Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-04-23
He WAS AN UGLY GENIUS
A DlSACREEABLE MAN THOUGH
A GREAT PAINTER.
Such was Meissonier, and He Took De-
light in His Meanness-Ile Carica-
tured Mrs. Mackay in
Her Picture.

Every cOuy dlsllkeS dlSagreeaDle
man, but the same everybody likes to
read about them. for they enjoy seeing
such people shown up to the world in
their true light Meissonier was one
of these disagreeable men, even though
a genius. And geniuses are not the
least of those given to petty meanness.
MISSIONER never protested to be a
portrait painter. He did paint an ex
cellent, ii rather fattering likeness Of
himself. But when he was called
upon by nillionaires. and their wives
to hand their features down to fame he
seemed to take q cruel delight in exag
gerating the grossness and in ignoring
whatever was refined in the features of
his sitters. His portrait of the late
William H. Vanderbilt is a triumph of
art. but Holbein himself could not
have painted more unhattering like
ness. The portrait of Mrs. John w.
Mackay. the wife of the California
millionaire, shows that even with
satirist. The Illustrated American
has. for over year, had in its posses
sion the only photograph of this no.
torious picture that exists in the Unit
ed States. 1t was given to the editor
on the understanding that it was not to
be published until either Meissonier
or Mrs. Mackay died. The artists
death removed the restriction. and in
its issue of February 81 the Illustrated
American presented to its readers the
first reproduction of the picture which
kept the busy tongues of the Paris
boulevards gossips wagging for many
a day.
MISSIONER behaved in a most I'M
warrantable manner to Mrs. Mackay
with regard to this portrait. When
she ventured to criticise it as like
ness. he rudoly replied that if she did
not accept it he would send it to the
Salon. where he could get a larger
price for If than what she had agreed
to pay. Admirable though it was as a
work Of art the picture was a gross
caricature of the fair sitter, who is q
handsome. reiined-looking woman, and
not the vulgar washerwoman masquer-
aiding in a medieval costume that Mes
sonier represented her to be. Mrs
Mackay was not willing that this clever
caricature of herself should be hawket
about She paid the price agreed upor
and carried the picture home. The
boulevard sheets declared that she
burned it. They poured such a vial o
abuse upon her that Mrs. Mackay shool
the Partisan dust from her skirts ant
carried her household goods to London
Overbearing and capricious in char
acter, Messonier was never so happ,
as when lie was warning with the Phil
istines. An Englishman once aske
him to paint his portrait for ST. 900. OF
the condition that if it was not finishe
within fortnight IS should be de
Quoted from the price for each day owe
the two weeks.
You are not the sort of subject
care to paint" replied the artist, as h
tried to bow his unwelcome visitor on
of the atelier. The Englishman though
MISSIONER was joking, offered to pa
the 81 900 down and said he would nc
insist on the proviso. Meissonie
opened the door with his right hant
and by movement of his left shove
that he preferred the British a
patrons room to his company.
What do you mean?" exclaimed tt
Philistine from the other side of tn
channel.
Simply this" replied Meissonie
'you have made a mistake in imagil
ing that am an animal painter. l
paint horses, but l draw the line
ours