The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-19
ROSA BONHEUR.

ROSA BONHEUR.
The artistic fame of Mad'lle Rosalie Bonheur,
more generally known as plain Rosa Bonheur,
is worldwide. Born at Bordeaux on the 22d
March, 1922 she early devoted herself to those
pursuits which have brought such honor TO
her name. Her father, Oscar Raymond Bon
heur himself a French artist of some distinc-
ton, first directed her studies, and was, it is
said her sole adviser in the mechanism of the
art Since the age of seventeen, however,
Rosa herself has been prominently before the
world.
The circumstances of her early life are
rather remarkable, and may be briefly referred
TO. Her father, in his youth, though he had
taken honors at the exhibitions of his native
town, devoted part of his time to giving draw
ing lessons TO families for the support Of his
aged parents. An attachment sprang up be-
tween him and one of his pupils, Sophie Mar
CUES, lovely and accomplished girl. The
union was strongly opposed by her family on
account OF the artists poverty; but, neverthe-
less, they contrived to get married, and were
then entirely thrown on their own resources
which necessitated the relinquishing by the
new-made husband of his dreams of fame and
for eight years he maintained his family
by teaching drawing. OF his four chill
dren Rosalie, or as she has always called
herself, Rosa, was the eldest-a wild,
active impetuous child, impatient of restraint
and hating study. She was a long time in
acquiring even the elements of reading and
writing. When not in the fields, as Mrs.
Ellet states in her admirable sketch of Rosa
Bonheur, she was in the garden, gathering
posies as large as herself Her complexion
was fair, with rosy cheeks; her light auburn
hair curled in natural ringlets and she was so
plump that the Spanish poet Moratia, who
then lived at Bordeaux used to call her his
Ground ball, " and would rom pwith her for
hnr1r han I 4vyoc ha rING Grst I'D
that the wayward girl would become something
great in after life.
In 1929 Raymond Bonheur quilted Bordeaux
and established himself in Paris but here he
at first met with so little success that the
united efforts of husband and wife could barely
support the family. When the mother died,
Rosa, who had persistently set her face against
book-learning, was placed with a.seamstress,
in order that she might be able to support
herself by her needle. But Rosa's active tenn
permanent could not endure the restraint and
her father took her from this employment and
placed her at boarding-school. Here she
signalized her stay by making paper carica-
lures of the governess and professors, which,
after coloring, she would attach to the ceiling
of the school-room by means of bread patiently
chewed to the consistence of putty. Ulti-
mately, her father, finding that he could dc
little else with her. kept her at home with
him; and from that time her genius took def
mite IOrms nhVluB dI uTSI lew opportunities
of studying from life the animals she wished
to paint, she would wander about the street
of Paris and carefully observe such animals a
might pass. Her enthusiasm soon became 81
great that it is said she even visited tn
slaughter-houses of Paris in search of subject
for her pencil.
At the age of seventeen, she entered fairl
upon her successful career by the exhibition
of two pictures-'Goats and Sheep" an
''Two Rabbits''-which attracted considerabl
attention. Her first great work-a wor
which at once gave her the proud position {
the French Landseer-was the "Labourag
Nivernais, - finished in 1849 and now in th
Luxembourg. The "Horse Fair anOtht
great work of hers, which formed the grei
attraction of the French Exhibition of Picture
in London during the season of 1855 is we
known from engravings. In 1855, she SCI
to the Universal Exhibition of Paris LAM
scape painting of vast dimensions, "The Ha,
making Season in Auvergne;" and since the
she has given to the world many production
of great merit.
Since l840 she has directed the Gratuitol
School of Design for Young Girls at Paris.
1847 she obtained first-class medal, al
again. in 1855, was this honor conferred upt
her.
One would naturally hesitate in commendir
her eccentric habits for the emulation of fema
artists, though there can be little doubt tn
one of them at least has had a marked inf
ence upon her works. Thus, she regular
visits the horse-markets, both in France al
other countries, adopting the masculine dref
which, combined with the decided character
her features, enables her personally to inspe
and select her purchases with less interru
tion and remark than she could otherwi
hope to do. She has fitted up an ante-chamt
near her studio as a stable, for the use of t
many animals that she always has about ht
Here she may be seen, dressed in her oN
peculiar style, and surrounded by goa
sheep, etc.
AS the gifted artist has avowed her int
ton never to marry, but to devote her life {
clusively to art, we may expect to have ma
other productions from her pencil, for she il
most indefatigable worker. The rest'
energy of her character, which would
allow her to settle quietly down to the sea
stress life, or submit TO school restraints n
finds scope for its development in far higl
channels. If Rosa Bonheur has never taB
very naturally to books, she has done so
hard study of other kinds.
POPULAR EDUCATION IN hUsTRALIA.-The