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Show r Magazine Section The Story of Audrey Munson Intimate Secrets of Studio Life Revealed ty the Most Perfect, Most It Versatile, Most Famous of A Models, Whose Face and Figure Have Inspired Thousands of Mod ern Masterpieces of Sculpture.. ahcL Painting MltHWH WV. ' Normand, Showing the Face Which Sculptdr Piccirilli Rejected in Making His Com bination Statue Because Was Too Merry. Miss Mabel , . HAT !a it that has made Miss Audrey Munson the undisputed Queen of the Studios for more than ten years? Of the two hundred and more of the foremost artists and sculptors of theUnited States for whose masterpieces she has been the inspiration probably each one would give a different answer to the question. ..Francis Jones found in her face the purity and sweetness he needed for the stained glass angels in the Church of the Ascension in New York; and the great MacMonnies found in her the inspiration for his voluptuous bacchanalian Sybarite. William Dodge used her bubbling vivacity for the Spirit of Play in the Amsterdam Theatre frescoes, and yet her serious dignity won for Adolph Weinman the prize in the competitive statues to adorn the top of the great New York Municipal Building and there Audrey Munson stands as Civic Fame, cast in copper, a gigantic figure twenty feet talL -- Throughput the. length and breadth of the United States, in libraries, mu seums, private galleries, town and country residences, public buildings, fountains, churches, bridges, public squares and parks and private lawns and estates the most famous of all American artists models is seen in endless variety. Audrey Munson has written the story of her life, the incidents and episodes, behind the scenes in the studios,' the unknown history of the inspiration of many masterpieces in public and private art collections, the strange eccentricities and methods of the artists and the distressing tragedies of the pretty models who lacked moral balance to safeguard them from the perils of the intimate atmosphere of the studios. Audrey Munsons fascinating story will be told from week to 'week on this page. - CHAPTER V. V.v-- v A Remarkable Photograph of Lady Constance Richardson, the Titled English Dancer, Posing for Prince Pierre Troubetskoy,' the Distinguished Russian Sculptor. Note the Statue Which He Is Modelling in Miniature, and Which Later He EnThe larged Into His Famous Dancer. px,rtl 5 . By Audrey Munson. (Continued from Last Sunday) Copyright, iWt by International Feature Service, ,lne. and the thigh muscles accordingly drawn. No sculptor' ever had attempted such a lure of the studios Is an in sioned by the appearance of the unknown study before. girl who was wholly nude. Just some slipAt last the statue was completed. Lady tangible glamor which few work-- a on. Lady Constance drew back; her pers Constance .In bronze looked as If a miracle -day people of an everyday world secretary screamed, horrified; her maid transfixed her In the flesh In the most understand.-- , It Is something, too, , gaped open-eyedWvk4 difficult part of her dance a daring conwhich even I. who have lived all my life SO Constance looked after her until Lady ception, beautifully done, pure In its out-- , far among the paints and pastels and clays she turned the corner of the hallway and lines, delicate In its suggestion of grace, was out of sight. She then flounced Into of the studio workshops, have never quite vivacity and inspired strength. No youth, Mr Weinman's studio and very haughtily measured. ptatue of recent years created such a furore. Whatever Lady Constance bad I' have never met a beautiful woman, of asked. "What sort of place Is this in which lost in dignity as a dancer la acanty cloth- - -society environments or working- - class, naked girlsMr.run about the hallways?" When Weinman asked who did not want to be either painted or ing, she regained as the model and the I have met thousands who what she meant she explained for The Dancer." She took the sculptored. meeting In the hall Oh, statue back to England with her. There thought it their duty to take the place of the that young woman, said Mr. i it attracted the same attention It drew professional models and thus make master Weinman lightly, that was ono- XT' over here, and Is generally admitted to be pieces more masterful because they thought I .world's foremost piece of arrested their own charms excelled those of the of our beet models she usually motion" In statuary. Millions of replicas models whose charms were their stock In checks her clothes at the door comes when in Tk she mornin the of It were sold for the benefit of war trade. ings. and runs from studio to I think one of the most Interesting exsufferers. um uraerfWMe Sort tf them. without She likes t studio, There are occasions, however, when the amples of this that I know of was the fato bo ready, yon know, when an Piccinllis Statue of Rain, in Making Whict mous Lady Constance Richardson, daughsculptor, in putting bis inspiration Into ter of the Earl of Cromartle. granddaughter artist wants her to pose, form, wishes