The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-29
ME1ssoNIEa AND HIS METHODS.



There exists in France q kind of irrecon-
cllabe criticism. which In art declines to- accept
Meissonier: as IN literature 1t ,Stigmatizes Al,
never tried to please these eccentric critics. He
respects his art, and II the probity OF q PAINTER
Is a bourgeois virtue. most undoubtedly he is q
ton o his pietares He sesms to Save en
to gs san s S Das9 wsS
thnt 1t would never DO possible to derive any:
thing artistic from the costume Of the people Of
So enoyaSy sSeeSea BY Saint A%Sin Mss
sonier has contrived to paint with q rare feel
s S nnG hs
TafSoi sReulSsrs With PAls@bssi; and hs has has
fury better than the present.
And Napoleon! Has he studied him enough.
amar saa ths, MES.
In order to paint Napoleon l.. had gray over
goat P made for hin Oh ths pattern q that which
daire." and putting 1t on. drew himself In the
looking glass In order not to forget fold a de.
Chariet himself was not better acquainted With
5S h%s; i4 NsnsSaS T6s
anxiety, with his hnrassed stair crossing a
snowy plain cut w With gIn wheels this WORK
honor Of being the chief attraction Of the exhi-
bition. has all the reality OF a thing actually
Meissonier has not thought fit to exhibit an
astonshin. sketch which / have seen in his
studio, Bonaparte, Reviewing tho Army OF
"1sl4." an army victorious and enthusiastic,
z General young and radiant. banners waving.
hats st1ck on the tons o. ono Long
preserves the character Of vision. Meissonier
has actually known his personsgss ridden
Ho has. to be- sure. an unfailing guide in his
resuseitations-it Is nature. All that he paints
he ssSes s
Paris with heaps OF dead lying on a hoap OF
GGavng stones the Sorpsss Of w9rkmsn shot
This horrid speetacle Of ciyIl war Meissonier
IN hs ars aid o
breast. He was standing when he received the
bounded over the stones like an India rubber
ball and nd fell 4! back his cl S splitting sud,
On T tha nS aS,e q Then he
The IMPRESSION the e scene made on Meissonier
was vivid and the picture Temans one Of his
Mdrinlee. without wishing 70 seem so; He g
he Is not only Intellectual but a keen observer.
painter as careful about detail as the Dutch.
Ranss he Is. full Tas sGns ss h hs
siege Of Paris, The ,cuirssaiers ready to
whom he depicts discussing the taking
OF Bergen MOON on circular canvas
about as big as O. franc niece prove 1t beyond
dispute. All. that little tabeautin. 1t is prodigy
talk. these Lil!iputlans discussing politics
Jlssaas; said I 70 me, standing before thss
how O human eye can see and a human hand
give ito to these specks They are homupc,il
the size OF ones finger. and their hands are
barely peroegtible and yet they are drawn like
All this e quite true, and Melssonisr derives
figures his very first picture Of Dutch citizen.
| dressed In black. who exactly resemble the work
| Of some old Dutch master. It 10 the consecra-
ton Of life Of glorious toll Meissonier though
people talk Of bis pride, has not found In 1t any
satisfaction OF mere vanity. He knows that hii
and he has already set to work on 2 new paint.
Ing. II 10 an historical picture. FranSois /
Arme Chevalier par Bavard" OF which I'knoW
| only the destgn-a vigorous and curious design
OF 2 forest OF lances. very Interesting costumes
should simply say drawing. for It IL q drawinl
boulevard Malesherbes. But drawing by Meis
sonier contains already the whole picture.
JULES CIARETIE