essays and lectures-第25章

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studio　door；　and　proposes　to　sit　as　Ajax　defying　the　lightning；　or

as　King　Lear　upon　the　blasted　heath。　　One　of　them　some　time　ago

called　on　a　popular　painter　who；　happening　at　the　moment　to　require

his　services；　engaged　him；　and　told　him　to　begin　by　kneeling　down

in　the　attitude　of　prayer。　　'Shall　I　be　Biblical　or　Shakespearean；

sir？'　asked　the　veteran。　　'Well　…　Shakespearean；'　answered　the

artist；　wondering　by　what　subtle　nuance　of　expression　the　model

would　convey　the　difference。　　'All　right；　sir；'　said　the　professor

of　posing；　and　he　solemnly　knelt　down　and　began　to　wink　with　his

left　eye！　　This　class；　however；　is　dying　out。　　As　a　rule　the　model；

nowadays；　is　a　pretty　girl；　from　about　twelve　to　twenty…five　years

of　age；　who　knows　nothing　about　art；　cares　less；　and　is　merely

anxious　to　earn　seven　or　eight　shillings　a　day　without　much

trouble。　　English　models　rarely　look　at　a　picture；　and　never

venture　on　any　aesthetic　theories。　　In　fact；　they　realise　very

completely　Mr。　Whistler's　idea　of　the　function　of　an　art　critic；

for　they　pass　no　criticisms　at　all。　　They　accept　all　schools　of　art

with　the　grand　catholicity　of　the　auctioneer；　and　sit　to　a

fantastic　young　impressionist　as　readily　as　to　a　learned　and

laborious　academician。　　They　are　neither　for　the　Whistlerites　nor

against　them；　the　quarrel　between　the　school　of　facts　and　the

school　of　effects　touches　them　not；　idealistic　and　naturalistic　are

words　that　convey　no　meaning　to　their　ears；　they　merely　desire　that

the　studio　shall　be　warm；　and　the　lunch　hot；　for　all　charming

artists　give　their　models　lunch。



As　to　what　they　are　asked　to　do　they　are　equally　indifferent。　　On

Monday　they　will　don　the　rags　of　a　beggar…girl　for　Mr。　Pumper；

whose　pathetic　pictures　of　modern　life　draw　such　tears　from　the

public；　and　on　Tuesday　they　will　pose　in　a　peplum　for　Mr。　Phoebus；

who　thinks　that　all　really　artistic　subjects　are　necessarily　B。C。

They　career　gaily　through　all　centuries　and　through　all　costumes；

and；　like　actors；　are　interesting　only　when　they　are　not

themselves。　　They　are　extremely　good…natured；　and　very

accommodating。　　'What　do　you　sit　for？'　said　a　young　artist　to　a

model　who　had　sent　him　in　her　card　（all　models；　by　the　way；　have

cards　and　a　small　black　bag）。　　'Oh；　for　anything　you　like；　sir；'

said　the　girl；　'landscape　if　necessary！'



Intellectually；　it　must　be　acknowledged；　they　are　Philistines；　but

physically　they　are　perfect　…　at　least　some　are。　　Though　none　of

them　can　talk　Greek；　many　can　look　Greek；　which　to　a　nineteenth…

century　painter　is　naturally　of　great　importance。　　If　they　are

allowed；　they　chatter　a　great　deal；　but　they　never　say　anything。

Their　observations　are　the　only　BANALITES　heard　in　Bohemia。

However；　though　they　cannot　appreciate　the　artist　as　artist；　they

are　quite　ready　to　appreciate　the　artist　as　a　man。　　They　are　very

sensitive　to　kindness；　respect　and　generosity。　　A　beautiful　model

who　had　sat　for　two　years　to　one　of　our　most　distinguished　English

painters；　got　engaged　to　a　street　vendor　of　penny　ices。



On　her　marriage　the　painter　sent　her　a　pretty　wedding　present；　and

received　in　return　a　nice　letter　of　thanks　with　the　following

remarkable　postscript：　　'Never　eat　the　green　ices！'



