In the short story “The Real Thing”, written in 1884 by Henry James, the author tells the story about an aristocratic couple coming to an artist’s studio in search for employment as models. Even though the artist, who is the narrating protagonist and remains unnamed, has no particular need for them as models, he decides to give them a try and draws them for an important project he is working on, a project which might be his chance to achieve great fame and fortune.

During the following drawing sessions, it slowly becomes apparent that both the narrator and the Monarchs,  fail at their tasks: The artist seems to be unable to paint them as successfully as he normally draws his regular models, and they appear to be rather inflexible in terms of changing into the roles they are supposed to represent. The pair has hurt the narrator's art, perhaps permanently. But In the final line of the story the narrator says he is "content to have paid the price — for the memory".