The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13
AN AMERICAN
ROSA BONHEUR

EAvE we any American women
81 animal painters
We have indeed several OF
a a them. But there is one whom
some Of her own cOuntrywo-
men. themselves artists and therefore
supposedly her rivals. do not hesitate
to name as the Rosa Bonheur OF the
United States. She is Miss Matilda
Lotz. Shes a real animal painter;
she can paint every kind says lady
who is herself an artist, and no COM
mon one.
The reason Matilda Lotz is not bet
ter known IN her own country is that
she lives abroad in summer, mostly IN
Paris or its country suburbs. in winter
mostly in Egypt She halls from Cali
fornia.
Matilda Lott was born in Tennessee,
Of German parentage. but was taken
TO California when very young and had
the blessed good fortune 10 be dropped
down upon a large ranch where her
father and mother stablished their
home. There amid wild and half wild
life her childhood and first girlhood
were passed. 1t was said of her In
those DAYS that she was always draw
ing" with strong accent on the al
WAYS" She likewise beguiled her child
ISL hours by modelling in clay and
carving in wood. self taught and self
inspired TO these unusual amusements.
To please the girl her parents al
lowed her take a term at the san Fran
cisco art school. The term ended, her
mother went from the ranch to the city
to bring her daughter home
you must not take her away" said
the teacher. a girl with such genius
must be an artist"
The upshot was that she went to
Paris and studied several years under
the best teachers. among them Van
Mark and Barrias. From the years of
strenuous work with these comes the
Lott technique, which is equal to that
of even French artists. Then she re-
turned to America and California. but
did not stay long. This woman animal
PAINTER whom French critics them
selves say is the equal in many respects
of the great Bonheur has never OBJ
tanned recognition in her own land. For
this there is grievous blame somewhere,
and il lies not at the door OF Miss Lott
once. with a natural longing to live
in her own land, she endeavOred to es-
tablish a studio in New York, and she
tried faithfully. Results, two-one.
inter failure of her attempt, the other
an uncomfortable repugnance toward
the United States and its atmosphere
as field for artists. 1t is not likely
that Matilda Lott viii ever i've IN
America again; so much the worse Tor
America.
soon after Miss Lott finished her
studies in Paris she became acquainted
with Count Esterhazy. the famous art
patron. a fine hospitality toward the
gifted in ali fields was one OF his lads,
and he could afford TO crafty It. He
invited Miss Lott among others TO visit
his estate in Hungary. She went, and
for four years remained in Hungary.
painting. always painting AT Count
Irsterhazv's she met the English Duke
of Portland. breeder Of great race
horses. He requested her TO go to Eng
land and make for him the portraits
of some of his runners. She did so.
While doing the dukes horses, another
member of the British aristocracy, a
breeder of CANNES. bade her to his
castle to paint his dogs. After she had
finished the horses she did the dogs.
The social introductiOns she obtained
through Count Esterhazy-this Amer
lean girl whom the Four Hundred Of
her own land declined TO notice-were
Of great advantage 70 her, and her
genius did the rest. She has exhibited
in the Paris Salon so often that IL
seems scarcely worth noting. Her
animal paintings are at length great
indeed. and she finds sale for them
without trouble. mostly to art connois-
seurs in Europe. though since they
have become famous Americans have
begun TO buy them
Successful American artists are
blamed for not staying at home, but
when they do come home we starve
them. so what are they TO do?
Much time Miss Lott spends In