When　they　are　tired　a　wise　artist　gives　them　a　rest。　　Then　they　sit

in　a　chair　and　read　penny　dreadfuls；　till　they　are　roused　from　the

tragedy　of　literature　to　take　their　place　again　in　the　tragedy　of

art。　　A　few　of　them　smoke　cigarettes。　　This；　however；　is　regarded

by　the　other　models　as　showing　a　want　of　seriousness；　and　is　not

generally　approved　of。　　They　are　engaged　by　the　day　and　by　the

half…day。　　The　tariff　is　a　shilling　an　hour；　to　which　great　artists

usually　add　an　omnibus　fare。　　The　two　best　things　about　them　are

their　extraordinary　prettiness；　and　their　extreme　respectability。

As　a　class　they　are　very　well　behaved；　particularly　those　who　sit

for　the　figure；　a　fact　which　is　curious　or　natural　according　to　the

view　one　takes　of　human　nature。　　They　usually　marry　well；　and

sometimes　they　marry　the　artist。　　For　an　artist　to　marry　his　model

is　as　fatal　as　for　a　GOURMET　to　marry　his　cook：　　the　one　gets　no

sittings；　and　the　other　gets　no　dinners。



On　the　whole　the　English　female　models　are　very　naive；　very

natural；　and　very　good…humoured。　　The　virtues　which　the　artist

values　most　in　them　are　prettiness　and　punctuality。　　Every　sensible

model　consequently　keeps　a　diary　of　her　engagements；　and　dresses

neatly。　　The　bad　season　is；　of　course；　the　summer；　when　the　artists

are　out　of　town。　　However；　of　late　years　some　artists　have　engaged

their　models　to　follow　them；　and　the　wife　of　one　of　our　most

charming　painters　has　often　had　three　or　four　models　under　her

charge　in　the　country；　so　that　the　work　of　her　husband　and　his

friends　should　not　be　interrupted。　　In　France　the　models　migrate　EN

MASSE　to　the　little　seaport　villages　or　forest　hamlets　where　the

painters　congregate。　　The　English　models；　however；　wait　patiently

in　London；　as　a　rule；　till　the　artists　come　back。　　Nearly　all　of

them　live　with　their　parents；　and　help　to　support　the　house。　　They

have　every　qualification　for　being　immortalised　in　art　except　that

of　beautiful　hands。　　The　hands　of　the　English　model　are　nearly

always　coarse　and　red。



As　for　the　male　models；　there　is　the　veteran　whom　we　have　mentioned

above。　　He　has　all　the　traditions　of　the　grand　style；　and　is

rapidly　disappearing　with　the　school　he　represents。　　An　old　man　who

talks　about　Fuseli　is；　of　course；　unendurable；　and；　besides；

patriarchs　have　ceased　to　be　fashionable　subjects。　　Then　there　is

the　true　Academy　model。　　He　is　usually　a　man　of　thirty；　rarely

good…looking；　but　a　perfect　miracle　of　muscles。　　In　fact　he　is　the

apotheosis　of　anatomy；　and　is　so　conscious　of　his　own　splendour

that　he　tells　you　of　his　tibia　and　his　thorax；　as　if　no　one　else

had　anything　of　the　kind。　　Then　come　the　Oriental　models。　　The

supply　of　these　is　limited；　but　there　are　always　about　a　dozen　in

London。　　They　are　very　much　sought　after　as　they　can　remain

immobile　for　hours；　and　generally　possess　lovely　costumes。

However；　they　have　a　very　poor　opinion　of　English　art；　which　they

regard　as　something　between　a　vulgar　personality　and　a　commonplace

photograph。　　Next　we　have　the　Italian　youth　who　has　come　over

specially　to　be　a　model；　or　takes　to　it　when　his　organ　is　out　of

repair。　　He　is　often　quite　charming　with　his　large　melancholy　eyes；

his　crisp　hair；　and　his　slim　brown　figure。　　It　is　true　he　eats

garlic；　but　then　he　can　stand　like　a　faun　and　couch　like　a　leopard；

so　he　is　forgiven。　　He　is　always　full　of　pretty　compliments；　and

has　been　known　to　have　kind　words　of　encouragement　for　even　our

greatest　artists。　　As　for　the　English　lad　of　the　same　age；　he　never

sits　at　all。　　Apparently　he　does　not　regard　the　career　of　a　model

as　a　serious　profession。　　In　any　case　he　is　rarely；　if　ever；　to　be

got　hold　of。　　English　boys；　too；　are　difficult　to　find。　　Sometimes

an　ex…model　who　has　a　son　will　curl　his　hair；　and　wash　his　face；

and　bring　him　the　round　of　the　studios；　all　soap　and　shininess。

