The daily gazette., 1880-05-14
Studying Art In Paris.
HOW THE STUDENTS LIvE-ExPERI-
ENCEs OF AN AMERICAN.

HOW THE STUDENTS LIvE-ExPERI-
ENCEs OF AN AMERICAN.
A Paris letter says One of the
first things which strike an American
art student on coming to Paris is the
amount and endless variety of art
which he sees here, and the interest
which every one takes in art. At
home he has seldom known any one
except artisans who cared much for
art, but in Paris almost everybody he
meets seems to take an interest in it.
Everything is keyed up to higher
plane of art than he has ever before
experienced, and he is surrounded
with an artistic atmosphere which
exhilarates him. He also meets so
many artists of great excellence that
he is either discouraged or else finds
his ambition spurred into new and
more vigorous activity.
The French students, even boys,
show remarkable artistic ability.
They seem 10 inherit an aptitude for
art and being set early at work under
good teachers, they acquire unusual
proficiency at an early age. Accord
ing to the Odd legend, when Sir Isaac
Newton visited France, he could not
get over his surprise at hearing little
children speaking French better than
grown-up people in England spoke it.
An American art student in Paris
at first experiences a somewhat simi-
lar feeling on witnessing the skill
with which French boys in the art
schools draw and paint.
"a L.
prlsed but sometimes amused at the
exhibition of artistic knowledge and
criticism where they did not suppose it
to exist. An American friend Of mine,
who had been in Paris several years,
while in the country during the sum-
mer vacation, coming across a pictur-
esque-looking beggar that he thought
would make good subject for paint
ing, hired him to pose as model.
After my friend had made the first
rough ebauche, the beggar walked up
to the easel, and surveying the work
with a critical eye, shook his head
solemnly, ard saying to the artist,
"Young man, you are not capable"
walked off with an air of disgust
My friend called to him to come back,
but it was OF no use. The vagabond
disdained to pose for a painter whom
he did not consider capable.
l entered the Beaux Arts under
| Gerome, and was at once impressed
| with his ability, his thoroughness, and
| his conscientiousness as teacher.
was also at first somewhat disturbed
hy his apparent ferocity. The Ok
preston of his eye Is glariug, and
strikes stranger as savage and relent-
| less. His voice and manner deepen
this Impression. But one soon learns
that Gerome's ferocity is harmless, and
| although severe in his criticisms he is
just, and that he is always ready to help
a pupil who shows talent and earnest
ness of purpose.
Gerome's personal appearance is SO
distinguished that he would be a
marked man anywhere. His head is
unusually fine, and his manners are so
high-bred and dignified that, although
he is rather slight in person, his bear
ing is impressive and commanding.
| When Russian Grand Duke visited
the Beaux Arts, Gerome showed him
| through his atelier, and we were all
struck with our teachers superior
| bearing to that of the Russian magnate,
| who looked like very ordinary per-
son alongside of Gerome.
There are two other ateliers in the
Beaux Arts, besides Gerome's-Caba
ners and Leyman's. Cabaneps ate
lier is the strongest of the three. He
has the cleverest students, most of
them being French. AS soon as
Americans and Englishmen get into
an atelier they weaken it in the esti-
nation of the Parisians and it begins
to run down, because the best French
students will not go to an atelier that
is thronged with English and Ameri-
can pupils. Gerome is SO cosmopoli-
tan in his artistic sympathies that he
will take foreign student as soon as a
native one. Besides, if he sees that a
student has talent, he will not be very
exacting with regard to his proficiency
whereas Cabanel will only take those
students who can already do pretty
fair work.
Each atelier has its distinctive char
acter, which it is not easy to describe,
No two students in Gerome's ateliel
| oo;nt al;ka vet all of his students ex.