Walter Goodman - People I Have Painted

Between 11 February and 1 July 1893 Goodman contributed a weekly essay People I Have Painted to Sala's Journal. Each essay detailed the often humorous circumstances surrounding a particular painting or series of paintings Goodman had created. The subjects of these essays were entitled:

The Emperor Of The French

Around 1859 Goodman was commissioned to produce a series of seven large (six feet by four feet) panoramic views illustrative of the Italian war of 1859, most of which would feature The French Emperor, Napoleon III. Two of these works were to be transparencies, designed to be artificially lit from behind. Goodman recorded that his cleaning lady almost ruined some of these works due to her over-zealousness and his own forgetfulness. The Emperor never sat for Goodman in person — all paintings were executed with help of the many photographs of Napoleon III that were to be found in London at the time. The paintings were intended for a Continental show and were destined to be shipped to Odessa. Before this, the series was privately exhibited in the apartment where they had been painted. At the time of writing, in 1893, Goodman had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the seven paintings.

Prince Leopold

In 1881, at Goodman's request, Prince Leopold sat for him at his London studio. Goodman notes that prior to the Prince's visit on February 5, 1881, he requested that his cleaning lady make the studio extra tidy as he was expecting a prince. During the sitting the Prince's sister, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Marchioness of Lorne also paid a visit to Goodman's studio. Prince Leopold was in failing health and further sittings took place in the somewhat warmer surroundings of the Prince's apartments at Windsor Castle. Prince Leopold died in 1884, and in that year the painting was exhibited at the Guildhall.

His Excellency Kuo Sung Tao

In 1878, Goodman was commissioned by the Chinese Ambassador to Great Britain and France to paint his portrait. The minister in question's family name was Kuo Sung-Tao, and he held the official title of Kuo Ta-Jen. Goodman writes of the difficulties experienced while attempting to capture his subject's grand attire. The sittings took place at Goodman's home at Notting Hill, London, and he notes the wonder and excitement of the local inhabitants at the arrival of the ambassador's carriages and at the exotic occupants delivered to his home. By having his portrait painted, Kou Sung-Tao incurred the wrath and ridicule of his countrymen back home. To such an extent in fact that he returned the portrait to Goodman and requested his money back — which Goodman declined to do. Goodman states that he informed His Excellency if it was against the customs of his country for a mandarin to have his portrait painted, it was not less at variance with the rigid rules of the outer barbarian to return money.

A Chinese Lady Of Rank

The lady in question was one of the three wives of the Chinese Ambassador. Her name was Kuo Tai-Tai. Goodman goes to great lengths to explain her exotic appearance and that of her small child, Ying-Sung. The (eighteen) sittings took place in 1879 at the Chinese Legation at Portland Place, London (the present day Chinese Embassy). Also described is a reception held at the embassy at which the Prime Minister of the day, William Ewart Gladstone was present. The portrait was a group picture of Kuo Tai-Tai, her child Ying-Sung, and the child's nurse.

Mrs. Keeley At Fourscore, Jack Sheppard After Many Years, and The "Academy" Mrs. Keeley Goodman indulges his obvious obsession with Mrs. Keeley by devoting the next three essays to her and the two portraits she sat for. Mrs. Keeley at Fourscore being the portrait that now hangs in The Garrick Club. Goodman describes how his sitter fell off her stool and badly injured her ankle. The Jack Sheppard essay refers to her famous portrayal of the notorious 18th century burglar and is a continuation of the description of the sitting for The Garrick portrait. He notes that between the completion of this´and starting the next portrait, Mrs. Keeley requests him to paint a posthumous portrait of her late daughter, Louise. The second Keeley portrait, also referred to as Mrs. Keeley in her 83rd Year is the one that was exhibited at The Royal Academy and subsequently hung in The Savage Club.

A Notable Spanish Artist

A British Consul of Barcelona

Author of the "Woman in White"

The Composer of "Cheer Boys Cheer"

An Emancipated Slave

The Original "Negro Delineator

A Popular Dramatist

The Last of a Famous Clown

A Spanish Low Comedian

A Great Italian Actor

An Artist in Italian Glass

A Knighted Newspaper Proprietor

In the final essay he contributed to Sala's Journal, Goodman describes a 17-installment short story about a game of whist that he wrote for the Manchester Courier, entitled Romance of the Rubber.