The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-06-03
TIE FINISHING TOUCH.
How an American Art Student Electrified
a Berlin Audience.

i y
American who entertained Berlin
audience unexpectedly one evening
half dozen years ago may have set
up studio of his own somewhere
in this country, and if he has I'll
guarantee that he entertains well,
said an artist at the Lotos club one
night last week. IT was in Berlin
doing a little painting at the time,
and fell in with little colony of
Americans who made my stay very
pleasant.
1--WE dropped in to see a variety
show one evening at the Reichs hal
len. The star performer was light
ming sketch artist who figured on
the bill as professor He was a
tall, long haired man, with arms
that reached almost to his knees. A
large easel held his canvases, and
the rapidity with which he worked
greatly pleased his audience. His
arms worked like windmill, and as
he swung them the paint few off
his brush in a steady stream. The
result on the canvas didn t resemble
any thing until with quick spit
spat of the brush, he put touch here
and a touch there, and, behold, q
picture! The picture wasn't work
of art, to be sure; but, then, the
spectators were by no means crit
ical AS the professors arms flew
around and his brush whacked the
canvas, turning out new pictures IN
less than half a minute, the enthu-
siasm increased. The professor sat
down to rest. A we'll dressed young
man, very evidently an American,
called out in very shaky German:
oh, professor, you are slow and
your pictures are bad.
Come up and try one yourself,
if you think SO, replied the profess
or sneeringly.
All right, said the young man,
and while the rest OF the spectators
were shouting and laughing at the
invitation he climbed up on the
stage and took possession of the
professor S paints and easel.
1T was apparent that he knew
something about painting from the
ease with which he handled his
brush. After two or three prelim-
mary motions to timber up his arms
he turned and bowed low to the au-
dience in the professor best man
ner. The caricature was appreciat-
ed, and a terrific howl greeted him.
Turning to the canvas he swung his
paintbrush at rate that made the
professors previous efforts seem
slow by contrast. He seemed to be
in a frenzy, and the eyes of the
stolid Germans in the theater bulged
out with establishment. They forgot
to drink their beer. In less than a
minute the American turned and
bowed again to the spectators to i'm
ply that his picture was completed,
and he awaited their decision. AS
he stood aside and the canvas on
which he had been working was ex-
posed there was silence for mo-
ment, and then came storm Of
ieers, in which even the professor
Joined. The canvas was merely a
blotch. Not even the widest imagi-
nation could trace any suggestion
of a picture on it.
1.-The American looked panied at
his greeting and then turned toward
his canvas. A surprised expression
came over his face That couldn't
be his picture. The spectators were
still ieering him when, as if it were
a second thought, he sprang to the
easel and turned the canvas bottom
side up. The jeers were changed to
cheers. The canvas now bore an eX-
cellent landscape, with no detail left
out. There were trees, a stream, an
old Dutch house, and in the back
ground several cows. 1t had been
painted coarsely, but it was effective
and far superior to anything that
the professor had turned out. While
the spectators were laughing at the
young Americans ready wit he
sprang off the stage and, accompa-
MED by several friends, left the hall.
learned that he was studying art
in Berlin, and that he spent more
time in practical jokes than at the
art schools. He had fairly beaten
the professor at his own game. how
ever, and there were no more light
ming sketches that evening. New
York Sun.