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on their work are the traces of their hand。 But it is not so with
the painter； it is not so with the artist。
Art should have no sentiment about it but its beauty； no technique
except what you cannot observe。 One should be able to say of a
picture not that it is 'well painted；' but that it is 'not
painted。'
What is the difference between absolutely decorative art and a
painting？ Decorative art emphasises its material： imaginative art
annihilates it。 Tapestry shows its threads as part of its beauty：
a picture annihilates its canvas： it shows nothing of it。
Porcelain emphasises its glaze： water…colours reject the paper。
A picture has no meaning but its beauty； no message but its joy。
That is the first truth about art that you must never lose sight
of。 A picture is a purely decorative thing。
LONDON MODELS
PROFESSIONAL models are a purely modern invention。 To the Greeks；
for instance； they were quite unknown。 Mr。 Mahaffy； it is true；
tells us that Pericles used to present peacocks to the great ladies
of Athenian society in order to induce them to sit to his friend
Phidias； and we know that Polygnotus introduced into his picture of
the Trojan women the face of Elpinice； the celebrated sister of the
great Conservative leader of the day； but these GRANDES DAMES
clearly do not come under our category。 As for the old masters；
they undoubtedly made constant studies from their pupils and
apprentices； and even their religious pictures are full of the
portraits of their friends and relations； but they do not seem to
have had the inestimable advantage of the existence of a class of
people whose sole profession is to pose。 In fact the model； in our
sense of the word； is the direct creation of Academic Schools。
Every country now has its own models； except America。 In New York；
and even in Boston； a good model is so great a rarity that most of
the artists are reduced to painting Niagara and millionaires。 In
Europe； however； it is different。 Here we have plenty of models；
and of every nationality。 The Italian models are the best。 The
natural grace of their attitudes； as well as the wonderful
picturesqueness of their colouring； makes them facile … often too
facile … subjects for the painter's brush。 The French models；
though not so beautiful as the Italian； possess a quickness of
intellectual sympathy； a capacity； in fact； of understanding the
artist； which is quite remarkable。 They have also a great command
over the varieties of facial expression； are peculiarly dramatic；
and can chatter the ARGOT of the ATELIER as cleverly as the critic
of the GIL BLAS。 The English models form a class entirely by
themselves。 They are not so picturesque as the Italian； nor so
clever as the French； and they have absolutely no tradition； so to
speak； of their order。 Now and then some old veteran knocks at the
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 s