The morning times., 1897-02-28
His Strategic Recovery of a
Work on Exhibition.
III COST HIM PRIVILEGES
The WeiI-Known Painter Offends
the Society of Washington Artists.
Resolutions of Condemnation and
Vindication-He May Not Enter
His Work at Coming Exposition

Nine Blavatsky, and who built the hand
some residence Oh New Hampshire avenue
known today as Paris Folly, may eX-
bibit, if he chooses, his pictures at the
annual exhibition OF the Society OF Wash
ineton Artists, but it is not likely that he
viii choose
The society for the last two years has
refused to permit MI. Paris, who is an
artist OF considerable prominence in this
country and abroad, to exhibit his work
because of difficulty he had with Mr..
Parker Mann. 1t is said that the real
reason was that Mr. Parker Mann accused
Mt Paris of what is vulgarly called
fibbing on the occasion of the withdrawal
OF one of hIs pictures from one OF the ex-
bibitions several years ago.
Briefly the story is this: Mr.. Paris is
an Englishnan, man of the world,
violinist, and was at one time wealthy,
although his good nature lent wings TO his
money. He had studio here until re-
Gently, where he gave delightful nusicales
TO the swell set and exhibited the works
OF his brush ard pencil after long trips TO
the mountains and the seashore IN the
spring and summer
one OF his pictures was painted from
historic Arlington, giving a finely executed
view or the White House and the pictur-
eSque, il somewhat uarShy, Potomac,
as ii winds in and out TO the south OF the
Monument He considered it his chef
d'oeuyre.
a lady diStingui she'd in society, OF very
charming personality, and who had
kindly interest in the artist, saw the pic
ture in his studio and talked Of ii TO
lady who leads official social society in
Washington About this time the So
cietv wars to give its annual exhibition,
and Mr. Paris entered the picture. 1t
was placed with other works on eXhibi-
ton in an upstairs room of the Mclean
building to await the action OF the com
Inittee Of a rtiSts on selection, the head OF
which was Mr. Sawyer.
Mr.. PARIS charming bcnefacior con-
veyed 10 him tie wish of tie other lady
ment.o .oned, that she desired TO nave
view OF tie picture on The following Mon
day, it then being Saturday. Mr.. Paris
p1omised to lave tie picture returned to
u.
performance Of "Trilby'' at the Lafay cite
Square Theater i'll order to find Mr.. Saw
Yer. WHO Was spending the evening there.
Mr.. Paris apprchended 10 difficulty In
securing auti o,ity TO obtain the picture,
and was therefore somewhat disInayed 10y
what Mr.. Sawyer told him after the
performance.
Il don't think" said MI. Sawyer, THAT
Nou can get the picture, Nj laTIls. you II
have to see MI. Parker Mann
what said Mr. Paris. Il must have
the picture by Monday morning. ] can
see TO reason why ] should lie lefused TO
have this picture returned"
You'll have to see Mr.. Mann" again
said Mr.. Sawyer. HE has control over
this matter
Mfr Paris was irritated. hut said nothing
more until he saw Mr.. Mann.
Mr. Manu. said lie, Il would like to
withdraw my picture till Monday morn
ing"
..You can't do it," said Mr.. Mann.
Why said Mr.. Paris.
Because" said Mr.. Mann, Il say So
We don't permit pictures TO be with
drawn. once they are placed with us, they
belong to us until we have said whether
we will exhibit them or not
This lis strange, 1 fancy" said Mr.
Paris. waxing warm, but 1 must have
that picture, Mr. Parker Mann"
Again, l say, you can't have it, said
Mr.. Mann, manfully, turning away
..But / will have it, shouted Mr..
Paris. the two then being behind the
scenes on the Lafayette Square Theater
stage after the performance, IF l have
TO break down the door and take II ou'
by force. Mr.. Parker Mann"
Mr.. Mann remained mute and Mt PARIS
hunted up Mr. Sawyer.
lyon must meet me at 9 O'Clock Monday
morning, Mr Sawyer said he, "and
unlock the door TO the room where tht
picture is.
Mr.. SAWYER protested that he couldn
DO il in the face of Mr.. Mann's objection
..But YOU must do it, said Mr.. Paris
al must have that picture, and II yol
don't unlock the door ii break 1t open.
Monday morning bright and early Mr
Paris toiled up the steps or the MCLEAN
building and found Mr.. Sawyer waiting
They unlocked the door and abstracteo
tho picture Mr.. Paris returned to Lii
studio and there for an hour and nan
the two ladies admired it, filling the artist
with great pleasure. Before Il MT Parrl
had again returned the picture and nobody
would have been any the wiser had Lo'
Mr.. Parker Mann inquired if Mt Sawyer
had been down. A day or so later the
picture was returned to Mr.. Paris witt
tbe statement that its quality was moi
nj the kind desired by the Society o1
washington Artists. MIR. Paris chuckled
but said nothing.
Later he received an epistle stating thai
s resolution had been passed by the so
ciety formdding Mr.. Panis to exhibit Ill
nictures at the annual exhibitions. Ihl'
time Mr.. Paris was somewhat offended
as he had been one of the founders oil the
society-and had contributed largely TO lt'
artistic success Shortly afterward he
vrent To New York. Some more CORE
.nondence ensued between him and mem
hers of the society, in which he learned
that Mr.. Mann had secured the passage
- tho resolution. The society had takeI
mis- action. so Mr. Paris was informed
because Mr.. Mann had stated that he, MT
paris. had been guilty OF what is vul
rarly known as lying when he TOOK tht
picture from the room.
Mr. Paris was very much lncensed ps
the report and hastened to washington
whore he proceeded TO set the hhdtte
straight AS result the society recenu!
held another meeting and passed formid
able ard pompOus resolution restoring .'
Nr Paris the privilege OF eXhlmnne ma
n,ctures at the annual expositons. MI