The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-14
THE RISE OF THE ARTIST.
Success Usually Reached Through
Severe Struggles.
STORIES OF STUDIO LIFE.
Famous Artists Who Have Wrestied
With Direst Poverty-Rich Rewards
for Genius-what the Most Promi-
nent Artists Make.

an embarrassed attitude In Fifth aveune
doorway. He looked anxiously at every
passer-by until finally gentleman came
along carrying a small, neatly done up
parcel. Z" Sir" said the artist approach
ing him with a peculiar sliding gait In
one leg, " will you do me an inestimable
favor?" The gentleman observing the
shabby clothes of the speaker was about
to give him aims. I" No, no." said the
painter hurriedly, ii isn't that. But II
you will give me the cord Oh that parcel
/ shall be very much obliged TO you. The
sole OF my shoe is coming of and that
piece ofstring will hold the boot together
until | get home" The bit OF twine
was Immediately given TO him. He hob
bled back to the doorway, tied up bis
shoe securely, and departed in great
good humor. The young painter had jnst
returned from studying in Paris. Such
an incident would have been thought
nothing Of in the Latin Quarter, and he
was little concerned over it in New York.
At present this artist Is earning $1,000 a
year.
Studio life is full OF such anecdotes, and
there is no class Of people more interest
ing than artists when they fall into rem
Poverty seems to be the very best soil
in which the adolescent genius OF the
studio thrives. We have few records Of
successful painters who began their ar
tistic career in luxury. Ninty per cent.
of the men and women whose signature
is valuable on the corner OF a canvas to-
day were, some years ago, in terror OF the
landlords visits for his rent. Like Shy
I'm Ha a N G
the badge OF all our tribe"
Here, for example, Is tho history OF two
men whose names are now well known In
different fields Of art. One boy was born
In Philadelphia, the other in New York
i'm the same year; both had common
school educations and no money. They
first met in wood engraver's shop IN
this city where they were apprenticed by
their parents. "Jimmy is going to leave
me and be an artist" said the employer
one day to +. s. Church, the famous
artist, who was then experimenting the
engraving of one Of his pictures. Mr..
Church walked over to the engraver' {
desk where the boy was seated.
Jimmy" he said gravely; "better stick
to what you are at. 1t is good trade and
pays fine wages when you learn it. But
il you turn artist you Will be toasting a
herring over a candle" The advice was
true. but Intellectual. You can frighten
a boy out of almost any project except his
ambition to be an artist. The two
apprentices clubbed their slender savings
together and hired a cheap studio. Seven
teen wears ago this month they finished
their first pictures and carried them under
their arms to the fall exhibition OF the
National Academy OF Design.
"Did you see that that confounded
crossing sweeper didn't ask US for pen
nies as he did everybody else!" asked one
OF the young artists, hotly. "Tve gooo
mind to 60 back and punch his head. i
we are hard up don't like being told o.
il by q common beggar."
Don't" entreated his comrade. "Ht
was right. After buying the frame
haven't q single cent left. IL my picture
doesn't sell / shall maybe sweep cross
ings myself for a living"
The pictures did sell. "The Vigil,
bearing the angular, now well-knowr
signature of j. e. Kelly, brought s75
"The Stage Office was purchased fol
800. II bore the hesitating inscription
of Edwin A. Abbey. Kelly is the sculp'
tor Of " Sheridan's Ride" Of. "Grant a.
Gettysburg" of "Paul Revere" OF the
Monmouth and Saratoga monuments
Abbey is the greatest OF all modern illus
traitors, receiving a salary Of $40, 900 yeai
from the Harpers and with an income
from his pictures estimated at s25, 900 {
year.
1t thus frequently occurs that artists
| endure extraordinary vicissitudes befor'
| their reputation is established. j. O. A
Ward, the sculptor, whose income nov
averages SIS, 900 year, supported himsel
| for some time by carving heads on walk
ing canes. Augustus st. Gaudens, thu
| modeller OF "Diana," the Farragut anC
Lincoln statues, at present the foremos
| il not the most prosperous of American
sculptors, earned his living by wooc
| carving until his statuary could find pur
| chasers. James and William Hart, who's
| pastoral canvases at present command
| high prices, did carriage painting unit
the merits of their canvases becam
| known. Some artists, and even success
| full ones, like +. ID. Millet, add to thei
income by devoting spare hour to maga
| zine writing. But the literary talent /
| not generally found in studios. Most o
| our young painters, therefore, try to OBJ
/ Ialu pupils, VI ShPicy shN' ~
| methods that might never be suspecte'
from the works portentously displaye,
| on their easels.
Generally speaking, the troubles OF al
artist cease before he has reached forty
| What genius he has Is declared by tha
time, and the onnoisseurs II not the lait
speedily discover 1t and purchase hi
works. Consequently, although no art
list ever became n millionaire, his callin
compares very we'll financially with othe
professions. There are few lawyers, an
fewer physicians and no literary me
who earn as much money as j. q.
Ward. j. q. Browns shoeblacks an
newsboys on canvas bring their autho
$40 OOO q year. IL is said that from hi
pupils alone William M. Chase earn
10000 a year, an income that Is double
by the sale OF hrs pictures. Swain Gil
ford, Albert Bierstadt, Eastman johnson
David Huntington, Thomas Hicks, job
Lafarge, Louis g. Tiffany, j. 8. Sargen
and Frank Carpenter are in receipt OF in
comes that fall to only the favored m
nority in the learned professionally.