The Washington times., 1894-05-07
Robinson, Gh0ru & Co.,
Twelfth and r SITS. NJ. W..
IN THE LIVING PICTURE.
Talks with the Vendors, the Cupids, AM
the Lightly Clad Psyches.

Talks with the Vendors, the Cupids, and
the Lightly Clad Psyches.
"Ach, mein Gott in Himmil, vat for you not
durn de water off-vood you drown me?" ex-
claimed Aphrodite. as she stepped out of the
Kilanyi's living pictures last evening on the
Columbia stage This outburst of indigna-
ton wRs brought about by the bath of cold
water. prolonged over the customary time by
the generous applause which greeted the
picture and kept the crimson curtain apart
too long to suit the poser. NEUROLOGICAL his
tory fails TO state what Aphrodite remarked
when she emerged from the sea, but no
doubt it was something uncomplimentary to
nature for keeping her there so long. This
nineteenth century goddess of the sea hurried
of to her dressing-room, where deft-
handed maid. by means OF an alcoholic rub,
soon restored the natural tone to her temper
and at the same time counteracted the ten
dency our lake water has to produce la grippe
when taken in its natural temperature.
Fraulein's opinion OF posing in pictures,
translated into English, as she speaks only
German, is to the effect that the mere posses
sion of a beautifully symmetrical figure is not
by any means all that is required of a model,
but must have such essential attributes as
strong will and an unlimited amount of pa
tience.
you Americans-that is, the real Ameri-
cans-could never learn to do il. You have
SO much-oh, what shall call it? these hard
words bother me so-yivacity? All, thank
you; yes, that is what mean. You have too
much lie and are SO nervous. and forty sec
onds is a long time. You see. in Germans the
blood runs more slowly, therefore We make
good models.
DO l like it? OF course 1 do. 1t is my
art. and, might add, my bread and butter
us well. You see, my nature Is artistic, as |
was for several years model in the Royal
Academy of Berlin. where | posed for some
of Europe's greatest artists. So accustomed
have grown to posing nude. always think
ing of the artistic effect. that it makes no diff
ference to me if there is one or a thousand
eyes gazing at me.
But, you know. one tires of everything
and / became weary of the studio and wanted
TO see the world, so when Herr hilanyi offered
me this position l took it, and here l am.
You don't see how l can keep from snivering
when the water first strikes me? But you see
i do.
However, will let you into the secret
For four months before l began to pose for
this picture l took every day not one, but two.
three shower baths of cold water Achi but
it makes me shiver now when l think of it.
But it had to be done, and now l can take an
ice-cold shower bath and never move an eve
lash. Aufwieder sehep, madam, but here is
my escort" and Aphrodite. just like n Chi
cago girl disappeared with modern Hercu-
les to feast on ambrosia and nectar. As if in
answer to the name of the Olympian bever-
age "Hebe'' (Fraulein M ujst then came
in the dressing room in search of cold cream
to remove all traces of powder from her
piquant face. This radiant golden-haired
daughter of the faderland is dainty enough to
please the most fastidious Jupiter that ever
thirsted for the contents of her magic cup.
One would never recognize in this roguish
face the marble-like outlines for the studies
"Hebe." 1.-The Flautist,' Venus of Milo"
and "Ariadne," for all of which she poses.
''They are all very difficult to do" she re-
piled TO the question if these poses where the
facial expression is so concealed by powder
were not comparatively easy. 1.-The Flau-
tist' IS the hardest pose of all the pictures
You see in that l have absolutely no support
ut all, and at times it is almost impossible to
keep my arms from shaking. must tell you
Il good joke on myself. 1t happened last
Summer. We were giving an exhibition in
Spain. and the weather was quite warm, so
that all the doors and windows were open,
when in came great big bug and lit right on
the end OF my nose.
No woman on earth could stand that. and
Just had to droop the flutes and knock the
bug off. The audience roared with laughter,
and did, too but it made me sort of shaky
for all the rest of our stay. No more bugs
for me- Cupid and Psyche were found low
ingly discussing the merits of popcorn as a
nerve steadier while waiting for their call
Reclining in chairs, partially draped with
shawls, their classic figures did not appear 10
such good advantage as when suspended
among fieecy clouds in the golden Frame
Psyche's nose has the merest suspicion of an
upward tendency, of which she Is perfectly
aware. and is not all sensitive about, but
takes Cupid's chatting in good part. But, in
retaliation, threatened to say something to
her just before going on to make her smile,
said smile to cost her So
"Do they fine us if we laugh?" "Yes in
deed. To even wink calls for S5 per wink,
and every smile lessons our salary $40. When
/ feel like laughing. and l often do, fix my
mind on the SO and the mirthful desire soon
passes away. but it is awful hard to keep from
winking. That requires more will power than
ANYTHING else. Come on, Cupid; here's our
call" And with last hitch of the fleshings
Psyche and Cupid vanished from the dressing
room and the paint pots and little cracked
mirror looked dingier than ever.
Patrons of the Midway plaisance who raved
over the oriental beauty of the Egyptian girls
can hardly realize that .'Pharaoh's daughter
is 1itian-haired Celtic maiden, transformed
by black wig into dweller by the Nile. Yet
such is the case, and merry Maggie O'Brien
no sooner gets off the platform than off comes
the hateful wig and the Irish blue eyes flash
merrlly into yours as Sne asks: Don't YOU
think that's n clever makeup"
One would naturally suppose there would
be some difficulty in securing women who
are willing to pose so nearly nude as these
pictures require. But it would seem. on the
contrary, that either from variety or the need
of money would-be models are as thick as
Spring flowers. The only condition that
models exact is that their names are never to
be given to the public, following the rule of
artists models.
Mr.. Seaman, who is the manager OF the
troupe here, says that recently an extra
model was needed, and in answer to an ad-
vertisement 200 applicants were on hand
ranging from 16 to 60 years of age, all eager
for the position, seeming to think willing
ness to take the part was all that is required.
Very few figures, he says, are adapted for
posing. One that can travel on her shape, so
to speak, would, perhaps, not suit at all, as
while the limbs might be perfectly formed
they might lack the artistic curves necessary
in picture.-Chicago Times.
Potomac Boat Club Notes.