The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
Copyright BY Paul Thompson.

whose collective signature Is attached
to so many Illustrations, pictures and
etchings. and more recently to an un-
usual book The Dance written by
them and p~rofusely illustrated by
original colored plates of world famous
dancers. That these two artists should
leave the pathway Of their profession
to enter the bewildering byways OF
literature Is explained in the definition
of the ballet by a ter~psichorean inter-
prefer. with which the authors preface
the book that ballet is a mural
decoration II Is from this pictur-
SOU and decorative standpoint. as
well as historical. that the book is
written.
No better example Of mutual coll
Alteration exists than this illuminated
ONE. 1t fully overs the subject. the
matter for which being collected by
the writers from all over the world.
1t was begun with no idea OF the
magnitude Of the task. for II assumed
unlocked for proportions in the energy
demanded and the amount Of time
consumed in its preparation.
I'VE decided We would give up one
hundred evenings to getting the book
written" explained Troy Kinney in
telling Of his literary experience. ut
ended by our spending one hundred
evenings and a year both day n
night. II seemed to grow in proper
ton as our enthusiasm increased and
many a night we have worked until
3 and 4 o'clock in the morning.
So II Is seen at once what a big
significance is attached to the simple
title The Kinneys. for it would be
hard to find a husband and wife who
do more or better team work. TIE
partnership began when they were
married. AS Margaret West Kinney
explained: Il had the theoretical
training and my husband the practi-
cal side" For though Mr.. Kinney
went TO college. much against his
wishes, he spent all the time he could
writing and illustrating the Sunday
newspapers.
1T was the Sunday newspapers that
paid for my art education" he said
humorously. and added, land they
also paid of a great national debt
l left behind me at college"
When they were married in Chicago
in 1900, in order to prevent strangers
as we'll as their friends from know
ing precisely what part the other took
in an illustration they assumed the
joint signature. As a result they are
pointed out as a practical example
Of what matrimony and business can
accomplish when alphabetically
yoked together.
For fifteen years The Kinneys have
illustrated books. The plan pursued
is something like this: Studying the
book on which they are to work, they
make layouts Of every telling situa-
ton, about half as many more pic.
lures than will be required. Then the
poor ones are weeded u n the
best retained. They are next exam
med from the standpoint Of compost
ton. and the process Of elimination
proceeds until the requisite number
Is selected.
The work Is composite in every
sense, for there Is a constant inter-
change OF advice and criticism. so
when the job Is finished II a truly
be said to be the joint work OF hus-
band and wife.
1t l. Mr.. kinney's belief that every
big man has reached the pinnacle oil
success only because OF the criticism
Of his friends. That constructive criti-
cism had a tremendous innusnce on
the old masters he believes, and men
lions the group that included Michael
Angelo and B~envenuto Cellini, who
We're wont to meet together to COM
pare their work. The Barbizon school