Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-21
NINE. BkRNHARDr AT HER BEST.
Tbss Great Arfiste Visits ths Studio of =
wsshingtoa Sculptor.


| wsshington Sculptor.
NM DUNBAR AND HIS FRIENDS INFORMAL RE-
| ckPTIoN-A NOTABLE GATHERING AND A
| srRfkINe scENE--NME. BERNHARDT AT WORK
WITH THE cLAY-HAPPr AND UNAFFECTED.
SCENE FIRST.
sculptor's studio. Location high and dry
Time 3:l5, afternoon of March 20. Light strag-
giles in through two small windows. which in
turn afford fine perspectives of a section of
cloudy sky. collection of chmneys. network
OF telegraph wires and other incidental furnish
ings Of modern roof exteriors The rain keeps
up persistent but not unmusical pattering on
the roof, slightly monotonous. but il goes well
with the sky. General outlook not promising
for anything half pleasant. Inside not nearly
30 bad. All the paraphernnlia of the regula-
ton workshop Of the artist is there. Everybody
knows what it is. There are Just enough
screens to arouse your curiosity as to
| what is behind them and enough of
! the recesses to keep you going for hours.
I'm q high shelf there is a of plaster casts
A drapery hanging from it makes an effective
background for couch drawn up near the
wal; where lot of big, soft pillows are piled
| All the rest of the walls are lined with book
racks. paintings, charcoal sketches. plaster
casts. squares of tapestry. brocades and dozen
other bits OF color. In one corner, on a car
peted platform, is a chair. which has of course
gay piece OF drapery across the back. That's
the throne, where some people sit to be
sculped." On a mantel are a few old shoot
ing irons, some funny looking pistols the sort
that the banditti carry ill the play and u lot of
other interesting, artistic fragments of other
days There hangs a Japanese umbrella: here
haunts a gay ribbon; in short. just the very
kind OF interior which looks well in a picture
and nowhere else. except by the freight
The central point of attraction is the easel In
the middle of the floor. Resting on the shelfisa
square board, covered two inches thick with
red clay. Rough outlines of a wOmans head
are formed on it. A century-old chair is drawn
up near the easel as If the artist had but Just
| arisen. Within reach is the big tin of wet clay
and all the utensils which help the fingers to
fashion shapes and forms.
SCENE SECOND.
The portiere at tine door parts and the actors
in our little drama enter. The sculptor with
hospitable smiles of welcome makes his guests
very much at home. Upon one of them. a
sister artist, all attention centers. She moves
forward to the rough image in clay on the
easel sees with satisfaction the cleverness it
displays. takes the artists chair and begins her.
self to mold the yielding clay to suit her own
fancy. With every touch of her deft fingers
she makes it more like her own profile and
most perfect likeness the mood for work had
passed and she stopped. Still she sits there
Gil the light seeming to radiate center
rather in her wavy. yellow hair. Her attire is
blach-the soberest of black. She speaks
rapidly of many things; compliments the
sculptor; points ont the fine lines i'll bust
near by; fondles the little girls who comes
near her; poses. yes. just bit, perhaps, but
then she is Sarah Bernhardt.
How IT ALL CAME ABOUT.
This little comedy was played on the boards
OF Mr.. Dunbar's studio yesterday afternoon be-
fore small but intensely appreciative an
dience, which included Messrs. Johnston.
Weyl and Brooke. and il was one of the finest
scenes in which Bernhard has appeared the
past week. The more SO because it was almost
unexpected, that is for Yesterdays bill. The
proposition. slightly venerable. that children of
genius recognize each other seems to have Il
bearing on this case. Mr.. Dunbar in an inter-
view with the actress early in the week re-
ceived from her a promise to visit his studio.
Thursday afternoon at 230 was the hour act.
The news got around the top floor of the build
ing In which is located the studio, and all the
busy women workers on the floor found il con-
venient to pass by the door that Bernhardt
was to enter just as often they could But
the gifted Bernhardt spent all day Thursday in
bed, though few suspected that fact in her
splendid representation of Fedora that evening.
Yesterday she kept he- promise. Mr. Dunbar
called at the Arlington for her. and merry
company they made driving down to the
studio, Mrs. Grau, her little girl Nile. Seylor
and little Regina helping to fill the carriage to
overlooking. When they reached their desti-
and finally the grand entree of the party into
the studio of the sculptor. Mr.. Dunbar did
not have rs much to say he might owing to
the slight knowledge he has of French and the
equally frsil suppost thai the English gives to
his talented visitor. But they got on pretty
well, nevertheless.
Monsieur Dunbar, work here?" said Bern
hardt, taking in ALI the room in one swift
glance. 'Petite?' and the Interrogation in her
bright eyes needed no Interpretation.
Two artist friends then helped to carry the
burden Of conversation with the rest of the
company. Mr.. Dunbar led his visitor up to
the easei, where the foundation of what he en-
pected to make her portrait gave her great sur
prise and pleasure. The face WAS formed and
the hair laid on in rough knots. 1t needed the
expression and the likeness. For these the
sculptor wanted the sitting. Instead of that
Bernhardt herself began to model the
soft clay. With dexterous touches she
changed the shape of the head and arranged
the wavy locks in another style-all this with
her gloves on. Discovering that in each turn
she gave the clay there was lief. the impresses
of the seam in the finger of her glove she
pulled 1t of and with greater freedom worked
life in her clay and the likeness was
unmistakable. 1t is rough cast but 1t is
Bernhardt. She stopped just short OF the fin
ishing touches. Mr.. Dunbar will keep it Just
as it is treasured specimen OF artistic skill
and a browning touch to his collection in the
studio. Next fall when she comes here again
she has promised him a sitting.
Bernhard manner charming. She EN-
joyed the visit and the chance to work again
IN a studio. When she rests in Paris painting
and modelling are her chief relaxation. Yester-
day it made AN agreeable diversion on her wav
to a Cleopatra rehearsal" She fingered as long
as she dared and then, with regrets on both
sides, concluded her visit with many express
sions OF admiration for Mr.. Dunbar's talent
and the pleasure il would give her to come
again. After she had gone Everybody re-
membered fine phrase or word
they might have said with great satisfaction
to all concerned, but the words of one Il was
completely tioored," explained the situation
perfectly. 1t was Bernhardt matinee The
great artist was seen at her best-smple unaf-
fected, true to her role, happy in the pleasure
it gave others, satisfied III the opportunity it
gave herself. Her audience suffered no dis
fractions, for Bernhardt filed the horizon
Each had something to say to her to the
measure Of their ability to discuss art in
French, but the star held the boards and the
rest were content to listen.
READ tomorrow morning Washington Herald,
"A pages.
Losses by Friendly Indians.
Acting Commissioner Belt Of the Indian
bureau has instructed one of the special Indian
agents to proceed to Pine Ridge agency and at