The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-13
lis CHEF
0ained Him a Reputation
Which Pr0fited Him Not
o. EsTHER VANDEVEER

orge Ashley at twenty-five was an
with highly artistic tempera-
!. He had been brought up among
en- who were of the very best, and
, .dealized woman in the abstract.
Ing had nothing to do with others,
lew nothing about them. Indeed, he
his own conceptions Of the spirit
,eAuty of a good woman and knew
Ter her strong points nor her fol-
Possibly he might have come
er the composite of an excellent
IAN had not his associates been
youthful and their characters not
rely formed.
ihley was ambitious to paint pic
OF his ideal of womanhood. He
not care to portray Madonna;
Q were already sufficient Madon-
Sin the world, some of them painted
artists that he could not hope to
:, late. He desired to give his ideal
:" garb of the twentieth century
course all depended on his model.
conceptions We're like Il flock of
s, flying in the air and refusing to
ain quiet long enough to be photo
,hed. Genius must have founda
on which to build, and when the
1dation is established there must
a starting point. A novelist who
wed In words one of the great pic
q Is of the world said that he paced
" door for days dreaming it. but had
not finally begun to write his dreams
I'D never have been anything but
ANS.
here was George Ashley to find
nan through whose physical per-
ion shone this purity that he wish
:, to depict? He was not rich, but
l the means to go about looking for
model. This he did. He visited
erent countries. On the street, in
,eh, n public gardens, he was con
ntly peering into the faces Of WON
! be met looking for that which would
We to concentrate his dreams and
nee them to reality. Many counte-
ice he noticed, thinking that it was
one he wanted, but on examination
found deficient. Friends became
BfeGted in his search. and his atten-
d was called by different persons
Z number Of women who it was sup
~ night serve his purpose.
~ artist while in Florence, Italy,
ring run short of funds, established
Ttudlo for the purpose of keeping in
lct1ce and recOuping his finances.
soon achieved some reputation as
pOrtrait painter and received orders
ol1gh to maintain him and keep him
lSonably busy.
)ne day an American lady and her
lighter came in to his studio. the
',Cher saying that he had been recon-
i,nded to her to paint her daughters
rtrait.
" Miss Helen Laurence was not
auttful she was at least comely.
hley looked at her inquiringly, as
0id at all women who might posi-.
' serve his great purpose, but saw
thing in her face to indicate that he
d found his model. After an in
ectjon of pictures he had made Mrs.
lst1repce took him aside and made a
rgAin with him to make full length
irtrait of her daughter, Offering a
Ice which was at once accepted, for
shley's ideas of money were more
'gue than was his ideal Of good
oman.
When Miss Laurence appeared for
br first sitting she was arrayed in
otless white clinging drapery that
lowed her fine figure to the best ad-
ntage. Her couture was of the sim.
est All that dress could do to rep,
sent purity was effected. Then. too
10 girls face was stamped with In
,cence. She looked with her blue
'es into those of the artist with per
ct trustfulness.
Paint me as | am" she said to him
Don't flatter me. If you should make
Madonna Of me | should not like 1t
am Imperfect, and a perfect person
.presented on the canvas would no
. l."
Ashley questioned her as to what sh,
)nsfdered imperfections and was con
lnced by her replies that she did no
now the meaning of the word-that is
ne was innocent While working OF
err features he chatted with her {,
raw out her individuality. Her voic,
'as sweet, and it was evident from
hat she said that she was Profound.
ynorsnt of the wicked part OF tn,
T0rld she lived in.
Ashley made q discovery. He hat
cen looking for woman whose coun
.nance expressed purity. He nov
ormed theory that innocence ant
urity are synonymous. Whether h.
yas right or wrong is an open ques
on. 1t began TO dawn upon him tina
aving found innocence 1t would serv,
D influence him in portraying purity
lie did not realize that for some tim
e had already been under this infiu
nee. He was first made aware of 1
y noticing in the face he was puttini
n the canvas evidence that he wa:
n the way to realize his ideal. Ell
Fas not so impractical as to suppOs,
hat he would ever realize that Idea
or he well knew the impossibility o