to convey something of the He Modelled from the Figure of Mattel Norof the haughty Duke of Sutherland, and, ' fleshly beauty which appeals to the Benses. Lady Constance wished to show Motion Now a but Picture mand, Star, Even at such a time he must, however, when she was a debutante, the favorite that she did not believe in morUsed Audrey Munsons Face to Tone avoid the imputation of a purely emotional tals less than noblewomen affect--' youngster In London society of King Edward. , ppeaL Down the Total Effect. ing scantiness of drapery. She When Piccirilli conceived his famous It was In the great rambling studio build- said something about It being No. 61 I street saw Tenth West first for the Exposition et San Franat Rain ing for a young penon with take abruptly or hold more tbar. a few secshocking vulgarity this distinguished Lady Constance. At that no pretense to refinement being so bold." onds at a time. When she tjred the Prince cisco he wished to make hla feminine figtime all the world was buzzing with its This made Mr. Weinman angry he was told her to come again the next day and ure representative of the gossip about her, for she had shocked the always loyal to his models, and believed that he would be ready to begin work. quality of a steady, gentle downpour from the heaveus. Rain Is not delicate, nor nobility of all Europe an the more we were worthy of more praise than some Prince Troubetskoy saw In the figure of servatlve families In America by appearof the society women who frequented his Lady Constance Jnst the Ideal the sculptor dainty, nor does it suggest firm, reserved lines. Rather It suggests fulness, soft ing at public gatherings in scantily draped studio. He said some very cutting things admires slenderness, delicacy, yet the fulto Lady Constance, and virtually dismissed ness of muscle and line which reveals the curves, beauty that Is enticing. Lady interpretive dances. with her slender lines and taut Then, in America, at a fashionable gathher from the etudlo. feminine without exaggerating It. But ha In her audience at a fashionable gathermuscles, would not have done for his ering at one of the exclusive hotels, she wanted more than a portrait; he wanted to first amazed her audience and then aroused ing In a Fifth avenue home one afternoon embody a thought and model;, but Mabel Normand, whose figure a a laugh. It was Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt there was a sculptor who bad earned message the ambition of every bronze of was similar to the perfect thirty-siconscienwho laughed, and, of course, when fashionthe cloak and suit makers, and who might honors arouod the world as an artist of tious artist; he sought opportunity to conable Mrs. Cornelius laughed all New York unusual attainments have been a modern Venus, was just the Troubetskoy, the vey the spiritual, the abstract; not the exsociety had to laugh, too. This laugh was Russian prince who had won and married ternal of the body alone, hut the body anitype be wanted. occasioned by Lady Constances appearSo Mabel Normand was chosen by the beautiful Amelia Rives, the famous mated by the spirit within. ance before her audience with only a Grefor his model. In those days Miss novelist One of the movements In the next When Constance the appeared cian drapery clasped rather loosely around Normand was earning but fifty cents an titled ladys dance suggested a pose to the day the Prince had already set up the little her. hour, and, while she was very popular and prince. When Lady Constance was premound of clay on which he worked tn minOne morning Adolph Weinman, the faconscientious as a model, was not used as sented to him he asked her to come to bts iature. later making the -- life size model mous sculptor, who carved me into more Gtudio for tea. There he asked the consent from the smaller one. He often as others whose figures were more what explained marble perhaps than any other artist, met to pose for him that was eagerly given. of the Ideal. wanted to do, to catch her In the movehe I ble me with a smile when appeared at The result was one of the most beautiful ment that had caught his fancy. But he Where, in modelling Lady Constance, constudio in the Tenth street building to Prince Troubetskoy wished to avoid any figures In bronse modem artists have ac- did not want the completed posture the tinue a pose. suggestion of flesh, Piccirilli, In doing complished. It Is called The Dancer, leg throw n back and balanced by the head Did yon sfee the young woman who must and has been exhibited around the world end torso thrown forward. He wanted to Rain, wished to suggest It frankly alhave passed you In the hall? he asked. most to exaggerate It. hUbel Normand's as a marvellous achievement of arrested catch her at the exact Instant the leg That was Lady Constance Richardson. motion. body was done In the sketching clay Into raised In front of her to a right angle with 1 She wanted me to pose her legs. She When Lady Constance appeared for her her body preparatory for Its sweep that of a siren, a beautifully, rounded figbelieves them to be the most shapely