The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-14
THE HUMORS OF ART.
Amusing Experience Of Painters in
Searching for Subjects,

Searching for Subjects.
A most interesting volume might be
written on the amusing experience of
artists in search of subjects for their
pictures. Mr.. Boughton, the Royal
academician, tells many diverting
stories of his adventures when sketch
ing. On one occasion when he was
sketching in the Alps, in search of a
suitable background of dark pines for
a contemplated picture, he suddenly
came in sight of the precise situation
he was seeking, with the figure of a
picturesquely dressed old woman in
the foreground. a s.-..
81 asked the old lady," Mr.. Bough-
ton continues, "to remain seated until
had made sketch of her, PROPOSE
ton to which she cheerfully assented.
In a few minutes, however, she asked
me how long l should be- Only about
a quarter of an hour 1 reassuringly
answered.
''Three minutes or 80 later she again
asked me-this time with manifest
anxiety-if l should be much longer
oh, not many minutes, I said: but
why do you ask SO snxiously2' 'Oh,
it's nothing she sadly answered;
'only I'm sitting--on an ant-hapr"
One of David Morray's oldest ex-
periences was this: He had almost
completed picture at place several
miles away from the place where he
was staying, and to avoid the fatigue
of carrying it all the way back he left
it in the custody of the pretty daugh-
ter of neighboring farmer.
On calling for his picture on the
following morning he saw to his
amazement and horror that his beauti-
full painting was all of one tint. As
the fair custodian into whose keeping
he had committed the picture the
p revious evening was not in evidence,
he asked her mother what had hap
pened to his painting.
well" she answered, "my lassie
was that vexed to see the flies sticking
to the picture that she busted it; but, I"
she added, tearfulIy, ''lor', she spoilt
her duster.'
On another occasion when Mr..
Murray was sketching in Picardy,
he had exhausted his canvas, and in
default of anything better, painted his
next subject on a stretched pocket
handkerchief. This picture, which was
exhibited in the Grosvenor gallery,
was seen by wealthy old lady, who
expressed a wish to purchase it. Mr..
Murray thought it right to explain
that the picturve had been painted on
one of his pocket handkerchiefs.
"On your pocket handkerchief - the
old lady exclaimed, in dismay.
"Then I'm sure you've ruined it, for
it will never come out.
Mr.. B. W. Leader, A. R. A., has a
fund of amusing anecdotes of his
ks.ching on the Thames. when he
was painting his well-known picture
of the Manchester snip canal in process
of construction, two Of the navvies
engaged on the work sauntered up to
his canvas, and, after looking att
! thoroughtfully for few moments, one
of them said: 81 say, Jim, that
bloke's got fist wot won't let him
starve. " ga criticism which pleased
me more, Mr.. Leader says, ethan
column of adulation in the Times. )"
On later occasion, when he was
sketching on the Thames, he asked a
picturesque man who was on a punt
loaded with reeds to stand while he
painted him. When the sketch was
completed Mr.. Leader gave the man a
few shillings for his trouble, which the
model thankfully received; land
now" he said. "I'm a-going to ask
you to give thatlittIe drawing to take
'ome to my missus.''
Artists have many amusing and
some unpleasant experiences when
trespassing in pursuit. of subjects for
, their art. When Mr.. Boughton once
! saw man blowing in a field in
America he climbed the dividin g wall
, and began to sketch him. This was
too much for the involuntary model,
who strobe up to the artist and said
'Do you know what could do with
your" 81 haven't the slightest idea, :"
Mr.. Boughton answered, with smile.
"Well," the burly plowman said.
81 could chuck you into the road Z"
"You'd better not do that" Mr..
Boughton retorted; "why not go back
to your plow, and I'll whistle for you
, in half an hour2'
To Mr.. Boughton' 8 surprise the man
obeyed /; and half an hour later was
duly summoned to inspect the finished
picture. "How much will they give
you for that2" he asked, after criti-
cally surveying the sketch. "Oh. about
ten pounds the artist answered.
swell, I'm hanged, = the astonished
plowman said, scratching his head in
perplexity. 81 have to pillow two
months before can earn as much as
that. London Tit-Bits.a
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