New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14
HOW WHISTLER POSED.
John ". AIerander. the Painter
Tells About 1t.

There is little in the quiet manner OF John w
Alexander the painter to suggest the stern deter
minaton that took him through the early struggle
which led him TO his present eminent position,
saws The Worlds Work" The story of his early
days is a story of hard work privation and cheer
full pluck lighted by his friendship with Whistler.
which began in a curious way on a canal IN
Venice
Mr. Alexander had no teacher but his
taste and judgment. At sixteen he concluded that
he would become painter and that he would go
to NeW-Yo7k He left Pittsburg with $50. He car
ried some sketches with him, but Of the
editors to whom he showed them could use them.
He applied for a position In the art department of
4 monthly magazine. There were no vacancies,
but he heard that messenger boy was needed in
the department a 50 a week He took the job
and for eight months he errands and lived
on So a week and what was left out Of the $50 At
the epd Of eight months he was promoted and he
then received s12 a week and later $l5 week.
on which he lived. On SIS q week he saved $500
10 20 to Europe He twenty years old when
he reached Munich. Munich proved to be
beyond his means and he Joined colony of Amer
lean artists who lived together in a ruined monas-
terry in Bavaria.
tbere that he met Whistler. Here is his own &C
count of it: One day I was painting on one OF
the canals surrounded by the usual little crowd
Of idlers who watch an artist over his shoulder
when he paints outdoors. Suddenly 1 became con-
.o;or,s that somebody unusual was behind me- l
don't know why but couldn't help turning my
+aad and instantly I jumped to my feet if the
s+ooI had suddenly become red hot 1t Whist
Ter posiDg enthusiastically and fourishing his
mustaches I spoke 10 him; and then he sat down
on the stool and Of cTitics!ng the picture,
he spoke only in the kindliest manner, suggesting
where the composition might be improved. and
where a bit OF color needed a higher tone. He
knew that I knew the picture was crude and that
7 was lust as harsh critic Of my work as he could
be He did not try 10 be censoTlous at all only
| belpful I was much surprised at his manner for
I had heard Of his being always brutally frank
The acquaintance soon became a friendship which
7 afterward had the pleasure of enjoying in Lon
| don, where had curious experience with him.
81 was commissioned by a magazine to make
! wash drawing Of Mr.. Whistler TO De engraved
! Whistler agreed to sitting and appeared at his
studio with several canYases for made practice
of carrying enough to discard one and take another
! II did not like the first. Lady Colin Campbell
| was there, beside several other people, ana lhey
| embarrassed me a good deal SAe d4"aSs e@4eu
! Whistler Jimmy.
He posed for standing. ! sketched In the
| shadows first and had begun TO draw IN some OF
the outlines when Whistler began TO get ndgety-
| at last he could stand II any longer. so ne
/ walked around behind me- and after looking over
/ my shoulder for moment, ne said; Inn! yes
yes but don't you think this line ought to be so?
| " He reached for the palette and brush and al
| once he forgot everything-ny work. the sitting
and all; he saw only picture in front of him, and
his idea of how it should be done. Away went my
shadows, out went one line, another was changed
and IN moment the whole picture WAS whistler .
| not mine.
| Lady Colin Campbell my embarrassment.
! and she stepped into the breach with protest.
Jimmy she said. leave il alone. Mr.. Alexander
| was beginning make real likeness of you, and
now IL doesn't look any more like you than 1t does
like me"
That woke him up, and he handed mo back
the brush with a shrug Very well, very well!
how DO you want to stand?'
"a little more TO the left, please. just a tribe
| more; there, that's right
- I furious by this time and when l had
him posed caught the canvas and fairly nung 1t
across the room with crash and reached for a
fresh Whistler didn't even culver an eyelash.