The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-30


best appeals to them.
AT twelve o'clock. all the studies ar
| collected, finished or not, many master
| Pieces being thus wrenc1ed from pos
tcrity, by a cruel massier. / Iemembe
| the first occasion on which / WAS calle'
| won to paint en- original composition
| The subject was Tobias meeting with tn
FISH. CONSERVATION prevaiiei both as Il
the general plan OF the fish and as 4
the appearance Of guardian angel. on
| experiences having given Us no sugges
| ton as TO their usual character and cos
| tune. / had never tried an original hg
| ure composition before-my acquaintanc,
F, with Tobias was but formal For Ions
| time l could do nothing but stare at tn'
| walls and the students around.
| Ten o'clock came. / knew I must DC
something or forfeit my chance for a
place. and / wanted very much to paint
the head for the concours.
At last It was finished. The FISH ap-
pears out OF the waters, and Tobias
makes his frantic appeal 10 the Heavens
while his arms work off their nervous
excitement in what Is apparently a game
OF ''pease. porridge, hot" The current
OF air thus generated, does serious dam
age 20 the two slender limbs OF his faith
ful dog.
The master interviews these efforts pri-
vately. usually twenty are selected and
numbered according to merit. these num-
bers giving the choice Of position for
painting the model during concOurs
week.
Each year there are two "Concours de
Tete," where women compete with their
own sex, and the men likewise. with
all their fellow-students. IA the Academic
In the spring comes the Grand Con-
cours." for which three-quarter length
figure must be painted during the week
For this. men and women compete TO-
gethcr on equal grounds. and usually ]
am sorry to confess 10 the confusion of
the weaker sex.
Each concours there Is a prize for
charcoal drawing Of the figure. and for
this. best drawings of each week are Sc
lected and put together for examination
at the appointed time.
MARIE BAsHKIE1szFF srUDIrs.
TO all Of Us the journal Of Marie Bash
krtsef IS familiar. and from 1t can be
formed a good impression OF the work for
the "Concours' and the salon
Marie, a talented, but unpopular pupil
OF the Academic Julian, tells in her frank
account of every day experiences, OF the
jealousy existing between promising pu-
pills. and the rivalry between herself and
Bresiau is fair example of the feeling
that must sometimes arise. Marie Bash
kirtscn erratic. self-willed, was yet wo-
man, nay, human enough to know that
each day she must consider the drift OF
the contest 10 profit by the advance Of
others To outdistance them II she might.
Shall we rur our race with no thought
of the runners, of what lies between az
and the goal?
1 must confess to having been very
l.. H. 4
Bashkirtseff with all her frailties which
after II. worked no one harm.
Weak. she most certainly was, and
# a orsnming ambition and desire for
homage Is sin. then was she a most mis-
cradle sinner such as i should have
thought would appeal 10 our nineteenth
century world In her studio whcn
was kept up for SOME years after her
death, / saw all her work from the be-
ginning; and weli-varied collection it
was. with her drawings, paintings, com
positions and sketches for illustrations.
; he went over much the same ground
that many Of us do I'm the struggle after
art. and many times she stumbled as we
TO- Certainly some Of her work was very
unworthy Of the nervous enthusiasm she
dedicated to it. perhaps that was done
VIXEN her eyes were not SO bright as
She often complained when she looked in
her mirror. / met Nine. Rashkirtseff;
told her how much / admired her
laughter. how wonderful her book wasl
1 thought / could sacrifice that much
)n the altar Of a mothers devotion. She |
thought it a great pity ] had not read |
he journal in French. She said 1T was !
oh. so beautiful She showed me pho- |
eething. 1t was about this time, proba |
,ly that she began to admire herself |
But. to return TO the concours, of which |
was telling you.
II IS amusing when all the contestants |
re closely confined 10 the atelicr 10
lear the news that drifts in from the
ther branches, where the work goes on
Il the same time.
Interest quickens when some one says:
ION, the rue ST. Honore has little girl
= model only nine years old" Yes,
title Marie-never still minute
Good, so much the better for us. and
be rue "Fromentin.' what are they DO
lg? oh. that old woman. a perfect
right and she looks as If she might
amt at any moment
Splendid i hope she Will. Is any one
ding good work? Oh. yes. Mile. NJ. has
fine start. Come, girls, let's work. And
Hence ensues.
Tho prize picture belongs to the studio
here II was painted. and I'm this way
no studios become hung with the best
ork of students, and among them now.
re found early works of some famous
rtists. in all a valuable collection
OF all the studios that of the men IN
ie "rue du Dragon" IS by far the most
lteresting. ON the walls are painted
farming decorations OF comic order,
iricatures Of students, and even mas
rs. while not the least interesting Is the
Iitation notice TO new pupils.
A large space is marked off on the
de wall, and printed IN huge letters is
lie important warning IAN new stu
snts must pay FOR drinks" AS each
Nv nation was represented It's delegate
as required 10 post the same informa-
On in his native tongue.
The whole side wall is now covered, and
think eleven different nations have paid
cir way 10 the favor Of a studio. for
many tongues have spoken their lines,
Il the least noticeable among them be-
& the Chinese and Arabic.
MONSIEUR BoUGURKAU.
)f all the masters, l know one best.
ID with fondest recollection Of the man
lom France has watched this many
airs on his steady climb TO fame and
ai-deserved popularity.
can see him now as he looks at one;
Q while nervously lingering the cigar.
te, which will DO his indulgence when J
.ucism is over.
criticism Is always truth Z
]. he never hatters, never discourages;
e nest pas mai, Mademoiseile, mails c
faut tacher d'aller plus loiu." "Cest
N fait. Mademoiselle, mais'-and this
lais" Is his saving clause. and paves J
: way gently for plain truths that y
ay follow: shall l tell you your work