ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2692, 18 October 1905, Page 87

ART AND ARTISTS.

MORE WHI&TLEE ANECDOTES. In reply to a direct question, Mr Chasa said : — "As a wit, in my opinion, "Whistler lies been veny much overrated. I have heard more good things from Oliver Herford. o.nd consider h;m a more witty talker at all times than Whistler was at any time. As a matter of fact, in ordinary conversation, Whistler was seldom witty, and he wrote dowa his own and other people's 'good things, 3 and would latei invent a 'lead' to get them before the crowd. "In most of his conversation "Whistler was sarcastic and bitter to an uncommon degree, he snarled out ugly and outre phrases, but of real wit from him I seldom heard an expression. Many clever things were said in his studio, and Whistler liked to believe that he said them all, but, as a matter of fact, there were far moro brilliant talkers than Whistler who gathered at his famous Sunday morning breakfasts. You know foi years it was the custom for a group of men to meet; with him every Sunday. They looked upon him as the master, and they hung upon his words."' The group included Mortimer Mempes, the artist Tovey, Oscar Wilde, and manyothers. On one of these mornings, Whistler turned to Mr Chase and said : "Oh, I say, Colonel, what a fearful lot of good things you'll have to tell the boys about me when you get back, eh?" "On the contrary," said Mr Chase, "I'm bitterly disappointed. I've been here two full months now, and in all that time I've heard nothing good from you and only two good things from any of the others." Here is a Boldini story which goes to prove that- Whistle^s method was open to, constant criticism even from his brother artists. Whistler had finished his pottrait of Mr George Vanderbilt, which is now on exhibition in Boston. It is a full length standing figure in black blothes against a black ground. The original feature of the canvas is a walking stick held at a rather acute angle against the right knee-, and the whole effect is very sombre. Whistler asked Boldini what he thought of it. Boldini leaned forward and said: '•He'll surely miss it. He'll never geb him !'" "Miss what, get whom?" asked Whistler in amaze. "Why, the rat in that cellar. No matter how the man strikes at him the rat will be sure to get away in the dark." Another story is told of a Miss Curtis, the sister of Dr H. Holbrook Curtis, who is now studying art in Paris. She is described as a most feminine, almost reticent person, who used to paint with the seeming strength of a blacksmith until she went o\er to the impressionist school. One day she was at work on a pea-green group in a. purple haze with a tinge of orange, when Whistler asked her what she was doing. '■I'm painting Nature," she said. "Who?c Nature?" asked Whistler. "Why. Nature as she is. You believe in rm painting Nature as you see it, don't you?" "No. I don't believe iv your ever painting Nature as I see it,' 1 -aid Whistler as he passed on. This is one on Mr Chase which he tells with much enjoyment. In Whistler'? Paris school one day three students wer< setting in a group at work. Whistler coin> mended the work of the first, and said, "Where did you study?" "I studied with Cha«.e in New York." '"Really, now ! Well, you couldn't havi done better." — Ncu York Heiald.

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