Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-10-09

Beckwith went on with the work lie
was doing.
Whats your price for a portrait Of
that SIZE" asked Goodwin.
The size doesn't make any differ
ence as to the price,
well, what will you charge to paint
my portrait? l don't want it myself.
but my family do. If it doesn't cost
too much I'll humor them"
Five hundred dollars
Five hundred dollars! How many
portraits can you paint in a YEAR,?
"A dozen perhaps"
That's $4,000 for sitting here daub-
ing paint. Why, l don't pay any one
of my heads of departments in my
business half that, and they're all first
class business men,
To this the artist made no reply.
IF you'll paint my portrait that size,
painting. frame and all. for $3.50, it's
a CO.
Five hundred is my price
Goodwin spent some time trying to
obtain reduction. Finally it occurred
+.
not need to pay anything till the por.
trait was finished and the artist, hav.
ing expended his time on it, would
then probably take less for it rather
than have it on his hands.
you'll want your money, suppose
he said, ION delivery Of the goods
YES"
Every we'll: go ahead"
Beckwith arranged with his subject
for the sittings. and Goodwin departed
While the man of business was plan
ming to beat the artist, the artist was
planning to beat the man of business.
But Goodwin was in this respect in his
element While Beckwith was not.
Though during the sittings that follow
ed he racked his brain for some plan
by which he might get his revenge for
that past injustice which still ranked
within him. his inventive powers failed
him. One thing he resolved upon-he
would paint the best portrait of his
subject that he was capable of paint
ing.
! The features are expressive of the
1 character, and Goldwin's features We're
no exception to the rule. Beckwith
while painting drew his subject away
/ from his covefr'lSness by chatting with
him on other subjects and thus caught
his best expression. When the portrait
was finished the man it represented
! seemed to live. One would suppose he
was about to speak, and speak pleas
antly. Goodwin told the artist to send
the portrait to his house, but Beckwith
/ preferred to keep it till he got his
money and frankly told Goodwin that
J if he would send for it with check
for $500 it would be delivered to the
messenger. Goodwin grumbled at thi.
and went away.
/ The next day Beckwith received &
note from his client stating that the
portrait did not come up to his eNpecta
tons and he had concluded not to ac-
cept it. Beckwith made no reply to the
note and in time received another stat
ing that since Goodwin preferred to pa,
for the time spent on the portrait b.
would pay half the amount charged
$3.50 To this also Beckwith paid NJ
attention. but sent the picture to
dealer for sale.
One day Goodwin was informed tina
his portrait was hanging in an ar
store; that 1t was being visited by con
noiSseurS and pronounced remarkabl,
piece of work. 1t had not yet beef
sold, for the artist had set very higl
price on it. Goodwin at once went t
the store, saw his portrait and asket
the dealer the price for it. He was in
formed that it was $4,000. Goodwin
went at once to an attorney. whom h
directed to take steps to claim the por
trait as his property. But when TIL
lawyer called for the correspondence
in the case and read copies of his eli
ent's letters to Beck with he said he ha,
no case.
Goodwin found himself in an unpleas
ant position His portrait-pronouncet
work of art-was for SALE and per
sons were asking why he did not bu,
it. To do so would cost him $9.5Ot
paid had he accepted it. He sent al
! agent to Beckwith to try to effect /;
compromise. The agent returned Will
statement from the artist that tn,
painting was making great reputa
ton for him and he had decided no
to sell it. but keep it before the pub
lie. Goodwin decided not to be done
that way and let the matter rest.
The picture was withdrawn from ex
hibition. and when it appeared AGAR
the covetous expression that had beer
left out was in it. This being reported
to the original, he went to see it agail
and was furious. Again he went tt
his lawyer and directed him to prose
cute the artist for ridiculing him be
fore the world. The lawyer showed
him cartoons of prominent men in the
newspapers and informed him that i
would be much more difficult for hin
to recover in his own case than fol
these to do So Besides. any jury would
decide against him. II he wished t.
own the picture he must pay the price