Evening star., 1923-11-04

| vember 8. in the Art and Archaeology
League room. 521 18th street. Miss
Brigham, who has a Phi. D. from
George washington University. is
| the author of a book on the history
of art and well known In washing
ton as an art writer.
X X X X
FREDERICK w-COBURN, art critic,
Of Boston and secretary Of the
Copley Society Of that city, in an
article on Sargent In the New York
Times Of October % tells az most in
teresting little story of how: the por-
trait Of Daniel Nolan by: Sargent.
now in the Corcoran Callers, of Art.
came to be painted-a story which
Will be of especial interest to all
"ashlngtonians. 1t is as follows:
Noian. an expert restorer of old
paintings: and painter of sorts him
seiI, received one day from Mr.. Sar-
gent portrait which he had made
years before Of Frederick P. vinton,
Ieiiow artist. The painting had
tored This work Dan Nolan did. efi-
clentiy, as always, and then. when
ne delivered the painting, he refused
TO take payment.
II Is service from one great
artist to another" he remarked light
This spirit of fellowship pleased Mr.
sargent immensely. At dinner with
re hLiehus Ilttle later he remarked
That since Dan would not be paid in
money he must manage to reward
hlm in some other way.
why don't you do his p0rtrait?"
suggested woman painter. who was
in the conversation. HE has a very
interesting head"
DO you think he would care for
it? asked Mr.. Sargent anxtously.
:, He % would certainly treasure moth
So it proved. When, however. the
painter of titled personages proposed
TO Daniel Nolan to make a charcoal
sketch for a keepsake he Promptly
received nervy counter-rroposa
trait? y
Don't you like my charcoals?"
asked the painter suspiciousay.
You know, Mr.. Sargent,s that 1
ply. II am thinking of my descend
ants and keeping your pict5ure for
them to enjoy. You see, my wife and
| are both Irish. and at home Ne often
threw her shoe at me and It went
through your charcoal drawisg, that
would be spoiled forever; bat II II
just dented an oil painting co1ld fix it
up as well as did the vint9n."
Mr.. Sargent, amused by this in
genious request. arranged Is paint
Noian's portrait upon his return from
a trip to Florida.
=, In Il the interim Dan NolaT had a
waggishly to a wealthy and conse-
quential gentleman, who fos years
had been hoping to achieve his ambi-
tion of being painted by Sargent This
man came one day into the gallery
where the restorer was employed and
said:
Mr.. Nolan, I understand that you
are somewhat in touch with Mr.. Sar-
gent. Can you tell me anything about
his whereabouts and engagements?"
why, yes" replied Dan Nolan
mischievously. II happen, to know
that he is at Palm Beach painting
Mr.. John D. Rockefeller. On the way
back he will stop of at Washington
to paint President Wilson. Then he
Will come to Boston to paint me-"
During the few remaining months
of his life Nolan told to many
listener the story of his experiences
at Mr.. Sargent's studio. where the
spotting of hfs portrait was deftly
wiped out of mass of wet paint with
a rag and the Celtic features of the
portrait now at Washington almost
breathed upon blank passages thus
created. Sargent's smiling sitter was
even then facing death, for about that
time he was discovered to have the
cancer of the stomach from which,
not long after. he perished.