The Washington times., 1895-06-02

We all know that It is an ordinary thing
20 read the art notes and join in praising
the artists aud their work, but does the
public ever stop To think how much Of the
artists success depends upon his models?
An artist cannot paint an interesting face
from an lnsipid one; neither can he get
graceful pose, be ii the head or entire figure,
unless the model possesses grace.
The girl, whose nature it is to assume
positions OF grace and ease, whose soul
seems TO be depicted in her attitudes,
whose every movement harmonIzes with
the expressions of her face; that girl, if
she but has her share OF beauty Ia face
and form, is the delight of every artist.
But this type is by no means plentiful
The society girl is too often affected in
her manner, as IL she were trying to force
herself to be graceful The girl who is
self conscious is not the style for which
the artist is looking. He wants a girl
who will put her sOuI into her attitudes,
cue whuse unaffected poses will suggest
70 him the possibilities OF a true painting,
either realistic or ideaHzed
10 short the mdel that is always in de-
mand is the girl who suggests ideas; not
in words, but in the faculties of expression
which 20 together to make her an ideal
model and an artists delight. Girls OF
this class are not plentiful, but they exist
aud we have them in Washington.
PROFESSIONAL SECRECY.
Every artist is careful TO guard the list
which bears his mcdels' names. The iden-
tity OF the girls who pose half-draped and
nude seldom gets beyond the doors OF the
studios. The reason is, that they are not
all professional, many being society girls,
whose ideas On the subject convince them
that in aiding true artist in the study OF
the ebeaufiful, they are doing noharm. With
this idea many girls become models, and
when the studio door shuts behind them
they are all that they have ever been be-
fore. IF they were good, they are good; if
they We're bad they are no worse.
One artist in Washington scarcely ever
uses a professional model. He prefers
10 have girls who do not pose indiscriIain-
alelys and society girls are his models
In painting an ideal picture an artist
seldom confines himself to one model; in
DEED The paintings We often see, SO beauti-
ful in face and form are quite frequently
the artists conception OF a perfect figure,
made by combining the most pc erfect portions
or perhaps half a dozen girls One nas a
a ItlUlQeU
arm, hand or back, so all the artist has
10 do is 10 consult his little book, find the
virtues OF each model and drop them a
postal when he's ready.
BEFORE AND AFTER.
While posing the model is often quite
different from the girl as we know her in
her street costume. may mention one in
particular, who has figured prominently
in all the large studios this winter.
Before the artist she did not appear TO be
conscious OF the presence Of any one in the
room. Talk she would not; she was
literally model. But when she opened
the door OF the dressing room and ap-
peared in street attire she was a new
being, as fun OF life and gay, rippling
laughter as when we met her three hours
before with smiling face and mantled cheek
al the studio entrance.
have seen an artist talk TO a model