Evening journal., 1905-10-09
How an Artist
Secured Recognition

uul. ne WAS Nl du lht'htSAudi idal
and his mother desired to give him an /
education. To do this she pracuced /
pinching economy and often worked in
the fields as so many peasant women
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 he should so to Paris
with view to making a painter OF
himself.
Go, Bastian, my dear boy said his
mother, "and may you one day be able
to support yourself by selling your
pictures"
The boy studied and painted for
seven years. Meanwhile he had be-
come man and reliant on his own
exertions for a 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 it 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 on
the first day Of the siege a she'll fell
at his feet and wounded him. He was
carried to his home i'm the country,
where he lay 81 and idle for two years.
The work on his picture for the salon
had been ruined during the siege by n
she'll that exploded in his studio. but
Bastian could not remain idle always
and as he was too delicate for manual
labor he resolved to return to Paris.
There was no prospect Of his making
a success at painting pictures to sell
I'm the usual way, so he painted cheap
fans But even, this was high art
compared with what followed. One
day patent medicine manufactures
gave him an order to paint 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-
dan the wherewithal TO silence his hun
Ger for several months. He repressed
his distaste and undertook the work.
The theme he selected was land
scape bathed in the sunlight Of April
The leaves on the trees were Of thai
tender pale green only seen for a weel
or two in the month of sunshine an1
showers. Around a fountain danced
a group Of young girls. The advertis
/ ing feature was that the fountain cam'
from the spring OF the elixir Of youth
or the patent medicine.
Bastan. being true artist, Will
he worked forgot the ignoble use I
which his picture was to be put an
became absorbed in il. The landscap
and the dancing girls under his touc
became things Of beauty. Tie colorinl
was delicious: the delicate leaves shon
in the soft April sunlight; the maiden
became living beings, fair and grace
full
When the picture was finished il
creator looked at it. and the melan
choly fact came upon him that it wa
10 be used as an advertisement. II
could not resign himself TO believe tina
it was not fitted for a better purpose
Indeed, he was much pleased with hi
work. While he was musing before
the man who had ordered it came in.
let me offer it at the salon." plead
cd Bastian.
Now, the patent medicine man kne'
no more about the rules regulating I'll
salon than he knew of art.
"The very thingw he said. "But frs
paint rainbow arching over tn
fountain with the name Of my med
cine on it."
Bastian explained that such a fei
ture would not pass at the salon an
It would ruin the picture as a work {
art
every well,' said the manufacture
angrily. "Then I viii not pay you
sou for it."
Bhstian was in despair. He coul
not give up the price OF his labor witt
out going hungry. There was but
slender chance of the pictures bein
accepted at the salon. Hundreds I
hopeful artists send pictures there
have them refused. Would he not me-
the same fate? Nevertheless there wi
something so attractive about his pi
ture that he had not the heart to spc
it by a glaring advertisement. He r
solved to go hungry and send his pi
ture to the salon.
Then came a weary waiting viii
'ot his contribution to art was being e
a amined with hosts of others. One d'
l. news came that his picture had be-
he admitted.
it 1t was a relief. but did not insu
er success. Would it have a place beto
" picture lovers merely or would tn
!. prize itG
~ The result though It did not all cor
at once, was pronounced. The pictu
attracted great attention, sold for
good price. and orders came for othe
Bastian. relieved of his distress a
finding himself enabled 20 do the b
work. left of painting fans. and
: far as pictures for advertisements We
: concerned he was foated far abo
them. He became a patient laborer
an exalted field and in time produc
pictures that placed him among