Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-26
How an Artist
Secured Recognition



About the middle Of the last century
there lived In France n sickly little
boy. He was Of an intellectual cast
and his mother desired 10 give him an
education. To do this she practiced
pinching economy and often worked in
the fields, as go many peasant wonen
do in France. The boy made progress
in his studies, but his natural bent was
art. So when he was fifteen it was de.
termined that be should 60 TO Paris
with n view to making n painter OF
himself.
100. Basuan, my dear boy" said his
mother, and may you one day be able
to support yourself by selling our
pictures"
The boy studied and painted for
seven years. Meanwhile he had be.
come n man and reliant on his WI
exertions for u livelihood. He found
it rather a life bordering on starvation.
Still he struggled on and though the
world did not care to buy his pictures
he made slow but sure improvement
The first thing for an artist in France
TO do Is to paint a picture worthy OF
the salon. If this picture passes the
committee and IS hung on the walls
that stamps the painter AS proficient In
art. Bastian starved and worked on "a
picture for this purpose. but just as
he was finishing 1t the Franco Prussian
war came on and the Prussians march
ed with but little delay to Paris and
laid siege to the city.
The salon was forgotten in the great
work of defense. Bastian went with
the others into the trenches, but or
the first day OF the siege IA shell fol-
at his feet and wounded him. lie Wa
carried TO his home in the country
where he lay i'll and idle for two years.
The work on his picture Tor the salon
had been ruined during the siege Dy a
shell that exploded in his studio, bu,
Bastlan could not remain idle always.
and as he was too delicate for manual
labor he resolved to return to Paris.
There vas no prospect Of his making
a success at painting pictures to sell
in the usual way, so he painted cheap
fans. But even this was high arr
compared with what followed. Ono
day n patent medicine manufacturer
gave him an order to paint a picture
illustrating his remedy's virtues. There
is something horrible to one Of an
artistic nature in thus degrading his
beloved art. Nevertheless the price to
be paid for the picture would give Bas-
tan the whercwithal to silence his hun
ger for several months. lie repressed
his d~istaste and undertook the work.
The theme he selected was n land
scape bathed in the sunlight OF April.
The leaves on the trees were of that
tender pale green only seen for a week
or two in the month Of sunshine and
showers. Around fountain danced
a group of young girls. The advertis.
ing feature was that the fountain came
from the spring of the elixir Of youth,
or the patent medicine.
Bastian. being a true artist, while
he worked forgot the ignoble use to
which his picture was to be put and
became absorbed In it. The landscape
and the dancing girls under his touch
became things Of beauty. The c%oloring
was delicious; the delicate leaves shone
in the soft April sunlight; the maidens
became living beings. fair and grace
full.
When the picture was finished its
creator looked at It. and the melan-
choly fact came upon him that 1t was
to be used as an advertisement He
could not resign himself to believe that
it was not fitted for n better purpose
Indeed, he was much pleased with hi,
work. While he was musing before II
the man who had ordered it came in.
Let me offer II at the salon." plead.
ed Bastian.
Now. the patent medicine man knew
no more about the rules regulating the
salon than be knew Of art.
The very thing" he said. But first
paint a rainbow arching over the
fountain with the name of my medi-
cine on It,"
Bastian explained that such a fea-
ture would not pass at the salon and
It would ruin the picture as a work Of
art.
VERY WELL" said the manufacturer
augrily. Then l will not pay you u
sou for it,"
0uHSIuu wan All OcSPdh' nc Nousu
not give up the price OF his labor with
out going hungry. There was but 4
slender chance Of the pictures being
accepted Mt the salon. Hundreds Of
hopeful artfsts send pictures there to
have them refused. Would he not meet
the same fate? Nevertheless there was
something so attractive about his pic
ture that he had not the heart to spoil
Il by a glaring advertisement. He re-
solved to 60 hungry and send his pic
ture to the salon.
Then anne a weary waiting Wink
his contribution to art was being ex-
amined with hosts Of others. One day
news came that hts picture had been
admitted.
1t was a relief, but did not insure
success. Would 1t have a place before
picture lovers merely or would they
prize It?
The result. though It did not all conae
at once. was pronounced. The picture
attracted great attention, sold for a
, good price. and orders came for others.
Basuan. relieved Of his distress and
findtng himself enabled to do the best
work. left OIL painting fans. and 80
far as pictures for advertisements were