The Washington times., 1922-09-08
BLANK CANVAS
MONUMENT To
TRAGIC FAILURE
Artist Aimed at Painting Via
ion to Be Gained When
Near Death.
ny Cosmopolitan News Service.

Los ANGELES. Sept. Sin the
studio of a Los Angeles artist there
stands today an easel with blank
canvas whereon was to have been
painted in vivid. truthful coloring a
picture Of the absolute inspiritual
beauty. ..., ....
That canvas--stark staring and
grimly ironic OF mans efforts to
penetrate the veil between this life
and the life beyond--marks chapter
in the life of e. M. Manigault which
might we'll be titled Ambition"
The last chapter, however IN the
life of Manigauit was written In San
Francisco when Manigault died Of
starvation in the Hahnemann Hos
pitaI. And with his death came to
light his >strange mental phgrim-
mage.
at 2312 Lemoyne street here, told to-
day part OF the spiritual geal OF a
physical man, and the other part
was revealed in dispatches from San
Francisco.
,r Futile Purpose.
DR.. Saxon T. Pope. noted exponent
Of archery and close friend OF the
artist, revealed Manigaults futile
aim.
''Manigault saw a vision before he
died" said DR.. Pope. He went
along that same road Of fasting fol-
lowed by the Hindu mystic. He
went 80 far that he could not re-
turn. He strove to put on to canvas
the marvels OF his. vision, but his
flesh was too weakened"
Because DIR. Pope had sympathe-
tic understanding OF Manigault the
artist journeyed from Los Angeles
TO confide to him his dreams. DR..
Pope strove to persuade ManiSauit
that he was wrong. that thers 10
no sound mind without q SOUND
body" that while he might be able
to approach the spiritual planes by
fasting his effort along the Tasting
line would be physically dangerous.
"A man cannot be a pure spirit
and be In the flesh at the same
time" DR.. Pope told Manigault.
Manigault believed he could. he
was wealthy and declared he had
sa atisfied ali his worldly cravings. He
wanted to break into the unknown
by leading a life of the extremist
simplicity. He expected thus to be
able to paint canvasses that would
show men the supernatural beauties
surrounding them. ALL
He had been obsessed by tnis
thought for more than a year prior
TO his death last week. Once before
he nearly died Of self.imposed star
yation. This failure did not daunt
him. He persisted in eating ABSURD.
iv small quantities of food. For
hreakf he ate three prunes; at
luncheon a boiled onion ana at
dinner a few cabbage leafs.
Friend Of Doctor.
Manisault frequently called upon
DR.. Pope, not to consult MIN as a
physician, but to talk with MIN as
an understanding friend. he toio
me he could see colors 20 mncn
more wildly" continued DR.. Pope.
HE could see such vast range
of colors. His mind was tioooeo
with enhancing color schemes. But
he said he was too weak 70 trans
fer them to canvas. He believed IN
time he would get used TO his
starved condition and be able 10
paint. warned him that he would
die, told him he was crossing
a line forbidden. I suggested calor-
les for his diet, but he refused to
heed that advice.
"'My head was never clearer
he asserted. I never felt better:
never felt that could paint so
well as now
"He achieved something physical
ly." said DR.. Pope, but he was un.
able to make Il stick In the world"