The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-24
SAVANNAH GA. SUNDAY. JANUARY "a 1897

ness such as would appall the velvet-coat-
ed gentlemen of Union Square, but it is
no eXaggeration to say that its occupant
has an income which many more preten-
tious painters would rejoice to receive.
Technique and perspective meet with
small consideration at the hands of this
king of the beggars, for such he seems to
be. To watch ingress and egreSS of his
patrons would give stranger the ms
preston that some philanthrOplst had es-
tabished a charity hospital in the base
ment
When the writer paid visit to this
unique studio the other day, the artist was
found attired in pair of overalls and a
greasy wooden shirt, as guiltless of orna-
mentation at the neck as was the neck it,
self of acquaintance with soap and water.
A bushy beard that had evidently been
brown in other days covered the lower
portion of the artists face, and his shocky
hair stood up in indignant protest against
the possibility of invasion by brush or
comb From under rather bushy brows a
keen pair of eyes looked out. Mind was
decidedly in evidence; conventionality was
below par. Both cleanliness and goodness
were quite ignored.
The furniture of the studio consisted OF
an old couch covered with a material
which, in days gone by, had probably been
very pretty chintz. Now it was thorough
ly disguised by the accumulation of dirt
A real rag carpet covered the floor, but
not a single picture was hung upon the
walls although standing about the room
were several pictures in various stages of
progress. Permission was asked to exam
inc them, and they were well worth see
ing.
One was a lurid representation of a
powder explosion. So realistic was the
picture that if you cared to place your
finger on what were alleged to be burned
grains of powder you could feel that the
grains were there, though the artist de-
MED that that was the intention. He
said the painting was intended for a pa
iron of his with two wooden legs substi-
tutes for the pair that a powder explosion
robbed him of. The object of the painting
was to show the charitable stranger just
how 1t happened, and the artist said that
in his mind there was no doubt that his
legless patron would greatly benefit by
the scene just placed on canvas.
There was another picture which repre-
scented the blowing up of a man-of-war
The flames that spouted from the decks oil
the unfortunate vessel were far more
red than the light that shines from the
chimneys of the Long Island City iron
works at night Nature has never sue
ceeded in producing anything quite sc
glowing as unmiugated red paint, and
there was no lack Of it in this picture
Inc persons VINO were SalnnS ABOUT IN
the air seemed to have suffered frightful
injuries, and the artist said that this was
purely to invoke sympathy for his Gus
toner, who was supposed to be one OF
the actors in the scene so graphically por-
trayed.
The price for such paintings varies
from So to S12. The artist can complete
one in about an hour and a half if he
does not hurry. If it is a rush order, the
work can be concluded within an hour
though in that case the price is increas-
ed somewhat. When asked If he made
much money by this SOFT of work the art
list replied that he did; that he gained more
than many painters who were striving tc
do great things are able to secure. His
patrons were generally prompt pay-in-
deed, the usual terms are cash on deliv-
cry. AS for embarking in higher art the
artist would have none of it. He tersely
remarked that he would rather be q
painter for beggars than a beggar paint
er, and as he waved a goodbye there was
a contented look on his face which show
ed that he meant exactly what he said.