Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1911-02-03
AFANOUS PICTURE
Rosa EO1heur's Stirring Master
piece, "The Horse Fair"
A PRIZE THAT FRANCE LOST.

the NTSdA Na"VaS 70 Flnu Rome In
This Countrywide Story Of the
Painting and Its Replleas.
One Of the chief glories of the Metro.
polltan museum in New York is Rosa
Bonheur's stirring masterpiece, "The
Horse Fair" picture which for its
Irresistible movement and living Dor,
traiture of mans most useful friend
holds unique position In the annals
Of art and the affections of lovers of
paintings.
Few, however, are acquainted with
the intimate history of that notable
canvas, and fewer still are aware that
there are no less than five horse fair
pictures in existence. The one In New
York is the original and it will be re-
membered. was first the property of A.
4. Stewart and then purchased for the
Metropolitan by Cornelius Vanderbilt
for 100000 francs
It was painted In Paris. the models
used being the horses Of the Paris Om-
nibus company and a few animals
studied at the horse market Of the
French capital. 1t was first exhibited
at the salon Of 1853, but went back to
the artist unsold
A part of the further history of the
famous painting is recorded by Ernest
Gambart in his manuscript memoirs,
which have been freely drawn upon
for the "Reminiscences of Rosa Ron
heur;'
"After the closing of the 1853 Paris
salon The Horse Fair was intrusted
to the Society of Artists Of Client for
exhibition In that town, where 1t had
a great success, but whence it also
came back unsold In the spring of
1854 l expressed to Mile. Bonheur the
desire to buy it from her. At that time
1t was in Bordeaux, her native town.
"Her preference was that the munic-
ipality should purchase it for the city
museum, and a price of 1900 francs
had been mentioned at which the town
authorities might acquire 1t. But she
said to me that If the canvas came
back TO her again she would let me
Je It. However, she could not let
sn,go to EngIand for less than 10000
t.ancs
Il unhesitatingly accepted the bar
gain, and it was agreed that the pic
ture should be mine unless sold to
Bordeaux. AS the picture was back
in her studio again In the following
year, / told Mile, Bonheur that l
wished to take 1t at once in order to
have it in my 1856 exhibition and that
should like to have 1t engraved by
Thomas Landseer. the celebrated en-
graver and brother to the painter.
"She was delighted at the idea Of |
the picture being engraved and said to
me: i have asked you 10000 francs
for my picture, although in France !
cannot get 10000, and / am pleased at
your consenting to my terms, On the
other hand, don't mean to take I'M
due advantage of your liberality. How
can we arrange matters? Let us see.
Well the picture is very large, and 1t
will be difficult to find place for 1t
In an engraver's studio Besides, you
want to exhibit 1t. Wouldn't 1t be bet
ter for me to paint you smaller
copyY"
That suggestion she carried out and
explains how the second canvas came
into existence. That smaller copy was
The one from which Landseer's well
known steel engraving was made and
&. the picture which is In the British
National gallery.
When she heard that 1t had become
he property Of the British nation
Nile. Bonheur decided to make a third
;opy. thinking the second was no.
rood enough for the London collection;
hence THE Horse Fair" No. 8. But
he National gallery authorities were
lot able to accept the substitute, as
he painting which It was designed to
splace had been given to them as
rustees.
Besldes these three, Mile. Bopheur
xecuted a water color replica and
lrawing based on large photograph
" all these. however, the picture IN
he Metropolitan Is by far the finest
york. which Is only as 1t should be IN
lew Of the fact that the artist always
ound her best public In America.
This was RECALLED to her detriment
vhen the rosette Of the Legion Of Hon
r was requested in her behalf "Sne
as ceased exhibiting at the salon,
bjected the president, land sells IN
.merica everything she paints" Ine
omplete answer to that was that the
'rench government had had the op.
ortunity to buy fThe Horse FAR
ut had neglected it--Argonaut.
WI II. l-..al.hln