The daily gazette., 1875-07-19
Painters and Pdintings in
France.
[Lasy Hooper in Appletons' Journal, ]

HFUNCC.
[Laey Hooper in Applet0ns' Journal.
The finest picture in the Salon was
probably the noble portrait of Madame
Pasca, by Bonnet, though the vigol
and intelligence displayed in the
"Respha" of George Becker, have met
with due appreciation. The painter
of this painful, powerful and gigantic
picture is said to be the smallest artist
in Paris, being scarcely taller than a
boy of twelve years Of age. The
American artists made remarkably
creditable ..display this year. Mr..
Wylie's two fine pictures being much
commended, as were also the coatribu-
tions of Messrs. Knight and Healy. The
panic in America will probably have
the effect of lowering the price of pic.
lures as we'll as of other articles of
luxury. 1t is O strange fact that the
rising artists over here have not one
particle of sense about the sums they
ought to ask for their works, particu-
larly when an American prices them.
Not an unfedged artist, not dsbutant
who has achieved his first upward step
by gaining admission to the Salon, but
imagines that he would do we'll to com.
pete, If net with Meissonier and Caba.
mel and Gerome, at least with Merio
andBouguereau, in the matter of prices,
though in nothing else. AnAmerican
gentleman one day while strolling
through the Salon took fancy to q
small picture by totally unknown
artist. The work was of no particular r
merit, but he was pleased with the
subject and thought he would like to
become Its possessor. He consulted a
friend of some art-experience as to its
probable price, and was told that A, 600
francs ($S0W would be more than its
value. he wrote, therefore, to the
artist about it, and received the an.
swer that 20, 900 francs "a, ,00O) was the
price of the picture. That reply at
once definitely closed all negotiations,
and the artist will probably have the
pleasure of keeping his picture in his
studio for some time to come. The
Figaro gives the following dialogue of
two artists strolling through the exhi-
bition. One of them asked of the
other
How are you getting along?"
sob, very well," is the answer. 81
ask now IL, 900 francs ($2, 40O for head
and 10000 $4,000 for full-length
portrait"
Those are my prices also."
They walked on little further.
"How many orders have you got at
those pricesg'
"Not one. And yous"
mot one either"
1t Is said that the elder artists of
France are responsiblefo for these absurd
prices, as they give insidious and of
course bad advice to the rising mem.
bers Of the profession, wishing to
avoid competition. have been told
that foreign rival was once adroitly
extinguished by the confraternity la
the following manner:
A young and gifted Belgian artist
was engaged during the sunny days of
the empire In painting view Of the
Sale d'Apollon In the Louvre. His
work attracted the attention of the
Duke de Morny, who not only ordered
picture from him, but recommended
him to the notice of the Empress, who
gave him commission for two pic
sotSot AVA WhANu iiO W an W u4 Ills wv II
price. The work finished, he consulted
some Of his artist friends in Paris as to
the price he o.ght to ask. A distin-
guished Italian portrait painter, then
residing In Paris, advised him to fix
no sum, but to leave the amount to
the weli-known generosity of his i'm
perial patroness. "Nonsensel" cried
his French advisers, "charge high for
your pictures, 1t is the Government
that pays, and governments are always
expected to pay largely" In an evil
hour he followed the advice of his
French counsellors. The sum that he
charged was far beyond the value of
such paintings from so youthful and
comparatively inexperienced hand,
and the Empress, disgusted at his ap-
parent rapacity, never gave him anoth-
er order.
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