Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05
TELLS Of PAINTING
KINGS PORTRAITS
Noted Artist, Here, Did Work
for Boris and "Gave Or
derS" to Kaiser.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

Humorous and interesting glimpses
of many of the worlds famous per-
sonalities were given recently in an in
terview with the noted Bulgarian por-
trait painter, Nicolas Michailow. who
has arrived at the Mayf1ower Hotel
where in a temporary studio he is en-
gagged in painting the portrait of Sim
con Radeff, Minister from Bulgaria:
Frau Friedrich w. Won Prittwitz und
Gaffron, wife of the German AmbaSsa-
dor, and number of persons prominent
in Washington society.
One Of the most recent notables
painted by Michailow was Boris. the
bachelor King of Bulgaria.
king Boris is one Of the most loved
monarchs in Europe today" Mr.. Mich
allow remarked. He possesses many
characteristics admired by Americans
he is exceedingly democratic and has
fine sense of humor. The first day that
his majesty posed for me in a studio
placed for my use in the palace, found
that in leaning against a table. where
had asked him to pose, he appeared to
be in position tri1e too low to make
a well balanced portrait. So I placed
a wooden case on top Of the table upon
which his majesty was to sit The box
was fragile and poorly balanced and,
fearing that the King might fall from
the precarious position in which he was
sitting. I suggested that I change the
case and give his majesty a more secure
pose.
King Fond Of Americans.
"'This is all right the King replied
with a smile. I am quite used to sit
ting upon places of uncertain balance,
including the throne
king Boris has always been par
ticularly fond of Americans" the Bull
garian painter continued, from the
time when. as little boy, he was pre-
sented with a beautiful toy train by for
r1er Senator Charles Crane of Chicago.
It was that toy train which first aroused
the Kings interest in locomotives,
and now one of his majesty's greatest
hobbies is personally running q loco
motive Frequently, while travelling on
an Official visit to some district on the
Black Sea, a considerable distance from
Sofia, the King will don the overalls Of
a mechanic, get into the engineers cab
and take his seat at the throttle until
their destination has been reached.
Then, when officials and dignitaries
arrive in state to meet the King. out he
will climb from the engineers cab.
greasy overalls and mechanics cap,
and greet the officials of his realm"
In addition to King Boris, Mr..
Michailow painted King Ferdinand. who
abdicated the throne in favor OF his
son at the conclusion of the World War.
Commanded" to paint the portrait Of
Wilhelm, the former Kaiser OF Ger
many
II think" Mr.. Michailow said, "that
that was one of the rare occasions in
his life. that the Emperor received
commands instead of giving them.
When he arrived for his first sitting he
seemed quite nervous and it was diff-
cult to have him keep still. I said:
Your majesty this is one time that I
will have to ask your permission to give
you orders. 1t will be necessary for me
to tell you how to hold your head, how
TO stand and what not to do while you
pose for me-
THE Emperor laughed and readily
granted my request. and he seemed to
enjoy thoroughly the fact that he was
being given orders from somebody else"
Departed for Argentine.
After painting many of the notable
persons in Germany and his own coun-
try Mr.. Michailow departed for the
Argentine upon the invitation of well
known diplomat to paint many promi-
nent people of that country, as well as
other South American nations. 1t was
during this visit that he painted the
portrait of Arturo Aiessandri Mr..
sandri during his visit to Santiago, and
his close associations gave him an init
mate knowledge of the former Chilean
President.
Mr. Michailow also painted Arthur
Bernards, former President of Brazil,
whom the artist describes as a silent
man Of astute mind and a brilliant
f1nancier"
In addition to the foreign notables
who have posed for the Bulgarian
artist have been many Americans whose
names are well known in social and
public circles. Anna May Wong. the
well known Chinese American film ac-
tress, was painted by Mr.. Michailow
while upon a recent visit to Europe
shortly before the artists present visit
to this country.
After completion Of the portraits
upon which he is now working Mr.
Michailow will paint Sonora Davila, the
wife of the Ambassador from Chile, who
is herself an artist of more than ordi-
nary ability.
Nicholas Michailow was born in
Choumen. Bulgaria. and at an early age
manifested an unusual talent as an art
ist. Many of his school papers, which
are now in the possession of his brother,
chief of the section of the bureau Of
statistics in Sofia, were decorated and
illustrated with clever pictures of his
teachers. After completing his studies
in the schools Of his native land Mr..
Michailow went to Munich and later to
Paris and London. In the English
capital he devoted much of his time to
the study of the great English painters,
Gainsborough and Reynolds. Although
the German and English school exerted
the greatest influence upon the Bull
garian painter, throughout his entire
work he has retained his individual
style and independence as a painter.
After several weeks in this country
Mr.. Michailow will return to resume
work in his studio in Berlin. Germany.