Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-26
BEFORE THEEYE
OF ASTON|SHED CLIENT
Works of Art Turned Out in
London Shop Before
Gaping Throng.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.

rOrelSu correspondence OF Inc StdT
LONDON. January Is, 1911.
When all is said and written the picture
sales at Christie's, even the biggest Of
them, are dull affairs. depending for their
interest mainly upon their history, fine
ness and prices. An active human in
terest that is absent there is to be seen
in the new picture mart-the Christie's Of
Fleet street-which has now been opened.
The pictures are painted by Mr.. Becker,
an American artist, before the eyes Of the
astonished clients, and sold as soon as
they are dry. The business is carried on
In q double shop with an open front, into
which the unwatchful passer-by Is IN
continently sucked before he knows what
has happened. At the end of his room,
under strong electric light from above and
below, is a high ledge. upon which the
pictures are displayed, looking very bright
and glossy. With glistening frames.
Round the walls are paintings one
seems to have seen before, and by and
by one becomes dimly aware of Meis-
sonier's La Rixe" and Bonheur's The
Horse Fair and other favorites. They
all bear the one signature and are in
tended as copies of the works in question.
They serve by way OF guarantees to the
man who knows a little about pictures
and tell him that he is on sure ground.
The artist who painted them knew what
was what, and gave honor where honor
was due. The business of the establish
ment is divided into three departments,
viz, painting. framing and selling.
Painter Works All Day.
The painter works speedily and appar-
entity without pause from morning till
night in a little high-corner niche but
tressed by canvases. which steadily dimin-
ish and are steadily renewed. He seems
to have his Colors already mixed. and
uses large. round-headed brushes, which
he changes for each color. he seizes a
brush with blue pigment and dabs. it
swiftly upon the top and bottom of the
canvas, then a little pink at the
same part. then u)right masses of gray
| ish purple banded with spongy green rise
| from the center. 1t is soon clear that a
summer sSey is reflected in calm water,
| and after a long felucca, with white sails
all drawing, is seen Scudding over the
calm water, and a few streaks of fake
white have been drawn at the shore. the
auctioneer declares that it is a scene in
| the Rocky mountains
Spiel Of the Auctioneec.
They he declares: 1T is painted. as you
see. gentlemen. by Mr.. Becker-that' s
Mr. Becker there painting away. The
man that Guys the picture-whatever he
pays for twill be pounds richer than
he was when he came into the ROOM .ir.
Becker is the best all-round painter in
| the world at present. There he Is paint
| ing away. and every day his pictures
rise in value" There is. however, one
thing that excites the auctioneer more
| keenly than the artist and his art.
| lie turns the, picture around and beats
| IL with his hammer: English canvas.
| gentlemen: you can't beat it-Engish
canvas" TEsn the stretcher: Best dou-
| bic span, ezra taut Uap. tap), English
| stretcher.', Then the frame: There a
| frame tor you. gentlemen Ctap, tap tap).
| We forfeit thousand guineas If it's NOT
an English made frame: leaf-laid. bur-
nished, com-piete. and the paints best oil
| colored warranted to last lifetime" He
| even forgcts sometimes TO turn the pic
| ture round again. and taps and eulogizes
| ,,ie IA xens and stretcher. and finally sells
| he wor,s to some one. 1t usually takes
| three times longer to sell the picture than
tn. Il 81 takes to paint 1T. The art st
| painted Scottish wood scene and a Cal
| ifornia bay scene while customer watt
| ed.