The Natchitoches enterprise., 1899-01-05
A PATRON OF ART.
He WAS NOT MUCH OF A JUDGE OF
PICTURES, BUT BOUGHT THEM.

And When All Was S&id and Done II
Had to Ee Acknowledged by the
Painters Themselves That He War
Real Patron.
There is story you can hear if You
want in Paris concerning two men of
Cincinnati. Who the ciro men are, in
the words Of the poRt, 81 know, but
may not tell" If could telI-ah, that
would be seven days scandal!
Both OF them were supposed to be
patrons of art. They were men Of note
and they lad money galore They did
not know anything about pictures. They
could not tell, unaided, a Rembrandt
from a lithograph; bat that is tribe
They were patrons Of art.
As to their names, l shell call one
Smith and the other Jcnes. We'll,
Smith bou:cgU N srvs~rv rua prr--svr7
it to the Art mugehm. Then Jea.ag went
abroad and visited Paris, and there an
artist whom knew ran across him.
Il want" Fid Jones, ito give a
piceuse tS ths museum. SMITH hzs 6oTs
so. Imustn't let him get ahead of me- ("
"My dear Mr.. Jones'" said the artist
aforesaid, ~ know exactly the picture
for you. 1t was painted by Constant.
It is now in Constants studio. Let me
take you there tomorrow and You shall
see it. You will not get anything love
her in all Paris. 4"
Tie next Gay they went to Constants
studio. They were shown the picture
Constant himself shook hands with the
great American patron of art The 9th
er artist, the one who had taken Jones
to the studio, praised the picture inor-
dinately. 1t was indeed lovely, and it
deserved the praise. The American was
visibly impressed He almost said he
would buy it.
"And it is not q dear picture, all
things considered, said his conductor.
"How mucb?" said tho patron.
"Twenty thousand franos-$4, o0o."
"Ohr"
From that moment the interest of the
patron began to cool. He did not say
again that he liked the picture. He took
leave Of the famous Constant almost
ourtIy. He did not encourage his con-
ductor to talk, and he would not him
self say anything more about the pic
ture
Naturally the conducting artist
thought it was all over He made a
feeble attempt to reopen the subject,
but the patron Of art said grufiy:
"No, no. That picture doesn't suit
me-"
Picturesque and severe things were
said about that patron by that artist
He declared that the patron knew no
more of art than a COW did. What busi-
ness had suoh man to an opinion about
a picture?
"Of COURSE" he would conclude at
the end of each harangue, 1.-THE trouble
was in the price. He is worth millions
and he wouldn I pay 81, oO0 for beau
tiful picture--the barbarianr'
Suddenly the artist was astonished.
The patron had bought picture, and,
behold, it was one which cost double
the price Of Constants What could it
all mean?
The artist was point blank man,
and the next time be saw the patron he
went at him bluntly.
Nov. Mr. Jones, +" said he, 81 want
you to tell me why you didn't buy Con-
stant's picture. l suppose the price was
Zoo steep. But the one you bought at
least cost twice as much, and you got
sold in buying it.
Why, look here. +" said the brilliant
Jones, "old Smith gave the museum
picture that cost So, O00-$5, 900, you
understand. Do you suppose can give
it one that cost only 81, 0002 What do
you take me for?''
But he isa patron of art. -Cincinnati
Commercial.