Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-13
THEIR FEATURES ON CANVAS
Portraits Of the President and the Woe
President. }
Painted at the Order of MI. Hobart
How and Where the work
Was Done.

| Vice President Hobart, reproduced IN The
| Star today, belong to the latter, and will
adorn the home of the Vice President in
this city or in New Jersey. The portrait
OF the President is the better known, be-
| cause the artist did most of the work in
the White House, and the progress of his
work was frequently reported in the news
papers.
Mr.. A. Benziger, the artist, has studios
In Berne. Paris and New York. He never
cid much work in this country, however
Several months ago, on reaching New York
| from Europe. he was engaged to paint a
portrait of Vice President Hobart His
work was SO pleasing to the Vice Presi-
dent that the latter employed him to paint
| the President
The portraits are two-thiros life size
and the intentions and motives of the ar
| fist are revealed to a large extent in the
reproductions given.
Mr.. BenZiger was engaged several weeks
at the White House. The President gave
him one sitting each day during the be-
ginning of the work: toward the close in
creasing to two short sittings, sparing as
much time as possible from the rush of
official visitors and office seekers. The
portrait CT the President was finished in
the studio OF the artist in New York ard
the photographs of it were taken there.
Mr.. BenZger. it is understood, will make
two copies of the painting. One will be for
himself and the other will be used In the
White House collection of Presidents if 1t
is ever decided that the portrait deserves
that recognition. No portrait of the Pres
ident can be officially placed in the White
House collection until the President goes
out of office.
Althoi st a foreigner. Mr.. Benzigsr
speaks English well His impressions of
the man he painted will be of interest as
tending to 81 ow what he has tried to put
in the picture. Talking of President Me-
Kinley. Mr.. Eenziser said to a Star re-
porter:
Talk with the Artist.
"It has been my privilege to meet many
distinguished people, and yet when con-
fronted with the task Of painting portraits
Of such busy men as the President and
the Vice President of the United States
in the shortest possible time, with only
such irregular sittings as could be snatched
from their important duties. and without
the conveniences of ones own studio,
was l admit, somewhat disconnected
Everything was done, however, to make
my stay at the White House as pleasant
as possible. The east room was fitted
up as studio for the sittings of the Presi-
dent, and l allowed free access to
his official apartments that I might
study him during his audiences and recep-
lions.
"Of course. I was often obliged to wait
the Presidents leisure, but when I saw
the patience of the hundreds whose very
living depended upon meeting him, it would
be ungrateful for me to complain or to ex-
press disappointment at loss of time.
Everything interests Him. and he likes
to give his personal attention to as many
questions as possible Go not believe he
ever complains of too mucho work. His
only complaint was, once in while after
receiving more than 200 people in a day.
that he was too tired to stand and l had
to give him a chair. He BELIEVES in seeing
every one who calls at the White House
me more he sees he says, the better he
learns their needs and how to help them
one evening, when in the company of some
ladies', discussion began about the Presi-
dent as husband, and there seemed to be
but one opinionLthat he is a model man,
ana II 1t depends on the women of America
his reelection is sure. When I repeated
this next morning to the President and
Mrs Mckinley, the latter said L hope he
Will not be reelected; there Is too much
work attached to the Office, and l did not
need to be the wife of the President to be
perfectly happy ~ ~
Before began the portrait OF the Pres
ldent he told me that he had never had
portrait which pleased him and he " had
many bad ones. When he gave me his first
slttlng realized what hardship it would
De Tor him to lose his time for another
pad picture. and 1 felt quite sure that if
me likeness was not apparent at the second
! sitting he would not give me third
After the second sitting he said to his
private secretary, Mr.. Porter Il believe
a enose are gong to be my eyes Well, I
finished the picture after many Int Short
sittings-sttings of ten to twenty minutes
and those whose opinions the President
valued were pleased with it. They are
good enough to say that it shows NOT on1y
his features, but his SOUL 0''i'