Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-02-07
A MODELS EXPERIENCE.
A WOMAN IN BOSTON WHO HAS
POSED FOR FAMOUS ARTISTS.

| len and Other Celebrities-AIany Wo-
mems Heads Painted on Her Lovely
Shoulders-Americans Are swindled. ;
A homely visaged, well formed Italian
woman, about 35 years of age, occupies
suit of rooms on Greene street, and
gets living by doing fancy needle work
and taking dodgers. Her name is Mar
gharita CAMPBELL. Her husband, form
erly tenor singer, but latterly an organ
grinder, died two years ago, leaving her
his name and just enough money to buy
black veil. As for his burial, that was
paid by the city. But Margharita was
not to be cast down. She had seen bet
ter days. She would see them again.
The result is that she isnow comfortably
situated, and is growing more prosperous
every year.
Years ago, before time cross plowed
her face with wrinkles, Margharita was
the pride of Paris, and earned luxllri-
GUS living by posing as a model for
sculptors and painters. She was able
to earn anywhere from 100 to 500 francs
a week ION her shape alone, and on her
rounded shoulders and above her well
nodded limbs rest the faces of some of
the most celebrated bellies and heiresses,
and, for that matter, queens and prin-
cesses of Europe. In short, her body
was the form in which the celebrated
Partisan artists breathed the breath of
life and beauty, and having done this,
they surmounted the trunk with the
heads of their patrons, all of whom were
pleased to be associated with her SYM
metry, which none of them possessed.
THREE DOZEN MADoNNAs.
When reporter called she was en-
gagged in the agreeable occupation of
washing the dinner dishes, but, although
attired in a simple Mother Hubbard"
satine wrapper, the "human form di-
vine" which she possessed was so very
apparent that it was quite evident the
artists had made no mistake in their Sc
lection.
81 don't look much like Madonna,
do II" was her smiling greeting as she
stuck out wet hand for the reporter to
grasp. 81 think am more nearly akin
to Venus rising from the sea just now,
and have sat for both many day."
(Which do you like the better, Venus
or the Madonna? asked the reporter.
"Oh, Venus, to be sure, though Ma
donna posings paid me better; but they
were too stiff. l don't like standing all
the forenoon on marble slab holding
dummy baby to my breast. 1t makes
my arms ache. l was never lucky
enough to be q mother, and this fond
ling of infants comes hard. Still, l did
pretty well. have been the model for
at least three dozen Madonnas in nv
day. Six of them are now in Rome.
Nearly twenty are still in France, and
the rest have gone to England and
America. Last year l saw myself in
three different attitudes in as many
paintings at loan exhibit in New
York. l was told the cost of those three
pictures was 100000. 1 wish l had the
money, but am no artist. am only
model. Still, I like to know that the
rich people admire me, even if they do
not know who / am"
"Now tell me about the Venus" said
the reporter.
my! but that was gay. l liked to be
Venus. l acted natural, you see. Just
sat down and threw out my arms and
gave myself up to love. One artist paid
me 500 francs for six days sitting for
Venus. One hundred dollars! Just
think of it! 1t was the easiest money |
ever earned. But he got 10000 francs
for the job, so he need not complain"
'Have you been a model for anything
but Madonnas and Venuses" was asked.
WELL LOADED SHOULDERS.
eyes, indeed. Let me tell you.
went to Paris in 1878 and danced in a
theatre. Daytimes l sat as model for
at least twenty artists, and had my fig
ure painted in all kinds of postures and
attitudes. l was Proserpine in two pict-
ures, Helen of Troy in five, Gnone in
two, Hecuba in three, Rachel in one,
Minerva in four, Andromeda in one, and
SO on through all the list of celebrated
historical, biblical and Hydrologic char
acters. worked as model and got
good pay until 1884, when | was mar
ried, and my husband objected to my
getting living that way"
'What was your husbands occu-
pation?"
"He was Il musician"
elbow long ago did he die?'
"Last year. He heard there was big
field for musicians in America, and came
over, hoping to make q fortune. His
failure broke his heart Since his death
l have tried to get work as model here,
but your artists do not seem to care for
me. l am afraid l am getting old and
embonpoint.
GLOW many faces are now on your
shoulders, do you SUPPOSE? was asked.
"Over 300. 1t is somewhere near 400,
if remember rightly. There are three
of the Rothschild women, Mrs. Mackay,
Judic and the ex-Empress Victoria of
Germany among them. Bernhardt
wanted me to act as a model for her pic
lures, but the artist convinced her that
she was too skinny. Sarah Bernhardt is
beautiful woman for all that and Just
as liberal as sunlight"
"Did you ever act as model for an
American woman"
eyes, five or six in all. Mr.. Bennett
brought woman to Palero's studio while
I was model. l think her name was
Bell, and she was sister or relative of
Mr. Bennett. also sat as model for a
relative of Minister Bancroft when he
was in Germany"
anybody else?'
81 remember a few more, but the
namcs are gone. The Americans who
60 to Paris to get their portraits made do
not patronizo the best artists as rule,
though they pay big prices. 1t is shame
full how you people arc deceived by