Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-05
CONFUSE ARTIST WITH GREAT
ILLUSTRATOR
smedley, Who Came, Saw and Quietly
Fled Is Not Man to Whom the
World Pays Its
Homage
Whats in a name?

And then to suddenly disappear, Wnlle
the public is looking for that same
great man. all the time mentally con-
graduating itself that so great a man
was to make Los Angeles his home.
w. T. Smedley, the great American
illustrator and painter of New YORK
city, was easilya and generally con-
founded with the name of Will Larry
more Smedley, member of the Society
Of Painters and illustrators" New
York. American Water Color society,"
New York; american Miniature
Painters society,"" New York; "Ameri- |
can Water Color society," Society of |
Artists and illustrator" and exhibitor |
in the National academy. And when |
the announcement that w. l.. Smedley |
was to become an instructor in the |
School of Art and Design of Los An |
gees a small furor was caused in art |
circles, and the moths Immediately be-
gan to prepare themselves for singeing |
in the great white light that was so
soon to shine in the City of the Angels !
Then the announcement was made
that w. L. Smedley, the well known
artist and illustrator had come to
Los Angeles on account of i'll health, !
and that it was through that circum-
stance that he had been secured by a
local institution
Then came the announcement that
W. L. Smedlev was too i'll to take up
his work and that he would be unable
to attend a reception given in his honor
at the School of Art and Design to-
gether with Alexander Sterling Calder,
a well known sculptor of Philadelphia,
who had also become member of the
faculty, Tuesday evening.
Public Is Dee-Iighted
The reception came and went and
ktA al. ~ fEN inff
made, and people were beginning to
look through the past history of their
families to see if any one had ever
known any member of the great Smed-
ley's family.
This is the story made public. but
while it was distinctly announced by
the school that wv. L. Smedley' had
been engaged the public and the news
papers Immediately took it for granted
that the great Smedley was to come to
Los Angeles. A sketch of w. T. Smed-
ley was even published, regretting his
inability to take up work on account
of continued illness.
Now, what's in a name, especially
when it talles so closely with that of
a great man?
The facts of the case are this, as
stated last night by Malcolm Macleod,
manager of the School of Art and De-
sign:
Will barrymore Smedley a resident
of Chautauqua N. Y, with a studio in
New York, one day took up the Inter-
national Studio, an art magazine, and
there seeing a notice of work done by
students of the Los Angeles School of
Art and Design Immediately took the
fancy that he would like to live in
Los Angeles. Thereupon w. L. Smed-
ley sat himself down and wrote a note
TO NTf- cIr If he had
vacancies in the teaching corps of the
school, stating that it had long been
his wish to reside in Los Angeles, and
giving as a guarantee of his ability the
list printed above of the societies of
which he was member and where he
exhibited.
F, Fame Precedes Great Man
Mr. Macleod Immediately made ar
rangements to secure the services of
such a we'll versed man in artistic
lines, for in addition to his artistic work
he wrote of his scientific education and
mechanical engineering. AS all these
studies are taught in the school it was
thought that w. L. Smedley was just
the right man for the place.
Thereupon Mr.. Smedley was engaged
and the announcement was made that
he would soon be in Los Angeles, also
with the long list of his pedigree in
societies.
In due time Mr.. Smedley arrived, and
in the interim his fame had preceded
him far and wide as the great Smedley.
Last Friday morning he visited Mr..
and Mrs. Macleod at the school and
was taken through the studios. 1t is
understood that he tabooed the work
of the old masters, several of which are
on exhibition in the school, and went
so far as to say that Parisians would
do we'll to come to America to COM
plete their art education.
He brought none of his work, and
when asked about it replied that he
didn't cart pictures all over the country
and ended up by asking if the framing
was expensive here.
He was invited to dinner that evening
by Mr.. and Mrs. Macleod, who wished
to extend the usual couEtesies to the
new member of the faculty. After din
ner a little business chat was sug-
gested, but Mr.. Smedley Immediately
seemed to become nervous and wished
to go to his hotel. He returned to his
hotel, and that was the last seen of
him at the School of Art and Design.
Mr.. Smedley Fades From View
Monday a note was received by Mr..
Macleod from Mr. Smedley stating that
he was unavoidably called to return.
and that he was very sorry to cause
him (Mr. Macleod) any inconvenience.
but stating that he could probably fill
his vacancy very easily. and saying
that he himself (Mr. Smedey) had
probably been caused more inconveni-
ence than the school.
He ended by asking them to excuse
his writing with a pencil, as he had not
time to telephone, and that If the train
had not been a few moments late he
would not have had time to write.
Not the hint of an excuse for leaving
so suddenly did Mr.. Smedley give, and
1t is not known where he now is
When seen last evening Mr., Macleod
said that he had neVers confounded the
two artists, that w. t. Smedley was
the great Smedley and Is 60-odd years
old, while the W. l.. Smedley advertised
to come to the local school is about 35
years old, thin and spare of frame.
while the older man is rather portly.
''There was absolutely no misrepre-
sentatiOn on our part" said Mr.. Mac
leod- ''We knew we We're getting VIII
barrymore Smedley. And furthermore
we did not advance him one cent for his
coming here, as has been stated. And