, 1889-01-10
CONFESSIONS OF A MODEL.
Mad onua, Venus, Helen aud Mngdaien.
Now She Keeps Lodging House.

Madonna. Venus, Helen aud MagdaIen.-
Now She Keeps = Lotiging-House.
A houely- y-visaged, we'll formed Italian
woman, about 30 years OF age, occupies q
suite of rooms on Greene street. and uets
y living by dong fancy needlework aua
taking dodgers. Her name is Margharita
CAMPBELL. Her husband, formerly u tenor
but iatterly AN organ. n.xrinder, died
two years ago, leaving her his name and
Just enough money to buy q black veil. A.
for his burial, that was paid by the city.
But Margharita was not to be Gust down.
She had seen bstter days. She would see
theu, again. The result is that she Ia nov
comfortably situated, and 10 growing more
prosperous every year.
Years ago, before time cross. ploved her
face with wrinkles, MarYharlta WAS the
pride OF Paris, and earned luxurious
living by posing Us a model for sculptors
and painters. She was ao;e to earn any
where from 100 to 500 francs u week 20.
her shape" alone, and on her rounded
shoulders and above her well-moulded
limbs rest the faces Of some Of the most
celebrated bellies and heiresses, and for
that matter. queens and princes of Europe.
la short, her body was the form in which
the celebrated Parisian artists breathed
the breath of life and beauty, aud having
uOut Jutb, tucN SUI tuC eiuu Wv.
the heads OF their patrons, all OF WHOM
were pleased to be associated with her
symmetry, which none of them pos
sessed.
When reporter called last week sue
was engaged in the agreeable occupation
of washing the Dime dishes, but, although
attired in u simple "Mother Hubbard"
satins wrapper. the "humaneform divine
which she possessed was so very apparent
that it was quite evident the artists had
made no mistake in their selection.
II don't look much like a Madonna, do
I?' was her smiling greeting AZ she stuck
out wet hand for ihe reporter to grasp.
IL think am more nearly akin to Venus
rising from tue sea just now, and l have
sat tor both many u day."
(which do you like the better. Venus or
the MadounaP' asked the reporter.
"Oh, Venus. to be sure, though Madon-
ma posings paid me better; but they were
too stiff. do not like standing all the
forenoon on marble slab holding dun.
my baby to my breast. Ii makes my arus
ache. was never lucky enousn to DO u
mother, aud this tondling of infants comes
hard. Still. | did pretty we'll have
been the moddel for at least three dozen
Madounas in my day. Six Of them are
now in Rome. Nearly twenty are still il
France. and the rest have gone to Eng
land and America. Last year | saw my
self in three different attitudes IN as many
paintings at the loan exhibit in New
York | was told the cost of these three
pictures was $4,000. wish had the
money, but am no artist. | am only q
model. Still, like to know that the rich
people admire me. even 1t they do not
know who am"
Now tell me about the Venus" said
the reporter.
"Myl but that was gay. | liked to bs
Venus. | acted natural, you see. just
sat down and threw out my arms and Ravo
myself up to love. One artist paid me
5O0f. for six days sitting tor Venus. One
hundred dollars! Just think Of 1t! 1t
was the easiest money ever earned. But
he got 10000. for the Joy, 80 he need not
complain"
Have you been model for any thing
but Madonnas and Venusesr" was asked
"Yes. indeed. Let me tell you. went
to Paris iu 1878 and danced in a tacater
Daytimes | sat as model for ut least
twenty artists. and had my 6gure painted
in all kinds OF postures and attitudes.
was Proserpine In two pictures Helen OF
Troy in five. Qnone in two. Hecuba in
three. Rachael H. one, Minerva in four.
Andromeda in one, and so on through all
the list of celebrated historical, biblical
and mytholoRic characters. worked as
a model and got good pay unit. 1884 when
married, and my husband objected to me
getting living that way.
What was your nusba nd's occuDa.
| tionp"
He was musician
'How long ago did he die?'
"Last year. he heard there was big
| field for musicians in America, aud came
over. hOping to make u fortune. His fail
ure broke his heart. Since his death 1
! have tried to get work as u model here,
but your artists do not seem to care for
me. an afraid am getting old and en-
/ bonp0int"
"How many faces are nov on your
shoulders. do you supposeP" wus asked.
Over 300. Ii is somewhere near 400,
ii remember rightly. There are three OF
the Rohschi!d women, Mrs. Mackay,
Judic and the ex.Empress Victoria Of
Germany among them. Bernhardt wanted
me to act as model for her pictures, but
the artist convinced her that she was too
skinny. Sarah iernhardt il beautiful
woman for all that, aud just as liberal ~
sunlight
Did you ever act' as model for An
| American womanY'
''Yes, FIVE or six in all. Mr.. Bennett
brought woman to PalerO's studio while
was model. think her name was
Bell, aud she was a sister or relative of
Mr.. Bennett, also sat as model for .
relative of Minister Bancroft when he was
in Germany"
Anybody else?"
81 remember Q few more but the names
are gone. The Americans who 20 Paris
| to get their portraits made do not patron
lze the best artists as rule. though they
pay big prices. 1t ia shameful how your
people are deceived by cheap artists
They have plenty Of money. and should
get the best. The fact 10, they nre imposed
upon by cheap work. She chatted pleas.
antly about French art for q few minutes