limbs pose Prince Troubetskoy very abruptly ure that seemed to glow with life and vicould Constance declared she Lady - , . In the world." asked her to disrobe. vacity. She has Spanish blood and her not give him such a pose The balance of Arc you going to do it? I asked. entire physical personality glows with dance Just es If you were her body would not permit her to hold her then, "Now, I dont kqow; 1 did not enthuse, and she Latin warmth of Impulse and emotion. before an audience, the Prince commandstretched straight out, while forward, leg But when the figure was completed Picpromised to come back again to persuade ed when she bad removed her clothes. The she posed on her other foot, her torso up. me." lie eventually agreed, however, to studio Is large and roomy. Prince y cirilli was not satisfied. He had fixed an for even a second. She would fall if right, make a bronze figure of her. himself strummed the piano In the she attempted It. Impression of voluptuousness such as be She came to the studio a few mornings believed a rainstorm crested yet the spircomer, giving her the rhythm. Lady ConBut that Is just what we will get, said later. Perhaps a great statue might have stance gradually lost the shyness that bad the sculptor. itual. the Inner expression of noble thought and purpose seemed to be lacking. The Jieen the result, for Mr. Weinman never come over her In the presence of this man, Constance, unhindered by clothing, Lady did anything that did not become great, It and finally was dancing perhaps as she so that the sculptor could detect the plsy tace he had modelled seemed too merry. it hadn't been lor an incident of that mornHe sent for me. and, destroying the clay never had danced before, completely for- of every muscle in her body, danced the sketch of the head and face, made a sketch ing. getful of her lack of covering. The Prince movement again and again. As she had She came well toward noon. Her secrecf my face. Thus his completed statue watched sharply, his experienced eye ssld, there was not an Instants Inaction was made of two models Miss Normand for when her foot swung forward preparatory tary and her maid accompanied her, one catching every movement of the shell-pin-- the body, me for the face. He professed artist who worked not alone for the fees. body as it pirouetted In constant silhouette to sweeping back, it reached the summit to find In my features that which he wanted He worked from Inspiration only. of Ita upward curve, described a half circle against the heavy velvet studio hangings. He was then doing an Important work, to elevate and purify his statue. When I Suddenly he stopped playing and both and swept down and back without pause. 'his wonderful "Daphnls and Chios." which shouted and clapped bis bands at the same Yet the Instant of its reaching Ita upward took the pose he wished be asked me to now graces the halls of Devonshire House, think of myself as being In a rainstorm, instant "There that on the toes, with climax wras. the Impression the artist the seat of the Duke of Devonshire. I was the leg out. Do that again! be cried. He sought to fix In bronze. saddened by Its damp caress because It A stand was fixed for Lady Constance to posing for Chloe. He was not at all keen had caught with his eye a posture that suggested tears to me. yet held fast by the carrying various costumes In handbags, the fascinated him. The dancer bed raised lean against. She held her leg outward In Inexplicable spell which the rain threw other various articles of the feminine toiabout me. My Interpretation of this com- herself on one foot balancing on her bare approximately the position of the dance. lette. Mr. Weinmans studio was at the toes, and had swung, her other leg back The Prince moulded his clay Into a sketch mand Is what la pictured on this page lu end of a long stretch of narrow hallway, until It reached out straight behind her, of the figure thus posed. This took sevFlcctrllUs statue. her hark and shoulders, which eral weeks, When he bad completed his lit only by flickering gas Hgh's and with level-witThe completed work won much favorable comment at Ban Francisco. The artist's barren floor. At a turn of this hallway beat forward making a perfect horizontal rough sketch he then had her dance for Lady Constanceand her party ran plump line from neck to neel atop the leg on hours at a time every day, going through conception was widely discussed and his Into young woman. As they bumped Into which she balanced. It was Lady Con- the preliminary movements to the posiInterpretation of rain as e. siren In body but of noble soul was considered daring egrh other both the strange young woman stance's most difficult as well as her moat tion he sought to catch over and over and Lady Cpnstance gasped. But Lady graceful movement. again, etch time trying to catch wltt; hi? n ..Axvj.Iu, a duty Iu.iUw Aenvce-a- y ye LTTl ir rr r, Const uni'S .gssaPCd U surprise e 0st 'ntalA Atwaiw'1 Witt nnWebiihi tadh Normand was unable to portray to artists listing! to precede It bend of the toes, the exact tension of the gang'd e with the figures was out of breath. dance that led up tendon of Achilles, which is only brought the nobler character yhlth the real artists to it, as it was a position phs could not Jnfb action when the heel Is thrown out The noblewomans surprise was occa alssys want to put Into their woiks. Some ( . culf tors lound in hor face, lb the droop ot 11. Uunuwso rutin twrlc 1M, .. , , r n pM-- . Jfi , x. r i , -' vXV-- .