Painter of "September Morn" Dies at 68

When Paul Chabas, noted French painter (left), completed a canvas of his 16-year-old model in the summer of 1911 and sent it to the Salon of 1912, it won a medal of honor and practically no public attention whatever. When Paul Chabas died int he outskirts of Paris last week at 68, hie September Morn was one of the most familiar pictures in the world, reprodcued countless times on calendars, window display cards, and posters.

An unwitting booster of September Morn was the late Anthony Comstock (right) who in 1913 saw the original in a Manhattan art gallery, tried unsuccessfully to have it removed on the grounds that it showed too little morning, too much maid. Resultant publicity made the picture famous, paved the way for its $10,000 sale and for a steady stream of reproductions which has never ceased. The original model is now married, plumpish, 43.

Modest Old Man

Sirs:

This is a knee, and it belongs to a sailor. Many years ago, in 1916, he had this pretty thing (who looks rather like September Morn) tattooed on his skin, and a sister to her, besides on his other knee.

Now that the U. S. is at war again our sailor decided to re-enlist, but in the intervening years it seems that someone made a modest old man out of Uncle Sam. "Dress her up or take her off," were orders. Sadly the sailor obeyed. For a dollar, a tattoo artist down on the Bowery covered her with this 1890-vintage bathing suit. Now it's okay for her to go to sea once more. (She may even become a Wave.)

TECH. SGT. ROBERT E. KERR New York, N. Y.

Accepted Art (Now)

When it first appeared in the U. S. 44 years ago, September Morn, a painting of a modest nude, caused a moralistic furor. But when it finally attained the distinction of being exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum last week it outraged nobody. Said museum worker James Sigliano (left), "I had one of her in the living room but my wife put her up in the attic."

A LOOK AT THE WORLD'S WEEK

Sirs:

Remember this picture which flooded the markets, immediately following September Morn? It was known as September Morn's Little Sister.

F. BURDETTE DeGraff, Ohio

The painting was the work of Philadelphia's socialite artist, Grace Gebbie Drayton. She also created the cherubic Campbell Kids.—ED.

Time has been kind to September Morn, whose nudity was banned by the Mrs. Grundys of a dozen American cities 24 years ago, and to the man who painted her, Paul Chabas. The model, now 40, is happily married to a wealthy French industrialist, is the mother of three children—and has long since lost the slenderness that made her famous. Chabas is president of the Societé des Artistes Français, the veteran (and conservative) group. Time has also been kind to American tolerance. Today it is doubtful if the exhibition of September Morn would stir the ire of even Charles S. Sumner, self-appointed guardian of American morals. Chabas, in an interview in the New York World Telegram, said: "I do hope you'll dispel the rumor that 'September Morn' is living in poverty."

Asked if he had profited from the millions of reproductions of his most famous painting, the artist replied: "Not a sou. Although several fortunes have been made from my picture, nobody has been thoughtful enough to send me even a box of cigars."