Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-22
LIFE IN PARIS.
WasherWOmen's Fetc Day what
the Artists are Doing.

Parisians relief from the dullness of the season
of fasts and church-going. The morning was
wet; hopeleSsly so. IL seemed; but before noon
the clouds broke the blue sky appeared, the
sun flashed out, and all at once the winter
morning, leaden, soggy, dreary. changed 10 a
day or perfect spring, oalmy and delicious.
Almost as great aud rapid change was effected
In the streets and their deniZens. Morose work
men and anxious looking, dispfrited bonnes,
Soutiettes and washerwomcn gave place to
crowds OF gay promenaders. Great wagons,
brilliant with flags. flowers gilt paper and car
ntVal devices. moved through the boulevardS
They were filled with men and women I'm
masques and comtcal and bizarre costumes, for
Dlj-tditfne Is the fete OF the washerwomen OF
Paris. and each OF these decorated charots bore
the name OF the Lavoir or wash house of its
particular precinct. The Queen OF the fete was
in handsome carriage, in an evening costume
sufficiently light ana airy. Horsemen. in ex-
travagant disguscs, rode among the throngs
Little children. too, eXquistely dressed in their
washerwomen. Hover girls and fairies. met and
stopped to admire and exchange compliments
with each other.
Paris is gay indeed, and this evening will find
it even more brilliant and joyous. Masked balls
and cafes chantantS will hold their revels, tho
stIeets and bouleyards will be filled with dense
crowds OF masQuers, fdlers and spectators A
lopg promenade on the boulevards, a cab ride
nom the Bourse to the Arc de Tromphe, seat
In the tramEay from Porte Maillot down the
champs ElySeeS TO the Louvre and Rue de Riyoli
gave one good view Of all the frol,c and gaiety
4 splendid panorama, indeed, lit by the blue sky
and golden sunshine, and stirred TO life by the
soft air OF the warm spring afternoon In the
square OF the Louvre one sees the first delicate
tint Of green on the lilacS and acaciaS. and the
grass in all the places and gardens is bright eand
soft as English lawns in May. This much OF
good at least remains from the terrible past
winter. and the six weeks covering OF snow
which hid the grass and flowers from the in-
tense cold.-a cold unknown, they say for more
than fifty years, and which Obliged the cent?
grade thermometer TO mark lower degree than
it has ever done since its invention.
In Paris one must live either In the Quarter
Latin or the Clichy to know anything OF the
artists life. In these two quarters the studios
and schools are situated. Here the models, in
garments more or less picturesque, roam about,
making sudden entries TO the artists, asking to
be employed. But, as in most other divisions or
humanity. these models have also their higher
and lower grades There are the we'll paid and
well-traiDed models. who for hours can keep a
pose, unt1inchiDg and tmmovable-the pretty
models. much sought after by the genre paint
ers. who expect to be petted and coaXed and in-
dulged in various whims and caprces. Parisians
mostly, are these. Then there are the many
wandering Italians; dignitied, If hollow-eyed
and unkempt-peaSantS from the Campagna,
exported In dToyeS by hard Italian masters,
sublet to their agents in Paris, whose treatment
Is often sordid and cruel. Poor eXflcS how pitt
ul II is to see them shivering In the chill March
WINDS The schools OF painting open at 5
am. ana are soon flied with students Male
students only can enter the "BeauX ArtS" and
the other principal schools Their sister artists
have TO hnd opportunities for study in lesser
schools opened by French artists. Those of
MessTs. Julien, Carolu5 Duran and Henner,
Jacquesson and Madame Pr6lat, &C. &C, receive
very many women pupils. And how hard
How they perseyere In their efforts to attain
position in art OFTEN through fiery trials OF
sickness, loneliness, disappointment, poverty;
all with the same object however different In
circumstances, individuality and talents. The
most diverse nationalitieS are gathered into this
vast city for the study OF art-Swedes, Russians,
Roumanians. Bavarians, Poles English Irish,
Scotch. The representatives OF this last country
are numerous and possess great talents. But,
as IL seems TO me, more than any OF all OF these
nations, the Americans fill the schools and
studios. From the states, north, south, east
and west, they come, young men and women,
with full belief in their ability to paint great
pictures, and hopes OF conquering in the strife
for fame-looking always to honorable men
ton" and place for their pictures on the salon
walls. That the measure OF their success is
large the catalogues OF the last few salons bear
witness.
