Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-28
WOMAN AND HOME.
ENCOURAGING PROGRESS MADE ~
WOMAN WITH The BRUSH.
Our Sisters IN The Old Wosid-La6ses Who
Have RuIod ct the white House--What
Took tho Boys Misunderstanding About
Dress snd House Decoration


Dress and House Decoration
At present interest In England Is aroused
by the preponderanco of women artists IN the
lists Of suooossfu candidates for admission to
tho ROYAL Academy schoolx According TO
the official reports for the first quarter OF
1888, ten Of tho twelve new probations vero
women. This year, ton out OF sixteen was the
proportion in favor Of the gent!er sex. At
the same time, official records show that the
vast majority Of successful female students
are utterly swamped before arriving at the
gold meial stage, and that, Of thoso who pass
successfully through the schools, few ever
ever achieve anything above "damning medi-
ocrity' What is true in the mother country
is destined 10 bold good in the United States
Yet tho number Of women artists here, who
do attain excellence and recognition Of their
abilities, is most gratifyingly on the increase.
Since Rosa Bonheur placed herself in the
front rank OF living painters the number OF
her sex who have attained fame with the
brush has grown steadily and surely, until
no exhibit Of canvases in the Old World or
the New World can be held that does not
show among tho best paintings displayed the
ceors, In black and white, the fair workers
In the ateliers OF America arc conquering all
before them, and not a fow have won fame
and wealth That the number Of these sue
cessful ones does not increase in proportion
to the growth IN the number Of art pupils
passing through the schools OK tho land Is a
result based upon natural causas. The male
artist is such for lifa Tho woman artist is
such--in zine cases out Of ten-until she
marrioS Rosa Bonheur Wis content 10 we'd
art only, but her exampleis followed by very
few Of her sex. Tue majority infinitely pre-
fer 20 wed n home, TO ally themselves 70 rest,
to wed a man able TO lift the burden Of LIES
cares from their slender shoulders Then
como family cares, and she must bean excep-
tiona woman indeed who does not put aside
the palette for tho cradle and sketch box for
the accessories Of the nursery.
And STILL despite the barriers raised by her
own nature, the number OF eminent, success
ful, even famous, women artists grows stead
Easily Tho multiplication OK art schools for
women, the wideaod field for women artists
opened by the makers OF Christmas New
Years and Easter cards-these and other
causes ara constantly at work developing
feminine talent that, under favorable cOndi-
tions IA after lie, brings its posssssor from
comparative obscurity into the full light Of
public recognition and public patronage
The women students in the schools OF EurUpes
art centsrs are among the most 1ealous and
painstaking. They possess noneof their male
coiaborateurs fondnezs for detrimental
hilarity and students frolics, nor have they
the means. as a usual thing for such indui-
gence, evea did they desire it. They arc
abroad TO study, and they do it; then come
homo and devote themselves 10 their profess
sion. The number Of these worthy young
women Is constantly increasing, and though
the ranks Of the devoted little army are deci-
matod-as 10 art-by the artful littie god
with the bow and arrow, yes the catalogues
of the Salon and tho galleries aud collsctious
Of American cities show that women in art
arc a growing quantity, welding power
and occupying 3 position not dreamed OK
decade ago.--Pittsburs Bulletin