626. To a greater or less extent all persons are imitators. In an entirely new line of work it is impossible for the majority to be absolutely original; therefore, for the assistance of those who have no perfect ideas as to what is required for artistic rendering of composition in portraiture, no better examples can be copied than portrait paintings of the Old Masters. It is, of course, impossible to obtain these in the original, but numerous reproductions have been made, and these are accessible to all.

627. The Perry Pictures Company, of Maiden, Mass., have issued a very complete series of half-tone reproductions of the paintings of the Old Masters. This company

Example of Purely Decorative Art in Photography See Paragraph No. 625, and Fig. XVII, Page 327.

PORTRAIT STUDY Study No. 27 - See Page 580 George HollowAY.

Available Reproductions From Old Masters. 335 issues a beautiful catalog, containing over one thousand miniature reproductions. The pictures are arranged under schools of painters, as the Italian, French, German, Dutch, English, Flemish, Spanish, American, etc. Many noted sculptors are included in the series; pictures representing historical events in American and foreign history are given a prominent place. Taking everything into consideration, both pictorial portraits and pictorial landscapes are reproduced most truthfully, and will enable any one to secure valuable ideas, which may be carried out in the regular photographic work.

628. The following list of pictures cannot be too highly recommended for both the professional and amateur photographer, and you should avail yourself of the opportunity of at least securing the catalog from the Perry Pictures Company, as the cost will be only six cents - four cents being sent to cover cost of postage. We are not giving this mention of the Perry Pictures for the sake of advertising this company, but solely on the merits of the pictures, and the immense value they will be to any one interested in producing the most artistic effects, both in portraiture - lighting, posing and composition - as well as landscapes. The cost of the pictures is one cent each.