Wishing to know just how many of our coun-
try women had exhibited in the salon OF last
year. / took up the catalogue to check Off the
names OF the ladies' OF all nations winch appear
that the number was somewhat more than 125 l
left off counting, and selected from these the
names of most OF the American students. Mile.
Ellen X. Barber, Mile. Charlotte B. Conan, Mile.
Cornelia Conant. Mile. Helene Corson, Mile.
Camille Deschamps, Mile. s. T. B. Dodson, Mile.
Elizabeth j. Gardner, Mile. X: II. Greatorex,
portion, and would amount up to credltable
number at the end OF the alphabet. 1t is pleas
ant task to visit the ateliers OF each OF these
ladies and notice the work finished OF In pro-
gress just at this moment. will only mention
that OF Mrs. GreatoreX and her two daughters
whose stGdlo Is in very retired part or the
cty,-Rue BoiSSonnade, on the new q
Enter. The street is succession OF atellers. A
thick group of trees on one side shelters the
birds, the only disturbers of the quiet
which reigns, and which the artists
md SO necessary to 6nef eelo ,ea
the portfolios Of Mde ana Mile. X. II. and
E. E. Greatorex with fresh out-of door studies,
both landscape and figure. And these three
earnest students have accomplished much
during the wtnter,-the younger ladies In life
studies in Oil and water color,-still life from
the Cluny and Louvre museums, exquisite groups
of cupids on tiles and .'ere,,tatls" Qansl-conn-
missions from those whose taste can appreciate
ard whose purse can afford such .'luXe dart"
In personal accessories. These last are from
the facile and graceful pencil OF Miss E. E.
Greatorex. Those who know and admire the
artistic drawings OF Mrs. GreatoreX, will be
glad to know that she is now etching on copper
some of the views from her works on "Old New
York" scenes in Virginia. - "Pictures of wash
ipgtou - sc. AS the time of the representation OF
the Oberaamergau Passion Play is near, It is
probable that part at least of Mrs. Greatorex's
'.Homes OF Oberan, ,mergau' will reappear. She
has had proposals froGo London to republish the
work.
Besides the great permanent galleries of the
LOuVTe. Luxembourg anu NtTSciL.s1o, Clicfc are
generally some lesser collections of pictures on
exhibition. To-day / visited the collection of
''La Societe d. Aquarelle5 FRANCHISES" The Pa
risian artists are emulous OF the English water
colorists, and are trying to bring their ewn
works up to the standard, but with somewhat
doubtful success as yet In this small exhibit
there is beautiful work and the perfection OF
drawing, but the finest quality OF true water
color painting is absent. The group of sketches
by Jacquet six figure studies) perhaps can
claim In greater degree the color, depth and
hrilliancy Of the perfect "Aquarele." Detaille
has sent two pictureS,-military, as are nearly
all his works. The strongest and most highly
finished of these review of relocated regi-
ment In the court of London Tower, had an ad-
miring crowd about it.
Louis and Maurice Leloir are represented by
seven subjectS-slight, exquisite and full OF
fancy. Beside these are group OF LambertS-
He has passion for cats, evidently, and paints
them con GnO1p. He even sends fan with the
heads of seven Of his pets, each portrait with
a distinct character and expression; the sleepy,
the coQuettish, the sly. the greedy, the happy
cats vfSage are all faithfully limned, and make
a most amusing as it is original design for the
fan destined for some fair and fortunate pos
seSSor Now. as In the dltcien regime, distin-
guished artists do not disdain to devote their
skill and genius to such things as fans or
plaques: and even in this chosen collection
there are many beautiful fans painted on de-
licately prepared vellum and displayed in rich
frames before being mounted as the taste OF the
owner may decide. Mademoiselle Madeleine
Lemalre, who ranks probably first OF her sex
among the genre painters, has six pictures. TWO