Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-11-05
ARTISTS MODELS IN PARIS.

Portraits of Rich Women of Fashion. A report of contemplated strike of the models in Paris has brought out an interesting interview between one of the ladies in the profession and repre- sentative of a paper in the French capi- tai, says the New York Sun. "Wel," said the reporter to this young woman, whom he describes as handsome blonde, with fresh and rosy complexion, ''you are all on strike, eh? You are syndicating?"
 With . smile and Q shrug she replied:
 "Nonsense! that thing could never take"
 "And why?"
 "It is easy to understand. You see there are two kinds of models, those who follow the thing all their lives and those who take 1t up en passant. The first are the models of the academies, who want to go on strike, and the sec ond are the artists' models, who laugh at the proposal and treat 1t as 8 hum bug. You will find the first at the School of Fine Arts, with Julian, in the ateliers of Bonnant, Jean-Paul Laurens and Cormon. The women get four francs . sltting and the men three, the total earnings of 8 day being eight and six francs. At the end of the week there Is also the cornet.
 Every Saturday the monitor goes round with Q cormet, or horn-shaped paper box, and takes up a collection. The students give from two to five cents each, according to the degree of satisfaction which they derive from the models. That brings in about seventy Ave cents, and sometimes one dollar; but this is rare, and, moreover, the models do not get work every week. They are often brought down to ex- treme poverty, and often have to sing in the streets and beg. The women, formerly servant girls, get places again when they can. and some of them do worse."
 "Is it possible9''
 Ut is as true as I am speaking to you; but they always come back and pose. As for the artists models, there are very few men among them. on account of the increasing scarcity of church and historical pictures. For the women 1t is a temporary business. A fresh and well-made girl commences to make her living in some dressmaking establish. ment, where she begins to undermine her constitution and redden her eyes from eight in the morning to ten and eleven at night, and all for whstf About seventy Ave cents sday. Even that would not be so bad if there was steady work; but the du1l times are frequent So she decides to pose. At the begin ming 1t Is hard, oh, very hard, but at last we become reconciled to 1t, because il is a fine thing for poor girl to make her four francs Q day. Certainly the model does not get work every day al the beginning. She gets her customers gradually. But when once established she is all right. At one place she poses for the entire figure. At another she poses for some detail, especially among the portrait painters"
 "The portrait paintersP"
 "Why, certainly. Do you fancy that those fine and rich ladies would take the trouble to sit for their portraits every day for three weeks9 That would tir( them pretty soon. Consequently three fourths of tho artists, when the prep aration is finished, take the feet the hands, and sometimes the arms and throat from us. After all, il is not such a bad trade. although there are always dull times in the summel months. The business has only one drawbacks serious one-it doesn' last. You see we can't always bs 1 young. When we touch upon twenty Eve the complexion begins to fade. A that age also we become fat. Then VI quit the business and return to dress making"