The Yale expositor., 1911-11-23
Was 1t Genius?
By JOHN C. WlNSLOW
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1871


and 4 number OF his chums looked
upon him as coming genius Crook
lived just such a life as other artists
lived IN the Latin quarter at that time.
which was bohemian one. mingling
only with those who were either art
lists. artists models or grisettes. He
had bed in his studio. where he slept
aud got his own breakfast. dining
usually at restaurant. where he met
other artists and the women they as
ISOLATED with. including models. They
would usually get together at the same
table, and merrier lot were not to be
found in all Paris.
There was a girl who belonged to
this set who seemed out of place
There was refined purity about her
that none Of the others possessed. She
made her living as an artists model
but especially for her head and shout
ders. She had posed for more Madon-
ma pictures than would fill one of the
rooms in the Louvre. Crook, being
the most prominent artist of the set,
considered that any one Of the girls he
chose to smile upon should smile upon
him in return. He took a fancy to
Cecile BOyer-"the Madonna" as she
was familiarity referred to-and was
very much put out that she did not
return his admiration.
The truth is Cecile had given her
heart to David Forbes. one OF the least
| prominent Of the young artists study
ing in Paris. He, too, was an Ameri-
can. Why he tried to make an artist
OF himself no one could conjecture, for
he had no idea Of any Of those matters
which pertain to art. He undertook
to paint a scene as revealed through
window and devoted two-thirds OF
! his space to the curtain. AS to per-
spectiye, he would paint house and
pump, showing the pump larger
than the house. When his chlme
ridicued his work Cccilc defended
him. Indeed, the only calls" tho,
could assign for her affection for hin
was pity. Crook could paint c"'c',rn
pictures but Cecile did not love nini
Forbes couldn't paint an"thin,
value, and he was hers heart r;.,
| soul.
OF all the young women who l.2i II,
| the 3. cafe Cecile was the only one Nhl
never posed except completely dressed
Indeed, since she was wanted special
| 1y for her head and shoulders. nudity
was unnecessary. The singular fea
ture of her association with The others
was that she did not In any way as
sumo TO he better than they
Unfortunately for Forbes. lie could
not afford 10 spend his time trying TO
learn what seemed Impossible for him
to learn, for he was poor But the less
money he had in his pocket the more
determined he became TO make an art
list Of himself. Whether Ceclle en-
couraged him in his purpose no one
knew, though all understood she stuck
by him. About the time his last franc
was spent and 10 remittance to come
from America his health broke down.
and that finished all work for him. at
least for the present.
His artist friends went to see him
and asked If they could do anything
for him, but he shook his head and
said that he was getting on very well.
Sometimes they would find Cecile
there. ministerihg TO him. Indeed, she
was providing for him, but at that
time no Que dreamed Of such a thing.
During Forbes illness Paul Crook
attempted to gain some fOOtbold with
| Cecile. She neither encouraged nor
| repealed him. Indeed. she continued to
be Indifferent to him. He offered her a
large sum to pose TO him for a picture
requiring model for the whole figure.
For a time he believed she would
consent. She wanted the money for
David Forbes. She went to David,
told him Of the offer and said that If
he would accept Of the sacrifice she
would accept Crooks proposition.
BY this she gave him dose that
took away his malady and called out
an artistic ability that no one knew
was in him. He spurned the PROPOSE
ton with horror, saying:
Had l such model could produce
wonder"
That was the origin Of Forbes pic
ture Of Eve. which was hung in the
Paris salon The next year. None Of
the set OF which Paul Crook was the
shining light recognized Cecile as the
model for Eve. Forbes put just enough
change in the features to prevent her
being recognized. He shrank from her
appearing before the world as his
model more than she. She was shield
ed by his love and her sacrifice.
What n singular bouleversement.
Crook was expected to give the world
at least one great work. So he did.
But how? BY stirring the poison Of
jealousy in n man who it was believ-
ed had not single artistic instinct,
Crook called out a latent, unexpected
ability. Crook himself seldom rose
above mediocrity and after awhile
oaamod IN rocado from, biS haSt work