The following is an excerpt from Stember's wife, Nadejda's 'Story of My Life' as dictated to her sister in law Olga Fuhrman and translated by her daughter Natalie Warren in 1935.
Once Victor was severely punished for his overly trusting character. Once we both saw in a theater an exceptionally beautiful young woman! Victor said to me 'If only I could get her in my studio...I would paint her portrait that would create an ecstasy! Will you try to talk to her about it?' But I said: 'You cannot paint a portrait if she does not order it, what will you do with a portrait on your hands?' 'Never mind', when she will see herself painted, she will buy it or make somebody to buy it for her...anyway it will bring me more orders-- the portrait I'll paint of her will be something extraordinary! Please get acquainted with her and present me to her- I'll make the offer myself!' So I approached her during the intermission when she stopped in front of the mirror to powder her face-saying 'excuse me Madam, permit me to present myself--I am the wife of the portrait painter Stember, he noticed your beauty and asks the permission to be presented to you--if you don't mind...'She exclaimed: 'Stember? Is he here in the theater?... yes,yes let him come...' but Victor was already approaching-and the acquaintance was made.
Next day she appeared at the studio. Her name was Ganna Valska (Polish origin). She was a performer (singer) at one of the dashing night clubs. She would gladly pose for a portrait...It was decided that she would appear on the portrait wearing ermin coat (half off, electro blue brocade gown and a paradisean feather in her hair!. Then Victor took several photo-shots in different poses to chose for the portrait and made an appointment for the first sitting. When in a few days the canvas for the portrait was delivered (ready on the stretcher) I was astounded by the size of it- It definitely was much larger than any of Victor's paintings of a single person was ever before...
When sittings began she was always late for the appointment and since the daylight during the winter is very short--sittings were short too and the progress was slow. She could never be earlier than 2 p.m. (possibly directly from the cabaret) always tired sleepy and sometimes not too sober...Nevertheless the portrait was finished in time for the Spring Exhibition. When set in the beautiful golden frame, it really was something extraordinary!!! It is hard to describe the reaction of Ganna when she saw the finished portrait (Victor did not let her see it until it was complete): She was actually beside herself with rapture and could not tear her eyes from it!! Of course she wanted to have it and swore that she will find someone who will get it for her:
At the exhibition (it was 1912) it attracted big crowds and was no doubt the most outstanding piece of art among the exhibits that Spring! Victor was the center of the 'talks'. There was an article in the paper full of praise...people were congratulating him...Yes, he received several orders for the portraits, but...Ganna Valska's portrait came form the exhibition back to the studio...Just what I was afraid of and was warning Victor about...
In the winter of 1913 the unfortunate portrait was adorning one of the walls of Victor's Jubilee exhibition and again came home at the end of it (See photo # 2) In the Spring of 1914 Victor received a letter from Ganna Valska, she wrote from Paris saying that if Victor would send her portrait to Paris, it would be exhibited at the 'SALON'--no doubt Mr. Stember would not want to miss a chance of such a honorable offer to have his work admitted to the 'WORLD FAMOUS SALON'!!! So much the more she is sure that one of her new friends (or admirers) will certainly purchase it for her!...Victor was very excited:--his work-in the 'SALON'!! Who could resist it? Of course he will send the portrait to Paris'...
I did not agree...Yes the 'honor' was great but there is no guarantee that the portrait will be paid for!! Victor would not hear any objections--and the portrait was sent to Ganna Valska...(I said goodbye to it)...
In July of the same 1914 the war with Germany started and communications with abroad became unreliable...The destiny of the portrait became unknown! The big drastic events followed one-another: war expanded to become WORLD WAR and protracted until the revolution of 1917 and soon after the Bolshevik revolution and endless dreadful civil war...
About in 1918 Victor heard a rumor that Ganna Valska is in New York and is married to a millionaire-Cochran and that her portrait is also in New York! He immediately wrote two letters: one to Ganna--congratulating her with the happy turn in her life--giving her feasibility to compensate him at last for the portrait. Adding that since Russia is now in a turmoil, she would render him a favor by forwarding five thousand dollars to his daughter-Natasha Voinova who finds herself in New York with her husband and 3 year old son in difficult financial situation: the second letter was for Natasha--enclosing the copy of the letter to Ganna, he advised her to also write to her with the same idea---Natasha did it,and received an answer where Ganna said that unfortunately the rumors about her wealth are very much exaggerated, that she also has relatives in Poland to whom she sends all she can spare...that she is sorry...and so on...Not a word about the fact that she owes money for the portrait!
Meanwhile in 1929 Natasha happened to see in a magazine( Time, February 25, 1929) a large sized photo of Ganna-standing by her portrait, and the printing line under saying that 'Mrs. Ganna McCormick (formerly Cochran) near her portrait painted by a distinguished European artist' That gave Natasha hope that NOW Ganna can not say that her wealth is exaggerated...She was advised to bring the case to court..she did. But Ganna...instead of offering Natasha five thousand--she paid her attorneys and they won the case declaring that Stember GAVE the portrait to M-me Valska!--All the proofs Natasha had that it was not so...was her Father's letter--asking to be at last compensated for his work!--It was not enough!...
