New-York tribune., 1919-10-19
)EGAS- As HE WAS SEEN By HIS MODEL H

when she poses in other studios she
gives him sinister reputation.
To his gayety on one day succeeds
gloom on the next. He thinks always
of death. Day or night the dread of
it is before his eyes. How sad it is
to be old, he cries. How lucky for
Pauline to be only twenty-five. She
protests against his repinings. She
reminds him to look at Harpignies, who
is ninety. Whether the spectacle en-
courages him or not he is willing to
change the subject. He tells Pauline
that he loves her name and goes on to
speak of Edgar" his own. "When 7
was born, in 1884," he says, "the epoch
was one for romantic names and nv
parents followed the fashion. Nv
grandparents were old emigres who
.elt rarls under the Revu.u.lyn 80,
Naples. They became bankers there.
stlll have kinsfolk in that region"
Musng over these relations he recalls
how he was often in the south when
ne was young, speaks of travelling
with Gustave Moreau, but now. alas!
ne does not see we'll enough for such
Journeys. He recalls his sojourn in
America, when he spent long months
on his uncle's plantation. Connois-
seurs of his work know this period
as 1T Is commemorated in one of the
most brilliant of his earlier pictures.
the famous Bureau de Cotton" Depas
says nothing of this He brings back.
instead, the joyous moment in which
he had speech with q French workman
on the New Orleans docks. In it he
caught the Partisan argot which he
was missing and it brought tears to his
eyes. Pauline angles for memories of
more important people, He smiles at
her curiosity, which he easily detects.
glrding at her little elephant feet"
Dcgas turns the tables and wants to
know about M. Blondin, for whom
Pauline also poses. She speaks of that
gentleman's indulging in plague, "like
All artists" and as he scornfully re-
peats that phrase he discourses on
artists and their models They both
behave better than the world thinks.
He speaks we'll of models and of the
ballet dancers who have so often posed
for him. Incidentally he remarks that
ne has been several times to call for
news OF one Of the dancers, Yvonne.
who has been down with typhoid. One
senses phe kindly. generous feeling in
the old mans heart.
A Blast Against the Modern Epoch
If he grumbles at others, he grumbles
at himself. Pauline notes his charrin
when he finds that one Of his figurines
is IN bad shape, and realizes that he
might have made it securcr if he had
not been too solicitous of the cost of
plasteline But his bitterest outbursts
are against the meretricious folk in
art. How about NJ Blondin? Is he
ambitious? Has he any medals? On
learning that the poor man has indeed
been recompensed in the exhibitions
Degas is furious. "Hein They are
ridiculous with their medals. These
men do not speak as we do of such u
lhlng happening in such yeax. No,
they say: The year when / had my
medal, or my premier prix, or my vio-
let ribbon as women say, The year
when had my beautiful robe de
velours.' And to think that even my
friends, my best friends, run after
honors and distinctions; talk of salons
and exhibitions. A true artist does not
'au these things. If he really has tai
eht he can show his works no matter
! where. even in the shop of q shoe
maker and he will surely find persons
to notice and appreciate him" Pau
line points out that he also has ex.
hibited. She has read about him in q
brochure by Huysmans. This is the
signal for terrific gust Of contempt
! "Huysmans? He is What has
he to do with painting? He knows
nothing. Good heavens! In what ar
epoch we are living when models come
to you to speak of art, of painting. OF
literature, as if all they had to know
was how to read and write. People