Flora L. Carpenter

Artist: Sir Joshua Reynolds (ren´´uldz).

Birthplace: Plympton, Devonshire, England.

Dates: Born, 1723; died, 1792.

Questions to arouse interest. What is the little girl in this picture doing? Why does she keep such fast hold of the little dog? Where do you think they are? Do you think she looks happy or frightened? why? What has she in her hair? How is she dressed? What makes you think you would like to play with her? What do you think they have been doing? Where have they been playing? Do you like this picture? why?

The story of the picture. How pleased little Miss Bowles must have been when her mamma and papa told her she was to go to the studio of the great Sir Joshua Reynolds to have her picture painted! She must have clapped her hands, for, as every one knew, Sir Joshua Reynolds was the most delightful man in the world. He not only loved children but he always played with them and kept a great many wonderful toys in his studio just for them. Then, too, he had invited her and her mamma and papa to have lunch with him before she sat for her picture. Sir Joshua had told her mamma to dress the little girl in the simplest white dress she had, so she could play, and because he did not like fine clothes.

It was a lovely drive from her home to the studio, and the two fine horses held their heads up and stepped very high as if they, too, were glad they were going to Sir Joshua's house. Just as Miss Bowles stepped out of the carriage the cutest little black and white dog came racing down the walk to greet her. Little Miss Bowles was not a bit afraid. How could she be, when the little black and white dog came right up to her and stood wagging his tail? When she had petted him, perhaps he ran to bring a stick for her to throw, so he could find it and bring it back to her, just as your dog does. Sir Joshua heard her laughing and the dog barking as he came out to welcome them.

Almost at once, luncheon was announced and they all went in to the big dining room. Sir Joshua Reynolds sat next to little Miss Bowles and told her all about the little dog, whose name, perhaps, was Spot. A lady whose picture he had painted had given the dog to him, and she had taught Spot several very clever tricks which Miss Bowles should see right after luncheon.

Sir Joshua loved to surprise his little friends. When they were not looking he would take their handkerchiefs from them, or suddenly put some strange toy in their laps. He loved to see their look of surprise and delight.

After luncheon came a good romp in the yard. Perhaps the little dog would bite Miss Bowles's shoes and try to keep her from running. How she must have laughed!

When she went back into the house Spot went in with her. Little Miss Bowles is so afraid the artist is going to send her pet away that she holds him fast in her arms, and looks at Sir Joshua Reynolds as much as to say, "Now you can't send him away, can you?" Her eyes fairly sparkle with glee as she squeezes the little dog much too hard for his comfort. He knows that she holds him so fast because she wants to keep him, and he is glad to be with her, but oh! if she just would not squeeze quite so hard!

Show me how little Miss Bowles is sitting. I suppose she is afraid to look away even for a second for fear Sir Joshua will play some trick on her and get the little dog away. Sir Joshua painted so very fast that I don't suppose she knew just when he drew her picture, although he probably asked her to sit still when he was ready to paint. But she must have gone to his house several times before the picture was finished. Her father and mother were very much pleased with the picture, and said it looked just like their little girl.

Sir Joshua Reynolds loved the woods and nature so much that he nearly always painted them in his pictures. So in the background of this picture we catch a glimpse of the woods in the yard where the child and dog have been playing, and where they have just stopped a moment to rest.

Questions to help the pupil understand the picture. Where was this picture painted? Why was little Miss Bowles so glad to go? How did she go? What came to meet her? What color was the dog? How did he act? Who gave the dog to the artist? How did Sir Joshua Reynolds know little Miss Bowles had come? How did he tease her? What did they do after luncheon? Why did she hold the dog so fast? What can you see behind the little girl?

To the Teacher: Let the children illustrate the story of little Miss Bowles playing with her dog in the park. Use charcoal, or colored crayon, on manila paper.

The story of the artist. Sir Joshua Reynolds's father was a teacher in a private school, and to this school Joshua was sent as soon as he was old enough to study. Even when a very little boy Joshua liked to draw. He liked it so well that it was hard for him to study in school. He always saw so many things he wanted to draw that he could not wait until after school, but drew them on the back of his lesson papers. One day he drew all over his number paper, and when he handed it in his father could not read the numbers on account of the drawing. His father was disappointed because his son's paper did not look so neat as the other boys', and so he wrote at the top of the sheet, "Done by Joshua out of pure idleness."

Joshua had five brothers and sisters who liked to draw just as well as he did, and who could all draw very much better than he could. It took so much paper and so many pencils for all his children, that finally the father told them they might draw on the walls of one of the halls. The walls had been whitewashed and the children used burnt sticks for pencils.

At first the older brothers and sisters used to help little Joshua by guiding his hand, but he soon learned to draw as well as they. His first drawings had been so funny that they laughed at him, but now they praised him instead. When he was only eight years old he drew a picture that every one praised very much. It was a picture of the schoolhouse. When his father saw it he was so pleased that he said, "This is wonderful!"

In the little town where Joshua lived the people had church on Sundays, of course, and sometimes during the week. One day, Joshua went to church. At first he sat very still, but the sermon was a long one, and finally he grew so tired that he could not listen another minute. He thought he would like to draw a picture of the minister, but he had nothing to draw it on. Then he remembered that he had a pencil in his pocket, and he could draw a picture of the minister on his thumb nail; and that is just what he did.

The church was near the river, and after church Joshua went down to the river bank. Finding a piece of an old sail, he carried it to a boathouse. Here, from the picture on his thumb nail, he drew on the piece of sail the portrait of the minister. Then he painted it, using the common paint that is used in painting boats. Joshua was only eleven years old, and had finished his first oil painting. His father had wanted him to be a doctor, but after seeing this picture he decided to let Joshua have his own way and be a painter. He sent him to a good teacher, and lived to see his son a great artist.

Questions about the artist. Who painted this picture? Where did he go to school? Who taught him? What did he like to do best? On what did he draw? Why was his father disappointed when he saw his number paper? Where were the children allowed to draw? With what did they draw? What did he draw that pleased his father very much? Tell about the picture of the minister.