The morning call., 1893-01-08
A NAUGHTY NIGHT.
Mrs. BaIIou Is Entirely Too
Realistic.
Two Startling Nude Pictures Quaran-
tined Behind Big Iron Doors
at the Pavilion.

That nude in art" which was rejected
by the Mechanics Institute art committee
is so bad that it has been Quarantined be-
hind a big iron door with a combination
lock on it.
II is out there at the Pavilion yet, but it
ought TO be taken away. because strong men
are being corrupted By il. Every little while
somebody who has a right TO omen ths big
iron door takes friend by the collar, and
saying 'sh-sh," viii lead him around for
peek at the interior decorations Of the vault
downstairs.
The main offenders are two PAINTINGS by
San Francisco artists. Both contributions
TO the exhibit of California art were in
tended for the Worlds Fair also. but they
are likely to stay at home. Mr.. Siott, the
chairman of the institute art committee,
and who is mainly responsible for the nude
being tabooed this year, hasn't got over his
disgust yet. The local committee Of artists
who will decide what is to 60 to the Cali
fornia building at Chicago have made no
decisions yet, but it is understood that they
too will promptly condemn the pictures.
They are said 20 be vulgar for one thing
and bad in artistic execution for another
thing. One of them is said by some OF the
artists and other people concerned with the
then tue question of the Location Of the line
between the chaste nude and the vulgar
arises.
The one that is said to be the most often
sive to both deceney and art is the product
Of a woman's brush.
II is Mrs. Addie L. Ballou's Might"
Four years or so ago she painted Morn
ing" This female was little scrawny
about the neck, aud she was balancing her,
self on one toe resting on the world, with
her back turned to a dawn and a fading
moon. The picture was exhibited twice al
the Mechanics Pavilion before the institute
art committees got particular, but when II
got to the State Fair at Sacramento about
two years ago it was rejected on the ground
OF its realism. and there was great COM
mot on in consequence.
Last year Mrs. Ballou tried her realistic
genius again, and the result was Night"
Well, 1t is realistic. II is startlingly so. In
fact its fidelity to nature is said TO be per-
feet with the exception of FORM coloring,
modelling and drawing. 1t is even more
calculated to startle than was It's elder CON-
panion.
The lola Of San Francisco art has painted
a voluptuous maiden floating this way Ger
the Silly world with a mantle OF black
yelling, all of which floats behind her with
her long tresses of strawberry hair. There
is warm sunset glow at the edge Of the
distant waters, and the shadow OF night has
IdlieQ on q Iar-dHay pUIUb OF fEuiuE i1DU.
The form glews from the exercise Of the
trip. and the young lady Is apparently wide
awake.
II was this picture that moved Mr. Stott'
to say that il was ct to be hung only In
places where it would be in keeping with
the occupants. at is dsgustingiy bad"
said a welI-knOwn artist who had seen it
yesterday, and it will never be allowed to
20 to Chicago"
Mrs Ballou did not learn until yesterday
that the public bad been protected fro IN
her Might" and that she had offended the
mOdesty Of the art critics at the Pavilion.
Mrs. Bali0u doesn't think her picture a bit
vulgar and she is very sarcastic about her
critics.
"They say it's vulgar, do they p" she said.
''aBd it's too realistic. Well, l thought
fidelity to nature WAS al artists greatest
merit. / am not painting pictures for these
nasty, nice men, and TO the pure all things
are pare. ! guess I'll go out there and put
some pantalettes on the ducks I've painted
That picture is copyrighted from photo
graphs sent through the mails, and they
wouldn't copyright anything vulgar, would
they? Would they let indecent photographs
60 through the mails? Ii Is not as indie
cent as that nude painting with the doves
flying about that was exhibited there last
year. because that WAS suggestive. Ii Is
more cbaste, really. than my Morning that
was hung out there for two years. ii may.
Of course, be warmer in its eoloring and
more voluptuous in the forIp, but the sub
ject demands it."
Mrs. Ballou saws she has written a lire
which properly goes with the painting. 1t
is: when Toseate night her mantle filings
Ger the reposeful world" But her rosy
night" is getting chilled in cold dark
vault and she may have it whenever she
sends after it.
The other chief unfortunate student Of the
nude is j. Ludovici. who is wel-known
artist of recognized ability. but his little
"Bather" was too rich for the art commit
tee
Other pictures by both these artists have
been accepted for exhibition.
The committee to determine what paint
ings shall go to the California building at the
Worlds Fair held meeting yesterday and
decided not to judge any Of the work sub
mitted until the close of the fair
The Floating Hull.