National Republican., 1877-03-04
GERoME, THE PAINTER.

pIouuVhpus' tnl notably MS SHADOW OF tho
/ Cross, his "3lsdators," tthe "Morituri to Salu.
tsmus. y the "Noliere and COrneIlle" ..Son Emf.
nence Grlsc, have found their way TO the galleries
OF American collectors. The wOndg grful force and
accuracy Of his drawing. his mastery Of IIsht and
shade, and the eplgranmatic ylgor OF his concep.
tOns. render hts works attractive, not only to the
trained e0aHotcttSHr, who recognizes at once, on
glancing at the canvas, the touch OF genius and
ofa thorough mastery Of art, but also to the cas-
ual spectator, who asks Of the picture before him
for beauty to please the eye, and for q story to
CsIfivate the fancy.
The early career Of our painter differed in many
respects from that which usually fills up the hrst
year ofa young artists life. He met with checks
and crosses, II Is true, In his pursuit Of fame but
the pAngs and struggles Of extreme poverty were
spared TO him. His father wasa goldsmith at
Nesoul. and the early art training OF the young
Leon was probably begun in the paternai work.
shop. He was sent to school, was dIII4ent stu
| dent. and, as recOmpcnse for his good conduct
and for the many prizes he carried OIL. his f,tbsr
| purchased and presented to him paInt.box
Thus supplied, the boy undertook to copy a
painting by Decamps which, by some chance or
another. happened Just then TO he on exhibition
at Nesoul. This copy was seen by a friend OF the
inen ne, rel. relsnips sovereign Of French Art, Paul
counseird the young Gerome to 10 to Paris to
study, aud furnished him with letter Of intro.
sum Of S aSes in ~. seRet1d ID sna ansS wi'h
expenses for year, Gerome set out for Paris
NOr vas the sum thus allotted to him then So
lnsigniheant as 1t appears at the present dsy
Al that epoch Paris, especially for a young stu.
dent. was a very paradise Of cheaDnsss, and
sSa Snossd ny Gnsr similar cir
Paul Delsroche was then at the very summer
OF ms renOWn and his studio wss the most sought
after by art-students Of any In the capital Like
Melssoner today, he was strict and pitiiess
revolt against his teachings. lie found in DER,
,'as, Gme Wiling disciple, and a gifted and inde
under 1f ha
ter, when an unfortunate event occurred which
led TO the closing Of the studios Of Delaroche and
the dispersion of his scholars. This was tho
death Of a newly-lrrived student, who fell vic.
tim to the rough practical jokes which are inya-
BY every band or art Students on a new SSd eompIds
TT, highly reIrehensihle practice Is in iuI force
erec. Delaroche, disguSted with and indignant
tragic result Of their Prsnk resolved to disS.as as
hts students, TO close his aieiiSr, and TO 20 10
Rome, GsTSme at ,ha, time was a6Oa, to % on
Geiome informed him that he was going to Rome
and TdI advised bis i.vo,i,e pupil 20 study under
go to Rome, master, and will not let me goivith
you, shall follow you was his answer. bella
gethef. fNf' W.
Gerome remained in Rome over year, studying
his own powers a mOdesty and tinldity which
less gined students would do we'll TO initiate. IL
the IN sv houns; 1sn eS %
siastic work, he replied TO the euloTiei Of M,
SOmIadss by taxing ~ his palette knlio and ei
20 quickly done Is sure to he III done" was his
eSmmen, on his own Performance. This slittlo an-
ecdote throws light on the real strength Of de
rome talent, aud on certain remarkable phases
Amer his return to Paris. and desiring to stud,
for the Prix de Rome In order TO crafty his
isther, he entered for short time the stuSllo OF
Gleyre, but, dissatisfied with his new master be
Soon returned to Paul Delarochc under whn,e
guidance he remained for anrther year, during
which he aided his master in sketehlng the GPas.
sage Of the Alps by Charemagne'" now in the
gallery o. NeIaIiies. He competed, but In vaia,
iS ,SI Tie & fIiT de Rome. In nowi,e disnayed BY
tnls nrst iailure, he set TO work picture con-
tainiLg two nude. lle-siEed hgures, daring Al.
