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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1960-03-31, Page 6They Paint Copies Of Masterpieces The neat little man in the gray earokasand fedora sat in a cora Itt z tf*the Vatican art gallery patiently dabbing paint on can- yas. He paused briefly in his Werk, leaned back from his easel, and told a visitor: "You are look- ing at a dying race. In a few y'ears,'we will be as extinct as the woolly elephant," Francesco Sassu was talking about his job. For eighteen of his 40 years he has been a profes- sional copyist - a painter who reproduces museum masterpieces for sale to the public, Laboring diligently at their easels, copyists have long been a familiar sight to tourists In Europe's great mu- seums: The Vatican, the Uffizi and Pitti in Florence, the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid. This year, copyists are looking forward to the annual wave of tourists to give their ailing craft a shot in the arm. But they are none too hopeful of a long-range cure. Turning aside from his current project, a copy of fruit and flow- ers, a still life by an anonymous Dutchman (circa 1667), Signor Sassu explained the predicament to NEWSWEEK'S Borne bureau chief, Curtis G. Pepper: "The work of the copyist has suffered two ferocious saber blows-med- Pure Flattery PRINTED PAT-CliRN A superbly shaped sheath -the most elegant way to be noticed by day, at dinner, on a date. Double - breasted buttoning curves a sleek midriff - hip pocket, accent a long -waisted look. Printed Pattern 4556: Misses' Sizes 10, 12,+ 14, 16, 16. Size 16 takes 4 yards 39 -inch fabric. Printed directions on each pat- ten part. Easier, accurate. Send FIFTY CENTS (50') (stamps cannot be accepted, use postal note for safety) for this pattern. Please print plainly SIZE, NAME, ADDRESS $TYLE NUMBER. Send order to ANNE ADAMS, Box 1, 123 Eighteenth St., New Toronto, Ont. ern walls and photographic um chines." Iris mustache twitching, Sassu pointed to: the dark beige walls of the gallery; then to the whites of the still life. "Put this painting in a modern apartment where the walls are white," he explainedt "and the whites in the picture look dirty." The proper setting for such a picture, Sassu indicated, would be an old pale azzo or castle - which are in short supply among copy cus- tomers. A second blow, said Sassu, is modern color photographs placed on eanvas to give the ll.luston of painted texture - a cheaper pro- cess than oil painting, and pre- ferred in any case by many cus- tomers, "It is a terrible mistake," coypist Sassu complained. "Noth- ing can replace oil. We are tum- bling forward into a terrible world of plastics and imitated products." Other copyists agreed with Sassu. Maria Miro Montoya in Madrid's Prado stressed that "you must feel a little of the soul of the painter," "A good copy is better than a bad original," said Louvre copyist Christie Milo, where the Mona Lisa is "the Bri- gitte Bardot of the museum." In Europe today, scores of copyists practice their art, Some are merely students trying. to im- prove their technique. Most are professionals who find custom- ers among museum -goers who have become entranced with a particular painting. Prices de- pend on the size of the canvas and the precision of reproduction desired. Signor Sassu, for in- stance, charges from $60 to $320, His current project will take two months, for which he will re- ceive $112 - about what a bar- ker or shoemaker makes in one month. A few topnotch copyists are commissioned by museums, schools, and religious organiza- tions, which may want oil repro- ductions of famous paintings, One of the best of these artists was also at work at the Vatican gallery last week: Prof. Pompeo Caccia, 70, whose clients in his 49 years on the job have ranged from popes to American muse- ums. "There are fewer and few- er requests," Professor Caccia says sadly. "It's too much work and too little pay." In most major museums, copy- ists are permitted to paint, but under strict rules: No copy can bethe same size as the original; no business may be conducted on the premises (but deals can be arranged at nearby cafes); moreover, if there is a waiting list, a time limit is enforced (generally 30 days per painting) Though some museum officials attempt to discourage copyists, others are more .sympathetic. At the Prado in Madrid where the works of Murillo, Velazquez, El Greco, and Goya attract a flock of copyists, director Fernando Alvarez de Sotomayor thinks the work of the copyists helps spread knowledge of master- pieces of art to areas of the world which have none. "There are copyists who work by necessity to earn money. There are others who do it for pleasure. Both things are very respectable and useful. My only worry is that the rights of the copyists and those of the visitors do not col- lide." A Louvre curator adds: "You find more humility, gener- osity, and a genuine desire to learn and share knowledge among the copyists than among any other group of artists." Despite