The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-03-27
FAMOUS SNAKE ARTIST WHO
LIVES IN THESE ISLANDS

The Strand Magazine has the fol-
lowing about John W. Thompson who,
for year or more past, has been liv-
ing on the shores of Pearl Harbor:
One of the most remarkable cases of
natural genius recorded in art annals
Is that Of Mr.. John W. Thompson, the
keeper of the reptile -house at the
Geological Gardens, Philadelphia.
Despite his humble station in life
Mr.. Thompson is a painter anS tculptor
of ability. and has, moreover invented
what is practically a new art. Snakes
are his speciality, and the state OF per-
lection to which he has brought the art
of reptile painting is truly wonderful.
First he makes casts Of them and then
paints in their natural colors, getting
a result which is simply startling in
its wonderful accuracy.
His work has attracted general at
tention, and Mr.. Thompson has lately
been commissioned by the Smithsonian
Institution TO execute some casts for the
national collection. The contract was
only awarded after experts had care
| fully Investigated the subject and ex-
amined Mr. Thompson's work. Their
verdict was that no living artist could
compare with him In this special line,
and rs a consequence no one else was
considered
II is a fact little known that the
keepers ROOM az the 200 Is the studio
90 one OF the most remarkable sculp-
tors and painters recorded In the art
annals of Pennsylvania.
untn the ambitious and ert-loving
keeper discovered the possibility OF
! allying the two arts-moWdlng and
painting order to secure truthful
reproductions " snakes OF all varieties
IN characteristic coils and attitudes,
the only known methods OF prescrva-
ton to future generations FOR study,
a record ~ the different species ~ rep-
tiles now existing, but rapidly bccom-
Ing extinct, was through the medium
" paintings or by keeping their dead
bodies IN alcohol Tho disadvantages
OF these methods can readily be seen,
\ painting conveys but n poor Idea "
the sise and general shape, white IN the
ease OF preservation In alcohol no idea
nf the natural colours eouM he re
talned, for they fade and lose all britt
lianey In very abort time, Mr.,
Thompson'a discoveries have worked q
practical revolution In this branch "
what may be advlaedly termed selen-
tile art,
The finished products NJ the keeper
artist are simply startling IN their ac'
curacy, and at a glance It Is practical
~ impossible To distinguish the llfc-
Ike painted casts, colled and poised as
Z ready to strike, from real reptiles,
Mr., Thompson's work has been at
tracing the general attention OF nat
uralists and art connoisseurs from all
over the country, and much curiosity
has been aroused by the fact that n
man of such exceptional talent should
be passing the greater part OF his In
valuable time In discharging the oner-
Gus duties of a keeper, The story Is
one of absorbing interest, and the
career. life-struggles, and ambitions of
the artist-keeper would make ro-
nance worthy of a master of fiction.
Mr.. Thompson's den. which is almost
as interesting as himself, is a small
room about eight feet square, opening
from the main reptile hall. This Is his
studio; il is here that he works, and
every operation, from the first securing
of the cast to it's painting and final
completion. is here performed. Every
thing in the little room is character
istic of the man and his work. The
walls are adorned with wildly life-hke
casts of snakes and reptiles. There
are copperheads, rattlers, a gigantic
salamander, frogs, fishes, and lizards.
In addition to these are some really
excellent landscape paintings ana
drawings in black and white, which
indicate that Mr.. Thompson might have
turned his attention to either of these
branches with every prospect of sue
cess. Snakes. however, are his special
~. his mania, his life-work, and at
FIRST the visitor to the little room IS
kept in a state bordering on nervous
dementia, by successive shocks result
! Ing from the close proximity OF me-
! like figures of the most venomous and
dangerous reptiles. All the snakes are
not plaster, however, for in seVeral
| boxes bearing the menacing LABEL
Poisonous are hundreds of little rat
tlesnakes and copperheads from
! inches to 10 inches long.
Mr.. Thompson was busily engaged
in putting the finishing touches on
beautifully marked Arizona rattlesnake'
but willingly gave some interesting de-
tails concerning his methods of work
and his career. He is a man who would
attract attention in any company-tall,
powerfully built, with a finely-shaped
head. a strong face, and a pair of blue
ewes which fairly kindle when he dis
cusses. his art The snakes, which are
regarded by the average person as
about the lowest and most forbidding
element of creation, have no repulsion
for Mr.. Thompson. who studies their
literature with avidity, and by reason
of his constant association with them
for twenty years has come to be con-
siJered an authority on everything per-
tanning to snakes and snake-life. "In
nv opinion he said, "a snake is the
most remarkable of all the many mani
festations of the wonderful powers OF
Nature. Look at its construction
what a model of light, sinewy strength,
perfectly adapted to the mode of life.
.4aag gggs &c Z z
ment of drum. flute and rattle, they re-
semble the Indians.
6-The consulting of household gods
or medicine" previous TO undertakings
II, 1ra vi a lei