The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-30
COPYING PICTURES IN GALLERIES.
Chances Tor Fraud by Some Painters, Rut .
Good Livelihood for others.

tOOGtLN~ 1<OhOhhc Il" U-AhSEhfFS.
Chances Tor Fraud by Some Painters, Rut 4.
Good Livelihood for others.
On two days In the week. Thursdays and
Fridays. fee Is charged for admission to the
National Gallery. Trafalgar square. London.
This docs not diminish the attendance. but
changes its character Instead OF tho usual
throng OF tourists and homo visitors. most Of
whom stroll In bewildered manner from
chamber to chamber in tho great building.
there is an attendance Of men and women. who
gather in groups before the most famous mas
terpieces. Most OF the women chatter volubly.
and not few OF tho men will Join In conversa-
ton. Tho visitors for the most part are paint
ers, students. dealers. or connoisseurs.
or course. these painters are at tho Gallery
to mako copies OF pictures but what connols.
seur or amateur would care to invest in
copies? Well copying paintings Is bread AMI
butter to q small army OF London painters,
but It must not be supposed that such a
method OF earning living meets with tho ar-
proval. or even knowledge, OF those in author.
ity at the museums and galleries. On the con-
trary, every possible effort is made to dscoun.
tenanoe the practice OF using the privileges OF
the galleries as m immediate and direct
source OF pecuniary benefit. painter who
was known to sell his copies as originals
would not be permitted to enter tho galleries
on student days.
On the other hand. every announcement Is
shown to students who desire to copy. Any
one can get immediate permission by produr.
ing q specimen OF work which will servo as n
pass even IL 1t show but little merit, or bya
letter Of recommendation from any known
artist or art teacher. Under such circum-
stances It is no wonder that clever painters,
who are willing to stoop to fraud are able to
pursue their business undisturbed in the Creat
galleries. A painter OF this class usually is u
specialist: that is. he devotes himself to nc
curing the style OF some one master. copyn.
his pictures exclusively. and cases arc not nj
together rarc wherein famous paintings have
been SO cleverly reproduced as TO de-
ceive connoisseurs. The writer knows
OF ono instance in recent years in
which the unscrupulous painter spent tho
greater part of his life in copying tho water
colors OF a recognized master. and had n dit
fculty in disposinc OF every copy as an orlgi-
nal The copies were generally disposed Of
through dishonest dealers, but. though pur-
chasers paid literally for the fakes" tho
painter himself rrofted little by his skill for
he was always miserably poor and died at last
OF starvation and drink. An especially re-
markable feature Of this mans work was tho
fact that he copied from memory. During the
later years ofhis life Mt least he never brought
but he often went there and stood for hours ut
q time before the picture he had selected.
committing to memory every detail OF outline
and color effect. Whether it was his method
to return after having completed his copy to
review his work by second or third study OF
T6s eopes IN the GAL
small compared to tho immense amount Of
work II sold is sold for what 1t purports to be-
and therein lies the opportunity for purchasers
OF unmistakable talent give themselves IN to
copying. because 1t assures them living less
aione copy on ee dsS S
the National Gallery is in itself an advertise
al The pesd to pcs p
sSSe s' G give or com nf
from from The brush OF T0f any paater 0f Whose
work strikes them a. having the requisite
are always private buyers on hand; some OF
them Americans. who happen to know the
and nat
Of the opportunity. That tho opportunities
be ssm ths rrS vSs
He frankly admitted that he had no commits
might his e toe hos liz
came from Naples; whore he had run,throuEh.
don. During that time he had sold one small
picture Of his own. and that for u mere trife.
- 30 have taken to copying" he said simply.
Some OF the coDyists make good incomes.
One man who came under the writer's ohser-
'ation had lived for several years on one pic
:ure in the Bethne Green Museum. He had
am ng the copysta is Murillo's " St John tho
Baptist" Ono painter alone has made and
sold dozen copies OF it.
There are m ore women than men among the
,opyists. and critical observers OF long stand
ng say that in recent years the work OF wo-
men has undergone a remarka BILE Improves
nent In breadth and strength of treatment
,erhaps this may not have been unaffected hy
he better accom- N odations afforded to women
han men in the National Gallery. 1t becomes
yeritable club Tor women painters and their
md take their sewing and ply the needle in
iustriously while the. artists stick colors on
anvns and ia Ike part in conversation When
'Ver they are hungry or thirsty they repair for
efreshments to room in the basement cs-
'ecialy prepared Tor them. where or,li nary
uncheons may be purchased. The men do
,ot come in for this: Am pie room is provided for
he storage OF ensels and unfinished canvnses
or all artists, but those OF the male persla-
Ion must go TO tho nearest pub" for their
mug Of ale and veal pio
inc utmost care is taken by the authorities
0 prevent injury To any paintings. careful
xamtnatton OF every picture Is made Il ily.
no watchmen are constantly on duty during
isltnr hours. Caro- IL also taken In tho case
! pictures temporarily lent to. the galleries
prevent FAC smiles from being put on the
market Such paintings may he copied. hut
medium different from the original: thus
olors. and vice versa: and som ETH mes it is re-
uired the CODY must not ba Of he N, ala