The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-15
NEWS OF THE DAY IN SOCIETY WORLD Artist Discusses the Difficulties
 of Child Pertraiture NOTES HERE AND THERE Portrait of the Late Miss Mary Cana. Ian Just Completed By Birming-
 ham Artist-Announcements
 of Coming Events.
. BY MYRTLE MILES.

magazine of the month has an ex- quisitely illustrated article on the portrai- ture of children. Many painters in the large cities devote themselves exclusively to this branch of art. A child's variety of facial expressions and it's natural rest lessness make this phase of portraiture perhaps the most difficult. The slightest disturbance may at any time change his entire cast of features, and then, too, the artist must gain it's confidence and in- terest before any success can be obtained. One of the best known child portraitists said recently: T hardly know how l get children to sit so admirably for me. I suppose, however, that it comes from my sincere desire to understand children. Probably the mode of treatment differs with each child They must be managed according to temperament. Yet 1 never set out to win their good will. 1 rather neglect them, simply leaving them alone to become acquainted with the studio. One or two rules l do follow though. never antagonize child. Rather l humor it, when it has begun to be interested III me. Again, if l begin to think that cer- tain pose would be just the one for a child to take 1t almost invariably happens that this Is the last one that Is natural to him. It never pays to have a pre-con- ceived idea of a child's pose. 1 simply let the boy or girl wander about until I see what it Is that he wants to do and what he will do. Mo- I don't consider it especially difficult, and there is no one | woudl rather see coming into my studio to be portrayed than a little child. I don't mean to say that it isn't hard work to paint a child in a natural way but l do believe that if person has the knacil of making these child portraits he will find the labor so fascinating that he will not call it drudgery"
 Women are said to be particularly suc- cessful in painting children as they have the peculiar faculty of giving us a typical artistic interpretation of a child's char acter and at the same time picturing tho poetry and sunshine of its individuality. Among the painters of children who have been markedly successful may be men tioned Emil Fuchs, William M. Chase, A. Miller Ury and Wilhelm Funk, all of whom have the gift of human sympathy,
 
 perfect harmony with child life. The eastern art galleries show some exquisite examples of their work.
 
 Apropos of paintings and painters, to bring the topic home to our own imme- diate circle of art lovers, a portrait has been recently completed in Birmingham which was the splendid achievement of a young woman artist-Miss Edna Smith During a call at. her studio the other morning I noted upon her easel a por- trait of Miss Mary A. Cahalan, the wom- an who was so beloved of young and old in this city few years ago and whose memory will be long kept green among her admirers This portrait of her friend and teacher has been the summer work of the young artist and is just now ready for exhibition
 The painting, made from a photograph, Is something more than pictorial record. It is, indeed the highest type of intel- ligent artistry and aesthetic endeavor and comprehension that came from a long friendship and an understanding of the subject, for Miss Cahalan was one of Miss Smiths earliest friends.
 Miss Edna Smith has painted num- Der of creditable portraits. some from life and others, with only photograph as her inspiration. All are done in the simple direct, vigorous style character istic of her work. but in this last por- trait, done with an present memory of every feeting expression of sweet, noble face to aid in reproducing from ss photograph, she has achieved something that far exceeds any of her previous ef- forts.