Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-17
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ARTISTS PALATrEs AND PERSONALITIES

Washington, D. c., April III
Palettes Of number of famous art
lists Of the nineteenth century, col |
lected by the late George A. Lucas OF
Baltimore, are on display at the Cor
coran Art Gallery here.
Two little oblong pieces Of wood, |
besmeared with dark daubs Of paint,
are souvenirs of Camille Corot, the
celebrated French painter of land
scapes. Visitors to the collection
inger before these wooden plaques
imagining how Corot must have chosen
from them the colors for some of his
famous woodland scenes. They are
told that one of these palettes-the
one with a little red seal bearing
Corot's signature in one corner-Was
an outstanding feature of interest at
French salon exhibition some years
ago. After Corot's death friend
reverently took this palette to his
studio, along with Corot's pipe and
one of his picturesque red and white
Normandy caps worn on sketching
trips.
Constant Troyan, who is now re-
| garded as the painter who has best
understood cows and has painted them
resented by palette in the Lucas col,
! lection. Daubigny, Jules Breton, and
| Charles Boughton are among the other
well known painters whose palettes
were presented to the American con-
noisseur.
| 1t is an unusual collection. A
painters palettes ordinarily are cher
ished by his family or thrown away as
mere discarded tools Of no importance
or value. Yet palette is the most
personal belonging of an artist. It Is
acter of the artist may be read IN the
paint he smears on his palette, but
artists say that the palette of Corot
or Nlillet is a lesson in the mans
method of working. One old artist ad
vised a pupil: "If you would become q
great painter study assiduously the
palettes of those who have gone before
you"
The layman looking at " palettess;
some oblong and some oval, but an
more or less alike to him, sees only
tracted by the large palette of Dela-
croix on which Al blobs of color are
laid in neat rows This was an old
style way of laying palette, be is told
Most of the artists apparently reveled
in a more emotional use OF color
Their palettes were presented to the
collector practically as the artists LETT
them after some piece of work, except
that in number Of cases the painter
cleaned otI q space In the center ano
dashed off sketch.
i Artists IN Care-Free Mood
I These studies add greatly to the in
terest and value Of the palettes. They
represent the artist in care-free
mood with no thought Of painting to
please the public or to make q sale
One artist sketched in fresh colors a
fawn and kid dancing gaily Another
ing out realistically from its back
ground Of mottled color. Still another
painted a dim landscape in soft. dark
colors fading into the blurred frame Of
/, paints
But among them all, Corot's undec-
Grated palette is the greatest attrac-
, ton. Now, when his work brings
; fabulous sums and when his palette Is
treasured as priceless souvenir. 1t IS
difficult to imagine that this French
painter was for years unappreciated
by the art world. At the salons his
pictures were badly hung so that the
: light was either too glaring or too dim
for the picture to attract any atten-
ton. Once. the artist tried standing
: in front of hi. neglected work-a
landscape that would draw crowds at
any exhibition now. He reasoned that
if some one appeared to be interested
in the picture, others would be at
tracted to come and look at it. Finally
: honeymoon couple strolled up.
The groom said: THAT is no bad |
. Corot's heart leaped with appreciation
, But the bride, whom Corot described
as the softest and gentlest little per
q son, drew him away with shuddelr.
. and said: 1T is frightful. Come on. =
And Corot ends the story-"And said
: to myself, art thou satisfied? Thou
hast heard the opinion Of the public. =
Troyon, too, the master painter, OF
cows, was unappreciated IN his day:
: One story says that when jury Of
artists voted Troyon a decoration, Of
fetal art circles were aghast The
: minister Of fine arts shook his head
/. resignedly when he saw Troyon's name
on the list Of artists who were to re
: ceive decorations.
= 1T appears decidedly that l know
nothing about painting" he lamentec
z as he unwillingly put his signature te
j. the order.
i 1t seems strange that these nine-
u tcentn century dTLISLS were ISso o' i.
then as radicals who dared to break
away from tradition and paint nature
Il as she seemed to them rather than al
:, she had always been painted.
One of their worst crimes was ina
5 they chose to paint in straightforward
/. manner the forests. peasants, and farm
: scenes of France when every painter
i was supposed to be STEPPED in the elias
l. sic atmosphere Of Greece and Italy.
The amazement of the French pub
Is lie at the French landscapes was some
J. thing like that Of our own modern pub
lie when it discovered recently tha
IS novels descriptive Of mid-western hf,
o might be taken seriously. and that al
American literature need not bear
. New York stamp. People nowaday
5, are less frightened by new ideas an
= revolts than they We're in the Franc
of the nineteenth century. Artists an
ID public alike held out strongly agalns
Miller with his toll worn peasants
Troyon with his endless studies Of cat