The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-04-07


triously to work painting her fathers
domestic animals, consisting of a large
dog, cat and an owl. These pictures
were so well done that she found pur-
chaser for the three. who gave her a
hundred francs for them-a small for
tune to her youthful imagination. These
pet animals were reproduced, each time
being better and better represented, I'M
til she got a hundred francs for each.
Then she combined the three pets in one
picture, showing a taste for grouping
that would have done credit to much
older artist. and these pictures sold as
fast as she finished them. Miss Mischief
was improving daily. and no one real
lied the fact more clearly than her
father who offered her all the instruc-
ton he was able to give her, and aided
her in seeking. further opportunity for
developing the genius which was In her.
He took her often to the Louvre, where
she could see the grandest works OF the
old masters and historical paintings
which fired her imagination and fasci-
mated her eye. But her taste and genius
had been erratic from the outset. 1t was
not in the splendid halls of the Louvre
that she sought to study her art, but out
of doors. She was always at home with
nature, and loved to sketch among the
fields, the flowers and the domestic ami
mails. She watched the farmers in the
fields, and the oxen at work, the horses
on the boulevards, and purchased lamb
which ran about with her from morning
until night. and which she painted and
sold, on canvas, so times.
All this while the young schoolgirl
was developing into the young woman,
and in every picture she painted, always
from life, some decided improvement
was manifest over her previous efforts.
She loved her self-imposed task, and fol-
lowed it so closely, first in the minuteSt
observation of her subjects, and then in
the patient detail of reproducing it, that
she could not fail of success.
And thus the mischievous little girl
who had been locked up in the school
cellar to punish her for her roguery and
disregard of all rules of propriety, had
so improved in her chosen profession
that in 184S Horace Vernet, then presi-
dent of the Society of Fine Arts in Paris,
pronounced her to be the first female ar
fist in France-he might have truthful
ly added in the world.
This was Rosa Bonheur
Her pictures to-day grace the first gal
leries of the world, and command the
highest prices. They are more simple
and grand than elaborate, while her
touch is mastery, there being no trace
of woman's hand in anything she
paints. She aspired to photograph ma
ture in colors, and her success was per-
feet.
Rosa did not grow up to be handsome
woman, though she had a fine brow and
very expressive and beautiful eyes; but
the face as whole was rather harsh.
The hands and feet were of the most
petite character Sha always wore her
hair short, and in many respects fol-
lowed the dress of the sterner sex; but in
her manners she was refined and lady
like.
In her frequent visits to the cattle
fairs and stockyards, where she selected
her animal models, she always put on
male attire, and was Invariably at
tended by two huge mastiffs, who could
make her respected, if necessary, by
sign from their mistress.
One day when she was ON her way to
visit the cattle market to make some
studies, and dressed as a man, when her
maid came suddenly to her and an
nounced the illness of dear lady friend
who lived hard by. Rosa fastened up TO
see her, and, throwing herself on the
bed. caressed the invalid Just at this
moment the doctor entered. and. horri-
fled at what he saw, made hasty re-
treat "
For PHYS sake, Rosa" cried her
friend, hasten after him and explain!"
''Oh, it's no matter" she replied.
"Ah, but he's the greatest gossip liv-
ing, and will spread the report that re-
ceive visits from lovers, and all sorts
of horrors"
So Rosa fastened after the doctor, but
found it not so easy to convince him who
she was.
Such is glance at the romantic his
tory of the most famous female artist
of the world.-N. Y. Weekly.