The morning call., 1894-07-29

mis- work looks like steel engraving. He
then prOcures a large piece of tracing
paper and transfers his drawing to the
canvas, where it Is finished up with a
lead pencil in every detail. 1t is then
sprayed with fxatitf so that the plum bago
OF the pencil will not mix with the paint.
One peculiar thing about Bouguereau's
work Is that it always looks well, and as
far as he has got it is a finished picture.
| He does not prepare" his canvas. but
makes an effort to flush as he goes along.
After he had put his drawing on tins can
vas it would be work Of art. Then il be
only painted an ear he would make 1t
an ear just as lie wanted it to look when
the rest was finished His work is always
neat and clean and where it is not flushed
the black and white drawing can be seen
on the canvas. He never changes any
thing after the drawing is made, but
works on the Davy Crockett theory: BE
sure yon are right, then go ahead"
How Bouguereau gets this clean effects
he does is a great mystery. His brushes
seem tC be always dirty and his palette is
a chaotic tumble OF pigment He makes a
sort of nervous jab at few colors. rubs
them together until he gets nondescript
gray and thea makes jab at the canvas,
after glaucing moment at his model One
would naturally expect a rugged blOtch :;
but after a few jabs have been made
5here appears on the canvas beautiful
"blOcked in" outline of whatever portion
of the figure he is painting. Then few
more jabs and the half tones appear, which
are gradually worked over iii the form
is perfect. Then another part is selected.
and so on until the picture is finished.
But at no time while he is working on it
does the picture appear rubbed IN" and
dirty.
All the time he is at work Bouguereau
seems nervous and excited. and his head
twists from his canvas to his model so
often il seems as if he must hurt his neck.
Then he steps back and forth constantly,
changes his brushes, gets some fresh paint,
pGurs out some oil or does dozen different
things at the same time. He uses great
deal of energy to do what he does; but he
does it.
Bouguereau is always glad to see stu
dents, and never ceases his work II they
call on him. He talks to them and turns
out masterpieces; and seems to do it nat
urally. He is also willing to criticize
any study brought TO him if it ap-
pears as If the student is working
earnestly. He will drop his brushes
and tell his model to rest. If there is any
thing in the study that shows a spark of
genius he will become so interested in his
advice to the student that he will forget
his own work and often talk for hours.
lie does so gladly and never com plains
that he has wasted time and has to pay
model for sitting around.
Not only is BOuguereau liberal to STU
dents with his time and advice, but bis
pocket-b00k has been opened on many an
occasion. In TACT two or three American
students, whose names are well known,
might still be in Paris OIL the verge of star
walton had not BougueTeau purchased
them tickets 10 get home on. He is man
with large heart and has really beauti-
ful disposition when one comes TO know
him in spite of his occasional crankiness.
BOuguereau's creations have received
the highest praise and also the greatest
condemnation. Worthy IF the old mas
ters," SAYS one critic. Not fit for any
thing but decoration" says another ;
Good drawing. but waxy color aud no
thought" saws third. and so it goes Oh.
But with all the criticism the work of
Bouguereau is admired all over the world,
ana 1t is certain that no painter ever put
more refinement in his pictures.
TO pick out BOuguereau's greatest pic
ture would be an almost impossible task.
SO many of them are of so high an order
of excellence that their merits become
a matter of taste. Every one of his pic
lures is drawn in the most perfect manner
and the ideas conveyed are about equal.
Some people like his nude figures. while
others prefer the religious works or the
scenes OF every day life among the people.
But no matter what subject a person
may possess from the brush Of Bougue.
reau they can always be sure that they
have one of the artistic masterpieces of
the nineteenth century.