tempt l3r boy twenty.three. His picture h6ish.
diseour.gement, declaring that his ideas had out.
stripped his pencil, and that the hgures on the
JAILED q carry out his IDEAL f, SYo" Viii iai Z,
better another time" answered Deiaroche en-
TO the ssIon Greatly surprised the young srtf.e
consented. THIS Painting was the celebrated
TSek .sIS 3 fiSgh. nov In the La!emburg Hhch is
derSme has never surpassed In any Of his later
The Scion Of that year flsI.) was remarkable
one. Not only did DelacroiI exhibit there one s9
his hnest works, but the "Romans OF the Doca-
world the fact that a new and startling senias
had Just made Its apparltiOn In tho realm Of art.
known Gerome seemed destineS 70 pass anna. 1n.
ticed, while the crowd and the critics noeked 10
nau IN couture the rising luminAry Of tho hour.
Hut Iheophile Gauter, notwithstanding his
fiEht"ln It's elevated station, and the following
the following terms. in the columns Of Ia Prr,ss:
Let US mark with white this lucky year, FOR
be celebrated" And then, with the utmost
sr.eeu 'Is pen grace h ,sh,%E@p Ind md
sCOek :Tlgbii The article By Gaatier 's essatss S
fl
The hrst few years that succeeded this darling
triumph brought no corresponding measure of
BY his lack OF success, he decided to 20 In Esypt
That expedition formed q turning point 70 his
exhibited his Egyptian Recruits" "A Prayer at
the House Of an Arnaoqt Chief" .Memnon," and
view these ~Ondsray aha and srowasS .aisns to
uanscriptlons Of Oriental skies and scenery and
with these Vivid reproSas,aps OF sds ey side
he exhibited the hfst Of his works that obtained
ni TOrld vide fame and IepStaton. his well known
OF modern days have become go familiar to the
popular mind. Like most Of Gerome's later
reprodueiiOn and 50 i bsesms nnG sass
known the dramatic and antitheticaI character
The asRs wa. slassd aiBSsy GoP1sr *. As,s. Tasn
Lorraine Loan Exhibition OF some three
ssar' old sna T1' the na'isS srons almost mas
pressed around it. Zoo much ,praiss % cannot sh 30
given to the central hgure, that Of the dead
ter after the ball. His utter Ilielessncss.
Is very striking; the man is neither Wounded
sonseless, nor dying-he is unmistakably dead
1t 10 corlse that hangs so heavily in the sustain.
ing arms Of his companion. Ofen copied, 1.-the
KrsPhed, and photographed, and reproduced sew
eral times BY the artist himself this pIoturo
remains one OF the best known Of Gerome's
works
"The Execution OF Ney' is, 1t Is said, one Of tho
artists iayorites among his own productions. In
composition u Is Of extreme, yet dra matic sim
Plieity. In the cold light Of the early December
morning, We behold the corpse OF the marshal eT.
His hat has rolled to q little distance, In the
background the nle Of soldiers that have served
for exeeuiiOners are retiring, their ehief only
glancng back to see II the work has been thor,
Onghly performed. That 10 ALL but ii Is all
sufficient. His death Of Casar" might be held
as pendant to this picture. 1t Is said that in
Gerome's nrst design for this last work, the body
OF C9sar, lying prostrate before the statue
o. Pompey, was the only hgure In the
deserted hall, and the track Of bloody
footsteps intermngled and confused, lead.
ing towards the door, alone told of tho
hisht Of the murderers. The crowd OF aeeinx,
added as an afterthought, and certainly spoiled
the grand simplicity ofthe painters first c5ncep.
tlon. The latest OF his completed works are "a
Santoa at the Door Of a Mosque" and "Bathers
in q uarem," these two totally unworthy oil hIs
reputation; and the Sword Dance /" a repetitiop
With alterations. Of a picture painted for an
English nobleman two years ago. He ls now al
work on alArge painting representing "Chrlstian
Martyrs In n Roman Circus.n :
The personal appearance Of Jerome is very ne.
cnlar. HIS head, with its deep-tet, large eyes,