The Republican journal., 1922-03-23
An I.le,boro Girls Good Fortune

Several Boston exchanges nave oee"
featuring the following story OF interest
10 many in this vicinity as Mrs. Learned
was a former Islesboro girl.
All the older newspaper writers and
illustrators of Boston gasped and ex-
claimed, "He's worthy of it and good
nick TO him." when they read the dis
match from New York yesterday telling
of the bequeathins of $3.50 900 to Arthur
Learned, an artist, and his family, by
the will of Robert b Hawley, president
of the Cuban American Sugar Comp ny.
"Art" Learned is essentially Boston
boy, product of the old Bay State, for
ne was born in Chelsea about 40 years
$50. was educated in he public schools
and, when he decided upon art as his
career. he did his first drawing for the
Boston newspapers.
Back in 1900 newspaper writers In Bos-
ton felt it distinguished privilege to
have "Art" Learned assigned to CO.
operate with them to the extent OF Illus
trating a special OF Sunda, story, for
even in those days his work was excel
lent and he was a most companlonahie
fellow to work with.
Even in those struggling days OF his
youth he was a patient, clean, kindly and
exceptionally lovable and charitable young
man with whom it was an extreme pleas
ure to be associated with
The New York dispatch says:
Appreciation for their kindness in Civ
ing him a home led Robert B. Hawley,
president of the Cuban American Sugar
Company, to beQueath Arthur q. Learn
ed, artist, aud his wife, 500, 900, aud to
leave to their son 200 and trust
fund worth Si20, 600
MIR. Hawley, who was IL years old,
died of acute Indigestion in the home of
MI. and Mrs. Learned, SO Gramarcy park,
on Nov. % His will was filed for pro-
bate yesterday.
In bequeathing 500, 900 to the Learneds
Mr. Hawley states it Is I'm token OF my
respect and affection and appreciation of
their kindness in giving me home and
otherwise befriendng me in my loneli-
ness in a great ty." He refers to their
son. Bruce, as "my eodson." rhe $40. 900
beuuest to the latter is Incorporated in
the body of the will, which was executed
on Dec. 5. 1919.
Marion Williams, a nephew, of Green
field, Mass, gets $4,000.
MARRIED MISS SPRAGUE
In the art world Mr. Learned's career
has been particularly rosy, for from the
the beginning he was patient, palnstak-
ing and thorough and his every step was
bright with promise of future greatness.
Every thing he ever did was calculated
to be his best but he kept on doing better,
studying more diligently, and winning
higher commentator.
After he had got all the local tutors
could teach him and had practi. ally out
grown his field he moved on to Murlch
and Vienna and studied and worked dill
gently and ther returned to Boston and
i settled down to his work with determi-
4 nation
/ Ia 1901 he married Miss Leila Helen
Sprague, sister of Ex- Senator Eugene
Hale Sprague OF Quincy. who has ever
since in the capacity of model, secretary
and manager, furnished tnat business
acumen which forms the proper compi-
\ ment to his artistic self. They lived and
4 he had his studio at 80 Dana street, Cam
j bridge.
81 From the first Mr.. Learned disliked
being compared to Mr.. Gibson, for while
he rapidly became celebrated as the de-
pcter of American girls he wanted to
feel he had a style distinctly his own
Artists and novelists alike have always
admired his types.
One of his first notable works was call
ed New England Girls, and his Feature
ucduS uduC hiui QOiChiy idihooS'
His early books were published by
Nathan Haskell Dole, and were enthusi-
y astically received and highly spoken Of
In 1908 Mr. Learned studied and worked
during the summer in Europe, and he
81 finished by putting in some strenuous
weeks in Paris. Upon his return he
established his home and studio at SO
| Granercy park, New York, and he soon
took his place among the highest class
artists and illustrators of the world, and
established an independent position of his
own as an interpreter of the American
| girl.
BOOKS SHOW HIM AT HIS BEST
A few years ago he and his works were
made the subject of a wonderfully illu
minating and interesting work called
Learned Limns the Ladies'"
Arthur Garfield Learned's books show
him at his best Apart from their artis-
tic merits they are excellent compila-
tions of the wit and wisdom which men
In all ages have devoted to the study of
deplc ting women
These flashes of inspiration he has col
lected from all sources and. translated
from all languages. To colate and com
pare them is to be let into a fascinating
held of human conjecture and criticism.
Mr.. Learned is man of fine sensibili-
ties. simple in his tastes, reserved in
manner and entirely free from vanity.
lie has imagination and an artistic tenn
permanent of the most refined order, re-
Delllng against coarseness, commonplace
things and studied conventiOnalities.
The ideals and standards which he has
always kept before him in his work are
nigh. His work is original and his types
carried, but he is best known by hA con-
ceptions of the wierd and'his sketches in
black and white of the women beautiful:
lie has done. illustrations in oil for
books published by Dana Estes & Co,
also decorations for a 10 volume edition
oe lux of "Marcus Aurelius."
MI. Learned has not been completely
shenated from Boston by his success in
'ne large city, for his intimate relatives
sun reside here and Mr. Learned and his
family make occasional visits to his
birthplace and the scenes of his earliest
successes.