- f scnse-soothln- g fix-Int- o x Pic-clrll- ll s back-ward- Trou-betako- 1 r of-th- ( s .t ' , - . " I ' s 'rxtf ' - And Here Is the Finished Statue, The Dancer, froitt the Very Model Prince Troubetskoy Is Shown Making Above, With the Contours and Muscles of Lady Connies Dancing Equipment, of . Which She Is So Proud. , her eyelids or the curves of her mouth features which were especially attractive to them. Her chief asset as a model was her ability to catch :he mood of the artist and translate It for blm, hut it had to be a merry mood. Miss Normand could only when she should be sad and "pout thoughtful. Her pout on the movie screen has earned her a million dollars or so; as a model it cancelled many posing engagements for her. But In her merriment Miss Normand was typical of those models, many of whom later became famous as movie stars or stage beauties, who frequented the Tenth street studios of which I have spoken studios occupied by such men as William De Leftwlrh Dodge; Gutzon Borglum. Kontl, Weinman, Daniel French and Robert Altken There is a famous sculptor, now dead, whose name, through sympathy for his widow, I will not reveal. Thla artists wife, who never waa reconciled to studio life, waa frequently distressed at the thought cf her husband using models In scant costumes, or without them altogether. It was often repeated among his friends that the sculptors greatest difficulty was to persuade hla wife an artist could work from a model and think only of his work. Thera aia many artists- - whose . wives have the same falling. tv hen I posed for him this roan always warned me to leave my clothes in a neighbors studio dressing room, and to make a hasty escape from the studio through a back door. If hla wife should appear in the reception hall. " I sympathized with the sculptor very deeply. He was a conscientious worker, and few artists ever so completely forgot the feminine - presence of their models while at work as he did. One of his models twice had gone through the experience of being In the studio posing when the wife unexpectedly called upon her husband. Each time ehe skipped through the rear door of the studio and took refuge In the neighbor's dressing room until recalled. She also never sympathized with the wife, and often declared she should de taught a lesson. One day s, Wlf bad decided, after her buaband home early In the morning, to come town for an afternoon of shopping. bad me two social acquaintances and left into Bhs jtsd entertained them at lunch at Detmonico's. Proud always of her husband and his work, she delighted her friends by accepting their him that they would enjoy a casual visit to hts studio. Without 4elephontng she brought her friends to the studio and entered her husband's reception room. The opening of the outer door tinkled a bell. The sculptor beard big wifes voice. The model, who was in position, heard also. She skipped down from the pedestal and disappeared Into the passageway leading to the rear door. The sculptor, a little confused but well poised, met his wife and her friends smilingly, acknowledged the presentations and began to show the party about the studio, explaining the works In the outer room and then leading the way to the big room flooded with the precious north light. The clay sketch of the fountain was taking shape a beautiful nude girl poised on the brink of a basin, holding a large vase out of which the water was to pour. My husband works without models, yon know; it la one of his especial talents, being able. to create such charmingly pretty things without submitting to association with those terrible creatures who Appear In the studios before men without their clothing." Oh. that Is so splendid! one of the women responded. I am sure you must have a great deal more satisfaction In his art than the wives of artists who must cons tinually think of their husbands with those horrible girls! Yes, Indeed, the wife began, her voice expressing her delight at being so well understood, but before she could say more the door leading Into the back passage opened, theie was a silvery laugh, and the model, As unclothed as when she ran from the studio, confronted the party. While the women gaaped and the sculptor swore beneath his breath, the model exclaimed, her eyes twinkling merrily; Oh, excuse me! I thought your visitors had gone. Ill go back and wait -- and won't you tell them I'm really not a horrible girl Just your regular model? One can Imagine the arena that followed the vclqslng of the door behind that girl! vis-a-vi- v.f must have given her husband might have She cloned the visit been knife thrusts abruptly and departed with her friends, (To Bs Continued Next Sunday), |