The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-30
GREz AND SrETENsoN.
Observations Of an American Art Student
IN Paris.

the influence OF tho great forest ana the
great painters OF the Barblzon school, but
the visitor no longer ands the country dotted
With easels and umbrellas, the inns are de-
serted, no new sketches hang on the dining
room walls. only a few solitary painters
play billiards or smoke In the cafes OF an
evening. for the wave OF fashion has swept
the new generation Into Brittany TO paint
the peasant In the manner Of Simon and
Cottet as before thHy painted the forest
and the peasant OF Fontalnebleau In the
manner OF COrot and Millet. but the visitor,
stepped In the splendor OF the past, Will ma
this little world still full Of the sentiments
Of love and labor while tho spirit OF the great
artists will be with him in every field and
glen.
OF all the villages skirtlng the forest none
10 more lovely than Gree. In August. 1870
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote 70 his mother
i have been three days az place calico
Grez, pretty and very melancholy village
In the plain" and during the next few years
many Of his writings contain references 70
this same pretty and very melancholy VII
lage." He writes Of It in "Fontalnebleau'
10 Forest Notes" and in the "Epllogue OF an
Inland Voyage: here are laid the principal
scenes OF The Treasure Of Fronchard, ana
here was the termination OF the lnland
Voyage GreE meant a great deal 70
Stevenson, for he spent many OF the hap
was to begin the romance that was 70 be
continued across the sea, In this little Tor
gotten hamlet on the LONG.
| Lovers Of Stevenson will End II well worth
| the two hours journey from Paris to Nlsn
| a place 80 full Of associations with him. mo
1 old inn has sheltered during the last nifty years
| many men whose fame has grown since then.
( many are among the very greatest. but OF
all the names that OF Stevenson Is the most
| nd ha
| remen Der him with great affection. these
simple peasants. and are fond OF talking
! about him, eagerly looking over the stray
] volumes OF his work that como their way IN
| re nters' knapsacks. turning wistfuny the
J leaves Of what will always be sealed book
/ 10 them, for OF course they cannot read
| word
IL one understands a little Of the country
| French no more pleasant hour can be spent
! than in listening 20 the Chevulnns, mother
and daughter, proprietresses OF the inn.
| telling OF the tall, lanky Scotchman, who
wore an embroidered smoking cap on all
| occasions went on on wild tramps In the face
OF awful warnings and now and then got
into some rustic jail or fell under the sus-
picions Of some Rarde .chsmpstre because
he would not dress lite any one else In the
world They will tell you OF the days when
the Osbonrnes Rrst came. Of the unfolding
Of the romance, OF the time when all vent
their different ways 10 10 lost sight OF until
one summer dav a chance guest told them
the 13no'e ia far Amerira.
In itself GreE is worthy Of q quiet, idle week.
Il IL suflclently removed from the forest and
the railroad to be free OF trippers and vacant
tourists. II is little white cluster OF cot
! taRes on the banks Of the River LONG: there
is an old church. and the ruins Of a medieval
castle, the tomb Of la Refine Blanche, among.
| its points OF interest but the only interest
! they produce Ia in bringing back TO one
| mind the fact that GreZ was once walled
city: thriving. full OF furred burgesses and
men in armor. humming with afairs: with
tall spires. for aught know, and portly towers
| alo nR the battlements A thousand chimneys
ceased smoking at the curfew bell. There
we're Eibbsts at the gate as thick A. scare
crows as one may read in that splendid
massage in The Treasure Of fronehArd.
and also read how Il was taken. sacked and
burned BY the English and was never re-
built how its ruins were quarry TO serve
the growth Of rivals. and the stones OF Grel
are now erect along ihe streets Of Nemours
| The most charming place in GreE ~ the
garden OF the Chevlllons's inn, cool green
There are delightful little arbors where the
meals are served. and the sedge choked
stream is crossed here by an ancient brl9 LO 0l
banks bank are the despair OF all pairters.
attraction Of Grez: il has been a favorte spot
Of many generations. Here you might nave
fc4gu Corot In his old age, pq bi merry oLdi
t oiien o. to e dine and OF course RoSert Louis.
EE sRe9 MS o GSG'' spent hours dnS under the
trees Here many names that have been
hitherto mere symbols o. ,, S1ine rs ITO o YOU
since you live In the same little garden lhey
have lived in and the same old inn IA your
Hugliste Rodin IL one OF the most significant
figures in the art world to-day II would oe
hard 70 ind a more inspiring pe re- 0nonls
who spent his life up TO the age OF 80 ~ We
common drudgery OF sculptors assistant
tO and al 81 received the climax Of the abuse
and ridicule that he had suffered from durins
his entire career when his bslLsS was IRE, re.
mission that had ordered Il; but undauntee
, BY the hostility Of those that could not reach
isbls devotion 20 his IDEAL and finds himself
at e5 the Acknowledged master oil moderr
Born in Paris in 1910. We hrst hear OF him
In 1894 when after short time spent In study
Ing under Barge, he sent HE mask, Ih'
, Man with the. Broken Nose 70 the salon
"GlthouSh this Interesting head contained
the germ OF all that H. great In hls later Work
his poverty Obliged him to spend the mex
. siN years IN the studio Of carrier I'ei ien.'
as studio dridge, doing all The tedious
mechanical. nTOUllets lhuol W ~
. having only a few leisure moments Wimn ~
could study and lay the foundation OF M
iuture career. Seven years more were "
mass before no was N End his place, hes'
wears he employed in cola boraunR win,
belgian sculptor on the caryatdes OF IN
brussels Bourse and In trying he hnnd OF
the notter's clay AZ the Sevres factory.
IL was 10 the SolOn OF iSl7 that ne sent NJ
first great work, i. Age Airhin, only Y
have II r. iected and 20 be accused OF havini
cast II from life hut three wears later u,
was vindicated, his statue accepted anc
bought by the state, while the artist receiNcc
a third class medal.
Trom this time on Robin devoted MS tint
| ~ creating those marvellous statues that nav
/ received AT the same time tho most enthusi
sstic praise and the most violent abuse. Eaci
| wear there was a storm when his works were
shown. although tho abuse ceased long ago
| Commissions are showered upon him. NOR
than he can ever hope to execute We Ia
lust finished the monument TO Victor HUG
| for tho Pantheon the wonderful Porte IN
! FER begun twenty-five years ago, y almos
I completed and will coon he placed IN ~
| Trocadero. IN the Luxembourg SIX OF NJ
statues are the glory Of the hall OF sculpture
| in fact every great gallery In the world con
| taine examples OF his art.
N ia something 20 have seen him a. worl
| IN that bare, whitewashed studio, whicl
hss been 30 aptly compared 20 monk
cell. a short, thickset man, with q poWertu
head covered with closely clipped gray hair
a broad forehead. almost low when oom
nsted with the large. beaklike nose and tn
enormous beard that falls over the deel