots OF handsome studios
here in New York. he said, between tho
puffs of n cigarette THE hope Of the young
artists life is a studio. He thinks he can do
nothing until he has curtains, rugs, daggers
and a thousand knickiInacks which he fancics
Indispensable Now, all that is an illusion
The men of the strongest imaginative temper
aments prefer the plainest surroundings pos
sible. II ones mind is concentrated in bis
work he ought 70 be conscious q nothing
else. as old ST. Bernard could travel all
day by lake and never see IL. Goethe
worked in a little narrow room with two
tiny windows, one plain table, one plain,
hard chair; a long shelf for books, closet
attached for bedroom, which held ono
chair. a little washing table and
sponge. You would fancy that Doro
couldn't have too much Eorgcousness about
him. and We. his studio contained only a
I. bic. covered with tubes of oil color and
two cheap chairs. Turner could work IN any
room that had locked door and a key on
,he inside Dickens wrote in cheerful,
room, and be always had funny
little bronze images on toe table. Scott
wrote anywhere, even IN the family sitting
room, with a hubbub of conversation about
him.
ut i'm. theory Alone" he concluded 20
,oeely, that keeps me IN these quarters IL
g not because think those surroundings are
be best aid 20 my imagination. Still. it's q
comfort 20 know that other great n-n have
selected inst stich al ensiron-
neut as this r-"J. ". r. IN New York
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