The Washington times., 1921-02-27

's S1~eRS W~T
.enore White. the favorie model of the English arts
posed for the well-known pain
popular for their poses for wemaurcd bodies She had
however lost all trace of that SOFT plastic beauty which
had made her famous and prosperous. She still went to
the small academy every day. but not in the mornings as
model for the day. but in the evenings the janitress
for the night swept and scrubbed the dais which
she had formerly posed regay For few days OF each
week she died up the studios of artists who once had
hailed her queen of allurement. 1t was more charity
upon their part than anything else.
/ met her in one Of these studios afternoon and
went to her lodgings They two little rooms tiny
cupboards, in diandatcd old house. In one OF the
rooms with the north light ering dinghy through an
open window sat the former student disappointed
and dslusioned turning out cartoon which he hoped
to sell for franc two to OF the smaller weeklles
ssSee he still works and tres, said Marie her eyes
lighting up she saw the cartoon almost competed ana
a brave attempt at encouragement showing ptifuly in
her half maternal half afectionate tenderness lie will
do the big thing yet and then shall go away for little
ripperhaps back to New York, where everything is SO
much brighter than here in gloomy Paris"
know the big thing will never be done, and that
the little trip will maeralzc-and so does Marie
But she will not admit that she knows it. and the hope
keeps alive her courage Everything that is noble In
woman is contained within Mare's soul; and everything
that is foolish in is embraced within her heart.
There used to be silly song She loved not wisely but
too WE'LL never think of Marie but think OF that
ridiculous song. And when remember the proud and
beautiful Marie who was sought after so much by the
artists of New York and whose graceful delicatey lined
body ornaments many famous museums but whose real
self to-day scrubwoman in Paris marvel at the tricks
of the fate that shapes the after life of the world most
popular artists models. Some achieve their ambitions,
some have their day and then relapse into orgefuness
and medocrity, while others to the fate of Marie.
In contrast with the tragedy Of life that befel Marie
there is the happiness and pleasant memories that
Lenore Whites Miss White is known wherever artists
meet the "BurneJones model do not believe there
is art of any consequence any place III the
world that does contain at least painting by Sir
Edward BurneJones the great English par.t of aegori-
cal and Biblical subjects and wherever there is Burne
Jones painting almost certain to the face and
figure of Lenore White the American girl who found
in the United States by Sir Edward and who became
identified at his favorite model.
Sir Edward developed in his early paintings desire to
blend in his canvases distinct feminine appeashat
of beautyof FORM which included warm pulsating femi-
ninity, with what is called "story portrature." He
wished as all good artists do to tell story, present
picture, illustrate thought in each work He was never
content with merely painting the figure Of and
exhibiting merely picture of pretty figure but he
sought to have that woman doing something in his picture
which would present for her being pictured.
Thus Sir Edward was enabled to present female figure
in which all the purely feminine aractWeness en-
phaszed and avoid the criticism of those who abhor mere
flesh and anatomy by sharing attention with the thing
that beautiful woman Of flesh and FORM happened to be
doings On this page is reproduced Sir Edwards The
Toll Of the Ocean" 1t is good example. Few artists
would dare paint the figure of frankly siren
like They wouldsbe accused of panderng to low taste.
Yet it is not just the Sir Edward portrays but
a WELL and the woman is dragging the man down
into the sea the oll of the ocean, and the idea in the
painting drapes the nudity of its characters.
Sir Edward used many models until during visit to
San Francisco he saw Miss White posing in the studio of
an American sculptor lie engaged her at once and for
many years thereafter she worked for artist but Sir
Edward She was, he declared the most feminine model
he ever had. His way of describing her
'She impresses men, as paint her, the ideazaton
of the they loves to she is the personifca
tion Of the feminine ovelness they would like to in
themselves. dangerous combination for artist to
attempt and never possible with until posed Miss
White"
When, after several years OF constant posing for