, 1889-01-18
A MODELS EXPERIENCE.
A WOMAN IN BOSTON WHO HAS
POSED FOR FAMOUS ARTISTS.

A homely visaged, well formed Italian
woman, about 30 years of age, occupies
a suit Of rooms on Greene street, and
gets n living by doing fancy needle work
and taking dodgers. Her name is Mar
gharita CAMPBELL. Her husband, form
erly q tenor singer, but latterly an organ
grinder, died two years ago, leaving her
his name and just enough money to buy
n 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 hat she isnow comfortably
situated, and isgrowing more prosperous
every year.
Years ago, before time cross plowed
her face with wrinkles, Margharfta was
the pride of Paris, and earned q luxuri-
GUS living by posing as a model for
sculPtors and painters. She was able
to earn anywhere from 100 to 800 francs
q week ION her shape" alone, and on her
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
Parisian artists breathed the breath of
life and beauty, and having done this,
they surmounted tho trunk with the
heads Of their patrons, all of whom were
pleased to be associated with her sym
metry, which mono of them possessed.
r DOZEN MADoNNAs.
When n reporter called she was en-
gagged in the agreeable occupation of
washing tho dinner dishes, but, although
attired in n simple Mother Hubbard"
satino wrapper, the human form di-
vino" which she possessed was so very
apparent that 1t was quite evident the
nrttutg had 1nn1p mn ~ f.fnl 10 l., 4l..G. a.
lection.
II don't look much like n Madonna,
do II was her smiling greeting as she
stuck out n wet hand for the reporter to
grasp. 81 think j am moro nearly akin
to Venus rising from the sea just now,
and | have sat for both many n day."
(which do you like the better, Venus
or the Madonna?" asked the reporter.
"Oh, Venus, to be sure, though Ma
donna posings paid mo better; but they
were too stiff. / don't like standing all
tho forenoon on a marble slab holding n
dummy baby to my breast. 1t makes
my arms ache. | was never lucky
enough to be n mother, and this fond
ling of infants comes hard. Still, / dir
pretty well. have been the model for
at least three dozen Madonnas in nv
day. Six of them arc now in Rome.
Nearly twenty are still in France, and
III iNnb IltlNt bbIlb W ETIllnu anu
America. Last year / saw myself in
three different attitudes in as many
paintings Mt n loan exhibit in New
York. / was told the cost of those three
pictures was 500, 900. l wish l had the
money, but ! am no artist. l am only n
model. Still, l like to know that the
rich people admire me, even if they do
not NOW who | am"
Now tell me about the Venus" said
the reporter.
MY! but That was gay. l liked to be
Venus. ] acted natural, you see. 1 Just
sat dow and threw out my arms and
gave myself up to love. One artist paid
me 500 franc for six days sitting for
Venus. One hundred dollarsl Just
think of It'll 1t was the easiest money l
ever earned. But he got 10000 francs
for tho job, so he need not complain"
Have you been n model for anything
but MadOnnas and Venuses2' was asked.
WELL LOADED SHOULDERS.
Yes, indeed. Let me tell YOU. 1
went to Paris in 1878 and danced in n
theatre. Daytimes / sat rs q model for
ut least twenty artists, and had my fig
urc painted in all kinds of pastures and
attitudes. / was Proserpine in two pict-
ures, Helen of Troy in five, Gnone in
two, Hecuba in three, Rachel In n
Minerva in four, Andromeda in one, and
so on through all the list of celebrated
historical, biblical and Hydrologic char
acters. l worked as n model and got
good pay until 1884, when l was mar
ried, and my husband objected to my
getting n living that way"
What was your husbands occu-
pation?'
He was n musician"
Glow long ago did he die?"
Last year. He heard there was q big
field for musicians in America, and came
over, hoping to make n fortune. His
failure broke his heart. Since his death
/ have tried to get work as amodel here,
but your artists do not seem to care for
me. am afraid l am getting old and
e~mbonpoint."
How many faces arc now on your
shoulders, do you SUPPOSED 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 n model for her pic
lures, but tho nrtist convinced her that
she was too skinny. Sarah Bernhardt is
n beautiful woman for all that, and lust
rs liberal as sunlight"
Did you ever act as n model for an
American woman"
Yes, five or six in all. Mr.. Bennett
brought q woman to Palero's studio while
| was a model. / think her name was
Bell, and h was n sister or relative of
MIR. Bennett l also sat rs n model for n
relative of Minister Bancroft when he
was in Germany"
Anybody else2'
81 remember n few more, but the
namcs are gone. The Americans who
go to Paris to get their portraits made do
not p%atronize tho best artists as a rule,
though they pay big prices. 1t is shame
full how you people are deceived by
cheap artists. They have plenty Of
money, and should get tho Best. Tho
fact is, they are imposed upon by cheap
work" She chatted pleasantly about
French art for q few minutes longer and
then resumed her household Duties
Boston Cor. Globe-Democrat.