Evening journal., 1900-03-16
STORIES ABOUT WHISTLER.
Mr.. CHAsR's SKETCH OF THE
ARTIST IN A LECTURE.

A BORROWED PORTRAIT OF A
woMAN-MR. wHIsTLER's FAs-
CINATION AND vANITY-LovE
FOR HIS ART-HIs POWER OF
WORDS.
IL is sometimes William NJ. Chase's
habit of a Saturday evening TO gather
the students OF his art school ana talk
to them familiarly of one of the world s
great masters. Now it may be Botti-
cell. or again Velasquez or Rembrandt.
Not long ago the subject announced
was Whistler and the magic of this
name was sufficient 10 call out enough
students to fill the principal hall Of the
atelier. says the New York Sun. This
room lighted by shaded electric globes
that cast the light downward, leaving
a mysterious depth OF ceiling from
which the lights hung low, presented
impressive contrasts of light and shade
that suggested Rembrandt. There was
not trace of luxury; simply bare raft
ers, bare walls, save for eccentric
smearings Of paint that suggested mo
artistic temper Studies OF the nude
hung about; that was all the furnish
ings save hard wooden chairs to sit
upon. Easels were huddled into cor
ners. Lockers shut away the records
OF each students achievements.
The students were merry and chatty
not seeming 70 mind that they were
kept waiting forty or fifty minutes be-
4 81. ha 90
ture. Finally Mr.. Chase entered amid
admiring applause, dapper little man
in evening clothes. with eye glasses
bearing the burden Of black silk rib.
bon-an encumbrance that has doubt
less developed in Mr. Chase the charac'
teristic gesture OF grasping the glasses
as IL he were bitten by the feminine
habit Of staring for which the lorgnett'
is responsible. His manner OF vocal ex
preston is rapid, sletchy and sugges
tive. A sentence is sometimes com
pleted by sounds more or less inarticu
late. accompanied by nervous, ierky
serpentine gestures. where the mobile
fingers play a noticeable part. Thl
manner could not be better calculated
to illustrate the mau Mr.. Chase wa
portraying. One sometimes thought o
related to the "monstrousclamproo
of which one may read in THE Cent
Art" and the subsequent reflection
quite naturally came into the mint
echoing Whistlers reproach: And thi
10 me. who was charming and mad
him beautiful on canvas .......
The stories Of Whistler were told in
imitably Being the outgrowth of MI
-. I.N
not to be found in the book and prOt
baby have not been put into print be
fore. They do not depict hero TO b
worshiped or wept over; they trade HI
tie with the virtues deemed heroic. Th
stern morallst might even raise a warn
ing finger. Mr.. Chase frequently al
firmed that underneath the mans IN
mors was a sound basis OF reasoi
What ethical reason could be adduce
on which to base the following.
One day while the two men Wei
painting together in Mr. Whistler
studio in London, a rap was heard
the door and was answered by Whi
tier Mr. Chase overheard the pr
testing voice of a woman who affirmt
that she had come on an errand 81
had frequently attempted TO execut
NAfi HlNAuAt nuu httn hOilOWtu .h9 Nl
Whistler two years previously, hs
been several times exhibited. AT
though she had frequently tried to II
duce Mr. Whistler to return the pi
ture, he still kept II In his possessio
Now for the last time she absolute
refused to let II remain longer out
her possession. Presently the sua
voice Of Mr. Whistler was heard In q
gument, and not long after the vol
become more indistinct as the wom;
was being escorted to her carriaf
When Mr.. Whistler returned he W
heard TO mutter something about 4
absnrdity Of people believing becau
they had paid two or three hundr
pounds for picture that they there
owned It, There was nothing else
the woman's house to compare with I
work OF his hands and the pictu
would be sadly out OF place.
Early In life Whistler doubtle
learned that the world tolerated a
even applauded presumption II il "
sufficiently bold TO assert itself wit
out apology. In the early student da
Of the Latin quarter. Whistler. ber
OF all but his one suit of clothes,
commission to copy a picture in I
Louvre. Accordingly he went ear
and when the door was opened to
room where the painters supplies WI
stored, he selected a suitable cam
and palette, never inquiring as to ov
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