Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-10-11
Artists WHO HAV:
ruined Their WORK
Piqucd by Criticism, Famous
Artists Fiave Been Known to
Destroy Masterpieces.
PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS
Numerous Celebrated Names Among
These Vino Have Childishly Yield
ed TO Anger and Destroyed
Their Efforts.



Il is Perhaps but natural that men
and women al genius should desire hat
the best of their works only should live
after them. md for this reason many
a celebrated artist has destroyed his
own pictures. When Elosaruh WAS al
most at the height OF his time he paint
cd an interior. which was somewhat
severely criticised by a friend. Tho
artist acknowledged the business of the
criticism. and Wien his frank friend
had lett t~hestudiohe took Il sharp knife
and Deliberately cut The canvas in TWO
and threw the pieces into the coal scut-
tie. There they were Oun the follow
ing day By one OF the maids who took
the pieces home.
Some time afterward the story Of the
ruined picture reached the ears OF u
relative of Hoearth's. who thereupon
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 relative had to ba
content with half the picture. which is
now in possession of Hogurth'S descend
ants in Aberdeen.
Hogarth WAS but one of many artists
who have in a fit OF discomfort de-
stroyed their own works. Jules Flam-
ileIoll, III an interesting Hfllcie on inc
life of the late sculptor. Gerome. tells
how the great artist had been working
for many weeks ON an IDEAL group symA
b~oliZing the birth of spring when he
suddenly became convinced that his
treatment of the subject VAS wrong.
and with one blow of his clenched
fist he reduced the graceful group to u
mere mass of Inert clay"
Chartran. the famous French portrait
painter. once destroyed Il picture for
which he was to receive e1.0O0. The
portrait was that of AN American wom-
AN famous for her beauty. When the
picture was nearing. completion the
husband of the woman called at NJ.
Chartran's studio in Paris and requisite
I'd to be shown the portrait. After
looking at ii for a few moments he de-
rlared that it was "a Very beautiful
painting and that the coloring WAS SUI
perb, but that il no more resembled
his Wife than it did the empress OF
China.
Chartran merely bowed, laid down his
brush and then. taking out his PEN
knife. deliberately slished the pictur"
into ribbons before the eyes of his as
tonished visitor and showed him the
door. The sequel of the story came out
later. when ii became known that the
millionaire husband had visited the
studio for the express purpose OF get
ting the artist 10 make 4 reduction i'll
his price.
But perhaps The most dramatic case
of an artist destroying his WI work
occurred in New York when Gutzom
lIorgiunA, the we'll known sculptor. rose
carly on the morning of October . and
made his way to the Belmont chapel of
the Cathedral of st. John the Divine. on
Morninsside Heights. and broke to
pieces his two statues, colossal i'll thcis
proportions. representing the Angel OF
the A%nnunciation and the Angel of Res
direction.
The cause of this remarkable act wa,
due to the sculptor having been severe
ly criticised for conceiVing and eXecut-
ing these statues as beautiful women.
When seen afterward by the excited re.
porters he said that he felt like IL muir
derer. bat that it was the only thing
he could do under the circumstances.
Air. Borgium took away with him the
heads OF the two angels and one foot.
which he intends to keep rs souvenirs.