such sentiments, the ranks of the copyists continue to thin. "This is a miserable pro- fession," sighed Signor Sassu at his easel. "Anybody who does it is plain crazy." Why does be do it? "I am happy only here. This is all I know." -From NEWS - WEEK NEW YORK CHEERS A GOOD CHAMPION -- ice skating charn- pion Carol Heiss, waves to cheering crowds during a ticker •lope parade in her honour in New York. Pretty Carol hos won Mr fifth successive world championship, her fourth successive national title and her first Olympic Gold Medal since the first ,of this year. PHOTOG IN FOCUS -Ex -photographer Antony Armstrong -Jones smiles on the lens -side of a camera with his fiancee, Britain's Princess Margaret, in London. • i1BfiNICLES INGERFARM Strange, isn't it, how one's outlook on life is widened or narrowed according to one's physical well-being. Last week all kinds of things were happen- ing, most of them important, some of them tragic, and yet I •couldn't have cared less. And all because a horrid little flu bug laid me low. Last Tuesday I was out quilting all day; Wednesday I should have been at our "Pot - Luck" W.T. luncheon. Instead I went shopping, I was feeling so miserable I knew that Partner would be taking "pot -luck" at home for several days and it be- hoved me to find him something easy to prepare. So, • I got the refrigerator well stocked and then 1 went to my bed. I remember a few weeks ago being very indignant about the high cost of drugs but when the doctor ordered drugs sent in for which we had to pay $11.25 I thought they were cheap at the price. In fact, I didn't care what they cost, even if we had to pawn the furniture, just as long as they chased that wretched lit- tle flu bug out cf my system. And isn't that just what happens? When we are well we grumble about the high cost of drugs but when we really need them it's a different story. Which doesn't improve the situation at all. In fact it just shows how vulner- able we are to •exploitation, By and large Partner had a busy weer:, shovelling; snow, bringing my meals and eat -sit- - ting! "Gard -night", he exclaimed yesterday, "who'd have thought I'd take up cat-sitling in my retirement!" Well, it isn't gen- erally quite that bad - and it isn't our cat. It so happens a young neighbour -couple had to go to Montreal on busine-s for a week so they wanted us to- keep an eye on the house, water the plants, feed the cat anti let her out for exercise each day. Nor- mally I would have done it but things being the way they were it was one more little job Part- ner had to take over. So what happens . . Partner does the work and I am given the little "thank you" -gift brought home from Montreal! 1 would gladly share my gift with- Partner; but what would he do with a "dresser -deli" costumed like a ballrt dant. rt' It 11 really quite pretty and quite ingenh•us• Ten - inch plastic doll with movable parts and l.he prettiest hair -do. The ballet skirt is white and old - rose, made from foam rubber petals with a big white bow et the back of the doll's neck. 1 call her "Laura". What interests me particularly is the fact that 'foams rubber kits can he bought for making dolls, flowers, or whatever one's fancy dictates. Next time I'm in Toronto I'll have to make inquiries about prices and instructions. It looks to the as- if it might be a fascin- ating hobby. "What, another hubby?" , . is that what you said? Well, maybe I'd better curb my enthusiasm a bit because I already have .one. project Lined up for this year that is going to keep me pretty busy, But why not it is better to wear out than rust out. Partner is busy too. From old packing cases, smoothed down - he is making lawn ohairs for here and the cottage. I think they are called "Cape Cod" garden chairs. He is improving on the original pat- tern by making them so they can be knocked down and re -assem- bled wherever they are needed. One thing I specially want to allow more time for is reading. Recently our local library has been enlarged and moved to new quarters - to the same location as the headquarters of the Tor- onto Township Library. Its shelves are stocked with well- written books, and, if any par- ticular book not on the shelves is asked for every effort is :made to procure it. It is only thus that proper use can be made of library facilities. No need to feel guilty in asking for any particu- lar book - by that means the library staff knows you are genuinely interested and making good use of its services. And let me remind you of this: a library and television - interview pro- gramme makes a good combina- tion. One complements the other. We often get fed -up with "Tab- loid" but yet we would not miss it for anything. We are always hoping it will present interest- ing personalities - and it often doe:. "Open House" is interest- ing for the same reason. Some months ago Dr. Han Suyin was interviewed. She is a widowed Eurasian doctor. I was fascinat- ' ed by her personality and also by her autobiography - "A Many Splendoured Thing" which I am now reading. It