The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12

OF the country. The places themselves
look exactly as ! knew they would.
having read my Grimm's fairy tales
with zeal we-a very benign, superior.
dignified parsonage who Is the manager,
a sample Kewpie and myself-motored
from one to another. incidentally the
German workmen, who are dear people
and not without a sense OF humor, called
this trio OF ours the holy family.
don't know whether that is irreligious
or not. 1t didn't seem so there. for
they said 1t so respectfully.
Men, women and children make the
kewpies and in each factory I modelled
one myself. Some of these quaint work
people, whose ancestors have been en-
gagged for centuries in making toys and
who have acquired in consequence by
inheritance certain elflsh traits, just as
the Oberammergau peasants have in
herited the religious characteristics,
look a little bit like my dear Kewpies
and they all love them and speak of
them as II they were real truly people.
Sometimes In my far away Mis-
souri, home. which l call Bonniebrook.
or on the top OF a skyscraper studio
building here in New York ] shut my
eyes and see the smoke curling out of
the chimneys OF those little Thuringan
cottages, the charcoal men, the wood
cutters, the toymakers coming home
from their daily work, or possibly put
ting final smirk to Kewpie face in
their homes. l see Kewpies playing
hide and seek among the wonderful
trees of the forest; I see them playing
tricks on the tourist pedestrians and
then I wake up with nothing tangible
to remind me Of my fat little Kewpies."
Except possibly fat check" inter-
polates the interviewer.
Exactly"
Don't think that you can dismiss Rose
O'Neill, who has been called the most
successful woman artist Of the day,
with the idea that her work is Of the
Kewpie order entirely. To a great many
people she is the creator of these little
folk and that is all. To an equally
large number her name evokes memories
of Illustrations in magazines. American
and English-interesting subtle. tech
nically correct drawings which divide
the popularity OF the written tale. often
with the lions share OF attention to the
credit Of the artist.
Again, speak OF Rose O'Neill and you
will hear of Salon exhibits which were
photographed and rephotographed until
the subjects are familiar everywhere.
"Paolo and Francesca" and THE Pic
lures of the Soul" are two of them. and
a third painting the finishing touches Of
| hpipR
York ranks with them in depicting
strange. aloof imagnings which she
keeps carefully hidden from everyday
folk and which only show tiny hints
when she croons some Celtic melody or
some of her own song compositions in
which she has suggested the Irish folk
songs admirably. She says of herself
that she has "crepuscular mind" one
| that dwells in the twilight and finds
there strange. beautiful, terrible, ex-
quisite pictures.
THE Cave Woman" her last painting
''smites the eye" to use her own ex-
preston. Springing toward the light
| from the depths of woodland gloom, this
| strange creature, half beast. half
woman. with fangs for teeth, a hairy
body and crude. semi formed features.
| has written in her face the struggle OF
| the souls birth and on the wrinkled,
| rough cheek are two tears, wrung from
| that agony. What was It? The death
| of a first born? Possibly. "Who can
tell" says Miss ONeill, when that first,
| frightful birth of the soul took place?
l see 1t dimly in that Corotlike land
| scape of mine in which the dreams
come, but l cannot tell the origin"
| For ten years." says Arsene Alex
andre, critic of the Figaro. II have
been running to catch up with Miss
ONeill." During that time he has
written her scores of letters, inslstent
as the Kewpie letters OF the children
and like them demanding that she
progress further in the exploitation Of
her art. At last she has consented and
Is now on her way to Paris, where
specimens of all her versatile art will
be shown-drawings and models Of
Kewps, weird canvas subjects. illustra-
lions which will include the drawings
for her last book.
She calls particular attention to an
exhibit called 1.-THE Tiger" 1t was in
splred by the play of that name by
Witter Bynner, first published in the
Forum. then staged for a short time.
1t belonged to the rubber band class of
drama, of which last season was filled,
being pulled on and off suddenly
The painting shows a curtained al
cove. the tiger watching with its claws
on the heap OF gold and. presumably
inside, the tiger woman about whom
the play was written. In relation to
this picture. the author OF the play
wrote this couplet inspired by the ver-
satility of Miss ONeill:
ITiger, tiger. how do you do?
Did she who made the Kewps, make you?