The　young　school　don't　like　him；　but　the　older　school　do；　and　when

he　appears　on　the　walls　of　the　Royal　Academy　he　is　called　THE

INFANT　SAMUEL。　　Occasionally　also　an　artist　catches　a　couple　of

GAMINS　in　the　gutter　and　asks　them　to　come　to　his　studio。　　The

first　time　they　always　appear；　but　after　that　they　don't　keep　their

appointments。　　They　dislike　sitting　still；　and　have　a　strong　and

perhaps　natural　objection　to　looking　pathetic。　　Besides；　they　are

always　under　the　impression　that　the　artist　is　laughing　at　them。

It　is　a　sad　fact；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　poor　are

completely　unconscious　of　their　own　picturesqueness。　　Those　of　them

who　can　be　induced　to　sit　do　so　with　the　idea　that　the　artist　is

merely　a　benevolent　philanthropist　who　has　chosen　an　eccentric

method　of　distributing　alms　to　the　undeserving。　　Perhaps　the　School

Board　will　teach　the　London　GAMIN　his　own　artistic　value；　and　then

they　will　be　better　models　than　they　are　now。　　One　remarkable

privilege　belongs　to　the　Academy　model；　that　of　extorting　a

sovereign　from　any　newly　elected　Associate　or　R。A。　　They　wait　at

Burlington　House　till　the　announcement　is　made；　and　then　race　to

the　hapless　artist's　house。　　The　one　who　arrives　first　receives　the

money。　　They　have　of　late　been　much　troubled　at　the　long　distances

they　have　had　to　run；　and　they　look　with　disfavour　on　the　election

of　artists　who　live　at　Hampstead　or　at　Bedford　Park；　for　it　is

considered　a　point　of　honour　not　to　employ　the　underground　railway；

omnibuses；　or　any　artificial　means　of　locomotion。　　The　race　is　to

the　swift。



Besides　the　professional　posers　of　the　studio　there　are　posers　of

the　Row；　the　posers　at　afternoon　teas；　the　posers　in　politics　and

the　circus　posers。　　All　four　classes　are　delightful；　but　only　the

last　class　is　ever　really　decorative。　　Acrobats　and　gymnasts　can

give　the　young　painter　infinite　suggestions；　for　they　bring　into

their　art　an　element　of　swiftness　of　motion　and　of　constant　change

that　the　studio　model　necessarily　lacks。　　What　is　interesting　in

these　'slaves　of　the　ring'　is　that　with　them　Beauty　is　an

unconscious　result　not　a　conscious　aim；　the　result　in　fact　of　the

mathematical　calculation　of　curves　and　distances；　of　absolute

precision　of　eye；　of　the　scientific　knowledge　of　the　equilibrium　of

forces；　and　of　perfect　physical　training。　　A　good　acrobat　is　always

graceful；　though　grace　is　never　his　object；　he　is　graceful　because

he　does　what　he　has　to　do　in　the　best　way　in　which　it　can　be　done　…

graceful　because　he　is　natural。　　If　an　ancient　Greek　were　to　come

to　life　now；　which　considering　the　probable　severity　of　his

criticisms　would　be　rather　trying　to　our　conceit；　he　would　be　found

far　oftener　at　the　circus　than　at　the　theatre。　　A　good　circus　is　an

oasis　of　Hellenism　in　a　world　that　reads　too　much　to　be　wise；　and

thinks　too　much　to　be　beautiful。　　If　it　were　not　for　the　running…

ground　at　Eton；　the　towing…path　at　Oxford；　the　Thames　swimming…

baths；　and　the　yearly　circuses；　humanity　would　forget　the　plastic

perfection　of　its　own　form；　and　degenerate　into　a　race　of　short…

sighted　professors　and　spectacled　PRECIEUSES。　　Not　that　the　circus

proprietors　are；　as　a　rule；　conscious　of　their　high　mission。　　Do

they　not　bore　us　with　the　HAUTE　ECOLE；　and　weary　us　with

Shakespearean　clowns？　　Still；　at　least；　they　give　us　acrobats；　and

the　acrobat　is　an　artist。　　The　mere　fact　that　he　never　speaks　to

the　audience　shows　how　well　he　appreciates　the　great　truth　that　the

aim　of　art　is　not　to　reveal　personality　but　to　please。　　The　clown

may　be　blatant；　but　the　acrobat　is　always　beautiful。　　He　is　an

interesting　combination　of　the　spirit　of　Greek　sculpture　with　the

spangles　of　the　modern　costumier。　　He　has　even　had　his　niche　in　the

novels　of　our　age；　and　if　MANETTE　SALOMON　be　t