Painting Under Inspiration.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 19, 12 May 1909, Page 12

Painting Under Inspiration.

EXTRAORDINARY PSYCHIC CASE. Helen Smith, the wonderful girl psychic at Geneva, who is astonishing even those ■who profess to know the mysteries of occultism, and bewildering those who follow the philosophy of materialism, has just finished the fourth painting in the series of seven, which she claims she lias been inspired to do, and the work is exciting the wonder of art connoisseurs who have seen it. Miss Minnie Tracey, the prima donna, daughter of Co. John Tracey, journalist, who at the time of his death was Commissioner of Charities in Washington, D.C., has just returned from Geneva, where she has made a triumph in the operas of “ Isolde and Tristan,” and “ Tannhauser.” She is a great friend of Helen Smith, and spent much time with her watching her work upon the portrait oe Cagliostro, which is Miss Smith’s latest work. Speaking of her experience, Miss Tracey said: “I called upon Miss Smith quite frequently while in Geneva and saw the portrait of Cagliostro grow from its beginning. It was simply wonderful. At first the outline appeared like the features of a young man, but as Miss Smith worked the face grew older and wrinkled. The colour of his dress was changed several times during the making of the picture, and finally remained a rich brown. “ You understand that Miss Smith is an uneducated girl, without a knowledge of or even an acquaintance with painting. She is always in a trance while doing her work, and never takes anything to eat or drink on the day she receives her inspire, tion. As there is a painting of Cagliostro in the Louvre in Paris it is proposed to bring the painting by Miss Smith to compare the likeness of the subsonscious work with the real portrait in the Museum. “ Miss Smith’s work so far has consisted of three other paintings—a Crucifixion, which possesses such strength and originality that it made tears come to my eyes when I looked upon it; ‘ Christ in Gethsemane,’ and a ‘ Virgin.’ She has never been out of Geneva, and has been a very limited reader. Yet the historio facts she states are always correct, and her knowledge of geography and places is perfect. “ Monsieur Badin, in whose store Helen acted as a shopgirl until her remarkable psychic manifestations attracted the attention of the psycho-philosophers, told me that Helen never evidenced great intelligence, but that she had a remarkable memory. Whenever she became possessed with an inspiration to paint, M. Badin willingly allowed her to go home and remain away as long as she required. “Through Mrs. James Jackson’s generosity she was enabled to give up her position and stay at home to develop her powers. “ The painting of a picture involves much preparation, for the ‘inspiration,’ or whatever it may be, directs her just howl to prepare the canvas or panel on which to paint, indicating the exact size, the kind of wood or eanvas to be used, and everything to the minutest detail. Even after everything has been prepared thia inspirational force often decides to change its mind and will instruct Miss Smith to commence all over again on a. new plan. ‘She generally starts her portraits with the eyes. The room in which she paints is always in a dim light and absolute quiet must prevail. She had liefl first command to paint in 1906, but attributed it to some wild fancy and did no# take it seriously, but as the Inspiration recurred she followed its instructions an<f finished her first work, ‘ The Crucifixion.* In 1908.”