Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-14
PARTISAN ATELIERs.
TIRE q YoUvEAU" RECEIVED.

ctsui.
A Paris letter to the Boston Herald
saws: The first visit TO Partisan ate
l;er is. to the uninitiased, an intro
duction to veritable pandemonium.
snatches Of the popular French bal
lads OF the Administrations to the
understanding and very tired-looking
model--smart exchanges of small wit
between students at opposite sides OF
the room, and, If you are so ignorant
of the rules of the studio as
to keep your hat. on after enter
ing. loud cries Of 4" Chspeau chapeau,
monsieur !" all strike your car at the
same moment. The students will, as
general thing, treat you with the
greatest civility, but they are very
strict as to the observance OF the rule
requiring the removal of the hat, and
should the visitor persist in keeping his
head covered he will in all probability
be reminded of his fault by shower
of bread.crusts; which process,is more
interesting than agreeable.
Nowhere is the difference OF tempera-
ment between the French and the Eng
lish or American character more appa-
rent than in the studio. The French
man is always gay, always boisterous,
always ready with some brightrepartee,
while the Englishman or American is
but seldom drawn into the general
mirth, preferring to peg away at his
work, and rather more annoyed than
otherwise by the everlasting chatter OF
his livelier fellow-students.
When a nouyeau," or new man,
appears in the atelier, it is the signal
for a general outburst Of wit from all
parts of the room. The method Of re-
ception differs in the various schools,
some dark stories being told in this
connection of their treatment at the
"Ecole des Beaux Arts, which, being
q free school, has a somewhat rougher
set of students than the rest, but
it is everywhere enough like the fable
efy"The Boys and the Frogs" to be
extremely unpleasant to the victim
during the first few days after his Al
rival. The Academic Julian, notwith-
standing terrible stories of backing
shoes and prosecutions of like nature,
brought to America nobody knows how
or by whom, can be entered with less
annoyance than any other atelier in
Paris.
On the first appearance of the new
man at Julian's there arises immedi-
ately long sigh Of satisfaction from
every man in the room then piping
voice, with the utmost politeness :
" All. VOLTA un monsieur qui est gen.
til -; and another " All Bon jour,
Monsieur lie Nouveau; zhOO air Aing-
leesh, n'est-ce-pas?" The nouveau.
feeling the necessity of Precipitation, re-
plies, family, "0ui," this being,
perhaps, the extent of his know
ledge Of the French language.
This is received with another
sigh. expressive Of intense satisfac-
tion-"Ah-h-h !" This exclamation,
in Frenchman's mouth, is aggravating
to the last degree, conveying, as it does,
so much delight at your tOo-eyident
confusion. and such keen enjoyment of
the ridiculous in your embarrassing
position. However, the Frenchman is
not bad fellow at heart, and, if the
victim takes the plague" in good
part, he is very soon left to follow his
own devices, and begins to feel
himself on an equal footing with the
rest after a very few days. He is
obliged to pay flo to the " massier," or
head pupil, for the benefit of the ate
lier properties, and &c for wear and
tear Of easels and stools, in addition to
the regular tuition fee. which varies
from f.25 to ESQ per month. This is
at Julian's. But the initiation at the
q" Beaux Arts" is a very different and
far more trying experience. Here the
nouveau" is obliged to pay some
times as much as $50 or FAC in
giving all the pupils who hap
pen to be present when he en-
tiers royal treat, consisting of
wine, cigars, and cigarettes, for which
the students usually adjourn to a
small wine-shOp just opposite the
school. Upon returning to the atelier
the poor fellow is requested to add still
further to their entertainment by favor
ing the company with a song, which re-
quest he is expected to comply with by
getting on the platform beside the
model and singing-it matters not
what-the students are just as well
pleased with Yankee Doodle" as
if he should give one of the
most difficult arias from Lies
Huguenots." The torment va
ries with the humor of the
students. Sometimes the novice gets
off very easily; at other times he must
60 through a long and ingeH'ously-ar-
ranged system of hazing; all of which
he must bear with the utmost good ma
ture. There is no possible good in get
ting indignant and refusing to do what
you are asked, especially in the " Beaux
Arts" Such a course is followed by
speedy retribution, which may be
illustrated by the following anecdote
A Spaniard, entering Gerome's ate
lier as "nouveau, told the students
that if they attempted to interfere with
him in any way they would be very
sorry for it. AS he was sitting at his
easel the massier" strolled in from
the yard with a bunch Of grass, 70
the roots of which some dirt. was
clinging, in his hand. Seeing the new
man, he walked up to him, looked
over his shoulder for a moment,
and then, deliberately tossing the
grass directly upon his draw
ing, turned to continue his stroll. But
the Spaniard. furious at this treatment,
jumped to his feet and seized the " mas
sier" by the throat. The massier,' "
who was q tremendously powerful fel-
low, very soon disposed Of his smaller
assailant, however. The Spaniard re-
sumed his seat, but not before he
had drawn long, murderous-
looking knife and placed it on the
easel by his side, saying at the same
time that the next man who troubled
him should have a taste of it. An
Englishman sitting next to him, i'm