St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-09
NUDE DEPARTURE.
A Branch Of High Art That Needs Sup
pressing.
PHOTOGRAPHS VERY WRONG.
Cameras See Sights That Should Not Be
Made public---Call a
Halt.

There is a trite saying about the near
relation madness bears to wit; love and
hatred are only a degree removed; the
division line between high art and in
decency is almost an imaginary one.
The purest mind may absorb the divine
outline of a sculpture without a tinge
of a blush, even though it be that OF
Aphrodite herself, robed only in the
roseate lines of the morning. A modest
maiden at West hotel party will un-
veil charms of shoulder and bosom
without thought of wrong. This is
all custom. But suppose, for a mo-
ment, that some reference at party
should be made, to lady, of the eX-
tent of her decOllete gown; how would
custom carry that? Suppose, in place
of the statue, which is perfect nature,
the model itself should stand un-
yelled; what then? And after all ,
what is really the difference? It is as
tonishiug what custom will do in such
matters. The nude in art, we are told,
is all right; the nude in nature, we are
sure, is all wrong. Some time ago the
the girls for having their pictures taken
a la Greek statue. That meant only
that they did their back hair up in a
classic knot, exposed little more OF
their shoulders than full dress requires,
covered hair and skin with plentiful
powder and then were photographed as
busts. Nothing wrong about that.
But there are WRONGS about some of
the photograph galleries, and the
White Cross society might be aston
iShed, and even petrified, were its MEM
bers to ascertain how common has be-
come the custom of making pho
tographs in statuesque style with
out even-but that is premature.
Three rather suspicious-lookiug girls
who took the short line from Minneapo-
lis to st. Paul few days ago were en-
gagged in rather 'loud' conversation
upon the train, when a GLOBE man,
who was sitting in an adjacent seat,
which one of the trio was displaying in
her hand. 1t was a picture of female,
and had it been South Sea Islander, it
would probably have excited little at
tenton, but for nineteenth century
tastes the dress was little too decol-
lete. Presently two or three more pict-
ures of the same character We're shown,
and the girls laughed and whispered
over them until suddenly they discov-
cred they were not alone in the sport,
and, with some little confusion, hastily
covered away the Salacious pict-
ures. Their composure was not
increased by the fact that
a baId-headed man sitting behind,
wearing closely buttOned frock coat.
was also much interested by a glimpse
of one of the works of art. "Horrible!'
he exclaimed; "those women should be
prosecuted" and he continued to eye
them with an adder-like expression dur
ing the rest of the trip.
The work was done in Minneapolis,
and is done every day, and especially
Sunday. 1t is largely confined to the
cheap galleries about and along Wash
ington avenue, that BoWery of the Flour
City. As the state laws Oh this subject
are very severe, no photographer would
at first acknowledge that he ever did
such work; but after being assured that
their names would not be mentioned in
connection with the matter, many of
them condescended to talk.
Eyes, we have a great many calls for
nude pictures" said a prominent
photographer. Every day women
come to me confidentially and ask me to
photograph them in all sorts of posi-
tiopS and attitudes. Such women are
generally good-lOoking and are stuck on
their shapes. The mania is not confined
entirely to fast women. Girls in high
families come to me to pose in scanter
costume than is accepted in the ball
room. Some wish to show pretty
foot, others a shapely leg, breast or
back; in short, all their lovely forms
and figures. i want just one, you
know. and you must promise to destroy
the negative as soon as it is used,' they
say to me. Well, if they are not too
fast, do the work to crafty their van
Don't some of them shrink from
your seeing them disrobed?"
''Oh, yes; but they are willing to
bear this in order to have picture of
their charms. 1t is not the young alone
who wish such work done. Not long
ago | was dumbfOunded by couple of
elderly ladies who came i'll with Bibles
in their hands, and asked me to take
their picture in their night gowns,
kneeling in prayer. protested at first,
but finding them determined appointed
the following Sunday when they came,
and. with Puritanic simplicity, knelt
together in their frilled nocturnal robes,
and the work was done. One of them.
explaining the matter to me, said that
she and sister B. had knelt together for
six years, and that now the latter was
going East and she wanted picture to
take with her"
"a strange freak of vanity was illus
trated by policeman, who came to me
with his young and handsome wife,
and wanted her picture taken in I'M
dress, and, when Irefused to crafty his
want, his copness left the establishment
much injured
The lower classes of dissolute women
go to the low grade galleries where the
business is extensively carried on.
There are several such establishments
on Washington avenue. A case was re-
lated of a young man who made bust
ness of taking "chippies' to such places
and getting them photographed in all
sorts of disgusting attitudes, and then
selling the pictures in the dives of the
city.
AS none of the photographers would
knowingly admit that thy did such
work, the reporter entered an establish
ment on Washington avenue few days
ago. where much of this disgusting
work is done, and, calling the operator
aside, asked him when it would be con-
Venient for him to ''get in his worlx'' on
a couple of girls in natural costume who
wished to pose. Bring them in Sun
day and I'll take them any way you
want me to-" said he. without any symp-
tom of embarrassment.
"You understand the work, l sup
pose?"
ooh, certainly. 1 have great deal of
it to do"
No efforts have been made on the part
of the police to stop this base practice,
and the immortality begOtten by these