Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-26
QUEER ACTS OF VANDALISM.
Noted Artists Have Been Moved to
Destroy Their Own Works.

Noted Artists Have Been Moved to
Destroy Their Own Works.
1t is perhaps but natural that men
and women of genius should desire
that the best of their works only
should live after them and for this
reason many celebrated artist has de-
stroyed his own pictures. When Ho-
garth was almost at the height of his
fame he painted an interior which
was somewhat severely criticised by a
friend. The artist acknowledged the
business of the criticism and when his
frank friend had left the studio he
took sharp knife, deliberately cut
the canvas in two and then threw the
pieces into the coal scuttle. There
they were found the following day by
one of the maids, who took the pieces
home.
Some time afterward the story Of
the ruined picture reached the ears Of
a relative Of HOgarth's, who there
upon went to the maid and asked her
to sell him the pieces. She agreed to
do SO, but when she went to look for
them one half had vanished. Search
was made and inquiries instituted, but
with no result and the relatives had
to be content with half of the picture,
which Is now In the possession Of Ho-
garth's descendants In Aberdeen.
Hogarth was but one of many artists
who have. In fit of discomfort, de
stroyed their own works. Jules Flam-
meron. in an interesting article on tho
life of the late sculptor, Gcrome, tells
how the great artist had been work.
Ing for many weeks on an Ideal group
symbolizing the birth of spring, when
he SUDDENLY became convinced that his
treatment Of the subject was wrong
and with one blow of his cllnched
hand he reduced the graceful group to
mere mass of Inert clay"
Chartran, the famous French por-
trait painter, once destroyed a picture
for which he was to receive $1,000.
The portrait was that Of an American
lady famous for her beauty. When the
picture was nearing completion the
husband of the lady called at Mr..
Chartran's studio in Paris and re-
quested to be shown the portrait. After
/ looking at 1t for few moments lie de-
clared that 1t was very beautiful
painting and that the cOloring was SUI
perb, but that 1t no more resembled
his wife than 1t did the empress Of
China.
rs hos lnI
his brush and then. taking out his pen
knife, deliberately slashed the picture
into ribbons before the eyes Of his as
tonished visitor and showed him tho
door. The sequel to the story came out
later, when 1t became known that the
millionaire husband had visited tho
studio for the express purpose Of get
ting the artist to make reduction In
his price.
But perhaps the most dramatic cnso
Of an artist destroying his own work
occurred In New York when Gutzon
BOrghum. the well-known sculptor,
rose early on the morning Of Oct. 0
and made his way to the Belmont
chapel Of the Cathedral OF st. John
the Divine, on Morningside Heights.
and broke to pieces his two statues.
colossal In their proportions. repre-
senting the Angel Of the Annunciation
and the Angel of Resurrection.
The cause Of this remarkable act
was due to the sculptor having been
severely criticised for concciving and
women. When seen afterward by tho
excited reporters he said that he felt
like murderer, hut that 1t was the
only thing he could do under the cir
cumstances. Mr.. BOrglum took away
with him the heads Of the two angels
and one foot, which he Intends to keep
MS souvenirs.--LondOn Tlt-Bits.