The Washington herald., 1908-02-09

! certainly he displayed sturdy American
spirit some years ago by refusing the
/ privileges of British citizenship offered
/ him 10y Queen Victoria. He has spent
practically his whole life on the other
side of the Atlantic He was born IN
/ Italy Of American parents in 1856 learned
/ 10 speak German before he did English.
/ received his art education in Paris, and
/ has travelled in many lands since, occa-
/ siOnally coming TO America 10 paint por-
/ traits He is among the comparatively
1 few great artists who did not lack funds
with which 10 pursue his art studies.
| or an exceedingly retiring disposition.
! Sargent has gathered d reputation for &C.
/ centricity little less pronounced than
! Whistler's. one of his peculiarities is to
/ charge for "A portrait according to the
pleasure he gets out Of painting it. Hence
/ some sitters have paid him as little as
$500, while others have been compelled
/ 20 part with $4,000. The more pleasure in
the work the less Of the wherewithal he
/ demands for the finished product
Paints True 80 Life.
or one thing be certaiu-if you ever ask
/ Sargent 70 paint your portrait and he ac-
cepts, 60 not look for an idealized like
ness Of yourself. When he shows you the
completed canvas you will be able 10
recognize yourself without the aid of
spectacIes. There is a story that he once
painted the portrait of woman famous
/ for her beauty and social standing. When
| the canvas was delivered to her she i'm
mediately saw that Sargent had portrayed
not only her outward beauty. but her true
| character as well, which was far from
/ beautiful and in her fury she cut out the
head of the painting.
! Sargent paints beneath the skin" is
| the way the critics put IT,
| Williaa NJ. Chase. whose portraits are
also famous on both sides of the water,
| began life as a clerk in his fathers shoe
store in indianapolis He had previously
told his father that he desired to be an
artist; that he had dreamed of no other
career since childhood, when he was for
ever drawing pictures of the things he
saw. But not until his son wasted much
Of the stores supply of wrapping paper
| by covering it with sketches did the
father fall IN with his sons plans for
himself and help him TO get what art
education could be procured in this coun-
try at that time.
Chase first took up the painting of
fruits and flowers, and in this way earned
sufficient money 10 go abroad and study.
The trip was made in 1874, when he was
twenty-five. He was In Munich two
years. Since then he has taught thou
sands OF art students IN New York, Phil
adeIpAia, and elsewhere, frequently TAX
ing large classes abroad. He is the great
American art teacher.
All artists must have their hobbies. ap-
parently. Chases particular penchant is
a luxurious studio. Those who ought to
know say that his studio Is the fiaest in
the country; that $4,000 would not cover
the cost of the art objects that are seat
tered about it,
Drew and Painted in BED.
James Carroll Beckwith, who with
Chase and Sargent. constitute Americas
trio Of great portrait painters of the pres
ent. spent many OF his boyhOOd days in
bed. To amuse himself he drew and
painted. That is why he is an artist; the
love of painting be got in those feverisl1-
days has never left him. and it was
strong enough in after years to overcome
d fathers objections 10 MS sons am