Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-22
The Argus Daily Story
Counting an Artistry Gertrude Storm.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau


an easel in the Pitt gallery In Flor |
ence, Italy, copying one Of Titian's por-
traits. Though she was tastefully
dressed. her clothes had been made /
over from time to time. and patches
were evident. Her face indicated that
ideality which must be part of the
true artist. Notwithstanding her shah
by genteel appearance she was comedy,
with dark eyes. fair skin and hair be-
tween a chestnut and red, which, IN
der the sunlight coming in through a
window, gave 1t the exact tint Of the
locks belonging to the woman whose
was not thinking of herself or her ap-
pearance. She was simply trying to
earn a little money by making a copy
of famous picture, copy that has
little value except in the name TO
which it is appended.
On the other side of the gallery stood
4 gentleman whose appearance was
the opposite Of that of the woman.
He had nothing of that ideality she
possessed, but he had an appearance
Of prosperity contrasting with her
shabbiness. He stood looking at her
face, from which the sunlight was
slowly passing, and something told
him that there sat the woman he
wanted to be the complement of his
own life. After having gazed upon
her for some time he crossed the room
and stood behind her, looking at her
half finished work. He had never seen
her before; he had not heard her
speak, yet he knew that she was an
American. Possibly part Of his ability
to divine this was that he was an
American himself.
81 beg your pardon" he said to the
girl. would you be offended at bit
of criticism on your work.
+ "On the contrary, I would be very
grateful"
"WeIl, then, instead of doing what
you are capable of doing you are do
ing that which you are not fitted
to do"
please explain"
Judging from your cast Of counte-
nance fancy you have an artistic tenn
permanent. On that build my theory
that you originate for yourself. I do
not believe there was ever good origi
nator who was a good copyist."
go on. 1 am Interested"
Il speak from experience. I am my
self incapable of origination, and I am
incapable of copying. But possess a
faculty that lies between the two. l
car initiate. You see the difference be-
tween initiating and copying"
81 think do"
"Well, to return to you. You are not
copying that picture. You are con-
stahtly led away from it by your own
conceptions. The result is failure"
The girl threw down her brush.
Have you any Of your own work in
Florence?" asked the critic.
Lots of it."
MAY ! see it,"
81 would be only too glad of your
criticism upon it."
She gave him the number of house
name, Margaret Hathorn, and he hand,
ed her his card bearing that of John
Cahoon, making an appointment to call
next afternoon.
He climbed FIVE flights of stairs to
find Miss Hathorn and was ushered
into her studio, parlor, bedroom and
kitchen in one. The woman of whom
she rented the room sat sewing by n
window. Miss Hathorn placed an easel
in a convenient light and put one pic
ture after another upon it.
you are what l supposed" said Ca
hoon, IAN artist, and you are what
uspected-yourself,n not another. Your
natural field is all your own"
''Then why cannot l sell my pic
tures?'
He smiled. at took me a number OF
years to gain an experience to enable
me to answer that question to my own
satisfaction. / cannot answer it more
intelligibly than by giving you brief
synopsis of my own artistic career. A
poor boy, l loved art and wished to be
an artist. My friends all told me my
work was admirable. but in time
found out that it was worthless. To
keep from starving l tried copying and
failed even at that
"a picture dealer whom knew de
clared that he could tell if any picture
OF a great master were genuine with
out looking at the name on 1t. paint
ed one with work of Giotto before
me. The subject was my own. Al
the rest was Giottos. In other words
my work was an imitation. l rubbed
dirt and SCOT over it, then partially
cleaned it and showed it to the dealer
as an original Giotto had discovered
in the possession of one who did not
know its value. He offered an i'm
mense sum for it. / laughed at him
confessing that / had painted the pie
ture
HE was not an prescriptions per
son and agreed to give me paying
price for the picture and for Other
equally successful limitations Of the
great masters. / declined his offer, but
made several such limitations which
were exposed as originals. BY selling
these few pictures ! could have made
myself rich. The public l expected Il
deceive, but supposed the critics un