Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
. HE Princess Ultima Lwoff Parlaghy


by birth Hungarian and
= genius. by marriage Russian and
a princess-has been occupying suite at
the Arlington for the last ten -days-oc-
cupying it pretty continuously, for she
has not been we'll and has scarcely lett
her rooms since her arrival. She Is go
ing up to Lakewood now for a couple OF
weeks recuperation, after which she
expects to return for another brief visit
before taking her way westward to the
Pacific coast en- route for Japan. and
ultimately for India.
The princess is probably the most dec
Grated" woman in Europe outside of the
ladies of the royal families. who receive
orders and colonelcies and things of that
sort merely as perquisites of their posi-
ton. Her decorations are in recognition
not of her birth, but of her art. Even so
they might be regarded as largely the
product of social pull the grateful and.
perhaps, overcordial acknowledgment of
too rare talent in the haute noblesse,
were it not for the fact that many of her
galleries of Europe, tribute to genius
which is never granted to mere social
pull
Her unusual talent gained her when
less than ten years old. admission to the
classes of the great Won Linbach in
Munich, were women were rarely and
children never received. Since then she
has painted the portraits of more royal
and princely persons, more persons of dis
tinction in all lines OF human endeavOr-
statesmen. scientists, philosophers. philan-
thropists. lions literary and lions artistic,
than any one living. 1t is noticeable
however that she has painted few women.
and that those whom she has painted
have been elderly, If not actually old
women. The smooth skin and shining
hair, the roses and lilies of youth. the
purple and fine linen of wealth. do not
appeal to her as subjects for her brush.
She Is credited with being over here now
to paint a portrait of President Roosevelt,
but she herself says not
II do not expect to paint M lie Presi-
dent she says. II have not time to do
it even if he had time to give me sit
tings. 1 hope to make a sketch of him
for my own pleasure, you understand
but not a finished portrait. No! 1 have
no intention of setting up a studio in
Washington. 1 would like. as 1 say. to
make a sketch of Mr.. Roosevelt when I
return. and of some others Of the promi-
nent men. Mr.. Taft's. face find very
interesting-and M. lie Secretaire Root.
These are the people 7 like to make
portraits of-the faces I like to paint. full
of character and intellect.
Paint women? Well, yes, some times.
But you see like not to paint clothes.
l like to paint observation-disclosures, expert
lady 1 care not to paint-afterward.
when she is older. perhaps. When life
and thought, JOY and sorrow, have made
character in her face; when her mind
looks not out of her eyes; when expert
ence is lined on her features-when
can see the soul and the spirit, not
merely the flesh and the clothes, ! am
glad then to make her picture. Clothes are
fashionable today and quite out of date
tomorrow, but eharacter-esprit. that is
never old -fashioned: that Is for all time.
If ! paint her clothes,s she may come to
me next month and say, i am sorry 4
wore that black gown; my new pink one
is more becoming When she has out
grown that sort Of vanity she may be
worth painting. 1t. is with women as
with men-when they have lived and
struggled and won-that they are woth
painting.
1T is as your President says, that life
Is constant struggle. and no man. or
woman, can afford to be idle. Afford,
that is it. Whether one needs money or
not, one cannot afford to remain idle.
paint. not for the money, but because
I cannot afford to remain idle. And with
women as with men. If l paint them.
they must be those who have known that
they could not afford to remain idle. I
paint faces. not clothes-as / cannot af-
ford to remain idle, neither can / afford
TO waste my time on such details as this ~
touching the lace frills that fell from the
loose sleeves Of her neglige.
L have not as yet painted any Ameri-
can women: in fact. I have only painted
one American pOrtrait-that Of Admiral
Dewey, when / was here five or six years
ago. and ] painted that entirely for my
own pleasure. And yet America ought to
develop character in its women. The
tivity. should bring out individuality.
gantly wei gowned. Beauty, yes, of
course much beauty. but beauty is not of
one country-t is of the world. different
sorts: and perhaps more different sorts
here than anywhere else because OF the
| many nations that have come here. After
| all. ! do not knew SO much about that
| greater freedom. whether ii is really
greater than among European women, ex-
| ccpt. of course, In the matter of cha
peronage.
"And perhaps 1t is easier for a young
American girl to-what does one say?-
| take up, new meter. here than in
| Europe. But after all 1t Is here az In
/ Europe-one is forgiven an unconvention-
atty if it succeeds. 1t lis success that
| justifies new departure. If girl can
| make it go. then it is all right; and per-
haps her friends are less opposed to let
| ting her try. more willing even to help
| her than on the other side-though" srfil-
| ing thoughtfully. you are very narrow.
minded In some ways still.