Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-10-13
A Morning with Rosa Bonheur.

A correspond of the Home Journal. New
York. gives, the following interesting ac-
count of a visit with Rosa Bonheur:
PARIS, August 10th, 1859.
BY birth Rosa Bonheur belongs to
France--by the rights of genius to tn.
world. a w
She is tho most distinguished female
painter living or dead. No other has won
so wide fsme--no other built reputa-
tion on so broad and firm basis. Nyher-
ever Art is known and talked Of, Rosa
Bonheur is known and talked Of In
the smaller kingdoms of Europe, the name
Of Rosa Bonleur is a household word.
at twelve o'clock on the eleventh of
March we were set down at No. 81 Rue d.
Assas, and passed througha gate and down
to the farther end of garden, where we
entered the vestbule Of small cottage
bouse. the present residence of Rosa Bon
hcur. We sent up our card and in few
moments were seated in her oteiier-a large
square, uaken- furnished room on the second
etaye-talking with the little painter with
as much familiarity as if we had known
her all our life time. II clear, rather
thin voice. Rosa ran on about art and art
life for half an hour, only leaving us room
to slip in the points of conversation edge
wise.
"You have accomplished much marlam-
oisclls, we said. glancing at large picture
on tho easel, called, LES Moutoas," (1hc
/ Sheep. i
YES she rcpliad, II have been q
faithful student ever since | was ten years
old. l have copied no master. l have
studied nature, and expressed to the best
Of my ability the ideas and feelings with
which she has inspired me. Art is an ab-
sorbent--a tyrant. 1t demands heart.
brain. soul, body. the entireness of its vota-
ry. Nothing less will win its highest favor
| wed art. 1t is my husband--my world
my life-drcam--thc air l breathe l
know nothing elsc-feel nothing else
think nothing else. My soul finds in it
the most complete satisfaction"
"You have not married" we said"
''Have 1 not sail that / married Art?
What could do with any other husband?
/ am not fit to be wife in the common
acceptation Of that term. Men must mar
ry women who have no absorbent. no idol.
But the subject is painful; give me some
other topic"
You don't love society,"" we said.
"Yes, do" she replied, with an air OF
! impaticncs; ''but l select that which pleas
es me most | love the society of nature;
the company OF horses. bulls, cows, sheep,
dogs-all animals. l often have large
receptions where they are the only guests.
| also like tho society of books and the
thoughts of great minds. | like George
/ Sand. She is great genius. The world
has wronged hsr-society outraged her.
Go to see her. You wlllike her. | have
no taste for general society-no interest in
its frivolities. l only seek to be known
through my works If the world feel and
un ierstand them, have succeeded
Have you given the Women's Rights
question any attention?" we asked.
Women's riehts!--womcn's nonscnse.'
she answered. Women should seek to
establish their rights BY good and great
works, and not by conventions. If had
got up convention to debate my ability
to paint, '4Narehe qu Cheronr,' (T'he Horse
Fair. for which England would pay, me
forty thousand francs, the, decision would
have been against me-, / felt the power in
me to paint. cultivated it, and have
produced works that have won the favor
able vcrdicts of the great Judges / have
no patience with women who ask ;,ernais-
sion to think" ."
AT this moment two or three visitors
entered, and while Rosa was occupied with
them. we ousicd ourselves by making notes
of things IN tho ofeiier.
On the wall to the left of the entrance
was head of buck with long. branching
J horns; enc of goat, another of bull; an
imperfect skeleton of horse, and the
SKINS Of various animals. At the farther
end Of the room stood large oaken case
filled with stuffed birds of all sizes and
descriptions, and on the top of it, in per-
1 feet state of preservation, were an eagle, a
hawk. an owl and a parrot. On the wall
en- face the door. were pair of landscapes
representing storm rushing between the
rocks, and clouds breaking on their tops
The third and fourth walls were taken up
with the busts Of horses, cows, sheep.
dogs, CATS wolves. &C., in bronze and
plaster, modclle,liby Rosa's own hand. -
All about the .waxed floor were spread ont
the preserved skins of cows. bulls. stags
with their great upliftcd horns, and bears,
goats, sheep, dogs and wolves with their
fierce eyes glairing upon u.s. 2 saat 1
/ The impression these wild pieces Of car
pcting made on us, on entering the otelier,
was almost startling. 1t seemed more
like den of wild beasts than the ofeiier Of
! a1aiy. sIfqL l,s'ah hgHaf ran f7e5ef B
I After short firtation with the parrot,
!. which spoke toIerable French. we took our
leave, promising to meet Rosa at the
School of Design for Women on tho next
\ Friday where she goes once per week to
i give alesson This school was founded
] by Rosa's father At his death hebccame
it's sole mistress, bur now entrusts IL most
! ly to the care Of her sister and brother
There arc about fifty regular pupils who
receive instructions gratis. sls'n grfp
| Rosa Bonhcur has many proofs of the
reward Of industry If she wished to
make small fortune iBls few days it
/ would be easyf for her to do it IN England,
by opening there an exhibition Of her pic
lures and sketches. ''Aarcle sus CAs-