National Republican., 1882-09-25
ROSA BoNHEUR AT BY.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FIGARO" AUGUST 90,
MISC n


MISS h. NIX
IT you ask any coachman at Fontainebleau n
he knows where the "Chateau OF BY MS, he will
answer II should think so. You mean the cha
toeu Of Monsieur Rosa Bonheur" One can
scarcely suppress a very ploasurablo emotion
when ono rings the bell at the Chateau of By"
for you are soon to be brought face to face with
the greatest woman artist OF tho age. The gate Of
the chateau opens upon a small street of the viii
lago Of BY. You approach large courtyard be.
fore reaching the house. The architecture, the
bricks, and stones date from the time Of Henri
w. IT was hunting lodge belonging to Marie
de Medicis. The present chatelaine has taken
great pride In restoring the buildings to their
former glory. Under her supervision one wing o Z
the house has been reproduced IN the exact aud
severe architecture ofthe seventeenth century
TO REACH THE ATELIER,
or "studio " of the renowned painter Rosa Bon
heur, you climb up magnificent old staircase Of
carved wood, which resembles tho stairway in
some old cloister AS you enter you SEQ before
you woman looking like q Vendieu peasant, Of
low stature, simply dressed displaying masculine
and rustic taste-Turkish blo0meis OF dark blue
material blouse of blue linen, this latter trimmed
with white embroidery. Her costume is the fac
smile OF the one worn by the Duchess of Berry
when the Duchess took part in the Instructions
called " La Vendee' during the First Empire"
ROSA BoNHEUR WEARS HER HAIR
cut Short parted on one side. 1t is n lovely, sill.
very white, and forms kind of nimbus or halo
about her head. do not know what this great
nave Deen IN the neydny OF llfe-Surely
in the autumn, in the sere and yellow, when the
mind and soul have come into play and have
succeeded the freshness and eclat OF youth, |
eau assure you she has strkingly beautiful face.
Her features appear more refined from tho great
ralor of her complexion She has "A charmingly
subtle smile fine brow. As for her eyes, they
seen before giving them searching, penetrating
look; The "atelier" or studio Is vast in size,
neatly kept. but with no signs of luxury. You
see no rare stufs or bibelos; none of the para =.
phernalia of the modern school of artists Tho
furniture is exceedingly simple; oil the floor rugs
OF skins; OH the table there are flowers, books
and the newspapers of the day.
AT ONE END OF THE ROOM
there Is an immense sketch entitled lie Dequi-
page du Bile" e. The furnishing OF Wheat'). ex-
ecuted by thirty horses III the picture. They sre
drawn in heroic proportions, but owing to the
delicate health Of the aris, she is not able to finish
peared qs in hf the s soSms or lay !
Mountain guide. She is putting also the finishing
touches to a small painting eniIled Tho Mule
Driyers IL is a landscape III the Pyrennees,
where the ddmpness of the atmosphere, the crystal
purity the mountain torreut,are reproduced with
that subtle appreciation Of nature which is the
dis .inctive characteristic of Rosa Dcnhour's tai
ent. This George Sand of the brush and palette,
like her rival IN renown, possesses Ia equal shy
ness and timdity of disposition, which m tkos her
bGings her before the public. The only reninis-
cences OF her life which interest her are her ex-
for mountain scenery. The vivacity und cnthu-
siasm she displays in describing mountain scenery
is ike the chlluisn ueliRht oil child over some
new discovery.
WITH ROSA BoNHEUR
she is never boasting of the ilustrious friendships
which have sought her out OH her journey through
life. Nor does she ever speak Of The emotion and
agitation of her iflahy debIts Seior6 the public.
nor Of that brilliant epoch in her youth wEeu q
rcigning empress came i'll person to the Chateau
de BY to confer upon her the "kuban Rouge"
which made of Rosa Bonhcur the only wolnan
cheYalier of the Legion d 'Honneur, decorated on
account of her transcendent genius. In every
thug in her conversation, in her tas. es
she Is always simple, as she is in her talent.
With the firm, yirio brush of Rosa Bonheur by
which nature lives again and is understood in all
of its grandeur, she has never sought else, nor
produced else than the truth" All, what an
honest, healthy tone we breathe in all her works.
We may rank The fine work of Rosa Bonheur /" lie
Labourage Nevernais," the Tillage OF the Ground
of Nevers," with the poet and naturalist dreamer,
Paul Potter. In the iabourage Nevgrnais we see
the same indescrbable sentiment of melancholy
and alteration for the sublime rustic poem, where
daily labor is fulfilled with serenity and constant
immutability OF the fields.
ROSA BoNHEuR HAS LIVED AT BY
for forty years with only the companionship oran
old and greatly attached friend. She has young
nephew near her, who is finishing under super
vision painting destined for the concours Troyon.
Daily this great artist goes out in her carriage.
drawn by two bay ponies, which she drives her
self. She then wears long ulster over her blouse,
and grey felt hat. Formerly she kept princely
stubles also fine oxen and cows. which served her
us models, but gradually these rare breed disap-
peared and she hasnever replaced them The park
belonging to the Chateau is laid out in some parts
like the JardiD dAcclimatation at Paris. 1t con-
tains some deer. There is also q poultry -yard-a
number OF pheasants, doves, roosters chickens,
Guinea hens, feather. footed pigeons. parrols par
roquets, thus completing this amateur Noah s ark.
lido NOT MENTIoNTuE DOGS,
for their name is legion. The favorlte of the coll
lection and The especial pet of It's mistress is little
autocrat called Canine" which only proves
again the old saying that all great genitses have
their weakness. The Chateau of BY has sheltered
Rosa Bonheur for thirty years. Only last year
she lett it for visit Nice being Obliged to seek
a milder southern climate, for her health is most
delicate OF late years. Her days have been passed
in the retirement and monotony of provincial
existence. If glory and fame have sought her
she has done nothing to invite them. Rosa
Bonheur has devoted herself and her life en-
tireiy to art. occupying her heart only with her
family and her friendships. She has thus kept
her talent in all its freshness strength and ecdt
And the sincere admiration which welcomed her
debut follows her in the evening of life.
NrIrn A c,I md rbnnr,nti,ra .nti.. .uhannn..