The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-02
MODEL AND ARTIST.
An Old manss Life Among Painters
The studio ReiasfoDship.

81
Crossing Union Square yesterday in
companion with an artist, my attention
was attracted by a tall man a little way in
advance, who stood looking at US ex-
pectantly. says a New York correspondent
of the Cincinnati Enquirer He wore
a long, grizzled, gray beard and mustache
and, although there was an ungraceful
stoop to his shoulders he presented on the
whole a rather attractive appearance. His
face was by no means a model of mas
culine beauty. but it was one of those
types properly called striking. My com
panion did not notice his man until we
were close upon him; then the two shook
hands with evident pleasure on both
sides at their meeting. There was APP
parently nothing more to be said than a
friendly How de do?" but the gray
bearded man started to walk along with
US.
You've got ONE spare change in your
pockets haven't your" he asked.
The other laughed good humoredly, pro-
duced a quarter and surrendered it to the
old chap, who uttered a p~erfunctory
Thank you" n strolled away.
Rather an beggar, that I
remarked.
"Oh, he isn't a ~beggar,' was the re-
Spouse; he's a model. For twenty
artists and living on VIA they have been
able to give him in the way of regular
fees and extra tips. To him an extra tip
frankly asked for and freely given is
not beggary, and nothing of a humiliat-
ing character, because it happens SO
often that an artist cannot pay. He re-
CARDS 1t as a matter of course hat he
should share with us when we are pros
porous. That, however, is a charitable
view of it, for I'm inclined to hin it is
somewhat d~emoralizing to be a profess
sional model"
rrhfc In -, 1{,r = - - f,-kIN-- IL
versation upon the general subject. 1t
would not seem that anything new could
be said with regard to artists models, but
almost everything written or said about
them has to do with the female type.
People do not seem to remember that
artists have to have male models as
we'll. This Generalization of professional
posing is always spoken of with reference
to women, and 1t is of quite another
character than that referred to by artists
in speaking of Duffy. The models little
history will illustrate this. Twenty or
thirty years ago George Duffy was a
baker. He attracted the attention of a
painter who had need of just such a face
or figure for a work he was then engaged
upon, and he induced Duffy to pose
for it in leisure hours. The work
succeeded, and, as it was done in the IA
nous old studio building en- Tenth street,
it came before the eyes OF a great many
to see the merits of the painting, and
possibly they imagined that the excel
lence of the model had more to do with-it
than was really the case. At all events
the offered Duffy employment one after
another until he found himself in such
great demand that he forsook the bakery
nothing whatever but pose. He has not
only the face and figure for the work, but,
what is quite as important, the tempera-
ment to enjoy it.. After being told about
Duffy / can recall seeing his features in
many a picture, but | cannot recall one
in which he was not seated in a more or
less comfortable attitude.
IN the beginning of his career as a mod
ell Duffy was in such demand that he
could make as much money each week
as he had been making at his trade. Time
came, however, when the Tenth street
artists were not selling pictures readily,
and Duffy found a good deal of time on
ization came in. Nothing would induce
him to return to his trade. He had be-
come so accustomed to sitting around in
the studi that he could not bear the
thought of real work, so he chung to his |
calling, and doubtless will cling to it I'M I
til the end of his lays. I am told that
has shared his luncheon with Duffy. One
artist was mentioned who always made
it az point q set aside ia third of his
very extensive wardrobe. III Would be
hazardous 10 gueSS*ho MANY painters
have epnfributed toSlS Duify certainly
mentions with great pride that he keeps
all garments except those he happens to
be wearing carefully iDckedTup and COW
cred. There iSSsno telling, he says. when
some artistewii wantsRny one Of his old
coats or q pair OF trousers to put into a
picture.
Another male model here8bouts has a
history of interest. He is avery old man,
and years ago was more h a well-to-do. |
When he lost his entire Fortune he was
too old to think of beginning a new bust.
ness c~areer-too old, also, to hope for en-
ployment in any of the channels where if
he had been Younger he might nave found
1t. A humble OF artists connected with
the National Academy of Design engaged
in a benevolent conspiracy to keep the
old man from positive want. They en-
gagged him as q model, one after another, |
that secured his living. His face, a
STRONG though sad one. may be discovered, |
Like Duffy $. in many q modern picture.