is a cour- ageous piece of writing - frank, intense and provocative. It gives one an entirely new slant on the Chinese, the Koreans and the ease with which communist doc- trines are fed to the poor, un- suspecting natives. Dr. Han couples idealism with down-to- earth realism. She doesn't spell dire doom as do so many writers, mainly because she has faith that a higher power controls and guides our Destiny, To my way of thinking to believe otherwise is to court disaster. "He said, your honour, that 1 was no cook," sobbed a wife during a divorce action. "And what did you do then?" asked the judge. "I struck him with the can - opener." SALLY'S SALVES ''There's nothing here, deer, about a woodshed or a razor stroll." Tomorrow's Auto To Own Peanuts ? To drive a Molls has never been peanuts. But, thanks to the wonders of modern research, it could be in the future. The Rolls-Royce Company an- nounces the successful develop- ment of a new type of multifuel. motor of which it declares: "'Eventually it will be able 10 operate on almost anything from peanut butter to creosote." For the present, the motor's range of fuels comprises high octane gasoline, low octane_gaso- line, kerosene, and diesel oil. A simple manual adjustment enables the new Rolls engine to be switched 'from one fuel to another. Known as the "K -type," the motor is being built in three versions of four, five, and six cylinders, To experts it is a twin -opposed piston, two-stroke compression ignition type. There are two pistons in each cylinder. One moves down and the -other moves up to compress the fuel. The compression can reach such a high ratio that al- most anything of any oily nature can be ignited, , Several other British com- panies are working en similar motors, including Rootes, Ley- land, and Coventry Climax, states a writer in the Christian Science Monitor. The development of the new Rolls-Royce type has been spon- sored by the War Office and is being closely watched by trans- port experts of the North Atlan- tic Treaty Organization. It is intended to power all British wheeled combat vehicles in the future. For it has the obvious advantages that an Army will be able to fuel itself with what- ever it finds in a combat area - gasoline, kerosene, oil, or whatever. As a civilian development, it seems that no one need ever run out of fuel again. One will be able to use what he has with him, But one wonders if Rolls owners carry peanut - butter sandwiches. Modern Etiquette By Anne Ashley Q. How does one write a for- mal acceptance toa wedding In- vitation? A. Address it to the parents of the girl in whose name the invitation was issued: "Mr. and Mrs. Henry V. Smith accept with pleasure Mr. and Mrs. John P. Hobson s kind invitation to the wedding and reception of their daughter on such - and -st:ch date." Q. I have been invited to a wedding and reception, and the bride says I can bring a boy friend with me. Should be send a gift, or would it be proper for him to share the cost of mine? A. He is not expected to do either of these. Q, flow long a time should properly elapse before answer- ing a letter? A. Of course, prompt replies are the surest and most inter- esting ways of handling corres- pondence -but this puts a strain upon the other correspondent. Perhaps setting an evening aside every week or two to reply to letters is advisable, in order to apace them so .that they are neither a boomerang nor a stale accumulation of a month's acti- vities. Q, Is it the accepted foam for a woman to use her maiden name as a middle name after site is married? A. Yes, this is the established custom. In other words, after Joyce Adams marries W1liiiun Morgan, she then becomes Joyee Adams Morgan. Q. Because of illness in my family I find it impossible to give an informal affair in my horn to which 1 issued invita- tions. What can I do? A. Either recall the invitations by telephone or brief note, _ex- plain the circumstances and tell your t -tended guests that you will get in touch with them at a later date. 6 -to -the -Inch 601 £tea IN This striking spread makes dreams of a lovely bedroonr come true. Entirely cross-stitch. American Beauty Rose spread is 6 -to -inch cross-stitch. Roses can alternate with quilted square. Pattern 690: charts; 12 rose motifs; 2 quilting designs. Send THIRTY - FIVE CENTS (stamps cannot be accepted, use postal note for safety) for this pattern to Laura Wheeler, Box 1, 123 Eighteenth 5t., New Tor- onto, Ont. Print plainly PAT- TERN NUMBER, your NAME and ADDRESS. New! New! New! Our 1960 Laura Wheeler Needlecraft Book is ready NOW! Crammed with exciting, unusual, popular de- signs to crochet, knit, sew, em- broider, quilt, weave -fashions, home furnishings, toys, gifts, bazaar hits. In the book FREE - 3 quilt patterns. Hurry, send 25 cents for your copy. ISSUE 13 - 1960 FLOWERS FOR A QUEEN - Queen Farah of Iran accepts a bou- quet from a young girl at the Iranian embassy in Karachi; Paki- stan. The 21 -year-old wife of the Shah, accompanying her husband on a state visit, is expecting.