The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-26

!"The Saul of D'AnnunziO'-POrtrai w
| sensation In Paris
| Paris. January. 25.--(Special Born
to great wealth and reared in luxury,
yet deserting all at the call of art and,
defying a stern, unbending parent, liv-
ing in actual poverty in a Roman gar
ret-such is the sensation of the mo-
ment in the Paris art world. Her paint
ing of D'Annunzio, not of his face and
| outward form. but veritable render
ing of the Italian authors soul. has
placed her at one bound in the very
forefront of modem artists.
Mrs. Brooks father was members
OF the famous and fabulously wealthy
Goddard family of Providence Her
mother had an insatiable passion for
| foreign travel and the future artist was
born in Rome Indeed. most of her
life has been spent on this side of the
| Atlantic.
About Mrs Brooks mansion on the
Avenue du Trocadero there is no evil
dence of the long period of poverty
which marked the student days of Its
owner. For the unyielding mother has
passed away and the daughter has
|
parent deprived her during her life
time.
The heroine of this romance of art
showed no unwillingness to tell the
story in hei OVID words when the writer
called upon her today.
4 fAs child l soon wearied of the
continual pulling UP of the tent sticks
and moving from one fashionable re-
sort to another" .hc said. THE life of
a society girl did not interest me- l
wanted only the opportunity to draw.
NY mother humored, as she thought,
passing whim and provided me with
professors, but constant change of resi-
dence was fatal to progress. Then came
the revolt change of seasons
brought the inevitable travel. urged
my mother to allow me TO remain In
Paris with my companion and SO per-
sistent were my supplcations that
finally gained her consent. plan or
action, long dormant in my BRAIN only
|, awaited the right moment to bring IT
To n crisis The time had now arrived.
AFTER my mothers departure
counted my money and found hao
about $500. That at least would get ne
! to Italy. In badly concealed state OF
, excitement | nervously packed small
] trunk with the plainest things ] had.
. Elaborate gowns we're indisputably out
I of place in the new position was about
S to enter Further equipped with a
handbag, I stole from the house. was
hilarious at the very danger OF the
4 adventure, for at that age - was sun
S in my teens-I felt to travel alone was
a most perlous undertaking. After
5 buying my ticket a slight spasm OF
fright chilled my daring but l would
not turn back. I timidly walked along
the station platform and peered In the
windows of the different compartments
o searching for an elderly woman Tor
protection. When / saw one ] got In pe-
I side her and unknown to her appro-
, pria ted her as my companion l entered
into converse tion with her quite natur-
ally and learned that she, too was go
, ing to Rome / Followed her to the
4 modest little hotel that she had Sc
lected In the bustling rush from the
train. however, I had picked up some
one elses handbag. a discovery MADE
on seeing the con-ents in my room AS
a further annoyance, my trunk could
not be found. After much parley ana
! kingly tips that I felt I could at this
9 juncture i'll afford. the troublesome
4 baggage was traced and the handbag
. restored to the rightful owner.
THE next day I wrote my mother IN
detail my plans and ambitions in field
J had to work if happiness were to be r'v
llife's portion. With the fleetness of all
bad news l quickly received reply or
indignation and reproach. There was 10
bless you. my child. all is forgivsn; on
the contrary was coldly and firmly told
that If l did not abandon this maniacal
idea my financial supplies would be cut
off and | would have only my pin money
for support My mother had not DOUBT
that this thunderbolt would forever crush
all thought of becoming an artist 10
was binding stroke for a moment, but
only for moment. I rented cheap ~
| N ia
many artists live, the Via Margutta, and
with the aid of a chatting dish and tiny OIL
stove managed to cook many an appetiz-
ing plate that my slim purse would not
permit at good restaurant. | was ad-
mitted to the free drawing schools and
devoted my first months to a diisem
study of the nude then came to Iarls
for a further course of study Here
again, | was obliged to rent an inexpen-
sive studio in the Latin Quarter con-
fided in no one: hence, none of my friends
dreamed of my former state OF comfort
and ease. NY mother never forgaye me,
although l was told my home was al
ways open TO me when l had made up my
mind to leave this frea&ish mode OF
life That day never arrived Not until
the death of my mother, when l came
into my share of the estates, was able
to live other than as poor student IN
the quarter
I, Mrs. Brooks is still a young woman,
possibly under the thirties. or an ex-
quisitey picturesque. type. she reminds
one of beautiful oid-fashioned picture.
| Her gowns. like her home. all have the
individual touch. The soft velvet car
pets or stairs and hall are plain light gray
with accents of black. the only spots of
color being in the old masters paintings
OF the wall and that of her own work.
| The house is a perfect storehouse of
rare old furniture that she has un-
earihed from the out OF the way anti
quarry shops. Perhaps the most in