Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26

There is hardly any important activ-
ity of civilization in which women do
not have a conspicuous share. Yet when flu
fure historians attempt to study our era
through the personalities depicted by our artists
tha9 win know it principally through the por-
Gratis of men,
Such is the observation of Leopold Seynert,
portrait painter, who declares that he and
every other artist who is called upon to i'm
mortalize the leading personalities of the day
paints an average of i've to eight men to
every woman.
MIR. Seyffert has painted probably more in
GustrialiStS, bankers juriStS, artists and Lead
ers in other activities than any other artist in
America. These portraits are not being painted
because men have grown more vain women
less beautiful
THE impelling force is pride" says Mr.. Seyf-
fert, mot the pride of the sitter, who usually
tries to laugh the idea away when it is first
suggested. 1t is the pride of the managers
and directors of great American enterprises
who glory in the achievements of their leaders
and who urge upon the captains the desirability
of having their pictures DONE
MANY American corporations have become
great national and even international institu-
lions. Their executive offices have a dignity
and magnif1cence in keeping with their power.
1t is only natural that such businesses should
wish to adorn their spacious Offices with the
portraits of the men who have been their
leaders. Portraits are being made of the dead
as well as the living so that these corpora
tons viii have a complete gallery of their
chief executives
before the American corporations grew SO
wealthy, their art galleries were composed
of enlarged photographs. but today they fire.
quently pay $1,000 and upward for portraits
AS many of our most prominent men are
leaders in more than one enterprise. duplica-
tion of portraits is not uncommon. Andrew
w Mellon, one of the busiest of men, has sat
for his portrait eight times.
when Mr. Mellon began sitting for his por-
trait" said the artist he made me uneasy be-
cause of his long spells Of silence Most men
talk freely while the artist is at work, and
attributed his lack of conversation to feeling
that he did not like me. But r. B. Mellon,
his brother, came in at one of the sittingS and
was relieved to find that the Secretary of the
Treasury was no more loquacious with his
brother than he was with me.
1T was obvious that MIR. Melons mind was
occupied and I found at the end of the sit
tings that he was very likable. He has a great
deal of quiet power in his face and is the least
laxative of any man who has ever sat for me.
1T usually takes 10 sittings of two hours each
to complete portrait, and these big business
men are punctual to fault. 1t was difficult,
for instance, for Samuel insult to get away for
the sittings because of his many activities, but
when he came he seemed to put everything else
out OF his mind. He talked about his gigantic
utility plans and about the opera company.
which he sponsors in Chicago.
p don't have much time to talk myself when
nm painting, and largely confine my con-
Sersation to gruntS. I like my sitters to talk.
They deal with great problems and their talk
Is therefore fascinating because OF its impor-
lance and then it helps me to get truer con-
ception Of the mans face, because when he
talks his face shows the man in action and
reveals his true personality.
Men who are quiet and canvas-shy are
under strain; their features are not perfectly
natural When man talks he Is really help
Ing the artist to do better job"
Edward T. Stotesbury who Is a Morgan part
ner and head of the Philadelphia banking house
Of Drexel & Co., was q subject of Seyfferts
brush. He found the financier gentle and help
full
when Mr. StotesbHry's portrait was fin
lshed." said Mr.. Seynert, "the only one who
came to see it was his valet. When the man
expressed his satisfaction with the reality of
Mr. Stotesbury on canvas the painting was
Immediately accepted"
When it comes to painting Mr. Seyffert has
but one prejudice. He doesn't like to paint a
starched white collar He doesn't think that
hard white line at the neck adds anything to
mans appearance or comfort. It is his opin-
Ion that In a mans dress comfort should be a
prime requisite
He tells the story of famous fnancier whose
board of directors had prevailed upon him to
add his portrait to the institutions gallery The
man evidently had a strong liking for a blue
sl4& with attached collars, and he arrived at
the studio for each sitting in a similar shirt
Since it was unusual touch of color for a
man. the artist took great delight in paint
ing it.
when the board of directors came to view
the completed portrait" he said 'they objected
20 the blue collar-said it was unidentified
Nothing could say would change their opinion.
accepted their decision and was ready to
draw in the white collar
Then the financier came in He wore a