CHARLES FELU

1829 - 1900

"Another artist who does first class work in a most extraordinary fashion, is M. Charles Felu, a Belgian painter.  He was born without arms, and even when he was a little child his mother trained him to pluck flowers with his toes.  When he paints, his two feet are covered with mittens, which leave the toes free, and it is with the right foot that he does the work.  That he may be able to raise his foot to the height of the canvas he is obliged ot lean a little backward.  He opens his box of colors with his left foot and then deftly prepares them for the brush.  His skill in this direction being so great, no one will be surprised to learn that he uses at dinner a knife, fork and glass as easily as any person having the use of his two hands." - 1900

The Natural Flexibility of the Toes           and How it is Destroyed   We often admire the suppleness of the fingers by means of which we can perform such a variety of acts with swiftness and delicacy.  Did it ever occur to you that the toes, which in most feet seem incapable of a free and graceful motion, even when they are not stiffened and absolutely deformed by the compression of the modern shoe, are also provided by Nature with a considerable degree of flexibility?  The phalanges of the toes, though more feebly developed, have really the same movements among themselves as those of the fingers, and, in case of necessity, their powers can be strengthened and educated to a surprising degree.     There are well-known instances of persons who, born without hands, or having lost them by accident, have successfully supplied the deficiency by a cultivated use of their feet.  Some of these have distinguished themseles in the world of art.      Who that has been so fortunate as to visit the Picture Gallery in Antwerp on some fine morning when the armless artist, M. Felu, was working

at his easel, can forget the wonderful dexterity with which he wielded his brushes, mixed the oils on his palette, and shaded the colors on his canvas, all with his agile feet?  The writer well remembers the ease and grace with which, at the close of a pleasant interview, this cultured man put the tip of his foot into his coat pocket, drew out a visiting card, wroth his name and address upon it, and presented it to her between his toes!