Evening star., 1914-08-09


l had painted on the boots of my cavalry
men,"
Probably the most painfully conscien-
tious artist in this respect was Meissonier.
He spared neither time nor expense to
achieve what he deemed to be the most
realistic effects The snowy road in his
Napoleon in 1914" he obtained in this
manner:
He had constructed a low platform, about
a yard and half square, and on this he
modelled in clay the scene he wished to de-.
pict, mud, and ruts He kneaded
the clay and pushed across it several times,
up and down, cannon. With shod hoof
he then pressed down the marks of the
horses feet. Over this effect he spread -four,
and the cannon was again brought into
requisition being pushed here and there
until there was obtained a semblance to
a real road. He then sprayed the whole
with salt to get the effect of the brilliancc
of snow.
Vereshchagin complimented the French
artist on his ingenuity; but laughed at the
needless trouble he had put upon himself.
You should have taken trip to Russia"
said the Muscovite, where nearly every
road is dug in the way you have represented.
Thus you would have been able to study
directly from nature"
On another occasion, when the laborio,iS
Meissonier was desirous of including a wheat
field in battle scene, he actually went to the
extent of buying a field of growing wheat,
and obtained permission from the French
Government to send squadron of cavalry
through it, thus enabling him to study the
exact effect of wheat falling under the flying
hoofs.
Martini, the marine painter, has prac-
tised his art under conditions that most men
would find not only uncomfortable but for
physical reasons impossible. This artist has
been known to arrange large basket either
at the end of the bowsprit or at the stern of
a vessel, and then to crawl inside, ordering
the sailors to lower him few feet by means
of rope, where he would remain suspended,
as the ship took its course, observing the
tumbling waters and taking rough notes of
the scene for his sketchbook.
Martini, however was not the first artist
to have recourse to this strenuous means of
improving his art. The great Turner on one
occasion, overtaken by a storm at sea- had
himself lashed to the mast, so that he might
watch the storm without fear of pitching
into the turbulent waters.
That other great marine painter, Vernet
is said always to have made it point to go
out to sea whenever he could during the
raging of a storm. 1t is even related that
once when everyone on board was praying
for safe deliverance, Vernet, lashed to the
mast, gave utterance to ecstatic expressions
of delight and admiration at the "glor-
ious effect" produced by the tumultuous
sea.
Cameron. while painting his enormous
picture, Niagara in Winter" spent many
hours suspended from the cliffs at dizzy
heights, his working chair being hung by
single looped rope.
Leader, the landscape artist, accomplished
his Manchester Ship Cana" at the risk of
his life, being frequently surrounded by
flying stones and earth, the result of blast
ing operations. Then, too, he was attacked
by mob of hoodlums intent on DESTROYING
his work.
The great Japanese artist Hyosai is re-
ported to have risked his life on numerous
occasions merely to procure desired sketch.
During the great fire in Toxic, he calmly set
up his easel in the middle of street and
roughly sketched the blazing and tumbling
houses, till at last, his clothes catching fire,
he was obliged to retreat.
Among the indefatigable artists who rove
the world in search of local color" may be
mentioned Holman Hunt, who spent many
months in the desert skirting the Red Sea to
obtain material for his 'Scapegoat" He
also built himself house and studio on the
outskirts of Jerusalem when he was gather
ing data for his Triumph of the limo