The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-20
Copyright, 1861

Great men have an aversion to sittit-.
for their portraits. The greater the man
the greater the aversion The only man
who was an exception to this rule was
President Arthur. vino was such hand
some fellow that no wonder lie yielded Il
flattcry and smilingy posed.
The Camaisn Tanner you see anchored
TO the breeze is an effort Of combined art
and labor. The maker OF the banner had Ia
pull wires to gel sitting, and. he artist
had to work quickly and well. The coiors
had 10 be the dearest and most easily
handled. and all had to be doae within an
hour. With any OF these conditions lacking
there would be fewer campaign banners.
and these few would be worse than any
you now see.
THE ARTISTS.
The campaign portrait is Il work of art.
1t is not the poor picture you imagine it.
Because il floats abroad for all TO see.
and because even the clements are allowed
to deride it. vol must not fancy il is in
itself a thing of mockery. The candidates
will tell you that ii is the best picture
they have ever had painted of them
selves
Aud why? Campaign portraits are tie
work of the best artists in the country.
The most famous painters apply for tie
work. Names you read in the catalogues
OF the portrait show and on the academy
lists are the ones that stand in black and
white upon the order books OF the banner
ma uufacturers.
on certain hanncrmaker's book there
Is an enrolment of 600 splendid names
Any OF these will paint a Portrait of Nc
Etntny RrN1n Palmer hpIIT
They Will do the vice Presidents IN less
time because their heads Will occupy less
space. aud they will polish off the State
nominees in very short time. The first
portrait may take day. but the following
ones take less time The artist has had
oHe study of the lneaments OF the sub
iect. aud can bring out the popularity Of
eye and mouth very quickly withuu; study.
POSING THE CANDIDATES.
When Mckinley was asked 10 sit for his
oil painting. he strenuously objected. You
have one picture of me. That is enough"
he said. Copy it." The artist took a
cabinet photo and tried to get up an oil
painting. The result was a rugged look.
which Mckinley does not possess. Fl
ralIy the artist was given a sitting. a nd
right fine portrait he wrought.
When Bryan was asked 10 sit for his
portrait he consented If the portrait painter
would cuIne To him. The mountain does
not ordinarily go To Mahomet. but the pro
gram was so arranged that the artist. with
his outfit of palette and easel. repaired
10 the Bryan library. as he had done to Nc
Kiuley's desk. There hr got the peculiarly
strong expression of Mr. Bryan eyes that
magnetic look which cannot lie lost in The
wind and rain of banner-flying.
Palmer sat for his portrait long ago. and
the banner artists Were allowed to copy
the original.
Though nice customs courtesy to greGct
kings" they do rot bow down to great
ambassadors. and Lii Hung Chang had to
visit his own portrait artist while in Lon
don. This artist is the wonderful Miss
Edith Mortiock. who has been the artist
of Windsor for many years. To Miss Mort
locks studio in Sloane street Ii Hung Chang
went daily. whenever he could escape from
the banQuets. The destination of this
painting has been surIniscd In England.
where they have banners. Ii was much ill.,
terestcd in seeing the faces floating from
the club windows. and Immediately asked
for painting for his own face. In Amer
lea he gazed with undisguscd admiration
upon the portraits Of Mckinley and Bryan,
and there is small doubt that once back in
China, he will reproduce the portrait
scheme upon street banners. as he saw it
here.
benjamin Harrison had TO visit his own