Orange County observer., 1909-06-10

knock, his palette in one hand and
an empty pipe in his mouth.
'Oh. it's You, is it?" he said
"Comc in. Thank tie Lord it's not
creditor, anyhow"
Modified rapture" I murrnured
advancing into the room. .How's
the world treating you? Sold any,
thing lately?"
The question was unnecessary. T
could see he hadn't. All his recent
paintings were prominently In view.
while older canvases lurked In cor
ners or stood three or four deem
against the wall. Fellowes had tall
ent and passion for painting the nm
salable; hazy landscapes. or ob3cure
allegorical puzzles after the manner
of Watts. To-day a picture in a diff
ferent style caught my eye. It stood
on the easel in the middle Of the
room.
"Hullo!" cried. Here's some
thing l haven't seen before. like
that. Best thing you've done vet
WHAT is II called? Memories ."
Il thought of A Marriage Of Con-
yerience.
On canvas OF modern dimensions
were represented a man and woman
at table. dessert and wine before
them. The couple were i'll matched
the man young and good looking, the
woman stout, red faced matron of
some forty summers, wearing much
JeWelry and an air CT stupid self-sat-
isfact1on. His head averted, the man
was gazing with hungry eyes at a
vision seen III his minds eve. the
wrath OF pretty girl On his right:
and he was obviously bitterly COM
pairing the reality with the dream.
I remember" 1 said, "a similar
picture few years back. but with
the situation reversed, the man a fat
elderly bounder, and the wife young
and pretty. and the ghost of a for
mer sweetheart sitting opposite her.
But. anyhow, if the idea is not orig
inal, you've painted a salable pic
ture, and | congratulate YOU"
The artist grunted. I'm trying to
paint down to the public" he replied
savagely. Artists mostly live in air.
shlrs. and always grumble when they
have TO alight for supplies.
Tie picture which tells a story Is.
Tor some reason Or other, always
viewed With suspicion by precious
people, ard this was a story picture.
but there was unmistakable power in
the composition. The faces of the
couple arrested attention; the tor
tured soul of the young man looked
out OF a handsome, haggard face, and
the self-complaisant expression of
the woman provoked a smile in It's
ruthless fidelity to type. The wrath
maiden alone was insipid and unin-
spired, but the artist possibly delib-
erately made her So
Fellowes had, I could see, painted
fattering likeness of himself for
the husband; the wife looked like a
portrait, also. and I asked who sat
for her; he smiled grimly.
NO one: I relied on my memory.
and painted lady 1 used to know
very we'll at one time
What are you going to ask for
this?"
"A hundred. It's going to the Brit
ism Painters Summer Exhibition.
D'you think it'll SELF"
Bound to-" I declared, confident
y.
Fellowes, with the pessimism of an
artist who has not made a penny for
months and is being dunned by his |
creditors, said he doubted it.
Nonsense, It's the first picture |
you've ever painted likely to please |
the uncTitical, sentimental British |
public. It'll not only sell, but it'll |
bring the dealers here; they'll bid for
all these"-I indicated the many un-
appreciated masterpieces about us.
They won't mind specializing if your
work is az all likely to become the |
vogue
Confidently though + spoke, 1
aroused no corresponding hopefulness |
IN the artist, who declared bitterly |
that the world would know most of |
MIN when an interesting case of |
death from malnutrition" was re-
ported In the newspapers.
This thing that I've painted to |
sell will probably get overlooked by
the critics, and the public don't flock
TO any picture show except the Royal |
Academy
Yes" I agreed, that's true There |
IS plague Of artists and art exhi-
oltlcns to-day. Unless the art critics
and the public have some special in
oucement to go and see this
l broke off, struck by an idea. EEL
loves" cried, eff can get you two
hundred for that picture, and give
you a magnificent advertisement into
the bargain that will sell all your
canVases, will you give me the second
hundred?''
The artist, busy on some finishing
touches, wheeled around and sur
'eyed me with amazement What
zee have you in your bonnet?" he
demanded
bee that will buzz you into the
position of the most widely discussed
VI living artists I retorted. Look