Theos-Talk Archives (April 2005 Message tt00884)

Mrs. Holloway in her account is confused 
about which portrait was painted first.  
Schmiechen painted Master M.'s portrait 
first and then Master K.H.'s portrait.  
Colonel Henry Olcott gives the correct 
sequence of events in A Historical Retrospect 
– 1875-1896 – of the Theosophical Movement, 1896, p. 13:

"…At New York…I was given the portrait – a profile in
black and white crayons – of [Master Morya] . . . At Bombay this
had 
been 
photographed in my absence, and a copy of this photograph was with 
me on this European tour [of 1884]. Desirous of getting something 
better, than this amateurish sketch, I asked five of our London 
members, who were professional or skilled amateur painters to 
compete in a friendly way in the attempt to get by intuition a 
clearer view of the Master's face. They willing agreed and, each 
taking the photograph in turn, the five pictures were made and given 
me. Neither, however, were very successful. It was bout this time 
that Mr. and Mrs. Schmiechen joined the Society, and I invited the 
former to compete, which he most kindly at once agreed to. The 
marvellous result – the seventh attempt at a portrait – is
known to all of us; his portrait of this Master [Morya], as well as 
the one of the other [Master Koot Hoomi], which he painted from a 
crude sketch in Mr. Sinnett's possession, seeming as life-like as
if
the subjects had posed to him in the usual way…."

Colonel Olcott also writes in Old Diary Leaves, Volume III, pp. 162-
163 (1972 printing):

"On 13th of June I returned to London in company with Mr. 
Judge. . . . A little while before this I had instituted a friendly 
competition between certain of our London associates who were either 
professional or amateur artists, to try an important psychical 
experiment. . . ."
"…I wanted to get a better portrait [of Master Morya] if
possible, and bethought me to try whether my sympathetic artistic 
colleagues in London could get clearer, more life-like, spiritual 
glimpses of this divine face. Upon broaching the subject – three
professional and two amateurs – whom I addressed, very kindly and 
willingly consented, and I lent each in turn the photographic copy 
of the original crayon sketch that I had with me."
"The results were very instructive. One had got the right idea
of 
his complexion, another of his profile and a third, my respected 
friend Mme. De Steiger, of the luminous aura that shimmers about his 
head. But neither of the five was, on the whole, a better likeness 
than the New York sketch by Monsieur Harrisse. Before this 
competition was finished, Herr Hermann Schmiechen, a very well-known 
German portrait-painter, domiciled in London, joined the Society 
and, to my great delight, at once agreed to have the inspirational 
test tried with him. The photograph was handed him with no 
suggestion as to how the subject should be treated. He began work 
on 19th June and finished it on 9th July. Meanwhile I visited his 
studio four times alone and once with H.P.B. . . . . Unlike the 
others, who all copied the profile idea of Harrisse, Schmiechen gave 
the face in full front view…."

The following dates from Colonel Olcott's handwritten diary help
to clarify the situation:

June 15	". . . In evening Mme. De Steiger brought a 
remarkable portrait of Mahatma M…."
June 20	"…to Schmiechen's, the portrait painter. . . . "
June 23	"…A.M. to Schmiechen…."
June 26	"…Schmiechen's…."
June 28	"Crossed over to Boulogne to meet H.P.B….H.P.B. 
arrived from Paris at 11 p.m…."
June 29	"…retd. with H.P.B. to London…."
July 6	"…lunched with Schiechen's…."
July 9	"…with H.P.B. to Schmiechen's. The portrait of our 
Master enchants us…."
July 11	"…Left for Scotland…."
July 19	"….at 1 left [Manchester] for London…."
July 23	"Left for Germany…."

Daniel
http://blavatskyarchives.com